I thought it would be interesting to discuss an order of keyboards that we individually would most likely purchase...both new and used....

Knowing that we all have different needs...maybe we can mention why they are our choices....and maybe why we did not choose any other popular model too...

We can also keep in mind the list does not include our current keyboard (s)...since it is apparent they are our first choice...

Think about your list and place them in order, as if they all would be available, and money was not a factor as much as your needs and favor...

Here is my list:

As mentioned the boards we own are our first choices...in my case a Roland G70 and a MediaStation...

My next purchases (if I felt I needed another board)..would be in this order...

Korg PA2X..

Nord Stage EX76..

Roland VR-760 ..

Roland G1000..

Roland E-60..

Roland RD-700 GX..

Roland XP80..

Hammond XK-3c (the only 61 key model I would consider)..

Roland Juno Stage..

Roland Fantom G7..

Yamaha Motif XS7..

My needs would be an all around arranger/piano/organ.. type of instrument first...hence the Korg Pa2x, Nord Stage, VR-760, G1000, E-60, RD700GX...The next group are considerations well down the line ..because of my overall needs, but I find them worthwhile...if the above models were not available..

76 keys and a good key feel are essential as well.....except for the Hammond, all my choices are at least 76 keys...


So give it some thought and maybe we can have a discussion without, you know what....

Nord C2
Roland V-Piano
Muse Receptor (baddest one they got!)
Nord StageEX 88
Wurlitzer 200A
Rhodes Suitcase
Memorymoog
Jupiter8
Prophet5
Minimoog
Vox Continental
ARP2600
Oh... what the heck... money's no object?
SteinwayD
Moog Modular
Buchla modular

First four to gig with (as long as someone ELSE does cartage!), rest for the studio (the sims never QUITE get it perfect!).

I've got to use the ones I bought in the last few years that are still in the boxes.

Haven't seen anything I don't have that gets me cranked up. Maby that will change at Summer NAMM, but, like someone said in the last few days, Summer NAMM isn't typically the place for the introduction of new keys.


Good topic, Fran.


R.

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 06-18-2009).]

"... STILL IN THE BOXES" ...... man, what a luxury! ...
love ya, Cap'n ...
t.

WOT! No spittin', smokin', bitchin' B3?

We already got one of those...

About the only one I am thinking about is the Nord Electro 3 for it's electric piano, organ and clavinet modelling plus it now adds sampling for those other bread and butter sounds I need in a classic rock band.


[This message has been edited by Nigel (edited 06-19-2009).]

Ok,

PA-588
Oasys
M3-88
Open Labs Neko (Outfitted with all the great software)
Schimmel Pegasus Grand

Just off the top of my head...

J

I now own:

Cherrywood Hammond B3/Leslie (For sale!!!)
Samick 54" Millenium Studio Piano
Hammond XK3
Roland Digial Piano
Roland G1000(3)
Roland PK5 (2)

I would like to step up to the Roland G70 --2 of course since I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy
Baldwin,Yamaha, Steinway Grand --if I had the room
I'm now just interested in portable PA gear. Fran's 802's and the Behringer PA sound interesting.
Bill

I've developed an interest in the Korg Pa2xPro, if i were to replace the G70 with something similar. Other considerations might be:

PA800/500
S900
E50
Electro Stage 73
Yamaha CP300
Hammond XK3c - to replace my XK1 ???
Juno Stage 76

Finally, I'd love to have a mint cherry or walnut B3 with string bass and matching Leslie for the house. I'd even consider the new B3.

This stuff sounds pretty 'heavy'.

Money no object?

1. Roland Atelier AT-900C

2. Hammond B3 Ultimo

3. And I'd keep my E-80

The "perfect" arranger KB for ME hasn't been made yet. Although for now Yamaha is coming close with each release for my needs.

Your off topic again...

Ok let's make it easy....

Yamaha S900
Yamaha Tyros 3

what more does anyone need?.Just listen to Ian's song on the eJAM post and I havn't heard any other arranger that could sound that good, including piano, which I enjoy on all Yamaha instruments. But if there is I'd love to hear it instead of this crazy wish list scenario.
http://www.4shared.com/file/112020540/80ccf16b/NearnessOfYou1.html



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 06-20-2009).]

Some folks need more keys...and a good piano sound..

As I mentioned before Ian's tune was the best I heard from the S900..to date....but it wasn't the piano that stood out, in fact even layered with strings it is one of the weaker sounds...The stand out was the guitar, and also Ian's guitar work...

Not many "piano" players would want to play "naked" piano on a s900...

Thankfully we are accordion players..

and it still bugs me..

I certainly can't say the S900 has the "best" piano sound...Tyros, especially Tyros2/3, and G70, have it beat, but it works perfect for me, even solo...I like using the P85 to control it for solo piano.

I play around with the filter to take some brightness off to soften it for jazz.

It's not actually meant to be a solo piano...it just has to work well within the arranger accompaniment, and it does that perfectly.

With my Jupiter 8 I have about the best analog sound I could want, and with a Tyros3 (or even S900), I've got excellent digital (realistic) sounds...the B3 on the Tyros3 is incredible so I wouldn't lust after a Hammond anymore.

I may look into an S70 XS in the fall.

Ian

Ian, that is why I mentioned more keys...illustrated by your use of the P85 for piano /controller..

BTW: I always thought the S series Yamaha synths were the better value, rather than the Motif stuff...I will check out the new S70 model too...not that I need it, but have to shop/buy...it is my hobby..

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 06-20-2009).]

I see your point Fran...61 keys aren't enough for playing just piano....especially if they aren't hammer action.

I don't like playing solo piano on unweighted or even semi-weighted keys...they work fine for arranger use, but they feel terrible to a piano player...probably because they feel nothing like a piano.

I really don't mind the lightweight action on an arranger...it's no worse than, say, going from acoustic guitar to electric when I play guitar...guitarists have to deal with all kinds of different actions...so do us keyboard guys as well; and, since my personal gigs are "arranger" type, I don't have any problems with using a 61 note flyweight.

The Jupiter 8 has no velocity sensitivity at all, and I'm soon comfortable with it after a few minutes adjustment.

If the S70 XS works out, I can sell my P85...I only use the weighted action stuff at home anyway, and I also like the idea of the aftertouch on the former, and I'm pretty sure it's MIDI specs far more extensive.

It's certainly a lot lighter than the CP-300 I had here...the MIDI specs on that were awesome, but so was the weight (and it didn't have aftertouch).

Ian

Since I have all I need in arrangers;

Steinway B
Hammond B3 in Cherrywood
Roland KRM117M
Roland V Piano
Roland RD700gx

As I look at my choices I think back to 1974 when I worked for the Steinway dealer in Providence. At the time the owner's 2nd store geared toward the rock musician carried Roland electronics pianos. We use to laugh at what junk they were. Amazing how Roland products have exceled thru the years.

Hey, Cass Pa2xPro eh?

Mines the same as usual coming from an Organ Background

Hammond B3 Organ with Leslie
Kurzweil K2600 Synthesizer
Wersi EX1 Expander (Upgraded to include Quad Core CPU, 4GB Ram and Twin HDD)
Various Akai samples plus the following VST Instruments for the above
Kore 2 (Native Instruments)
Kontakt 3 (Native Instruments)
Goliath (East West)
True Pianos (4Front)
EZ Drummer (Toontrack)
Jazz & Big Band (Garritan)


[This message has been edited by abacus (edited 06-20-2009).]

Even if they WERE...

Honestly, given the choice, would you chose a semi-weighted 76 or a fully weighted 61 if you HAD to play piano on one or the other?

For me, at least, the semi-weighted 76 gives you the most OPTIONS. If you know full well what you are going to always play every night, choosing a particular type works well. If you don't... You can play just about any style on a semi-76, up to close to full solo piano style. Sure, it's not as good as the full 88, but you've either GOT to lug one of those around 24/7 just in case, if you use a lightweight 61 the rest of the time, or forgo being able to do a full piano part if the mood strikes you.

I don't know about Yamaha's Pianostyle Mode, but Roland's is certainly good enough that, if you want to play a full piano part AND still have the arranger back it, it is capable of tracking your playing (including dynamics) pretty well. I realize there are better ways of doing everything, but they involve carting a lot of gear to achieve it. If you want to cover ALL the bases with the minimum of gear, the semi-76 is possibly the best compromise. Personally, I think that playing organ parts, or flute and sax parts, or even Wurlitzer 200A parts (that have a pretty light and short action compared to a grand) on a fully weighted action no more or less of a compromise than playing grand piano parts on a semi-weighted.

Unless you haul THREE keyboards around (weighted 88, synth weight 61 and a waterfall 61 for organ), you have to make SOME kind of compromise if you need to cover all the bases. If you hone your act around your equipment, you can use anything (I jam out regularly on a 37 note KX-5 no problem - but I have much more restricted choices when I do), but if you prefer to let the MUSIC dictate the equipment rather than the other way around, a semi-76 is the best one keyboard choice, IMO.

I look forward to hearing the S70XS in your hands, though, Ian. Perhaps you can (as an owner) get Yamaha's attention to making the arp section just a BIT more arranger-like, too...?

Neither. I haven't been given the choice, my friend....but I have made a choice, just like you have...you're happy with yours and I with mine.

Arranger gigs, for me, require only 61 keys.

I don't play piano, except at home...the arranger gives me the edge over the trad piano player...there are lots of pianists around here, and very few who do instrumentals on the arranger, so that's my focus...and it works wonderfully.

Given the choice for an arranger, I would gladly choose 61 unweighted...I'm not forced to use Yamaha...I can play what I want for my personal gigs, and I haven't found anything that covers the arranger bases as well as the S900...great sounds, great OS, excellent styles, very light weight, and a very comfortable action, that I happen to like....a lot.

You know darn well I'm content.


Ian

Yep... we both manage to be pretty content!

It's just that I do play a pretty large variety of musical situations, from OMB all the way through total live band, so I can't get away with the 61 like you can.

You don't play ANY live music anymore, or non-arranger ensemble...? Pity, the musicians around your area are missing out on a good thing! As might you...

Sometimes it's amazing to all get on the same page and create an arrangement for a song from scratch that would have taken you DAYS to program. I know you used to jam out... you sure there's no room left for others?

Just think what that S70XS could do in a live band...!

I know we're straying off Fran's topic, so I'll just say that I still do a fair bit of jamming with a few friends of mine...not as often as we used to, but it keeps the doors open and the exchange of ideas flowing.

Last time we jammed, I took the S900 and my two MS60S monitors...the guys loved it....and so did my back.

Besides working pretty steady with arranger gigs and my Yamaha clinics/demos, myself and another Yamaha clinician (guitar guy) do a fair bit of recording backing tracks for a local songwriter...that also keeps the creative juices flowing as well.

So, I'm doing okay.

Ian

I'd love to hear some of that songwriter's work with you, Ian. Email me if he wouldn't object.

I don't have anything here...they are just very basic...you know yourself that a fleshed out recording is not what they look for in Nashville, where they are being sent.

We're shut down for the summer as we don't get much great weather but for a few months, and my guitar buddy is a boating freak...we'll start back in late fall...I'll see if Peter will let me snag a few tunes.

We usually do six or seven tunes in a day, usually by having Peter sing and play his guitar, whilst we get a chord chart and an idea of a style...I then record mostly bass and drums with some additional parts of the style recorded, we very seldom do solos, unless it's a part of the song's theme...I'm also never there when the actual vocals go down...it's a five hour drive. I arrive the night before, do the tunes the all the next day, and I'm gone the next morning for home, and back to other things.

Thanks for your interest, Diki.

OK, sorry Fran, off topic but three guys are wishing for a mint B3 and I got one like you've never seen for sale!
MINT late 50's CHERRYWOOD B3 with a perfectly matched leslie. Purchased together. Bench, pedals, music rack all intact. Never left the house!
All new tubes in both units, rebuilt leslie amp, new speakers, Fischer reverb and Trek II String Bass in the organ.
Again MINT !!! 30 day guarentee.
Brand new set of covers for both organ and leslie and a set of roll R carry dollies.(Not used on this unit but from my past Hammond business)
Shipping can be arranged. Last B3 I sold went to the Netherlands!!

Billlewisnj@aol.com
Thanks