keyboards

[BluesNRock87]

i wanna get a cheap keyboard that would be decent for possible performances, but want to spend as little as possible, say 100. any recomendations or models to check out? i know nothing about this, any features to look for? advice?

[LesStrat]

Re: keyboards

Believe it or not, the cheap Casio and Yamaha models actually sound pretty good. Of course, they are housed in plastic, so don't drop it! The weird thing is, the cheap and mid-range keyboards have the same sounds. The price difference is mostly in the hardware. Of course, for $100 you are looking at the lower end keys.

61 standard size keys would be my minimum. One thing I don't like about most of the Casio's, though--no slider volume control. It usually is a function with up and down arrows, hence harder to change smoothly. However I like the sounds in them.
I would recommend touch sensitive keys

Check this out:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/706034/

(/\this does not have touch sensitive keys)

My son has the CTK 541. I have used it satisfactorily on a couple of gigs that I didn't feel like hauling my Alesis QS8 to.

Then there is:

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-CAS-CTK593.html

and

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-YAM-CBXK1--d-2.html

[Hellion]

Re: keyboards

You might see if you can find a Roland Juno 1. They're an analog keyboard, but MIDI capable. Their piano sounds are not great, nor are their wind instruments, but they're a synthesizer and you can approximate some great Oberheim patches on them. Also their string sounds are still killer. These are old keyboards and not in demand at all, so you might be able to pick them up for about that price.

[Thurisarz]

Re: keyboards

We have different Yamahas and Casios at school and i must say the Casios are really great! If i ever want a keyboard i would definatly buy a Casio!

[BluesNRock87]

Re: keyboards

i got paid 50 by my parents today for totally setting up 4 brand new computers in our house, plus a wireless router and some other stuff, so that brings my max up to 150, any other suggestions? do i need a stand? i guess i could wait till holiday season and be able to spring like 300 on it if needed...i am also gonna give a call to my uncle, he is a concert painist that plays in the lousiville symphony and a few other ensembles (his cds are pretty cool). he may be able to swing me something....thanks for the help, keep em coming, 150-300 ill say for now

[BluesNRock87]

Re: keyboards

o yea for now i just want piano sounds and enough volume to do jams with friends (line out capable maybe, i dont know anything about these things....)

[Thurisarz]

Re: keyboards

My friend who is a keyboardist tried a Roland FR/FP(?) at the local music store yesterday and damn that sounded sweet! He is seriously thinking of buying that one!

[LesStrat]

Re: keyboards

o yea for now i just want piano sounds and enough volume to do jams with friends (line out capable maybe, i dont know anything about these things....)

Most of the ones in your price range have a line out jack. The others have a headphone out jack that can serve the same purpose. A stand is needed, but you can get away with using other makeshift stands until you get a real one.

(Rolands sound good, but they are COSTLY.)

If you can double your money, I'd recommend:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/QS62/

Also, check MF and AMS for "non-factory sealed box" deals. AMS has one right now for about $540.


BTW, do NOT use your guitar amp for your keyboard. Either go direct to the PA, use a keyboard amp, or a bass amp. For the above K/B's, it is not as big of a threat, but a full range K/B can blow a guitar speaker. AND, it doesn't sound good.

[Panzer]

Re: keyboards

o yea for now i just want piano sounds and enough volume to do jams with friends (line out capable maybe, i dont know anything about these things....)

9/10 times you have to PA the synth. Most of them wont be loud enough on their own to keep up with drums.

[Panzer]

Re: keyboards

For an extremely good deal I would suggest checking out the Optimus Concertmate 990 if you can score one off ebay it might be a good deal. They were a radioshack brand, but it has all the features you would want and its cheeeeeap. for like $420 CDN or whatever back in like 1999-2000ish it had Midi, Line out, headphone jack, onboard mixer, touch response, full scale keys, metronome, lessons, It even showed your note on a scale when you play a key, aswell as telling you what chord you are playing, it has pitch bender, hundreds of built in sounds, tracks, and 4 full concert percussion sets. I got one for Christmas a couple years ago and to be perfectly honest it is slightly more user friendly than the Roland units I worked with in the studio at school and at the Music College. The audio bites were all fully customizable aswell so you can modify them to get the exact sound you want. Basically the thing had everything a beginner would need without having to setup Midi and less user friendly audio software on a computer workstation. The speakers on it are capable of giving enough kick to play infront of a semi large group aswell. I suggest trying to find one in your area and picking it up for something in the area of $150. It is encased in plastic though, but aslong as your carefull you wont have a problem.

[texasguitarslinger]

Re: keyboards

I scored this Casio CT648 last week for $30 off of Craig's List. Has 61 full keys tons of presets, drum machine and a sliding volume. Has an 1/8" line out but I can use an adaptor and run it into an amplifier.

[BluesNRock87]

Re: keyboards

i won 50 bucks tonite at texas hold em, making my total 200, i also made 15 on a dare, so make it 215, anything else i could check out?