The Keyboard thread

rsm

rsm

Well-known member
I wanted to have keyboard discussions for those interested; having a separate subforum is a slippery slope because everyone else will want one too: bass, drums, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, etc...

Over the last several years, my keyboard gear and GAS has become even larger than my guitar gear.

My main keyboard rig consists of dedicated keys:

  • Korg Grandstage X - piano
  • Crumar Mojo Suitcase with 25-note pedals - Organ
  • Arturia AstroLab - Artuira V-Collection synths
  • Osmose - Expressive E - synth leads

I like having dedicated hardware keys for each instrument class; it's much "easier" to play organ on something that is laid out like an organ, same for piano, synth, etc. more of an old school keyboard rig.

Organs are my fav; I sold my '62 Hammond A-102 and matching Leslie 142 last year; but I have a digital Hammond A-3 with 25-note pedals, Hammond SKx with pedals now being used with the Crumar; a digital Vox Continental 61-key, with a 61-key MIDI keyboard to create a Vox dual-manual Super Continental; Viscount Cantorum Trio - digital pipe organ, which I also use Hauptwerk pipe organ software.

I have two keyboard workstations: Roland Fantom EX - 61-key, and my latest acquisition: Yamaha Montage M8x; and one arranger: Korg Pa5X 76-key.

The workstations can do just about everything, this is more of the new school Jordan Rudess approach of having a single keyboard that can do just about everything. I hope my workstations and arranger continue to get updates for several more years; a new update for the Pa5X just dropped a few days ago, and I need to update it.

I have a couple of keytars, and MIDI keytar controllers.

Also various modular, semi-modular synths which I enjoy but not a main focus - it's more sound design and programming vs composing/arranging/playing, and software: Arturia V-Collection, Omnisphere 2, Hauptwerk,...


Currently my main focus is learning the Montage, which will take several months....
 
I like the idea for the thread. Long time guitarist here who only dabbled with keys in the past, but started wanting one.

So I grabbed an 88 key digital piano action 5 months ago and have been having a blast. It has the basics, piano, organ, Clav, EP, vibraphone, bass, strings, etc. I picked up where I left off years back so I can switch most triads and 7ths with inversions, and play a decent list of guitar solos on the keys.

But I'm working on hand independence and exercises as well as more traditional type playing. I see the need for a second set of keys - playing in the same register, synth and other sounds, and synth action. I may get a workstation and hope that keeps me from wanting to have one of everything in the rabbit hole.

I wish I'd have focused much sooner on really learning to play. Right now I'm plugged into monitors for stereo and fx and using drum pedal and looper. I hope you and some more seasoned players can make this a good thread for all things keyboard related for us newbs as well as long time players. Looking forward to learning more here!
 
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@PharmaLee yes, it's learning experience for me too, especially with organ and coordinating both hands and one or two feet on the pedals.

I'm doing this out of my interest and enjoyment, wish I learned piano/organ decades ago, I won't be impressing anyone, but it's a rabbit hole that's deep and wide, and plenty to keep me busy and engaged for years to come.

I recently retired, so in the last few years I've been buying and selling gear and other toys to be sure I had what I wanted while still getting a paycheck. I have a few more music gear items to sell, but I have plenty of gear to learn and enjoy for years to come...if I can avoid the GAS for the latest gear!
 
My mom was a brilliant classical pianist. Unfortunately due to much bad luck lessons never quite eventuated for me, same goes for guitar.

My interest in self-production however saw my purchasing many a board and module back in the late '80s through the '90s.

This is what I can remember right now:

'90s (All Sold) :doh:

Akai S3000
Alesis D4 (Drum module)
Alesis DM Pro (Drum module)
EMU Audity 2000
Emu E-Synth
Emu E-Synth Ultra (Equivalent to EIV but with the Synth ROM board)
EMU proteus 2000
Ensoniq SQ-80
Ensoniq EPS
Ensoniq EPS 16+
Kawai K4r
Korg Wavestation A/D
Korg Wavestation SR (bought and sold 3 units)
Novation Nova
Roland JV 2080
Roland JV 5080 with all 8 ROM-board slots filled
Roland TR 606 (Drum machine)
Yamaha P-50 piano module (half-rack unit)
Yamaha VL-70m solo physical-modelling module (half-rack unit)

2000 Onwards (All Current)

Roland Integra7
Roland JD-990
Novation Supernova I
Yamaha Motif XS Rack

I don't have anything newer than the Motif rack and Integra 7, so haven't bought anything in maybe 20 years(?).

Love synths 'though. Nothing but fond memories of slapping stuff together quickly. For whatever reason I was my most-productive with the ol' ATARI MIDI setup and before that, a Tascam 4-track cassette-based setup.
 
We had a an upright Yamaha Clavinova electric piano for the wife. She took lessons as a kid for about 15 years... She wanted that one because it felt like a real piano

I have a Novation Mininova for my own personal noise making/pads/apeggator

We have been married almost 30 Years, known each other for 32.

She can read music, I can't... We have never played together 😂
 
You wouldn't be the first brother. :LOL:

Those Clavinovas were / are fantastic from what I can tell. My mom actually got one 20 years ago but my brother commandeered it. I would have loved it. I might even have played a little every day and taught myself something useful, which was the only reason I wanted it.

No matter. If you can hear the stuff in-your-head then you can programme the MIDI and / or slow tempos right-down in order to be able to play and record, it's all-good IMHO.
 
Monkey Man said:
You wouldn't be the first brother. :LOL:

Those Clavinovas were / are fantastic from what I can tell. My mom actually got one 20 years ago but my brother commandeered it. I would have loved it. I might even have played a little every day and taught myself something useful, which was the only reason I wanted it.

No matter. If you can hear the stuff in-your-head then you can programme the MIDI and / or slow tempos right-down in order to be able to play and record, it's all-good IMHO.
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We probably got her the Clavinova 20-25 years ago, it has made 3 major house moves, still working and playing well

Yeah, I have to sit my ass down and figure out some basic things on my MiniNova.
It is a pretty serious synth engine in that thing for the cost, and for what I meanly do, being able to add keys would give it a different dimension

I haven't rapped my head around MIDI , beyond time syncing the Drum Machine to the Mininova to Sync the arpeggiator
 
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