That one keyboard, you can take anywhere.

[Arpangel]

Indeed - my MBP and anything with keys would be good enough for me...

For me, the keys, have to be physically bonded to the sounds, otherwise it doesn’t work.
I’ve got my MacBook Air in front of me, and an Arturia Keystep, it’s alright for "mucking about on" or getting a few ideas, but nothing more.

[kingsize]

Hey ARP,

It’s never been one, always two for me, two boards so I had piano/keys and then all the other stuff.

It used to be the Ensoniq TS for me, and I loved the piano on the KS32

I went through 7 korg m1’s over a 15 year period playing bands and church music, I knew them really well. Paired with a ks32 for church or a model D for bands.

At one point in the early 2000s my gig rig was a Ensoniq ks32 and a korg z1, that was easy to program and sounded great.

2006 on was a triton studio and fantom x7, with the z1 card in the triton. Loved ease of programming the fantom and ability to put lyrics on the screen, but the keys on both the studio and x7 wore out fairly quickly compared to the earlier boards, but I prefer keys with more travel.

Now it’s a Kronos and a fantom XR, and either a hydrasynth deluxe or a z1.

I was thinking about getting the Akai keyboard and a moog Subsequent and seeing if I can learn the Akai way of doing it, but I’ll probably give in to the fantom again, wish it wasn’t so darned expensive for what it is though.

Yes you have got to know it, but it’s also got to be available in your country (I wish Kurzweil were more prevalent here) I think the only reason I know Korgs and Roland’s so well is because that’s what nz music shops had and for years those were the best affordable tools available.

As I’ve got older I value simplicity, but it’s still got to sound right to me or I can’t play it well. To this day I’ve not had a single board that does everything well, piano, organ, eps, brass, synth, string and samples but I can usually get there with 2.

[Arpangel]

Obviously it depends on you’re priorities, but a good piano sound in a keyboard isn’t a priority at all for me, it wouldn’t matter if it didn’t have one, it’s one of those things that cannot be substituted in my situation, the thought of playing a synthetic piano is just out, in fact, I’d rather just not play our piano based music live, at all, the expression just isn’t there, no matter how good it’s supposed to be, just sounds stiff and lifeless to me, too perfect, and the stuff we’d do live is chosen because it can be played live with no compromises.
My only compromise regrettably, is that I don’t own a real Rhodes piano, so, that’s the big thing with any new keyboard I buy, just like your piano sound, we have to have a decent Rhodes in there somewhere.

[ajay_m]

Piano is tricky. None of the workstation type keyboards sound convincing to me as they try to shoehorn samples into risible amounts of memory. The akai mpc61 or akai force pianos and eps are in my opinion the best non-daw pianos I've heard but then compared to korg or Roland or Yamaha, the akais have much larger storage and ram, though still modest compared to a laptop.
Personally I think the akai EPs are as good as anything I can get on the daw but for acoustic piano there are arguably more refined options, though it's close. For general jazz etc I do like "Alicia's keys". The other ni pianos are uniformly mediocre with the possible exception of "the gentleman" but the akai pianos have a very nice upright as well
For serious classical playing I still prefer embertones Steinway (walker piano) though I know not everyone agrees.
Really convincing strings or brass I think require a daw although a good deal of the realism for wind,strings and brass comes from the skilful use of polyphonic aftertouch.
Unfortunately none of the poly AT keyboards yet implement pressure envelopes so trying to avoid unnatural crescendos and decrescendos is tricky.
I can do that on my little qunexus but only because of the special reaper plugin I wrote for it. I need to create a version for my hydrasynth that replicates the envelopes. At this point I'd say that sample quality becomes less important because you are playing with the nuances associated with those instruments. Nothing sounds cheesier than brass etc played from a simple velocity sensitive keyboard no matter how good the samples are.

[The Elf]

So this one 'take anywhere' keyboard needs to have a 'decent' Rhodes option, which I know you're very exacting about. Give us an example of a Rhodes sound you like?

And it has to be light. Maximum weight?

And relatively inexpensive. What's the budget?

It has to have a programming system you find simple. Examples of programming systems you get on with?

Inspiring - only you can define that one. I don't see how we can address that.

Versatile. In what respect? Controllers? Other sounds? Connection options? Sampling? Built-in speakers? Other?

Any other precise 'wants'/'don't wants'?

[zenguitar]

Any other precise 'wants'/'don't wants'?

Maintains it's resale value for when it is deemed utterly rubbish and has to be disposed of immediately.

Andy

[The Elf]

Any other precise 'wants'/'don't wants'?

Maintains it's resale value for when it is deemed utterly rubbish and has to be disposed of immediately.

Andy

[Hugh Robjohns]

Any other precise 'wants'/'don't wants'?

Maintains it's resale value for when it is deemed utterly rubbish and has to be disposed of immediately.

Andy

[kingsize]

Hey Arp

Do your fingers object to weighted piano keys for playing synth stuff?

Mine do - otherwise I’d suggest the Kurzweil k2700, the Rhodes, strings and sample space on that is apparently decent, but I’m waiting for them to release a 73/76 note version that would be easier to grease than than a stiff 88. I haven’t tried it, not even available to try in NZ yet, but I’ve liked some of the sounds in the earlier versions. Not the easiest to program though.

Been meaning to try the akai MPC too, but I’ve been told the keys are an acquired taste, and I hate spongy keys.

How do you feel about the Nord electro with the waterfall keys? Or maybe the stage 73 with the same?

Sounds like your ear for the Rhodes is pretty dialed in so I guess it’s try and try again until you find the right mix of things you can live with.

Keep up the good fight mate.

[The Elf]

Mine do - otherwise I’d suggest the Kurzweil k2700...

Fabulous workstation (which I use myself), but a heck of a size/weight.

And the programming system seems to be Marmite - I find it a doddle, but others seem to struggle. Only Arpy knows if it would suit in that respect.

[MarkOne]

Mine do - otherwise I’d suggest the Kurzweil k2700...

Fabulous workstation (which I use myself), but a heck of a size/weight.

And the programming system seems to be Marmite - I find it a doddle, but others seem to struggle. Only Arpy knows if it would suit in that respect.

I’ve recently become curious about the Kurzweil PC4/7. A lot cheaper than the Nord Stage 73 (which I’d love, but at 4 grand, it’s really expensive. But nobody has any in stock (pretty much the same for all things Kurzweil it seems) At around 8Kg it is nearly half the weight of my Keylab 88, and in the right gig bag, it might go in my car without having to put the roof down first (not fun on rainy gig days!)

[The Elf]

I'd say to get a first hand look at the PC4 before you jump. It's very much built down to a price. The plastic casing, in particular, is an anomoloy for a Kurzweil. I'd not be happy to expose it to a stage life.

[MarkOne]

I'd say to get a first hand look at the PC4 before you jump. It's very much built down to a price. The plastic casing, in particular, is an anomoloy for a Kurzweil. I'd not be happy to expose it to a stage life.

Plastic isn’t always evil. I’ve been regularly gigging my Novation Impulse since 2015 and it’s stood the test of time pretty well.

But I would certainly want to play one before deciding. Which, like I said is a problem, because nobody has one.

[The Elf]

I'd say to get a first hand look at the PC4 before you jump. It's very much built down to a price. The plastic casing, in particular, is an anomoloy for a Kurzweil. I'd not be happy to expose it to a stage life.

Plastic isn’t always evil. I’ve been regularly gigging my Novation Impulse since 2015 and it’s stood the test of time pretty well.

Agreed. The Novation is quite a solid build, though. My Roland A-800Pro (ironic name...) does fine too.

When I examined the PC4 at Synthfest a couple of years ago I was dismayed at how thin and brittle the plastic casing seemed to be. If you are expecting to throw the PC4 into the back of a van under some lighting and PA you might regret it.

[tea for two]

thought of playing a synthetic piano is just out, in fact, I’d rather just not play our piano based music live, at all,

My favourite Piano I ever noodled on was a Blüthner grand if I recall correctly in a darkly lit church which seemed almost sunk into the ground with smallish windows high up that let in a bit of light.
Hardly anybody went into that church daytime when it was open for a few hours weekdays, so I loved the privacy and the darkness (I'm not a religious institute person in the slightest).

In contrast my only one album of Keyboards I've done doesn't have a single traditional acoustic Piano on it : it has let's say treated with other stuff sounds of sampled Piano.

[BJG145]

Anyma Phi looks good, if only it was polyphonic.

Like this?

https://www.soundonsound.com/news/anyma ... nstruments

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ao ... ynthesizer

[ajay_m]

The A800 is of course just a controller keyboard and has no sounds. It is indeed very solid and I have had mine for years. The aftertouch even after adjusting the internal trimmer requires considerable pressure and the 9 fader knobs are coated with that rubberised plastic that eventually goes all gooey. Fortunately they are easily removed and a good dunk in isopropyl alcohol and a vigorous seeing to with some paper towels has dealt with that problem.
Of course Roland's joystick combined pitch and mod controller does polarise opinion. I rather like it myself as separate wheels make simultaneous mod and pitch changes a bit challenging.

[Arpangel]

thought of playing a synthetic piano is just out, in fact, I’d rather just not play our piano based music live, at all,

My favourite Piano I ever noodled on was a Blüthner grand if I recall correctly in a darkly lit church which seemed almost sunk into the ground with smallish windows high up that let in a bit of light.
Hardly anybody went into that church daytime when it was open for a few hours weekdays, so I loved the privacy and the darkness (I'm not a religious institute person in the slightest).

In contrast my only one album of Keyboards I've done doesn't have a single traditional acoustic Piano on it : it has let's say treated with other stuff sounds of sampled Piano.

I’ve got a Bluthner Grand, it’s fine, but I’ll still play my own Reason custom piano, in preference.

[tea for two]

thought of playing a synthetic piano is just out, in fact, I’d rather just not play our piano based music live, at all,

My favourite Piano I ever noodled on was a Blüthner grand if I recall correctly in a darkly lit church which seemed almost sunk into the ground with smallish windows high up that let in a bit of light.
Hardly anybody went into that church daytime when it was open for a few hours weekdays, so I loved the privacy and the darkness (I'm not a religious institute person in the slightest).

In contrast my only one album of Keyboards I've done doesn't have a single traditional acoustic Piano on it : it has let's say treated with other stuff sounds of sampled Piano.

I’ve got a Bluthner Grand, it’s fine, but I’ll still play my own Reason custom piano, in preference.

Yeah, just depends on what I wanted to convey how I wanted to convey on this keyboard album : for which I didn't use a single recorded acoustic Piano nor sample of acoustic Piano just by itself. Whichever Piano sound I used was treated and or combined with some other sounds.

[Arpangel]

Bluthner's have thee most sweet top end, of any piano I’ve played, but the bass is a bit blurred, muddy, it’s a common trait.
Bosendorfer's are great recording pianos, done a few tracks with those, but a bit heavy and ponderous, when you’re actually playing them
As for a well balanced sound, good feel etc, Yamaha's are hard to beat, I’d choose one over the Bluthner any day, that’s just me, but the top end on a Bluthner I’d miss.
But let’s face it, any old piano will do.

[tea for two]

Of the various pieces albums I've made, I'd say the pieces where I used just one sound are my favourite.

So the one keyboard to take anywhere for me would have to have a host of stunning single sounds which were tweakable.
These sounds would cover instruments from various parts of the World, alongside Fantasy sounds, Physical modelling, Sampling, Rhodes, Ondes Martenot, Mellotron, Novachord. With proper hands on controller as on Ondes Martenot such as the Theravox.
Very easy to use.
Battery operated with multiple speakers + sub built in.
37 proper wood keys that does what the osmose keys do.

[Arpangel]

Of the various pieces albums I've made, I'd say the pieces where I used just one sound are my favourite.

So the one keyboard to take anywhere for me would have to have a host of stunning single sounds which were tweakable.
These sounds would cover instruments from various parts of the World, alongside Fantasy sounds, Physical modelling, Sampling, Rhodes, Ondes Martenot, Mellotron, Novachord. With proper hands on controller as on Ondes Martenot such as the Theravox.
Very easy to use.
Battery operated with multiple speakers + sub built in.
37 proper wood keys that does what the osmose keys do.

A DX7, apart from batteries, it did all that, for over twenty years for me, my only keyboard.
But this, could be a serious contender.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m55tT74A4-I

[MarkOne]

I’ve got a Bluthner Grand, it’s fine, but I’ll still play my own Reason custom piano, in preference.

Wait… what?

the thought of playing a synthetic piano is just out, in fact, I’d rather just not play our piano based music live, at all, the expression just isn’t there, no matter how good it’s supposed to be, just sounds stiff and lifeless to me,

[Hugh Robjohns]

The man is a living contradiction....

[Arpangel]

I’ve got a Bluthner Grand, it’s fine, but I’ll still play my own Reason custom piano, in preference.

Wait… what?

the thought of playing a synthetic piano is just out, in fact, I’d rather just not play our piano based music live, at all, the expression just isn’t there, no matter how good it’s supposed to be, just sounds stiff and lifeless to me,

If I didn’t have the Bluthner, the Reason piano would be my default.
Simply because I made it, and it’s one of the most expressive, atmospheric sampled piano sounds I’ve heard.
I use the Bluthner mostly, these days, simply because it’s there, it’s easy, no faffing around.
It is possible to hold multiple views, of the same thing, our needs change, and our opinions vary, that’s "life"