I'm looking to buy a keyboard to help my jazz bass education. I'm ultimately planning to go back to school for a music undergraduate degree, so this would be preparing for that, as well as using keyboard to learn about chord voicings, etc.. It would also be great to have a keyboard that could play some typical chord progressions so I could play along on my bass. I've played bass for 40+ years and had college theory classes, but just starting on jazz. I had piano lessons as a kid but that was 45+ years ago, so this will be beginner-level. Money is not a big concern, I don't want to buy something that is not well built, but I don't want to spend a lot on features I won't be using. Think Fender and not Alembic or Squier/Ibanez (please do not take offense, I am simply using bass guitar examples of the spectrum of price). This keyboard won't be connected to a computer or midi stuff, but I have an Android tablet that I can plug into. I'm thinking I need: 1) 88-key piano 2) weighted keys 3) enough polyphony to play extended chords 4) up-to-date connections (e.g. USB, midi) 5) ability to play chord progressions (optimally with beats) EDIT: I don't need built-in speakers, I will be plugging into a mixing board. Specific model suggestions along with justification would be most helpful, but brands to look at (or avoid) or other features I should be looking at would be helpful as well. If more information from me would be helpful, just ask! Thank you for your help! Drew
Lotta pianists I've played with, when they have to do keyboard gigs, use the Casio Privia. Although I don't know if it has #5...
I bought a Korg Kross 2 recently. One thing I like is that it weighs 8 lbs. For me this is handy to take to gigs. The keys are not weighted. I prefer non-weighted keys as I grew up playing an organ. I understand people who learned on piano tend to prefer weighted keys. You would have to go to a store and play both for a few minutes to figure out which you prefer. I think with this keyboard you would have to play the chord progression yourself, record it, and then play it back. Other keyboards probably have them built in. I also looked closely at the Roland Juno DS. Maybe try asking the same question on the keyboard forum: Keyboard Forums
Picked up a Casio CDP-S350 last year for similar reasons. Has built in speakers, USB in and out so can be connected to a DAW for use as a MIDI input device. Also can run up to 4 hours on 6 AA batteries if playing somewhere without a power cord is your thing. I picked it up when it was on sale for $100 off. This sale seems to happen pretty regularly at GC so if you decide on this model, wait for the sale.
I have a 1970 Wurlitzer 4035, it features 4' - 16' flute simulation, two two-and-a-half octave keyboards, a one octave foot operated bass keyboard, volume pedal, tape deck (for play along fun), built-in loudass speaker, analogue drum machine, and a 1/4" jack. I guarantee that the 1/4" jack will fit into anything that a 1/4" jack guitar will.
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