SOUND ON SOUND

[BJG145]

Someone just wrote to me:

"Could you recommend a keyboard for me? I need it to be reasonably portable, only one or two octaves less than full size and both, a stand alone instrument but with midi output for recording. Any idea?"

I've no idea. I like beaten-up stuff from the last century that barely works; I've recently been hankering after another D70. But this stuff isn't to everyone's taste. Any thoughts on a new(ish) budget keyboard with some simple but reasonable built-in sounds...? (I expect piano and strings would mostly cover it.)

[Eddy Deegan]

It would be useful to know what they mean by 'full size' (61, 73 or 88-note?) , and also what sort of musical things they want to do with it.

Is there a minimum amount of polyphony required? Do they need it do be multitimbral? Do they need/want an on-board sequencer? Are they happy with a good second-hand legacy board or does it have to be available new?

[N i g e l]

Any thoughts on a new(ish) budget keyboard

whats the budget ?

[BJG145]

...cheers both, yes, there's a lot of variables...after quizzing them some more, I've steered them towards 76-note models by the main companies like Roland/Kurzweil. (I hadn't realised that 73-note is another common option.)

[N i g e l]

I am quite impressed with my MODx, great for stand alone and integrates well with a DAW
(modx + monitors + USB laptop & DAW = synth studio !) or add £1000 for a Montage (same basic thing but more - sturdy/knobs/buttons/etc)

note that the different sizes of keyboard may have different actions.
The short ones would be synth action, the 88key typically hammer action and somewhere inbetween is "semi weighted".

After touch ?

Also for a portability example,
a plastic MODx 6 is 6.6kg
a metal Montage 8 is 29kg

[Sam Spoons]

I have a Roland Juno-D*, if 61 note synth keys are ok it's hard to go far wrong with and, used, they sell cheap. Plenty of okay sounds, light and portable (88 notes ain't going to be light) and not too old.

* It shares absolutely nowt with the Juno 6 so ignore the name...