Home Studio Keyboard Recommendations

[a modified dog]

I've got a PSR-540...

...and I'm quite dissatisfied. When I bought it, I suffered under the delusion that music store employees actually knew something about their product line: big mistake. I told this guy I have a PC with CakeWalk, and I wanted a keyboard mostly for input for my studio: no live playing. He sells me this thing with speakers and a sequencer!

Anyway, it's way too much in the wrong direction for my work. The XG MIDI tones are ok, but the audio output is a combinition headphone / 1/4" jack, and it's kinda noisy. I think the sequencer is awkward to use. I guess it's ok for some folks, but I needed a MIDI controller kb only, with a mixer.

My 2 cents...
Denis

 

[a modified dog]

Doh! I answered this post already!

 

[a modified dog]

Re: Thanks, and a few questions

On the 540 specifically, what do you mean by "after touch"? I know there is no weighted action on the keys, but the keyboard does have touch sensitivity.

It does not respond to changes of amount of pressure you apply to a key. I'm not sure it I used the correct term "after touch".

Denis

 

[Sonic Misfit]

My keyboard set-up is getting old, but have been looking at the JV-1010. I have a Korg SP100 and an Korg X5. I like the weighted keys on the SP100 and the piano and EP voice, but everything else is a little thin. The X5 is an older synth that I have seen for sale used at a real cheap price. Also, there is a users group for the X5.

http://cc.joensuu.fi/~jsimonen/korgypark.html

I tried out the JV-1010 and thought that I would like to get it and then use the SP100 as a controller. That way I would have the 88 weighted keys and a lot wider range of sounds.

 

[HomeRec]

Re: Re: Thanks, and a few questions

It does not respond to changes of amount of pressure you apply to a key. I'm not sure it I used the correct term "after touch".

Denis

Denis (amd) - It got a little buried, but check back a couple of pages... I addressed that term, and answered my own question. You were correct, I just hadn't heard of the term at that time. For reference:

aftertouch (n.) - a property of a keyboard/controller that allows the user to trigger an effect by applying extra pressure to the key after initially striking it. The most common applications for this feature are volume fades and tremolo.

The PSR-540 does not have aftertouch.

Also, my expectations and requirements for a synthesizer exceeded the PSR-540 fairly shortly after I started this thread, as you can see a little later on.

So... any plans to upgrade your keyboard?

Sonic Misfit - I've already made my decision, but thanks for the input. The JV-1010 is a good, inexpensive option, but only if you don't mind the lack of interface and working with the controller/module setup.

If you need to update your controller, the Fatar SL-990 has been mentioned before, in this and other threads. I don't think I've tried it yet, but if the action is any good, you will have a solid 88-key controller (albeit with very few extra features) for about $500.

 

[a modified dog]

Re: Re: Re: Thanks, and a few questions

Denis (amd) - It got a little buried, but check back a couple of pages...

After all these years, I still don't follow my Dad's foremost advice: "Pay attention!" Or, it may be the psychotropic drugs... in any case, I owe you a big "duh!".

Duh!


So... any plans to upgrade your keyboard?

[/QUOTE]

Yes, in fact I'd love to do just that. I'm considering a Roland XP-10, which may be more of a side step than an upgrade. It seems to have what I need for a comparable price, so I shouldn't lose too much money. I payed about $500 for the PSR: zzounds has the Roland for $459.

Still, I hate the idea of it all. My poor wife, who's been so supportive of my composing, is more upset than I am. My experience buying the PSR bears out what I've seen all over this board: music store salesmen are generally grossly incompetent. Oddly enough, I'm considering working for this same store part time. Hmm... maybe with an employee discount, I can earn enough to completely stock up and then hit the road.

Best in your endeavors,
Denis

 

[HomeRec]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks, and a few questions

I'm considering a Roland XP-10, which may be more of a side step than an upgrade. It seems to have what I need for a comparable price, so I shouldn't lose too much money. I payed about $500 for the PSR: zzounds has the Roland for $459.

If you are planning to "sidestep" to your next keyboard, I would recommend the Yamaha S03 ($500) over the XP-10. The S03 has 64-voice polyphony vs. 28 on the XP-10. The S03 has 700+ voices; Yamaha's XG and GM sounds and many other high-quality sounds including, I believe, the Yamaha S30/80's high-quality piano sounds. The XP-10 has about 600 voices. The Yamaha S03 also has separate pitch and modulation wheels, vs. the Roland "uni-controller".

The drawbacks to the S03 are that it has no on-board voice editing (software only), expandability, or sequencer (I'm not sure if the XP-10 has any/all of these, either - it may have on-board editing). However, if nothing else, 64 vs. 28-voice polyphony should be enough to tip the scales to the S03, especially for composing.

For an upgrade, you might want to look at the Yamaha S30 ($750), Alesis QS6.1 ($500-$700) or Alesis QS7.1 ($700-$1000). For sheer number of voices, a lot of people seem to like the Roland XP-30 ($1000), but I think it's a bit over-priced for what it is.

Still, I hate the idea of it all. My poor wife, who's been so supportive of my composing, is more upset than I am. My experience buying the PSR bears out what I've seen all over this board: music store salesmen are generally grossly incompetent.

It depends on who you end up with, but that tends to be true a great deal of the time, probably because the competent salespeople generally move on as soon as they can.

The best defense is research, research, research. When I started this thread, I was very close to going with the PSR-540, mostly because I had been looking at it for quite some time. However, I spent a good amount of time researching what was out there and, as a result, ended up with a lot better keyboard without spending a great deal more money. I did ask for salespeople's opinions and recommendations, but it was usually on equipment I was already considering.

Oddly enough, I'm considering working for this same store part time. Hmm... maybe with an employee discount, I can earn enough to completely stock up and then hit the road.

And hey... maybe you can bring a level of competence to the job.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[a modified dog]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks, and a few questions

If you are planning to "sidestep" to your next keyboard, I would recommend the Yamaha S03

Thanks for the info. I demo'd the XP-10 yestardey. I agree, it's nothing to get excited about. The case is kind of cheesy and the display is onee of those black on gray types, like a digital watch. The switches, knobs, keys, etc have a cheap feel to them It's ok, but I think I might actually lose more than I'd gain in a trade.

For an upgrade, you might want to look at the Yamaha S30 ($750), Alesis QS6.1 ($500-$700) or Alesis QS7.1 ($700-$1000).

I called a local store and found a S03 to demo. I'll probably go before the week is out. You're right: feature for feature, the S03 seems to be a better deal. I'll also check out the others you suggested. I also saw a Korg for $599 yesterday, but the store got mobbed at the time I was going to ask about it.

It depends on who you end up with, but that tends to be true a great deal of the time, probably because the competent salespeople generally move on as soon as they can.

By that do you mean to another store for better wages or to another job? The kid who helped me yesterday was an example of incompetence. At least he tries, and he was honest about what he didn't know. Still, if I'd been at that job for a few years, I'd certainly know every product. Maybe his bands take too much time for him to be bothered.

He really got me depressed when he showed me a $1700 Korg, which he's got. He sold a dozen of them the year before so Korg gave him one. He's a drummer, and he's had it for quite some time... all he can do with it is play some of the canned sequences and pretend he's playing along with it

And hey... maybe you can bring a level of competence to the job.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

I'm pretty limited as to what kind of work I could do. I couldn't stand for very long, lift anything over 20 pounds, and the concrete floors at the two closest stores would wreak havoc. I can see myself at the interview: " I can't do much of anything, but I'd like the job please."

Thanks for your time and input, and best of luck to you as well.

 

[HomeRec]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: (eat your heart out, Aretha!) Thanks, and a few questions

By that do you mean to another store for better wages or to another job?

Yes.

Seriously, I've been dealing with a very helpful, fairly knowledgeable salesperson, and we got into a discussion of how his store had been losing a lot of help, mostly due to people going to other, better jobs. He also said he doesn't plan to stay around that long, either. Keep in mind, commissions aside, they are retail clerks, and are most likely paid accordingly.

The kid who helped me yesterday was an example of incompetence. At least he tries, and he was honest about what he didn't know. Still, if I'd been at that job for a few years, I'd certainly know every product. Maybe his bands take too much time for him to be bothered.

If he was honest about what he didn't know, then that's pretty good. Again, he's most likely being paid retail clerk wages, so unless he has an interest in the products, he probably won't bother learning about them. As before, I'd recommend getting recommendations and product specs elsewhere, then going to the store to try the equipment. You can ask the clerk's opinion, but it helps to have one of your own first.

He really got me depressed when he showed me a $1700 Korg, which he's got. He sold a dozen of them the year before so Korg gave him one. He's a drummer, and he's had it for quite some time... all he can do with it is play some of the canned sequences and pretend he's playing along with it

Hmm... maybe you should ask him if he'd like to sell it.

I'm pretty limited as to what kind of work I could do. I couldn't stand for very long, lift anything over 20 pounds, and the concrete floors at the two closest stores would wreak havoc. I can see myself at the interview: " I can't do much of anything, but I'd like the job please."

I was just kidding. In reality, I don't think I'd recommend retail work to anyone, even with employee discounts, unless that's all they could get.

And with those limitations, I think your expectations are fairly realistic. 88-key keyboards would be tough for you to handle.

 

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Yamaha S30

I own a Yamaha S30 and I'm very pleased with it. Before buying it, I compared it with the Roland JV1010 line of synths, Korg's Trinitys, Alesis's QSs and the EMU2000. My main argument in favor of the S30 is the overall better sound. The Roland sound is IMO worse, Alesis a little worse, Trinity sounds are good but too thin and the EMU2000 sound is also good but too "synthetical" to my taste. The Yamaha S30 sound is very full although it lacks a little brightness.

I'd rate the individual sounds of the S30 7.5 out of 10 in average. The nice thing however is that there are some very cool sounds, especially in the synthesizer section. The S30 is a successor to the CS2X and the synth sounds have that same type of trance-like characteristics. I myself don't really like trance-music but these sounds can often also be used in the psychedelic rock music that I make. Dozens of them are absolutely amazing... I often just forget to play anything and just listen and enjoy playing around with the settings of the voices. The S30 has many great effects, that considerably enhance the quality of the sounds.

In everyday use, the S30 is reasonably user-friendly. Although you can adjust many characteristics of the voices, only a few of them have knobs on the keyboard, so for heavy voice-editing you have to do some fairly complicated stuff (although it really can be done, mostly due to the good manual). The S30 is allegedly infamous for its tough keyboard, but for me this is not a very important disadvantage, as I mainly use this synthesizer sequenced with computersoftware.

All in all, for me the S30 is the best $700-$1000 synthesizer on the market, and I never have regretted buying it. The Trintiy (rack)and the EMU2000 are within the same pricerange though, and would suggest anyone who is interested in buying something new to try them out too.

 

[HomeRec]

Yamaha S30

Good feedback on the S30, Sjoerd. It was one of the keyboards I was considering, and it ended up being the runner-up to the Alesis QS7.1. The QS7.1 was actually less money, had some weight to the keys, and had 76 keys instead of 61.

As a thought, for 61 keys, an Alesis QS6.1 should get you the same feel as the QS7.1, with more sounds than the S30 and an included sustain pedal, for less than the S30. Sound quality, of course, is subjective.

The S30 does have good sounds, and seems to have a fairly flexible and powerful synth engine. The keyboard action is terrible (same as S03/Roland XP30), and its price is a bit high - $750-$800 for 61 unweighted keys, but it is a decent keyboard.