JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Keyboard and Piano Forum Good first keyboard for recording?

hey everybody,

As the subject line says, I'm looking for my first real keyboard for recording.

a little about me; I'm a guitarist by training. My degree of ability on the keys consists of banging out chords and major scale melodic parts. In other words, nothing more than background accents and an occasional offbeat slow messy ballad.

I also have a small home studio set up and would like to expand my palette of sounds beyond guitars and bass. The things I'd like to add are acoustic piano sounds, some new wav-y type synth sounds, strings and some horn sounds.

Also, my experiments with midi have been migraine inducing thus far so I'd like to stick with direct-in audio, if that factors into the equation. I'd prefer to buy used and my price range is no more than $450.

Anyone got any ideas?

Miles Maxwell

Radio Shack has a new one that's loaded for around $350. It's not a grand piano feel, but for new, and with all the bells and whistles, it's not a bad item to pick up for your situation.

For used: Korg, Alesis, Yamaha, Roland, for examples would be good, and might be in the 450. range. Depends on the age, and abuse they got from the previous owners. If at all possible, take a good keyboard player with you to anyplace, to check them out before commiting.

Happy playing!

John

Thanks for the input John.

I'll give the radio shack board a shot this weekend. see what it has to offer. I suppose though that if I want to impress anyone enough to pay me to record, I might want to front the extra $ for a reputable name at least.

What about a stage piano for recording? I know they have limited sounds but, if it's got good piano and organ sounds with passable strings sounds and have weighted keys, I'm thinking that might work as well. I was at GC on Sunday and the salesmen introduced the thought into my head. A Yamaha stage piano for roughly $600. Could that be had for less used?

Miles

Hold your horses! You are a songwriter right? Not an active performing artist, right? No one sees the maker's name! Paying someone to record, as you mentioned, takes in a whole other subject as an "artist". The signing of an artist who performs out and has sold many CD's, and who is image-right and all that, is how someone will pay you to record, not the keyboard you are making demos with, or even using on stage. You can blot out the name if wanted. Sounds today are pretty much good to better. It's how they are played that counts.

A publisher may sign on one or more of your songs, from your "songwriting" demos though, (still not caring what name brand of anything you have), and the keyboard can be anything except a toy, and might not even be needed. (Another subject,,,but what the heck!): Adding production when not being very skilled at the instruments could hurt more than help. Adding parts just for your ear is good, if it's for peers and friends, to get feedback, or just for the fun of it, like on a website, or just for you. But for "publishers" demos,,,, the simplier the better, unless you have top notch players on "all" the parts, to help MAKE the song a Tight and Great demo song.
That's why, with what you said in the original post I recommended the Radio Shack one,,,,,,Lots of good sounds and features for a low price. NOT the higher end keyboards and all that comes with them, but good for the wallet when just learning your ways around the keys, and still good sounds.
Later, you can always add to that,,,,and have the higher end models be worth it for you in all aspects.

The Yamaha stage piano would be good for the better feel and sound "somewhat" like a piano, as most are decent that have the weighted keys. The price is decent. Maybe both in time,,,one with the good feel and piano sound, and the other for all the glitter and maybe better string/horn sounds and all the FX settings. BUT, remember, sounds are a dime a dozen,,,LOTS of people have keys now, Millions of them out there! Songwriting and Playing should be the focus, unless all for FUN!

John

[This message has been edited by dhsongs (edited 12-10-2002).]