picking a keyboard: help and suggestion would be appreciated

Etienned · #1 08-05-2011, 05:11 PM

I am thinking about purchasing a digital piano to improve my theory understanding and I think I brought this down to either a casio px130 or a yamaha p90 or wait a bit and get a yamaha dgx640. I read reviews and understand most of the specs but I sure would like to your input, fellow TBers

What would you do ? Why ?

Papa Dangerous · #2 08-05-2011, 05:49 PM

I sell keyboards. I am familiar with all (sorta) of them. I have played the Yamaha P95, opposed to the P90, and will base this on the P95 since it is close in price to the Px130.

So, let me ask a few questions. Do you want straight keyboard, or you want all the fancy effects and the style option (preset drum loops)?

What is your top priority between: the way the keys feel, the versatility of the keyboard, and the overall sound quality.

Do you wish to hook this up to an amp?

Do you wish to use this as a MIDI controller?

4strings2many · #3 08-05-2011, 06:43 PM

I'm in the same boat, Etienne. I just want to sound out changes, don't need nuthin' fancy. So, if anyone has suggestions for us sub-$200.00 bottom feeders, please chime in.

Papa Dangerous · #4 08-05-2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4strings2many

I'm in the same boat, Etienne. I just want to sound out changes, don't need nuthin' fancy. So, if anyone has suggestions for us sub-$200.00 bottom feeders, please chime in.

I can make some suggestions but for the 200 range, you will have to sacrifice some key features on a keyboard, such as amount of keys, weighted keys, and sound quality.

Lemme know what you want most important, and I can make a suggestion.

However for less then 200, you are probably gonna get 61 unweighted keys and okay kinda sounds.

For almost 300, you can get 73 unweighted keys, with some decent sounds and pitch bend, maybe a mod wheel.

poorbassist15 · #5 08-05-2011, 06:57 PM

I have a suggestion: a Hammond spinet organ...

My Casio LK-220 has some decent sounds...better than they were on the older models, that's for sure. It has touch sensitivity, a headphone jack, an mp3 input, and a USB jack for use as a MIDI controller.

Papa Dangerous · #6 08-05-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poorbassist15

I have a suggestion: a Hammond spinet organ...

My Casio LK-220 has some decent sounds...better than they were on the older models, that's for sure. It has touch sensitivity, a headphone jack, an mp3 input, and a USB jack for use as a MIDI controller.

I never cared for Casio LK series. Seen some real dinky Walmart looking crap with those lol might have been those older models o was checking out.

As for a Hammond.. I recommend the SK-2 manual

That's a real beginners board

4strings2many · #7 08-05-2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Dangerous

However for less then 200, you are probably gonna get 61 unweighted keys and okay kinda sounds.

That's what I'm after. Weighted keys would be nice, but no dealbreaker. But I really, really don't need anything else, 'ceptin maybe a "piano" sound.

With apologies to Etienne......I didn't mean to turn this into a "budget keyboard" thread.

Etienned · #8 08-05-2011, 08:31 PM

No prob' 4strings2many : )

If it can help you to help me, I prefer to have a great sounding with a piano-like feel over dozens of car honk/explosion/banjo-strings samples. Synth with attack/decay/sustain/release would be a cool feat.

I would like to hook it up easily to my Mac and run Garage band with it or hydrogen or Band in a box.

I don't plan on gigging anytime soon, still I like things that are built to last.

Nalte · #9 08-05-2011, 08:47 PM

I don't know how cheap you want to go, but I recently bought a keyboard with low price as my top priority. I got a used Casio CTK-481 off of CL for $40, plus $35 to buy a AC adapter and sustain pedal online. So, for $75, I have 61 unweighted keys; some cheap piano, organ, pads, and some other sounds; and a midi input and output. Not fancy, but it fits my needs as a practice keyboard.

Papa Dangerous · #10 08-05-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4strings2many

That's what I'm after. Weighted keys would be nice, but no dealbreaker. But I really, really don't need anything else, 'ceptin maybe a "piano" sound.

With apologies to Etienne......I didn't mean to turn this into a "budget keyboard" thread.

I suggest Yamaha PSRE-333 or PSRE-233. My store sells em around 160/99 respectively. Adaptor (PA-130) cost 15 each.

Papa Dangerous · #11 08-05-2011, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Etienned

No prob' 4strings2many : )

If it can help you to help me, I prefer to have a great sounding with a piano-like feel over dozens of car honk/explosion/banjo-strings samples. Synth with attack/decay/sustain/release would be a cool feat.

I would like to hook it up easily to my Mac and run Garage band with it or hydrogen or Band in a box.

I don't plan on gigging anytime soon, still I like things that are built to last.

The P-95 has a really good feel, but only a few sounds. Piano, jazz organ, electric, I think church organ, and maybe two more. It has MIDI in and out, and a quarter inch headphone jack that can hook to an amp.

Casio Px-130 also has a good piano feel. Has similar sounds but not as easy to set. The P-95 has straight up buttons, the Casio you have to hit the function button then a corresponding key. It uses usb firewire to hook to a comp, and 3.5mm jack for headphones. You can convert to quarter inch to hook up to amp.

Usb hook up to comp is decently cheap, MIDI to usb is about 40.

Casio is about 479. To me,.it sounds a bit brighter. 88 graded keys.
P-95 is about 520. To me, it sounds a bit more mellow/dark. 88 graded keys.

Both weigh like 20-25lbs and have graded keys

Neither of them have edit functions on the sound.

DGX640 has a stand that is made out of wood and isn't portable. It's nice though. Has about 500 voices, including fireworks and car noises. Pitch and mod wheel. Pretty good feeling on the keyboard. Can hook to computer, but I am not sure atm if its MIDI or usb. Also has drum style loops, and edit effects, but I don't think it has synth style controls. It can come in maple or cherry wood. It goes for 750 and has 88 graded keys.

All are touch velocity sensitive.

I have customers that say they had either a Yamaha or Casio and theyasted 10-15 years if you take proper care of them.

Also, my store sells them at decently lower price than a lot.of others. So prices may vary.

**toddj1s** · #12 08-06-2011, 08:52 AM

Not directly related to the question, but might be helpful to other looking into keyboards:

I switch between electric bass and keyboard bass for a dance band I work with (lots of Lady Gaga, Pink, Ke$ha, all that crap). I scored a Yamaha MM6 on ebay that I really like. Good amount of synthy bass sounds, plus can split the board to play chords on top to fill in space. Only gripe is you can't name patches after they're created, only save to a bank under the name Yamaha gives it. Gotta have a cheat sheet to know what patch to play with what song.

Papa Dangerous · #13 08-06-2011, 01:44 PM

Just save up 3 grand and get a Korg Kronos 88

Etienned · #14 08-07-2011, 02:47 PM

Thanks a lot guys or your input,
I still a few things to check but I think I'll go for the px130 once I made the room for it in my office (which seems to be a bigger problem than choosing what to buy :S )