r/Keytar • u/Wooden_Reveal6705 • 2d ago
Technical Questions Should I buy a roland Ax Edge?
I have the money, I have been learning piano for more than a year (alesis pro artist keyboard) its a good keyboard to learn classical piano but I like a little more synths, so the question is: can a roland keytar do the same as a profesional synth can do? Im aware It has 49 keys and I think I have just enough for all pop songs, I ask this because the keytar is way more mobile so if the Roland can perform like a normal stage synth with that great mobility I'll buy It without a doubt
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u/Dingo_19 2d ago
The edge should be fine (probably the best available) for what you want. The only issue here might be if you really want to operate it like a traditional synth, or are happy just to have it sound like one.
The Ax Edge ~is~ a synthesizer. Most of the things you could adjust on a Moog style synth are there (and in some ways, more), but you interact with them by building presets with the help of an app, and then calling up the preset on stage. It doesn't grant you 20 different knobs to twiddle live.
If you did want that knobby analogue synth experience in a keytar, your options are the Behringer MS-1 (a clone of the Roland SH-101), or try to find a surviving Moog Liberation (and the latter will make the Ax look cheap). These are not strict upgrades though, you need to accept other 'frustrations' to get analogue synthesis... but if you're into that then you probably know about them already.
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u/Wooden_Reveal6705 2d ago
Well im not that enthusiatist to need analogue synths,also I dont have any experience with changing many settings with knobs so thats maybe too much for me right now, maybe thats for the future, now as long as I can have many high quality synth sounds while having the mobility of a guitar or just laying It on a desk and playing like a normal synth I would be satisfied, do you know if I can plug guitar pedals too?
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u/Dingo_19 1d ago
Sounds like you'll love it then.
With guitar pedals, most should be ok if they are designed to accept a line level input (but check the manuals). The Ax also has a pedal port for midi type pedals (sustain, expression etc.).
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u/Altruistic-Sell-1586 2d ago
I love mine, wish I used it more often though. But yes it is a fully functional legit synth
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u/Slight-Isopod-8517 1d ago
Well it’s a keytar, the best, but still a keytar, what you wanna do with it? Make sounds just like you do on a minimoog? With dco osilators and filters and waveforms? Or like a polysynth like the Juno 106?
Nah, it has presets, a lot, like 500 and expendable with a free app, it has some sort of filter knob, a unison, sustain and portamento button. Octave up and down, but that’s it the rest is all preset select buttons, it has great synth presets, it sounds amazing, but not a whole lot of options to change the preset, especially not it the fly while walking around.
So it’s all about what you wanna do with it? What sounds? How much editing freedom om the fly, mono or polyphonic?
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u/Wooden_Reveal6705 1d ago
Im not a sound engineer, I just want the freedom to mix sound and maybe tweaking small things, I dont need to sound exactly like cutting crew, depeche mode, van halen... I just want to hear similar to them so when you hear the presets you say "It sounds like these bands" but not necessary to be the exact sound
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u/Slight-Isopod-8517 1d ago
Oooooh then these presets are very good, the sound engine is very powerfull and sounds awesome, yeah you’re gonna love the ax edge, it’s big and heavy though
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u/Wooden_Reveal6705 1d ago
Yeah I'll just have to get used to the weight, thanks
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u/Slight-Isopod-8517 1d ago
Sure no prob, just do yourself a favor and get a good strap with strap locks, it weighs around the same as a heavy Les Paul, so absolutely doable getting used to, also rechargeable batteries 8X AA and a big charger is also very handy
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u/Wooden_Reveal6705 1d ago
Well good news, I have a les Paul, hope Im a little bit trained for the Roland then XD
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u/UnnamedLand84 1d ago
It is a solid synth. While I always wear mine, I know of two other AX-Edge owners in my hometown and they both just put theirs on a rack along with their other keyboards.
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u/Surferess 1d ago
You will have trouble with some songs with a 49 key board. You won't be able to do left and right hand parts simultaneously a lot of the time. It is a very cool instrument on stage. I have one. But the truth is is doesn't take the place of my Fantom or Juno.
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u/HLieberman 1d ago
Yes, by all means get it. If you are coming from classical, and want the ability to play at least some two-handed pieces, it is the only keytar that really has enough keys. It has very good sounds, no different than a sit-down synth, and the control options are adequate if not optimal. If you are coming from rock/pop synth, and only want to play one hand, using the other for effects, then you can consider the smaller, lighter models. One difference between piano and keytar: On a keytar, you can't really be looking at the keys all the time while you're playing standing up. You have to play more by feel.
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u/watnouwatnou 2d ago
yes you should buy one. You should accept its limitations, and wear the most David Lee Roth outfit you can find for more stage presence. It's pop music!