Lowest priced Studio Quality Keyboard

[mmoa]

I don't want the worlds best but something that is passible for home studio use. Any suggestions?

[vicevursa]

What do you want to do with the keyboard? Do you want to create your own sounds, sample with it, or do you just need a sound module?

[TimOBrien]

Also you have to look at if you want a synth-action or a piano-action keyboard and how many keys you want (88, 60). I have a small Yamaha synth with "soft" keys but when I bought a big keyboard my wife insisted that we get something that "feels" like a real piano with a full 88 keys.

I ended up with an Alesis8.1 which now I wouldn't trade but it's a bit pricy at $1300. They also make a good 60-key soft keyboard for about $600.

A lot depends on what you're used to and what kind of music you want to make.

[chas]

Actually I just looked a lot of these over because I wanted a #2 keyboard to go with my Alesis qs8 for gigging. There are a lot of nice boards out there for less than $1K (unweighted action) or $1-$1.5K with weighted action. In those price ranges they all have compromises too, so it all comes down to what's most important to you and what you can live without. Do you need a good piano sound and action, warm pads, techno/electronica, ease of use, or infinite programability? For example, I ended up with a Roland RS9 because it sounds good on the sounds the QS8 is weakest on & vice-versa, it has 88 non-weighted keys (set up a split & it's almost like having 2 boards) and is very quick to set up & change in live performance. But as a synth it's not very deep, and the Yamaha S30 (for example) is probably sonically more powerful. There are some Korgs that sound really nice too. Etc. All ya can do is go to a music store that has a bunch of different gear (hopefully with identical monitoring systems) and hope they'll let you audition auditon audition before you plunk down your hard-earned cash. Get them to bring out a manual and try to get an idea of the operating system - how effects are set up, performance features, MIDI, etc. I spent two afternoons at Guitar Center with a brief stop at Mars in between but I knew when I walked out what I liked and what I was living with. Since getting it home there have only been a few surprises, mostly good.

[tomg01]

try this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1437261782

[smash5477]

I don't want the worlds best but something that is passible for home studio use. Any suggestions?

I suggest the Alesis QS7.1 (http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=5607334&siteid=20583305&bfpid=705575&bfmtype=gear), or the Roland XP-60 Workstation (http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=5607334&siteid=20583305&bfpid=700124&bfmtype=gear)

[macouno]

I use a master keyboard and sepparate modules. Find this a solution that supplies me with more options/better quality for the bucks.

BTW there's some pretty nice second hand E-mu proteus 1, 2 & 3 modules out there. Not the latest thing but passable quality at the least.

[Chuckp]

Yamaha S03. Only $450-$499 (depending on where you go) and it's got great sound quality. I'm getting one myself http://www.audioforums.com/forums/smile.gif

Chuck
RMP Productions (http://www.mp3.com/rmpsound)

[euphonic]

for $800 you can get farfisa g-7 workstation from synthony if they have any left. I've been very pleased. the only downside (I've had mine since late last fall) is no one else seems to have one so getting into user discussions is not so easy. But it has lots of good quality sounds, sequencer, etc. go to synthony.com to check it out if they still have.

[bokkers]

I can recommend the Korg X3 workstation. It's got nice natural instruments (pianos, strings, horns) as well as an incredible range of synthie-sounds. The internal sequencer also makes life a lot easier. As it's kind of old, you should get a new one for less than $500.