Hiya im new to this forum, I have since a child had an interest in getting an oriental keyboard as I am Turkish and wish to experiment with arrangers with built in oriental styles and sounds.

However I do not know what keyboard 2 buy!!

I have an upper budget limit of �5-600

Iv seen the EM-55OR by Roland which has built in sounds but looks very basic. Also I really like the Korg PA50 but i dont know if the sounds are built in or if i need to expand. There is a 16MB Flash ROM for the PA80 but the 50 doesnt have this expansion slot

If anyone could direct me to something, any suggestions are welcome. Even second hand buys I dont mind, as long as its a good keyboard with oriental capabilities!!

Regards

There is also the Yamaha PSR A1000, which is a bit older than the Korg you mentioned.

I haven't listened to the Korg or the Roland, but I had a very brief encounter with the Yamaha and it sounds good enough in my opinion. It has additional sounds (ud, buzuki etc) and rhythms, (Persian, Iranian, Turkish, Greek, that kind of stuff)

Also, I think there is a Roland EXR 5-GR circulating, (EXR is the newest mid class keybs from Roland and the GR denotes Greek Rhythms, some of them sound relative to Turkish)
Check them out, get on the net I don't have any ready links to give you.

there is also an Oriental arranger forum in synthzone

Ahh, I forgot, GEM makes oriental keyboards used in many live shows here.
Check their site also

or korg PA -55 (oriental version of PA-50)(they say).
check out irish acts.

Roland Gw-7 http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=8&subcatid=36&prodid=GW%2D7

Phil

In your price range, check out the Generalmusic WK1oriental. It sells in the USA for $695.00 and has dozens of Turkish, Arabic, Greek styles and very good middle eastern sounds with quarter tone tuning buttons on the front panel.
The Korg doesn't have any styles and sounds unless you load them from disk and there is no quarter tone tuning direct buttons. You have to do this through many pages of the operating system.
I sell all the orienal keyboards in my store in Southern Callifornia. Let me know if you have any additional questions.


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Roland is proud to announce the EXR-46 Oriental Arranger-Roland's most authentic and versatile Oriental-themed keyboard. As the newest addition to Roland's arranger-keyboard family, the EXR-46 OR retains many of the popular design characteristics of its predecessor (EXR-40 OR), but improves and builds upon the fundamental elements: sounds, styles, and Music Assistant features.
http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM07/Content/Roland/PR/EXR-46.html

Roland is proud to announce the EXR-46 Oriental Arranger-Roland's most authentic and versatile Oriental-themed keyboard. As the newest addition to Roland's arranger-keyboard family, the EXR-46 OR retains many of the popular design characteristics of its predecessor (EXR-40 OR), but improves and builds upon the fundamental elements: sounds, styles, and Music Assistant features.
http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM07/Content/Roland/PR/EXR-46.html

Roland is proud to announce the EXR-46 Oriental Arranger-Roland's most authentic and versatile Oriental-themed keyboard. As the newest addition to Roland's arranger-keyboard family, the EXR-46 OR retains many of the popular design characteristics of its predecessor (EXR-40 OR), but improves and builds upon the fundamental elements: sounds, styles, and Music Assistant features.
http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM07/Content/Roland/PR/EXR-46.html

Thx, RPDigital. Now I'm really convinced.