What to get?

[Mrniceguy]

I've played guitar for 4 years pretty intense and I love it but it feels like I'd rather explore the world of music than put all my time and effort in technique, music is my passion. I'd like to learn another instrument and I think there's a lot of feeling to be expressed through a piano/keyboard, I live in an appartment where I can't have a piano so I'll probably get a keyboard, preferably a keyboard with good piano sounds.

The thing is that I'm not in to this gear and it's hard to separate the instruments from the toys so could you please help me?

I'll have about $450-500 to put on a keyboard..

[Shreddy]

Welcome to the forum.


This is quite the common question around here. Look back in this gear forum for some of the many threads on looking for a keyboard. Many of the threads were in this same price range.


Ed

[Mrniceguy]

Yeah, sorry, I saw that after posting.

I was really surprised to find something like this for keyboardists, there are a lot forums guitar players but not as many for you playing keys.
Petrucciforum is my favorite forum for guitars, and I guess this is a favorite for many playing keys.

[Shreddy]

Yeah too many guitarists in this world :)

This is a good place for us Metal / Prog keyboardists and fans to hang out at. Most other keyboard sites are aimed a DJs, Hip Hop or Other mindless crap.

Ed

[Mrniceguy]

Yeah too many guitarists in this world :)

This is a good place for us Metal / Prog keyboardists and fans to hang out at. Most other keyboard sites are aimed a DJs, Hip Hop or Other mindless crap.

Ed
I'm into 80s Hardrock, All kinds of metal (except mainstream nu-metal), favorites are those with influences from classical music like Dream Theater and Symphony X and I'm also in to the virtuosos like Satriani and Vai.

But if I learn playing keys too I'll dedicate it to classical music so I'm looking for something with good piano sounds and dynamics, and I think I've found something already.. Korgs keyboards seem to have great piano sounds if you listen to the clips on their homepage, kind of blew me away. First I listened to some keyboard which sounded great but was about $1700 (17000:- SEK) which just is too much.

Then I found their EC-150 which isn't really a keyboard but a digital piano, which might be something for me, since I live in a appartment and can't have a piano since it's too loud. The have good deals on those in musicstore nearby so I might check it out.
Maybe the Kork PS200 is worth checking out as well..

[Shreddy]

The Korg piano tones are a bit thin when compared to others (Kurz, Roland, Yamaha). If your seriously going to study classical piano a stage piano would be a good option for you because its dedicated piano sounds and 88 keys. On the other hand stage pianos are out of your price range even used and if you want to go beyond the typical piano tones your not going to have much to work with.

A synth might give you a decent piano tone and also provide you with much more tones but you would have to settle for a 61 key synth vs a 76 or 88 due to your price range.

Check out the Yamaha or Alesis sites and see if there are any new boards that might fall into your price ranges.

If your looking for used gear use this site as a general idea of what the used gear prices are www.prepal.com

Ed

[Mrniceguy]

The Korg piano tones are a bit thin when compared to others (Kurz, Roland, Yamaha). If your seriously going to study classical piano a stage piano would be a good option for you because its dedicated piano sounds and 88 keys. On the other hand stage pianos are out of your price range even used and if you want to go beyond the typical piano tones your not going to have much to work with.

A synth might give you a decent piano tone and also provide you with much more tones but you would have to settle for a 61 key synth vs a 76 or 88 due to your price range.

Check out the Yamaha or Alesis sites and see if there are any new boards that might fall into your price ranges.

If your looking for used gear use this site as a general idea of what the used gear prices are www.prepal.com

Ed
Yeah, ok, thanks..
But I'm thinking of spending a little more now, with $1000 max. The best option would be something with 88 keys, weightened?
That's also the most expensive though, but I'm not going to play this as my main instrument, which means I wouldn't want to buy new stuff all the time as I get better, I'd rather just have something good to start with that rewards me as I get better, in other words I want something to grow with.

[Over The Edge]

For that price you should check out the Alesis QS.8
series synths. 88 weighted keys. Pretty nice all
around sounds. A real meat and potatoes board.




FL
www.franklucas.net

[Mrniceguy]

For that price you should check out the Alesis QS.8
series synths. 88 weighted keys. Pretty nice all
around sounds. A real meat and potatoes board.




FL
www.franklucas.net
Okey, thank you.
I've heard a lot of good things about those.

[Mrniceguy]

I found a Roland RD-300 for $500 (remember that everything costs a bit more here in sweden due to the import taxes). It has 88 keys which is good and it's in a good pricerange, does anyone know how it sounds?

[PsawniK]

Try a (used) Yamaha S80.

[Shreddy]

I dont know too much about that Roland RD-300. There are reviews for the RD100 and RD500 on epinions.com not for the 300 though.

The Alesis might be a good alternative for you if your looking for a new keyboard. A used Yamaha S80 would be fantastic, its got great feeling keys, good tones and you can expand it down the road. Might be a good option for you and yes its 88 keys weighted.

With either the Alesis or Yamaha your going to get a number of tones that would be very useful when you want to record.

Ed

[Mrniceguy]

I dont know too much about that Roland RD-300. There are reviews for the RD100 and RD500 on epinions.com not for the 300 though.

The Alesis might be a good alternative for you if your looking for a new keyboard. A used Yamaha S80 would be fantastic, its got great feeling keys, good tones and you can expand it down the road. Might be a good option for you and yes its 88 keys weighted.

With either the Alesis or Yamaha your going to get a number of tones that would be very useful when you want to record.

Ed
That's cool. Too bad the Alesis is so expensive here.. In the states its about $900-1000 right? Well, here in sweden it's $1500 so there's a big difference when it comes to new instruments. = /
I'll keep looking for deals on used instruments..I'll keep my eyes open for a Yamaha S80.

[Deceit]

Keep your eyes on Alesis QS 8.x (better 8.1) and Yamaha S80 synths.
You'll find some good price in a short time I think. Try looking in nearby countries, the shipping will cost more but not that much.
Deceit.

[Mrniceguy]

Keep your eyes on Alesis QS 8.x (better 8.1) and Yamaha S80 synths.
You'll find some good price in a short time I think. Try looking in nearby countries, the shipping will cost more but not that much.
Deceit.
Why didn't I think of that..
Thanks, I just checked out ebay and found a Kurzweil PC-88 and the seller can ship to europe. Anybody know anything about those?
I'll keep looking for now.

[Deceit]

They're performance controllers, they are fabulous master keyboards that, depending on the version, can be or are expanded so they have a few sounds built-in.
I think this one hasn't anyone. So listen to me and aim for Alesis QS 8.1 it's the best price/quality thing now!
Deceit.

[Mrniceguy]

They're performance controllers, they are fabulous master keyboards that, depending on the version, can be or are expanded so they have a few sounds built-in.
I think this one hasn't anyone. So listen to me and aim for Alesis QS 8.1 it's the best price/quality thing now!
Deceit.
They seem to be impossible to find in sweden, the newer models cost $1500 and I can only find ones for about $900 anywhere else in the world.
The shipping is not much but importtaxes are 25% of the totalprice with shipping included so that will be too expensive.