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#71240 - 10/01/00 08:46 PM Synth Advice/Feedback Please
mholtz_90254 Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/01/00
Posts: 4
Loc: Hermosa Beach, CA USA
Greetings.

As a young 'un, I had a few years of piano lessons. Then came the clarinet. Lost interest. In college, I ended up hanging out with a musically gifted group of individuals with whom I formed a ska and reggae band - my role playing the keyboard and tenor sax. Great band, although I struggled with my skills and just got by. Graduated and got a 'real' job.

Today, I am getting the feeling that I may be a musician (using the term loosely) trapped in a Director of Engineerings body... I have decided to take my somewhat passive (meaning, as a listener and appreciator of many types of music) love for music and take it to the next level , and participate. Whether it is for just myself as a hobby, or as a means to get back into live performance as part of a group remains to be seen.

ANYWAY, here is what I am looking for - in order of intended acquisition (input on any of the items below would be greatly appreciated):

1. A keyboard with:
- 88-keys
- the capability to feel and sound like a piano (I want to begin piano lessons)
- great organ sounds
- great functionality as a synth and controller
- expandable

Money is not much of an issue, up to two to three thousand dollars. I started looking at the Roland XV-88 (my first two keyboards were a Juno 106 and a D-10 - I still have the D-10) and the Kurzweil K2500/2600XS (for some reason, always have been in awe of the name). I didn't particularly like the feel of the Roland, but it seems to have a lot of synth functionality. Loved the Kurzweil (what a machine!), but lot's of money. Just tried out the Yamaha S80 - best feel yet (in my opinion), great sound, and much less expensive than either of the others I mentioned above. Still looking into how it stacks up as a synth (any input here would be greatly appreciated).

2. MIDI tools with which I can begin exploring the world of MIDI
- end products so I immediately realize the spectrum of functionality that is out there (including storing and setting up my keyboard configurations, sequencing, and whatever else is out there)
- tools to augment actual software development (for kicks, cause I guess I am a geek)

3. Sound system which:
- allows me to sit at home with both keyboards and a CD player mixed together so I can jam along with my favorites (listening through either headphones or some speakers.
- allows me to (if and when I get to that point) mix and effect both keyboards and my sax with outputs to some monitors (perhaps the same speakers mentioned above) and to a main PA.

4. Small studio setup which:
- allows me to record music for songwriting and demos.

There is so much out there, and I am anxious to get rolling. I have begun researching much of the above, but would greatly appreciate some advice to augment and direct said research.

Thank you in advance for your input.

Regards,

Mark Holzworth

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#71241 - 10/12/00 10:25 PM Re: Synth Advice/Feedback Please
RodS Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/12/00
Posts: 5
Loc: Mamaroneck,NY,USA
You could write a book about all the info you need ;-)

1. My choices:
Yamaha s80, roland xv88, alesis qs8.1, korg N1
Kurzweil is overpriced (eventhough I own one.. ;-)

I'd go for the s80 for best bang for buck. Depends on your price range. The xv piano expansion board for the xv88 has a gorgeous piano sound. Kurzweil is complex as hell to program and use.

2. You have to narrow down your options. You need a good sequencer with audio capabilities
a. Hardware sequencer
Many to choose from, and I'm not too familiar
b. Software sequencers
i. PC - cakewalk
ii. MAC - Cubase, Logic, Digital Performer.


Software sequencers give you the most flexibility , allowing midi editing, recording audio etc. You can go nuts with plug ins and software synths as you get familiar, and also patch editor/librarians.

3. Get a good pair of studio monitors and a mixer with line level inputs (stereo) and mic level inputs (mono). It allow mixing the audio output of the synths, cd players, microphone/sax.

Tascam, behringer, Mackie make good entry level mixers

Alesis, Event, Yamaha, Mackie and others make good monitors

4. All above, then
a. Midi interface to hookup synths to PC
b. Audio interface to record mixer output to PC. Again you can also go for a hardware model vs a card for the pc.

Check out the postings at audioforums.com . We discuss this type of info all the time.

[This message has been edited by RodS (edited 10-12-2000).]

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