Suggestions for a basic keyboard

[darrvid]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a keyboard. I have just a few needs, listed in order of importance...

Price (cheap cheap, $50 or less ideally)

Tone - it must be in tune (duh!) and either have a headphone jack or it's own little speaker.

Size - 2 octaves is probably my top choice, 3-4 maybe but that might be too big. 1 octave isn't really big enough, but if you have suggestions for a 1 octave keyboard I'm willing to hear them as I might want a tiny keyboard in the future.

Sound - A sound with decay, and one without would be good (ie: piano, organ). A synth sound would be nice as well, but not necessary. Also 4-5 tones must be able to be played at once.

My uses for the keyboard are going to mainly be aural training, picking out melodys, and lastly just to brush up on general keyboard abilities. I say 2 octaves because I'd like it to be small enough to transport easily.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[ssscientist]

1Price (cheap cheap, $50 or less ideally)

In this order --- craigslist, thrift stores and rummage sales.

For $50 you may find a Yamaha PSR series or one of the many Casio models.


.

 

[mikeh]

I would agree that a used Casio (maybe a Yamaha) would be your best bet - I see those kind of keyboards at rummage sales often.

 

[Todzilla]

Make sure you recognize you're getting a toy, not much of a real instrument.

 

[JMarcomb]

i use a casio ctk-541 to trigger sounds via midi

ive seen em for $20

or this is free

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/index.htm