Keyboard help

gizmobltd · #1 09-27-2008, 10:43 PM

I've been grooving on the bass for awhile. Right now I wanna get into keyboards. Anyone know what a good begiener setup would be. I would like , if possible, to use this keyboard in my band. Can I plug a keyboard into my Ibanez bass amp? I also wanna cover a couple songs with this , as well as compose some of my own. Would a chord dictionary be useful? Any help will be appreciated.

p.s. im not giving up bass, this is just a secondary instrument.

D.Don · #2 09-27-2008, 10:45 PM

What kind of sounds are you looking for?

Synth stuff, Piano/Strings, Rhodes/Hammond, or all of these?

D.Don

gizmobltd · #3 09-27-2008, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.Don

What kind of sounds are you looking for?

Synth stuff, Piano/Strings, Rhodes/Hammond, or all of these?

D.Don

Wow. I have no clue what your talking about,but i just want one preloaded with aton of diffrent tones. And one that plays just like a normal piano. I guess im a keyboard Noob

D.Don · #4 09-27-2008, 10:56 PM

I think a good one then could be a used Korg Triton LE (approx $500 on theBay) ...

There you got a lil of everything.

D.Don

gizmobltd · #5 09-27-2008, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.Don

I think a good one then could be a used Korg Triton LE (approx $500 on theBay) ...

There you got a lil of everything.

D.Don

any ok ones for 200 or under?

D.Don · #6 09-27-2008, 11:03 PM

Probably a roland jv30 or xp10, not the most well sounding out there, but for $200 it's what you get ...

D.Don

gizmobltd · #7 09-27-2008, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.Don

Probably a roland jv30 or xp10, not the most well sounding out there, but for $200 it's what you get ...

D.Don

Thanks.......Not entirely sure ill like it. Kinda wanna try it out first before i upgrade.

gizmobltd · #8 09-27-2008, 11:10 PM

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-P...92-i1177633.gc Is this a good one. I was looking at this one. Dont mind the guitarcenter. It was just a quick refrence.

gizmobltd · #9 09-28-2008, 07:38 AM

Anyone here a keyboardist? WHat was your first keyboard and was it good?

varunkapahi · #10 09-28-2008, 08:16 AM

i have a yamaha psr-E 403 its not bad. definitely worth its price tag, i dont know about keyboards much anyway but this should be around your budget

MD · #11 09-28-2008, 10:07 AM

Snoop around the piano forums.

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bi...=0;DaysPrune=0

baalroo · #12 09-28-2008, 10:14 AM

I would possibly say look into a midi keyboard and some "free" programs off the net. You can get a really nice full size keyboard in your price range that connects to your computer via USB and runs software/vst synths that blow away anything you're going to get in a hardware synth in that same price range. If you're just learning and playing around then that would definitely be a good route.

gizmobltd · #13 09-28-2008, 10:57 AM

I know what your are saying about the smaller one that goes into the computer, but do i still get to use all the tones of a full size one? I honestly dont have a clue what a synth is. Is it just as good? I know it has less keys , so am I limited to only one octave? All help is appreciated because I have no clue what any of this stuff is. Pianos/keyboards always interested me. I'm gunna check out the piano forums too. Shhhh! maby they wont notice me

baalroo · #14 09-28-2008, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gizmobltd

I know what your are saying about the smaller one that goes into the computer, but do i still get to use all the tones of a full size one? I honestly dont have a clue what a synth is. Is it just as good? I know it has less keys , so am I limited to only one octave? All help is appreciated because I have no clue what any of this stuff is. Pianos/keyboards always interested me. I'm gunna check out the piano forums too. Shhhh! maby they wont notice me

no, actually to clarify, a "synth" is just short for a "synthesizer" which is what creates the sounds... be it the sound of a piano or the sound of a jet plane. A "keyboard" is just the physical "board of keys" that you push with your fingers. These both get tossed around in a fairly interchangable way though. get it?

here is an example of a midi/usb keyboard:
http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfrien...ler?sku=703607

You then get some VSTs like:
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...an-?sku=708227

...and your keyboard controls the sounds on your computer just like a "regular" keyboard controls the sounds inside of it.

Of course there's a whole cadre of "free" stuff on the net VST wise, so you don't have to pay $200 for each sound, that's just an example with a description so you can maybe get a general idea of how it works. It takes a little bit of learning and time (not much, but more than buying a junky $200 learner keyboard), but is definitely worth the huge savings and extreme jump in quality IMO. Plus, on a decent laptop this system rivals or excedes most $1500 + "workstation" type setups.

The keys player in my band mostly uses this:

http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfrien...ler?sku=709203

+

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...n-4?sku=702839

gizmobltd · #15 09-28-2008, 11:28 AM

Thanks for the help. Greatly appreciated.

D.Don · #16 09-28-2008, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gizmobltd

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-P...92-i1177633.gc Is this a good one. I was looking at this one. Dont mind the guitarcenter. It was just a quick refrence.

I dunno about those plastic keyboard thingies, I assumed you wanted a synth here, sorry!

If you want to learn how to play they keys and use it in a band I'd recommend you to stay away from those autoplaying machines and get a nice synth with better sounds.

D.Don

D.Don · #17 09-28-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baalroo

I would possibly say look into a midi keyboard and some "free" programs off the net. You can get a really nice full size keyboard in your price range that connects to your computer via USB and runs software/vst synths that blow away anything you're going to get in a hardware synth in that same price range. If you're just learning and playing around then that would definitely be a good route.

What "free" programs are you referring to here?

D.Don

baalroo · #18 09-28-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.Don

What "free" programs are you referring to here?

D.Don

I was under the impression that we were not supposed to discuss such things here.

D.Don · #19 09-28-2008, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gizmobltd

I know what your are saying about the smaller one that goes into the computer, but do i still get to use all the tones of a full size one? I honestly dont have a clue what a synth is. Is it just as good? I know it has less keys , so am I limited to only one octave? All help is appreciated because I have no clue what any of this stuff is. Pianos/keyboards always interested me. I'm gunna check out the piano forums too. Shhhh! maby they wont notice me

If you are not familiar with virtual instruments and computer recording, I still recommend you to start of with a well sounding stand alone synth smacked with sounds and take it from there or you will end up in technology hell tryin to get things to work instead of spending your time playing.

D.Don

D.Don · #20 09-28-2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baalroo

I was under the impression that we were not supposed to discuss such things here.

That's about my point here...

Though, there are free VIs and if you like to list some of those instead of encourage the act of piracy it'd actually be a good post ...

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/so...l-Instruments/

D.Don