Entry Level Keyboard Help!

R

Rusty K

New member
I know little about keys although I have a Korg D5-8 that I use with a usb midi cable and Logic on my Mac to flesh out simple backing cords. My bass player son wanted what he calls a "synth" for Christmas. Since he doesn't know any more than I do about keys I didn't know what he really wanted or needed. He doesn't like the Yamaha we got him. I think he and his band are more into sound effects than actual keyboards. I thought a midi controller with software was probably the best and cheapest way to go but then he probably wants to be able to jam with it in a gig situation.

He does have an old laptop that might do for a portable setup but...? Since he hasn't yet gotten into multitrack recording, I was hoping there was simple keyboard only software available that he could use for "sounds" in conjunction with a midi controller.

There are probably posts on this subject but I'm not sure exactly where to look and what to look for.

Thanks
 
most of the virtual instruments have stand alone player versions included... perhaps a trip to kvr.com and a search there??
 
Quite honestly, I think you cannot do better right now than this new Roland GAIA SH-01. For an asking price of $700 (talk it down to $575) this brand new synthesizer cuts some new territory, has enough buttons, knobs, and sliders to make you drool, and is quite amazing, especially for the low asking price.

Watch the video demo on it, too, and you'll see why.

Roland GAIA SH-01 | Sweetwater.com


Next, you need to buy your son a couple of books on synthesis programming. I have a couple for beginners, but they seem to be out of print and very expensive for some reason. But here are a couple you can purchase on Amazon.com that seem to be equal in material and content. If you are going to get into synthesis (which is a heck of a lot of fun, lasts a lifetime, too!), you need to do some studying to get a grasp of the tools and how to use them, and why they do what they do.

Amazon.com: Secrets Of Analog And Digital Synthesis (Ferro Music Technology Series) (9780881885163): Steve DeFuria, Joe Scacciaferro: Books


Amazon.com: Synthesizer Basics (9780881887143): Hal Leonard Corp.: Books
 
From my read, you (and Todd skins) are WAY over-thinking this. You don't say WHICH Yamaha you gave him (ingrateful little snot!) but there are LOTS available, I'd bet there is one he will like (the ingrateful little snot.) Most have MIDI capability, too.
 
My keyboard player just got a microkorg for $100 and we love it. You can make all sorts of crazy sounds with that thing.
 
Casio WK-7500

I've been told that Casio will have its WK-7500 "high grade" keyboard for sale in North America between mid-Jan to mid Feb. It looks like pricing will be around $500.

casio-intl.com/emi/sp/high_grade/en/spec

Does anyone have any thoughts on this for entry level? I tend to think of Casio as good bang for the buck at the entry level, but perhaps there is something else out there I should be looking at as well?
 
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