Shopping For New Keyboard

[chipshot0701]

After reading all of the threads here at The Worship Comm. Forums I've realized that if I ever have a question one of you smart people are ready to give the answers.

We are shopping for a new keyboard for the praise band. We want to be able to connect to our mixer and run it through the system while we also want it to have speakers and portablilty. It needs to be able to record and have songs loaded on it too. Price is going to be an issue. $1500 and less.
What do you all use and give the pros and cons please.

Mike

[El Ben]

Before I begin, let me tell you that Fred will be your expert here. I'm a lowly, pitiful fool on the piano compared to him. Anways, enough with the butt kissing... As far as I'm concerned, there are two choices and two ultimate choices only for keyboards.

1.) The Korg Triton or Trinity series

2.) The Yamaha P, S, or Motif series


-Korg: You can get a decent Korg Triton (I personally don't like the Triton LE, but that's just a personal preference) for 1500 or less on ebay and it will stack your deck when it comes to sounds like pads (strings) or horns and it has a decent arpeggiator that can make some pretty good background layers if you have the time to lay them down. Overall user-friendliness is pretty great with the digital touchscreen. However, your piano sound won't be the best in the world, and sometimes you'll find you have every sound in the world BUT the one you need.

-Yamaha: Yamaha delivers on a full piano sound every single time. My personal favorite comes from the old Yamaha P-series (P-250 and P-300). What Yamahas lack in sound variety, they more than make up for in sound quality. The Motif is an utter masterpiece capable of laying down an entire song, studio quality, complete with a realistic-sounding drumbeat in less than thirty minutes. Unfortunately, the higher-end Yamahas have a steep learning curve that some people may find exhausting. There are so many knobs and sliders on the Motif that it's downright difficult to just plain pick a sound. Also, the Motif is ridiculouslly expensive, the S-series is a poor man's Triton (which you can get for the same price), and the P-series, while a great mainstay piano mod is outdated and lacks sound variety. Hope that helps.

[russhutto]

I've got a Triton LE, that I enjoy, except for the non-weighted smaller keys.

As far as having built in speakers, most high-end keyboards don't come with those built in. What comes to mind are some of the lower end Casios, but in my personal experience and opinion I would stay away from those, unless you're buying it as a Christmas gift for a youngster.

You're best bet is to get a decent keyboard and a small keyboard amp to go along with it. You might end up spending a tad more, but in the end you'll be able to get a good sound AND have the keyboard muscle to tackle some of the projects you mentioned. Also, some of these keyboard amps come with more than one channel so you can add a vocal mic to it if need be (for portable situations).

I'm with Ben, I like the Korgs, Yamahas, and I've had good experience in the past with Kurzweils as well.

And you might want to stay away from buying it brand new, especially from a local music store, they tend to overcharge, and you can usually find a great deal online (ebay) or by buying used.

[jim_snedeker]

for the money and the feature set shop ebay for the Korg TRITON LE, but make sure you get 88 key version with weighted keys.

[russhutto]

Right on I have the 66 key version and I feel like my fingers are bananas when I play it. I've led/played on a baby grand for most of my time and it's a MAJOR difference on the smaller keys.

Especially go with weighted keys if you have more than one person playing.

[fmckinnon]

Mike -

Guess what - I'm SHOPPING TOO! I've been dragging my Yamaha S80 to the church 2-3 times per week, and then back to my studio. They offered to buy a new keyboard right away, so I've been shopping.

My first choice was the Yamaha S90. I love my S80 so much, and the S90 has an INCREDIBLE piano sound. However, as I began to search the pricing, I found I could get a Motif for only a few hundred more.

Anyway, the Motif (full blown Motif, 88 keys) does more than I need .. and more than I would want from a keyboard. Specifically, the internal sampling and extensive sequencing. You pay more for that, and for any hard core sequencing or sampling, I'd prefer using my MacBook Pro instead. (plus, any homeboy on stage with a MacBook Pro next to him looks 100 times more hip, IMPO/IMHO).

So, I made a call to my favorite sales rep at Sweetwater Sound, Jim Swain. Jim and I talked for quite a bit, and he recommended something I didn't even realize existed - a lower end Motif series that has ALL THE SOUNDS and SAME 88-hammer weighted action keys that are on the expensive Motif AND the S90 .. but cheaper than both. What it does NOT have is the more extensive sequencing (I think it does have sequencing, but maybe not as extensive) and sampling.

So, it would be an easy choice, but I'm just not sure if the lower-end Motif will have the same incredible piano samples the S90 would have. The S90 is great for ease-of-use ... Quick Banks, dialup a piano, string, organ, etc. The sounds are somewhat limited in variety, but are very good.

The Motif isn't as user friendly most likely, but is cheaper, and has tons of variety, and because it's a Yamaha, I know that it'll still have an incredible piano sound. I'm looking for an opportunity to play the S90 and the Motif in the same store to make my decision.

So ... the S90 is out of your price range. With that in mind, I'd suggest the Yamaha MO8. If you call Sweetwater and ask for Jim Swain, and tell him I sent ya ... and that it's for your church, you should get it around the $1400 range - which leaves a little for a small keyboard amp that will make it portable.

Here's the link:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MO8/

This is probably what I'll get .. if the piano is even CLOSE to as good as the S90 ... the versatility on this workstation makes it a SUPER BUY.

God bless,
Fred

[Wojobass]

Check out the Roland Phantom Series as well...we are a portable church and that puppy (the X8) is up to the task and durable.

[chipshot0701]

Check out the Roland Phantom Series as well...we are a portable church and that puppy (the X8) is up to the task and durable.

how much is too much for a roland phantom X8?

or the Yamahas?

Mike

[fmckinnon]

I'm just not familiar w/ the Phantom series, but used to be a big Roland fan, and still love my Roland JV1080 module. As for the Yamahas:

S90: $1800
M08: $1500
Motif 88: $2300

[C Hutcheson]

The Alesis Fusion is a good keyboard for the price, and I see where Sweetwater is trying to dump them at discount prices. I think it would be worth checking them out.

[fmckinnon]

Hey Ya'll -

Just wanted to update that I got the Yamaha Motif MO8 today - and with about an hour playing with it, I love it!

[El Ben]

Fred, I officially hate you.

Thank you, that is all. :(

[C Hutcheson]

Congrats on the Motif, booeeyyy! The Motif series is kickin'!

I just ordered a Korg Micro X, which has some cool software that you can use as plug-ins. Looking forward to getting that & checking it out. It comes with a carrying case, so it'll work well for a couple of mission trips I've got coming up. I've been needing a MIDI controller for my home studio, so this keyboard will work well for that application.

Recently I gave away a Motif ES8 to my home church, and boy, do I miss it! God will bless, though! I'm expecting some cool returns on that planted seed! Yamaha has some of the best sounds with the Motif series, particularly drums, electric pianos, acoustic instruments, and they've got the most realistic flute sounds I've ever heard!

I also got the newest 3.5 version of Final Cut Express. I'm looking forward to getting into that software app and doing some creative stuff.

Have you guys seen the demo for the new Roland VP-550? I am seriously thinking of getting one of those. I've been doing a lot of choir type vocal overdubs in my home studio lately. This keyboard would be a time saver, and would also help to make some great choir & vocal tracks. Anybody demo'd one yet?

[chipshot0701]

Fred, I just read up on the Yamahopper M08. sure sounds like a beauty.
How am I ever going to figure out all the toys on it??????

At 44 yrs old I'm beginning to think that technology has blown past me. I used to work in an electronic/stereo store with high tech Bose, Yamaha Pioneer stereos and high line tv. But I've been out of the loop for too long!

peace and love from an overwhelmed worshipper!

mike

[songbird]

I am also looking for a new keyboard. We want one that has a great grand
piano sound. I have about the same price range ($1500) Out of the ones that have been mentioned, which one has the best grand piano sound.
Our church is having a hard time letting go of their grand piano (that never stays tuned) I'm thinking if I have a keyboard that sounds really close, they
won't have a hard time with this. Am I on the right track or is this the wrong way of doing this?

Songbird

[fmckinnon]

Hey,
I think there are several good sounding pianos in the MO8 ... not as good as the S series, in my opinion, but you're closer to $1800 there.