by TJGeeter
03-26-2013 15:01
This is great for many styles of music. I tried it in guitar center before I purchase it and fell in love with it!
by stompboxjon
03-14-2013 12:37
The Yamaha MX-61 is a 61 Note Digital Performance Keyboard; it comes with over a thousand presets and works great with a DAW. The build of this keyboard is solid, the keys seem to be well made and do not seem like they would stick over time and they do not feel cheap and plastic made. This board comes with Cubase AI and a few other plugs ins as well. There are pianos, drums, strings, and some other sounds that are on this keyboard. They do claim that the acoustic sounds are very good and are similar to other Motif board sounds. I do not think there are many Motif XS sounds on this board at all. The Motif XS is so powerful and the sounds are so amazing, I just don’t hear them with the MX-61.
by mrjason
05-03-2013 07:30
The Novation UltraNova is a 37 key synth that can be used as a USB controller or even an audio interface if the user wants. All of the keys are velocity and touch sensitive. There are MIDI in MIDI out and MIDI thru connections on the UltraNova synth, I used it right along with all of the other MIDI gear and had it hooked up with my MIDI sport to use as a controller for a while in Cubase.
by mrjason
05-03-2013 07:18
I have used the Korg X50 many times over the last few years. This board is built very well and is made to take on the road without any issues. There are over 500 programs in it and the arps are very good! Learning to use it and setting it up does not take long but there is a small learning curve if you are use to working with some of Korgs other machines. This one has a little separate process when it comes to choosing and editing sounds.
by mrjason
05-03-2013 07:11
The MicroKorg XL can be purchased in a few different versions and colors. I have the limited Edition all black MicroKorg and it cost 515 dollars brand new. It has 37 keys and comes with a built in 16 band vocoder. There are a total of 128 sounds on the MicroKorg XL, and the reason that I got this limited edition version is just because I like the “all black” design. Everything is black even the “white” keys are black. There is only silver knobs and writing on it. They also make a standard version but it looked really boring compared to this version and they were both the same price so I went and got this one.
by mrjason
05-03-2013 07:00
The Mini (MS-20) has 37 keys and is an analog synth that comes with a smaller patch bay system on it. IT does support MIDI and USB connections. If you have ever used an original synth or the original ms 20 you will know how much fun they are to work with and they actually have helped me understand sound creation better than what working with a VST did.
by sw80
03-03-2013 04:38
The VCS 3 is an analog synth that comes in a wooden case. This synth has been around for a very long time and I use to use it a lot when I was looking for older analog sounds to add to my music. There are 3 VCO subtractive synth and FM analog synths in the VCS3. There is only one filter and that is a low pass filter. When you purchase this synth you will have to take into consideration that there is no keyboard that comes with it. You will need to purchase another keyboard controller.
by sw80
03-03-2013 04:29
Mutable Instruments Anushri is a different type of synth. It is a monosynth that is all analog and it also has a simple sequencer and 8 bit drum machine. I absolutely love the drum machine because it sounds so much different than anything that I have ever used before. The sequencer on the other hand is not bad but I will leave the sequencing to my DAW because I feel that it is very awkward trying to sequence on this unit. If you are a knob tweaker you will definitely love the Anlushir synth because there are a lot of knobs to tweak in order to achieve the sound you are trying to get. If you have a general understanding of working with sound and synth creation then this synth will feel right at home for you.
by sw80
02-03-2013 13:39
One of my favorite studios has the Voyager Select there from Moog. It has 2 TRS outputs and MIDI out in and thru. Understanding this Moog is easy if you have used one before or understand how to work with creating your own sounds and not just working with a bunch of presets. There is no way to sequence on this unit either of course so you will need to run it into your DAW in order to sequence. There are 44 semi weighted keys on the Minimoog Voyager and it also has a pitch bend and mod wheel.
by opanol
02-02-2013 21:26
I own the Technics SM-ZS30 about 10 years and I am very satisfied with it's performance. Because of my impaired hearing and bent fingers (DuPuytren)I have given up playing and the Piano (Bechstein) to my daughter. I can't find the User's Manual and I would be glad if somebody could send me a copy.
by jgomezferreyra
02-22-2013 11:33
Wuauuuuuuuu Hello oh my god friend you've a great Korg Keyboard. What is the price your keyboard? It's great. Can you say me if it's better than the another synthesizer keyboard with piano's keys?. Are there better models than it?. I wait your answer
by mrjason
07-02-2013 12:09
The SFX60 MKII is a table top sequencer and synth that has a 6 track sequencer. The effects are really what stand out to me with this synth. The compression is very good and so are the reverbs and chorus effects. There are a total of 54 effects on it and I am a big fan of all of them, most table top synths do give a lot of effects they focus more on the sound engines. There is no sampling on this unit but it does have 2 input types and 6 output types. It is MIDI capable with MIDI in , out and thru. This unit does not work on batteries just on an AC adapter (which comes with it).
by mrjason
07-02-2013 12:01
The Elektron Analog Four has been one of my go to synths recently. It is a table top style synth that doesn’t take up much space on my desk. It has a 6 track MIDI sequencer and 2 audio inputs with 2 TRS outputs. There are no digital connections on this unit. It only weighs about 5 pounds and can be operated from DC wall connection or batteries. There are 128 presets on it and most of them are pretty good. The effects are simple, just reverb, delay and chorus but if you want to use some external effects once you get it into your DAW you can, that is easiest way for me to do it.
by mrjason
07-02-2013 11:52
The OP-1 is a 24 button synth that is powered by batteries and not a USB or wall connection. It has 8 synth engines and 2 sampler engines along with a decent effects selection and 16 hour use time before the batteries go dead. I have only had this for about 4 months now and one of the things that I was worried about the most was going to be if I really was going to use it, because it was not as cheap as I thought it should have been.
by andrewrichardwainwright
07-02-2013 06:49
These machines are going very cheap at the moment
In much the same box as the previous flagship D550, it likewise blurs the line between synth and ROMpler. For those who want a library of bread and butter, ready made sounds, there's four banks of 128 patches. Programming is similar to the D110, consisting of four tones within a structure, which offers various modulation options. The use of one tone to modulate another is familiar to older LA synthesizers and results in flexible and unique results. Free software editors are available, as are sounds. On the ROMpler side, there's 8mb of ROM expandable to 48mb. Mono sounds with portamento , legato and so forth are catered for too. Especially cool are the two DSPs, which have flexible routing options and are midi-clocked.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 13:53
The Casio WK-225 is a portable keyboard with 76 touch sensitive keys. Normally a keyboard with 76 keys would not be portable to me but this keyboard is very light. It has over 600 built in sounds including some very good piano sounds. I was able to sequence on this keyboard but the sequencer was not very good and I didn’t feel like I had full control over my patterns. This keyboard is for a beginner, and is a great keyboard for beginner to use because it comes with Casio’s “step up lesson system” which helps any beginner really understand how to compose music and learn basic progressions in music.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 13:44
The Yamaha EZ-220 is a lighted keyboard to help guide through the playing process or learning process. I love using this keyboard with my iPad, and it has over 300 instruments and sounds to choose from like pianos, guitars, and brass sounds. Most of the sounds are just decent though and cannot compare to a higher end keyboards sounds.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 13:16
The Casio SA-76 is a Mini 44 key portable keyboard that is very easy to take anywhere because of the size of it. It is very affordable and I recommend anyone who wants to have a keyboard with them at all times purchase this because of its portability and durability. Most cheaper keyboards that I have purchased don’t last long because they are not built to take much. This SA-76 is made to take a beating and still keep working. There are about 100 different sounds on this keyboard and they are all good quality considering the price of it. It comes loaded with 50 rhythms as well, I am not a big fan of them and normally on keyboards in this price range none of the rhythms sound that good.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 13:01
The PA2XPRO is a 76 key keyboard that is perfect for gigging or studio use. It is very easy to use and has plenty of features for any type of user. The experience that I had with it has been great because of the motorized tilting screen and weighted keys. The downside is the size of this keyboard, it would be very hard for me to take it anywhere because of the size and the weight. But with its interface and functions it is almost worth the sweat to carry it anywhere it is needed.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 12:53
The Korg Pa3X is a 61 key professional keyboard workstation and arranger that I used to complete many full songs/projects right on the keyboard without even having to work in my DAW. There is one thing that you can guarantee that you will get while working with the Korg Pa3X and that is a sound that you will never forget. The sound engine is great from the drums to the pianos, the Pa3X has it all.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 12:22
The Kronos 88 is a workstation with brilliant sounding patches that really boosted my creativity. I use this keyboard all of the time when I go to the studio, it is actually one of my favorite ones to work with there. I have never seen manual for it and never needed one. The first time that I had the chance to use this board I felt right at home with working on it.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 12:13
I have been using Kurzweil boards for a long time now and I love the PC3k7, it was just so darn expensive when it first came out. I remember paying over 3 grand for it and really second guessing my self if it was worth it or not. But after using it for about an hour or so I soon realized that I would get more than my monies worth out of this workstation because of sounds and the ability of loading the .KRZ sample files that I have accumulated over the years. Being able to load up sounds from other boards was great because that actually allowed me to sell some of my other Kurzweil keyboards to cover the cost of the PC3k7.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 11:53
The Motif XF6 is a 61 key workstation synth that has some of the best sounds that you will ever hear. I have heard some of the basic presets that it offers in mainstream top 40 music on a regular basis. I am an owner of the original Motif that came out over ten years ago and I loved it, I have been using it almost every day for the last 10 years and when I found out they were coming out with a XF board I jumped on it pretty quick.
by mrjason
06-02-2013 11:44
The Korg microArranger is a 61 key professional workstation synth. It is one of the more affordable keyboards that I can actually say that I enjoyed working with from start to finish because most synths in this range are pretty dull. The keys on this synth are touch sensitive and have a great feel to them. They made me feel very comfortable while playing melodies and chords.
by sw80
01-30-2013 13:03
The Hartke KM60 is a keyboard amplifier that I had the chance to use when I was working with a local group and doing some small performances with them. This amplifier was one that they already had, so I did not have to bring my own. It does not get very loud, and we didn’t need it to be very loud but the thing about it I liked the most is that it has a full 7 band graphic EQ built right into it. This was so perfect for me that after I was done working with the group I ended up purchasing a used KM60 for about 250 dollars and still have it to this day. It has a microphone input and 4 mono line inputs on it. There are two speakers in the cabinet one of them being a tweeter and one being a 10 inch speaker.
by sw80
01-30-2013 12:53
The Peavey KB3 is a 1 x 12 Keyboard amp with balanced XLR outs and a 12 inch speaker. The sound is very clean but it does not get very loud. I did expect a lot more for my 300 bucks when I purchased this but it just didn’t have it. I feel like it should have not cost more than 200 dollars with its minimal features. I have used many keyboard amps in this price range and this is probably the only one that does have any bells and whistles too it. Some people feel like 300 dollars is cheap for a keyboard amp, and it is. But there are so many other amps out there that give you more features for your dollar.
by sw80
01-30-2013 12:34
The Ultratone K900FX is a 1 x 12 keyboard amplifier that has 24 bit digital FX processing with over 100 presets to use. This was the main reason for me even choosing this amp. I was in a local music store looking at the amps and came across this one once I notice it had all of the effects on it I was pretty much sold. I have even used this amp to do some small gigs with and never had a complaint with it. I would not use it in a larger room for a gig though because I do not think it is powerful enough.
by sw80
01-30-2013 12:26
The Peavey KB1 is a 1 x 8 key board amplifier that cost around 130 dollars. At this price you just cant beat getting an amplifier of this quality. This self contained system is very small and compact; it can be taken just about anywhere with you and can fit easily in the trunk of a smaller car. I had this with me for use of my Casio keyboard when I would travel.
by sw80
01-30-2013 12:06
The MicroKorg is an analog synth with a built on microphone and 8 band vocoder. I have had the MicroKorg since 2007 and I still use it a lot. There are 128 programs with a total of 4 voices. It is very portable because it is light and small plus very durable. I have been taking this keyboard around in just a book bag for a while now and it never as even got a scratch on it, it looks brand new!
by sw80
01-30-2013 11:54
I owned an MM8 by Yamaha years ago, it is very affordable but not well made. Since I was use to working with “higher end” workstations that cost triple what the MM8 does I was able to feel a difference in the quality right way. The keys did not feel very good and the whole board was very light and felt like plastic. Using it was about as easy as it gets though because it took no effort at all to learn the flow of the workstation.
