Originally Posted By: analogcontrolfreak
Nigel had suggested that I should buy an arranger keyboard. Said it would be better for me, then say a synthesizer or a workstation? What are the benefits, and could someone point me to a topic on this, as I did a search and came up with nothing? I know I am not much of a musician, but I have messed a around with a few keyboards. Triton Le, Roland XP-80 Yamaha SY-99. I even had a salesman at Guitar Center try and sell me a Yamaha Motif. Although, most salesmen, stirred me towards Yamaha mostly. Such as the SY-22 and 35 and a Motif. Also, the Alesis QS-6.

I have had several Casio keyboards but never really played them.


Keyboards I have owned besides several 80's and one 90's home keyboard.

Yamaha DX7II-FD Bought off of my music teacher.
Ensoniq Mirage traded the DX7II-FD
ARP Omni - Frist Vintage synth , now just a show piece.
Three Korg Poly-61's
KAWAI K5000s bought in trade with a Poly-61 and Mirage, latter sold KAWAI to Music Go Round
Roland JX-305 groove synth - sold on Ebay
AKAI AX-60 Bought and sold on ebay
ARP AXXE second vintage synth bought and latter sold on ebay
Roland Juno-106 - sold on ebay
Roland Juno-D bought and resold back to same music store

Korg KS61 still in box hardly used

So I know it's not the keyboards, it is me.

Some keyboards and synths that I would have loved to own or are fascinated by

Moog Minimoog - Classic and Voyager

Korg MS-2000 just cool

Alesis Ion

Ensoniq EPS16 plus Sampler's are pretty cool

JP-8000 Roland

You can tell I like knobs

I like the Triton Le some cool sounds

The Casio XWP-1 Inexpensive

new Korg MS-20

KARMA

Korg interactive workstations like the IS-6

Sorry I got carried away.


Anyway I love synths, even though I am not much of a player.

Paul




You have to ask your self a question.


Do you want to be a musician or a button pusher/sound tweaker.

If you don't want to actually play but only play with sounds/not interested in play with both hands , this is what you do..

Get a laptop ( mac Book Pro with min 8Gb ram -if you can afford- if not -$ 299 windows machine is fine)

With MBP , get Logic,Mainstage 2 - get a 25 or 37 key USB controller with slider and knobs ( since you do not want to plaY),Save your own sounds,setups or if you want record unlimited tracks of audio and midi). No more expensive hardware synths, since you are not a musician or play live.

In windows route - Cubase/Sonar/PT can all do decent work.

Get Kontact 8 as your main softsynth ( all synths including FM is here,your dad can't complain about tweaking dx7 II fd,it'll be FM8).Korg legacy collections plus M1 with give you all classic sounds including wavestation and ms.A controller with kobs/sliders will do wonders and if your computer is good enough no noticable latency either).


If you want to play music/create songs/sing get an arranger.
(arrangers are not glorified home keybords anymore - that was a saying in 1980's not true anymore,it was said only by the people who are not familiar with TOTL current arrangers, they were talikng about low end psrs or casios),By the way there is no such thing as Korg interactive work station model ( Korg's term for their arrangers) IS6.ARe you refereing to I5s?

PA3x will eat Triton Le alive ( regarding sounds including non western , it also has non western turnings, sampler,ribbon controller and the list goes on, but you don't nee to spend that much, go with controller, softsynth route).all triton Le's programs ( except combis and ARP )can be loaded in microarranger.


Sy22 is 1991-2 era.Dx s are 80's.Sy 35 is 1993, Sy 99 is 1991 ( good syth by the way -FM plus PCM),QS 6 is mid 90's.ALL of them are outdated ( except for SY's which have FM that I love,yet still old).

Gutar center doesnt carry decent arrangers ( all cheapo casios and yammys or sub $1000 arrangers).

Listen to Tyros 4with gtr styles,PA3x's drums, Audya 's audio styles and we'll talk wheather they are home keyboards or not.


Or best, if keybord playing is not working out, start a acoustic instrument - Eg. learn to play guitar. You'll later need a arranger for sure..


This is how musicians start.One need to know to admire and inspire.


Good luck wth your purchase.



To the original questions- benefits of owning an arranger keyboard
Answer - To make more money than band mates,carry less,play more, be your won boss in your band,improve your playing skills with a bckup band that never sleep/get drunk/give excuses not to show up and will start to push one into singing and get better singer in the future, the list goes on..


Edited by jamman (03/06/13 10:54 PM)