Keyboard - Piano

[Bonegavel]

I bought a Yamaha MM8 for some flavor in my home recordings and while it seems like a nice keyboard, I've been left wanting. Especially in the area of strings/horns.

The piano portion sounds good but the rest sound meh at best.

Anyone have a recommendation of a good semi-weighted keys keyboard between $0-1400?

The MM8 can't sample or upload new sounds - something I would like. I don't need a workstation (i use Acid on the PC). I can handle 61-73-88 keys,,, that doesn't matter as much as the sound.

I understand I'm probably all wet for the price, but you don't know if you don't ask.

[Bonegavel]

No keyboard players here?

[cuervo72]

I play keyboard, kinda. Nothing major, just been playing along to songs on the radio or now mp3 for 20 years or so (it is hard for me to read music, but I have always had a pretty good ear). Of course, even though I have a newer keyboard I still prefer to play on one that is a 20 year old model - the Yamaha PSS PortaSound 470 (my second of these - had one that wore down, somehow managed to find another). Great little keyboard.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

No keyboard players here?

I sometimes pretend I do.

I've been learning how to play for awhile, but I don't know enough to give an answer to your question.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

I bought a Yamaha MM8 for some flavor in my home recordings and while it seems like a nice keyboard, I've been left wanting. Especially in the area of strings/horns.

The piano portion sounds good but the rest sound meh at best.

Anyone have a recommendation of a good semi-weighted keys keyboard between $0-1400?

The MM8 can't sample or upload new sounds - something I would like. I don't need a workstation (i use Acid on the PC). I can handle 61-73-88 keys,,, that doesn't matter as much as the sound.

I understand I'm probably all wet for the price, but you don't know if you don't ask.

Get a controller and this:

Buy Kurzweil PC2R Synth Rack Module online at Musician's Friend

If you are keeping your Yamaha, you can still use the Kurzweil module with it via MIDI (or any sound module for that matter). Sound modules are cheaper than keyboard counterparts but you still need a MIDI controller. Also, look on ebay for KORG Triton or Trinity modules. Korg Tritons and Triton Extremes are going for around 700-1200. Those are keyboard versions.

Yamaha Motifs are really nice machines as well. Similar pricing for used.

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

Get a controller and this:

Buy Kurzweil PC2R Synth Rack Module online at Musician's Friend

If you are keeping your Yamaha, you can still use the Kurzweil module with it via MIDI (or any sound module for that matter). Sound modules are cheaper than keyboard counterparts but you still need a MIDI controller. Also, look on ebay for KORG Triton or Trinity modules. Korg Tritons and Triton Extremes are going for around 700-1200. Those are keyboard versions.

Yamaha Motifs are really nice machines as well. Similar pricing for used.

This is probably the best idea. I really like the feel of the keys on the MM8 and so I think it makes a good controller since it has no expandability and is a relatively cheap 88 key controller.

Are there some cheaper modules that play great strings?

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

This is probably the best idea. I really like the feel of the keys on the MM8 and so I think it makes a good controller since it has no expandability and is a relatively cheap 88 key controller.

Are there some cheaper modules that play great strings?

Some of the old Kurzweil stuff is really good. K2000 was the model that Jordan Rudess used most of his early career (Dream Theater's keyboard player). It's an older model but I believe the K2000 was available in a module as well.

Roland JV1080 was a pretty standard module back in the day (late 90s).

It all depends on what you want to spend, and what you really want for patches (sounds). You could go the used route and get 2 or 3 cheaper units and assign each one to a specific part of your keyboard. Maybe Kurzweil has better strings than Roland or Yamaha stuff. Assign that to the lower 2 octaves of your keyboard. Etc, etc, etc. I'd probably research what other keyboard players are using and then made a determination on what you should get. Asking me won't help because while I work with a few keyboard players in the studio, I'm not a keyboard player and don't know enough about the newer products.

Find a forum for key bashers and ask away.

[JetsIn06]

Just yesterday I got an M-Audio 61 key Axiom controller. That synth rack looks sick.