How many keys?

[Good Bob]

I am ready, willing, and able to buy a workstation, and I've pretty much decided on getting a Yamaha Motif. I have never played keyboards to any great length, but I have been playing guitar for over 23 years, and I have done a fair amount of recording. I would like to get a keyboard so that I can learn how to play( I am planning to take at least a few lessons), as well as have the abilty to branch out into different musical directions. My musical style leans towards rock, but I like classical and jazz as well.

I was almost ready to "pull the trigger" and buy a Motif 6, but I spoke to a friend who IS a keyboard player and he told be to get a 7, that I'd really appreciate having the additional keys. Then I spoke to a neighbor of mine, an "amateur" player, who has a Triton, and SHE said go for the 88-key keyboard.

Now, I can afford to get what I want, but as I don't really have any experience as a keyboard player, I'm not too sure what I need. Is it a waste for me to step up to an 88-key board? How much will I lose by not getting a larger keyboard? Why do they even make 61 or 76-key boards? Is that so they are affordable to more people? Am I asking too many questions(hehe)? Does anyone have any preferences for SMALLER keyboards, and if so, why? Also, can someone explain to me what a "Balanced Hammer Effect Keyboard"; does it feel more like a "piano" keyboard?

Any guidance here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[barefoot]

I'm a long time guitar player as well. I played an 88-key Motif the other day and the weighted keys were fantastic - much better than the un-weighted version. It makes a big difference in the sounds and musical feel you get.

I’m not sure of the configurations available for the Motif. But whatever size keyboard you decide on, I strongly suggest you get one that’s weighted - especially if you can afford what you want.

The only negative aspect of the 88-key version, is of course, the size. It’s a beast.

barefoot

 

[Sennheiser]

As a piano player I will always say "88 keys". But you have to decide what you are going primarily use your workstation for before you decide on a weighted hammer action or a synth action.

A lot of synth leads are dificult if not impossible (depending upon the speed) to play on a hammer action piano. On the other hand, you won't be playing a lot of classical piano scores on a synth action and have it sound authentic no matter how good the velocity sensitivity is. It just isn't the same as a piano action and the nuances of a piano cannot be replicated on a synth action.

Decide what type of instument you really want to play and base your decision upon that.

If money is no object, then I would get a weighted hammer 88 digital piano and a five or six octave synth action/workstation and MIDI them together.

You can't have your cake and eat it too without both.

 

[Spike Vincent]

2 keys does me fine.

 

[mikeh]

If you are looking for "real" piano feel you want weighted keys and if you are a traditional pianist you want 88 keys.

That being said - I have played keys for several years (although drums are my main axe). I've played many gigs as a keyboard player (everything form 50's/60's to Top 40) and I do alot of recording - and I have always used 61 key instruments.

There have been times when I played "piano parts" that I wished I had weighted keys, but given the cost and the weight, I felt it was a fair trade off. Obviously synth lines and organ parts translate well to an unweighted keyboard.

I have never felt I needed 88 keys (again I'm not primarily a piano player). Although there were times at live gigs where more keys would have been nice (for splits and zoning out various parts) - but again given the cost and the weight it's a fair tradeoff. For recording, I don't think the extra keys are that important (unless you are a piano player).

As Sennheiser said, it all depends on what you want from a keyboard. If you just want to add some "pad sounds" or some synth lead lines - I would get a 61 key instrument (less weight, less cost and it requires alot less room).

 

[sjjohnston]

Keys

If you want to play it like a piano (you know, with two hands at once: you might even want to play sheet music, who knows ...):

88 keys, of course, works.

76 keys gets you 95% of the way there, and might be a reasonable compromise (to cost, size, weight).

61 keys might drive you crazy. Actually, it will drive you crazy when you smack the small fingers of your left hand onto the end of the keyboard.

People who were brought up playing real pianos usually prefer weighted hammer-action keyboards. I know I do. (Actually, I would like keys that are heavier than the ones that seem generally available).

People who've never played a piano often prefer the unweighted keys. You can take this two ways: (i) people who play pianos have been led astray or (ii) people who don't play pianos don't know what they're doing.

Keep in mind that playing a piano (like, you know, a piano) isn't tremendously easy if you've never done it before.

If you won't play it like a piano, but instead just want to use it for picking out melodies, or lead parts or bass lines, with your index finger, or finding chords with one hand and entering them into a sequencer:

You should be fine with 61 keys, or maybe even fewer (like 49 or whatever the little controllers have).

Well, that's my opinion anyway.