$200 on a keyboard? I know, not a lot, but all I got.

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SMX_Dizzy

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Well, insurance is only giving me $200-$220 for a new keyboard. I want one that has a good grand piano sound, one that is pretty good out of the box or doesn't take much EQ/verb to make. I don't care that much about the other sounds, as long as it has decent/good organ sounds too. I would prefer it have MIDI and not USB.

Please help me out with some suggestions. I know $200 isn't a lot of money for a keyboard, but that's all I can spend...I really don't have any extra money to spend on it.
 
Ok, what if my budget was $300?...$350? I really don't see myself spending $350 on one, but maybe a MicroKorg for $400...just maybe!

So for $350 and under, what would you say?
 
I'm guessing the MicroKorg doesn't have the best grand piano sound though...is there anything like it w/ a good grand piano sound?
 
MicroKorg doesn't have ANY piano sound. It's a straight up synth... I'd say go software. For that kind of money, you'd do much better with software than hardware... if you have a controller that is.
 
Maybe I'll just get a nice keyboard first and then get the MicroKorg sometime later. I really want a synth, but I really want a keyboard with a nice grand piano sound.

Is a MIDI controller like a small keyboard that connects to your computer, and with the software then you can basically play whatever right on your computer instead of thru the controller? Are there any cheap ones around?

EDIT: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Evolution-MK425C-MIDI-Controller?sku=700642&src=3WFRWXX something like that?
 
Well, maybe something like that... although admittedly that's a far cry from an actual piano experience :) But if all you care about are the actual sounds and not as much the feel, that would do in a pinch.
 
Well I have a real grand piano, all the way on the other side of the house. I want a keyboard that can sound pretty close to one that I can use in my studio and that I can take to gigs and shows.
 
Someone will probably blast me (as has happened before on this forum) for even suggesting...but (SMX Dizzy) are you familiar with the Yamaha PSR series "home" keyboards (the ones with the built-in speakers) made in recent years. You might be satisfied with the piano and organ sounds (on a PSR series keybaord) and most of them have Midi In/Out. If you can find one to play, check it out and see if you like the sounds.

Yamaha might no longer be offering Midi In/Out on its latest home keyboards (on the newer/current models, which are not called "PSR") which I suspect because I didn't find MIDI In/Out listed as a feature on the current Yamaha home keyboard models (when I checked them out on the Musician's Friend website) then you would probably have to go the ebay/used route to purchase a PSR series keyboard.

One problem is weeding through the PSR models (there may be as many as a dozen different PSR models, with different model numbers). Some lack very basic features (like touch-response).

I have a Yamaha PSR-540 (which has several hundred voices including piano, organ, and string sounds, plus it has a 16-track sequencer and a floppy disk-drive) that is now selling for around $250-$300 on ebay. I have also had a Yamaha PSR-275 (which is very similar to the PSR-540, but without the sequencer and disk-drive) which is selling now on ebay for around $100-$150. Just wanted to throw this route into the discussion.
 
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i have a cool radioshack 76 key keyboard. all the sounds suck but i use it for midi. its not weighted or anything though.
 
I'm with mawtangent. PSR Yamaha's are perfectly good for the intended use. I have a 7 year old one and still use it for it's piano sounds and it can be used as a controller for soft synths etc.

Most don't have MIDI because MIDI is now done via USB, thus I am confused by the original posters "NO USB only MIDI" comment.

The non-spoken cost to buying a controller is that you have to buy the soft synths to use with it if you want anything decent + a better computer to run them etc. etc.

Tony
 
Well if you already have a decent laptop and some good piano soft synths, you can get a weighted 88-key controller for around 200 bucks. And I noticed you were asking about controllers (MIDI). Basically they transmit no sound data, only messages containing note number, velocity, possibly aftertouch, etc. A soft synth or DAW (pro tools, cubase, fl studio, etc) interprets these signals and uses them appropriately - usually to play the corresponding note on a soft synth, but you can actually control your daw using midi keyboard shortcuts the same way as a computer keyboard shortcut. It's a good thing to have for computer-based musicians, and most synths and even cheap consumer keyboards have midi I/O on them, so it's very accessible.

Another cost in addition to a good laptop or computer and a soft synth may be a MIDI interface for the computer. I use a midiman (now bought out by m-audio) midisport 2x2 usb interface. This allows me to run the midi cables from my keyboard into the interface, then into the computer. Very convenient. Musician's friend has the old original midiman version still at http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-USB-MIDIsport-2x2-MIDI-Interface?sku=701226
However, m-audio has apparently since bought out midiman, so they reworked the case design and raised the price a bit http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MIDISPORT2x2-main.html. I'd go with the former route if you needed an interface, but there are cheaper options available (search for midisport 1x1)


Another thing, as much as I love Korg products, if you do consider the microKorg down the road, I would highly reccomend looking into the Alesis Micron first. It's the same price, but packs quite a bit more synth (including 3 oscillators instead of 2 and full sized keys instead of mini)

Hope this helps!

EDIT: Here's some links...

afformentioned portables:
Korg MicroKorg
Alesis Micron

and their big brothers:
Korg MS2000B
Alesis Ion
 
Well, I think I found the keyboard I'm going to get. The Casio WK3700...it's great, and for around $320. I was wondering though, is it possible that I could use it as a controller too thru a program into Cubase?
 
SMX_Dizzy said:
Well, I think I found the keyboard I'm going to get. The Casio WK3700...it's great, and for around $320. I was wondering though, is it possible that I could use it as a controller too thru a program into Cubase?
Click to expand...
Sure, if it has midi support (I'm assuming it does, as the adverts indicate general midi support).
 
Used M-1"s ?

For around $200.00 (or cheaper) you can get a used Korg M-1. Has a pretty decent Grand piano sound, Some good organ sounds, midi in, out, and a sequencer. No weighted keys but they ARE touch sensitive. I've had my old dinosaur for years, and still think it's great! Worth checking out anyway. Hope this helps. Rock on ! Roy.
 
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