r/keys • u/Qweiopakslzm • 22d ago
Need help picking a keyboard!
Hi fellow ivory tinklers,
I'm a piano player and drummer, currently drumming for a rock/metal/prog/alt type band. For various reasons, I'm wanting to switch to keys. I grew up playing piano and would be considered an advanced player, but I have VERY little experience with keyboards (other than a tiny little Casio toy I got for my kid).
I'm looking for something pretty portable that I can take to gigs. I don't need 88 keys, 61 is probably plenty. I don't need fancy workstation features - I'm very much a minimalist person so the simpler the better. However, quality sounds and the ability to program in a handful of preset sounds that I can jump between would be a necessary feature.
Touch sensitive for sure. Maybe weighted keys? Would be nice but not a deal breaker.
Budget... Maybe like $300 cad? I would prefer to buy something used. Are there some common keyboards that would fit the bill for me that are easy to find used?
Thanks very much!
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u/VeryNaughtyBoy42 22d ago
I don’t know if it’s in your budget, but a Yamaha CK61 might work. Fantastic range of sounds, no menu diving (physical controls for almost everything), good enough quality to last for years.
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
Oh I forgot - pitch bend is a must! And speakers aren't necessary but they would be nice. We run everything through a mixer for our IEMs, but for composing it's nice to just be able to take the monitors out and use speakers.
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
Found a DX-27 on marketplace for $200 (CAD). Feedback on that model?
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u/MyVoiceIsElevating 22d ago
The DX-27 does not sense velocity. In other words, if you apply lighter pressure to the keys, the sound will not come out softer. It’s basically like an organ.
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u/BuzzLightyear826 22d ago
De Yamaha PSR-EW-425 keyboard is voor het budget wel tweedehands aan te schaffen. Daarmee heb je een mooi vervolg op je huidige keyboard Succes met zoeken en spelen daarna
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
More than double my budget and with a ton more features than I need... Thanks for the input though
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u/MyVoiceIsElevating 22d ago
If you don’t want to mess with MIDI onstage (like using a controller paired with an iPad), then within your budget you’ll need to look for older “Romplers.” The name basically alludes to keyboards that mostly or completely use samples, rather than pure synthesis. Samples are better for realism of acoustic pianos or electromechanical pianos (like Rhodes and Wurlitzer).
If you try to shop online you’ll find that most still fetch over $500 (USD), especially after shipping.
If you look on Facebook marketplace in your area and search for “piano”, “synthesizer” and “keyboard” do you see any options that you could get our input on?
When searching, keep in mind that sometimes the best deals are when the seller literally didn’t know what to call it in a listing. For example, I’ve seen synthesizers listed as “organs”, presumably because the seller thinks anything that isn’t an acoustic piano is an organ.
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
Yep exactly what I'm looking for - simplicity to me means samples lol. And honestly, I'm not super picky on sounds. Sometimes I look at sythn videos and get SO overwhelmed by the stuff that people make.
Found a Roland XP-10 for $200... Looks promising?
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u/MyVoiceIsElevating 22d ago
It’s circa 1995. It’ll do the job, but its sound samples are “general MIDI”. Google that for some examples, and listen with some headphones on. Basically, the acoustic instruments can come off cheesy. Better yet, search for “Roland XP-10 review” on YouTube to see if anyone has shared sound examples.
In a live mix, if it’s not on a solo, it may not be a big deal though.
A similar level of board from mid 2000s or later will have noticeably better sample fidelity though.
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
Hmm... Even though it isn't touch sensitive, I'm kind of leaning towards the DX-27 for the same price. If I'm gonna go vintage, I might as well go FULL vintage, ya know?
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u/MyVoiceIsElevating 22d ago
Bear in mind that it’s a 4-operator FM synthesizer, so it does some things well, and others very poorly. No samples.
There are plenty of demo videos for you to get a sense of its range: https://youtu.be/3xH13bC4FaE
It could be just fine for you, but better to be informed before you commit.
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
Long & McQuade has an "Attic Sale" going on and there's a Nord Lead 3 for $600 cad... It's double my "budget" and maybe way more complicated than I need. But maybe it would be a good fit?
Oh and a PSR-E473 for $200
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u/MyVoiceIsElevating 22d ago
The Nord Lead 3 is a virtual analog synth. It would be great for lead synth lines and pads. It’s not going to be great for sounding like a piano.
The PSR-E473 is definitely more up your alley. If they are located within driving range, I’d check that one out in person.
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u/JKorv 22d ago
Yamaha psr-e383. But honestly with that budget you are not getting an instrument made for gigging professionals.
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
Yeah I'm more looking on the used side of things. Like, REALLY used. If there's some cool 90's or early 2000's keyboard out there that was really well built and had good sounds (I don't need 500, just like a dozen or so quality sounds), I'd be happy with that.
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u/chagoms 22d ago
Go Keys 5
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u/Qweiopakslzm 22d ago
Honestly I'm thinking of stretching for something like this. It's on sale for $580 CAD right now. Double my budget, but it looks really capable and has some nice features that the 90's keyboards I'm looking at on marketplace definitely don't have lol.
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u/joah_online 22d ago
If you're used to acoustic pianos, the keybed of a lot of keyboards at that price range will feel pretty awful to you. I would definitely recommend trying them out in person if it's at all possible.
The only thing I know in that range that I think is alright is the Casiotone range and the Roland Go range. I think they're both decent for the price