Please help me choose a beginner keyboard for my studio.

D

dmc777

New member
What's going on guys. Not much of piano player but I have taken lessons and can play a little bit. Right now all I have is a little Maudio Oxygen midi board with around 28 keys lol. What I'm looking for is a beginner keyboard that can
1.) help me learn to play keys
2.) hook up to my cpu "Ibook G4" or recording interface "Maudio FW1814" and basically use as a midi controller for my software interfaces such a synths and pianos. I don't want to spend over 150.00. What do you guys think about these 2? Will they do what I need them to do? Thanks in advance guys!

http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfriend.com/product/Casio-CTK4000-61-Key-Portable-Keyboard?sku=500587

http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfrie...PT310-Electronic-Portable-Keyboard?sku=705625
 
DMC, I'm the king of cheapo keyboards. I'm a guitarist who spent some hours playing every cheap keyboard I could find--to use for some simple backing parts in my home studio--and I finally found one with good performance for the price:

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-PSR-E413-61-Key-Digital-Keyboard/dp/B0018SAKYY/ref=pd_cp_MI_0

Some (not all) of the sounds are surprisingly good, and the pitch-bend wheel and arpegiator set it apart from anything in its class. Paid about $200 out the door (optional power supply inc.) from my local shop--a bit over your price limit, but worth it if you can manage. It definitely won't compete with more serious boards, of course, but it's a solid beginner board for folks like me. If you're interested, search online for some lengthy reviews in Keyboard mag and elsewhere.
 
I second jeffree's suggestion, insofar as I think a Yamaha or Casio keyboard like that one is your best bet. I think you should get:

Stand-alone capability- not just a MIDI keyboard, but one that can produce several dozen or hundreds of sounds;

MIDI connectivity;

Portability- battery powered when desired, so you can play anywhere;

Headphone jack, so you can play anywhere and not disturb others when it would be inappropriate for others to hear you;

61 keys, or more.
 
Thanks for the responses guys. Did you guys check out the 2 links I put up of the 2 I was thinking about? I checked out the 413....as far as I can tell there's only slight differences between the ones I listed and the 413. Stevieb....yes I agree, I want one that can do everything you described and also help to teach me and be able to hook to my interface or cpu and run through my software instruments. Check out the 2 I posted.
 
I have recently aquired a Yamaha PSR E413 after many years of not touching a keyboard since the late 80's when I had a Yamaha DX7 and a Korg 777 with a couple of rack modules and a drums machine.

I'm surprised at how these so called "lower end" keyboards have developed. The 413 provides all the basics and more with good percussion and a host of voices, 32 poly, splits and layering. There is bags more as well as velocity sensitive keys etc etc etc.

My only gripe is the lack of MIDI ports and only the provision of a single USB 2.0 port.

One of the good things though is that it is complicated enough to geti you into the "systems" side of keyboards and synths sufficiently for more complicated beasts at a later stage.

Jagd1
 
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