Protomen - the Comm ~ View topic

Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 182

Heya! Next year's my 18th birthday, and I'm getting £500 worth of keyboard. I'm a composer, and I want to eventually be good enough for banding, and I have no idea where to start. The one I use currently is an old Clavinova, and I'll be leaving home so that will have to stay.

So... any ideas/tips?

Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 368 Location: Waukesha, WI

Make sure you get a keyboard that has a USB jack in it - most do these days, but you can plug your keyboard into your laptop or PC or what say you, and you can do all sorts of fun programming and composing with a combination of the two (for my composing, I use Finale - an awesome (but very expensive) program, and for recording and mixing I use Reaper, which is freeware). As for a specific model, I haven't looked at new models in a while. I've had good experiences with Yamaha keyboards if you're looking in the cheap-o range, otherwise there's Korg, Roland and Moog are the three big brands. I've had very good experiences with Korg, but I've never used the other two. I love the sound and quality of Moog products (I hear they are very well made), so if/when I get the money I'm probably gonna invest in a Moog.

Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 368 Location: Waukesha, WI

But this being a Protomen board, the correct choice is to opt for a Keytar.

Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 182

Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 217 Location: Knoxville

Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 182

Well, would it worth having 2 keyboards? One being a keyboard like in a school, the other being like a Yamaha stage piano. Well, I'm going to the local music shops sometime to try them out. But would 2 keyboards be a wise decision, or just a waste of money?

Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 217 Location: Knoxville

Well, do you have any model in mind? If so, post a couple links.

Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 182

Well, keeping with the Yamaha theme (I do like the keyboards of theirs I've used in the past) I've seen 2 that come in my price range.

http://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/stagepianos/cp_s/?mode=overview

That's one of their stage "Electric grand pianos". That's about the middle of the budget, which is nice and simple.

However, for a synth, a Yamaha MM6 is in budget, but is higher end (about £400 ish)http://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/synthesizers/mm6/?mode=overview

Of course, I still need to check how I like playing them, so that might change things, but just searching online they appeal to me. From the price of keytars, that may be put on hold for a while Wink

Here's the schtick with keytars--you can get one that's a full keyboard 'in it' or you can just get one that's a MIDI controller, and basically would plug into your existing keyboard, controlling the sounds from that keyboard. You could also do that with a computer and stuff.

Myself--I'd go with almost all software. I would buy the cheapest MIDI controller out there and just run shit off a laptop. But that's me.

Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 217 Location: Knoxville

Another problem with keytars is it's a whole different instrument to play. You wouldn't think strapping a keyboard on would change the playing dynamic, but it does by a lot. Those both look good, but Onslaught had a good point. By a weighted 88 key midi controller, and then you can run software till the cow come home and it works out a lot cheaper.

Of course, then you also need a good desktop/laptop that can actually run software synths (Reason and Reaktor are some good programs, although they do cost money, legally at least) and then you need to learn how to use them. But that's a given, I guess. I'm already experienced with programming software synths so all I really need is a controller.

Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 182

Well, my laptop's designed for graphics/gaming/ordinary programming, and it's full of software for that. So software synthing (I think) is out. I would like a keyboard/synth that could potentially run straight into an amp or similar, using minimal computing as I can.

Which is why I'm gonna test out the MM-6 for simplicity.

Currently, I'm allright at piano, but with a keyboard for myself when I leave home, I'm planning to use that as my training (and fun) tool

Well, if it's designed for that shit it can surely handle the source load for stuff like synth sounds. Download a trial of Reason or something and just play with the synths for a bit and see if you like how it works. Or get some cables to connect your eventual keyboard and just give it a try.

Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 182

The key isn't to use Reason or whatever as a DAW, it's just to drop in plugins and stuff and mess with the effects. At least, that's what I plan to do--I use Fruity Loops myself.