Piano/keyboard/synth thoughts?

[guitar12]

I'm an acoustic guitar player through and through but lately have started to think about having a digital piano, keyboard or synthesizer around just to noodle with and learn a few chords/notes.

Do I want a digital piano/keyboard or synthesizer? Don't want to get too complicated. I know that everybody recommends weighted keys but with my creaky hands not sure I care about that. Don't need 88 keys.

This is on my local Facebook Marketplace, looks pretty cool and tho old, people seem to like them (1983 Yamaha PS-55 Stereo Electronic Piano Keyboard Synthesizer):

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...78520320760409

Or maybe something like the Yamaha Piaggero NP32?

TIA. Rob

[Tahitijack]

Start with what your budget might be. That will help narrow the field. I never played keys/piano before so weighted or velocity sensitive didn't matter to me as I had no expectations one way or another. I chose velocity sensitive and am happy with that decision. 88 note keyboards seemed too much for me and keyboards in the 60 notes seemed too small. I settled on 76 notes and have had no issues but I tend to play left and right of middle C. I call it the goldilocks choice. I read a lot of reviews and watched a lot if videos of various keyboards and decided on two manufacturers: Yamaha and Roland. Eventually I narrowed the list down to a Yamaha MODX7 or my final choice a Roland Juno DS 76. I felt the Yamaha might be a little overwhelming and complicated and the Roland would be capable of taking me from novice to intermediate level and beyond. After over two years I have no regrets and continue to discover and explore all the voices in the Roland. Good luck to you and I hope this helps. Play On!

[guitar12]

Originally Posted by Tahitijack

Start with what your budget might be. That will help narrow the field. I never played keys/piano before so weighted or velocity sensitive didn't matter to me as I had no expectations one way or another. I chose velocity sensitive and am happy with that decision. 88 note keyboards seemed too much for me and keyboards in the 60 notes seemed too small. I settled on 76 notes and have had no issues but I tend to play left and right of middle C. I call it the goldilocks choice. I read a lot of reviews and watched a lot if videos of various keyboards and decided on two manufacturers: Yamaha and Roland. Eventually I narrowed the list down to a Yamaha MODX7 or my final choice a Roland Juno DS 76. I felt the Yamaha might be a little overwhelming and complicated and the Roland would be capable of taking me from novice to intermediate level and beyond. After over two years I have no regrets and continue to discover and explore all the voices in the Roland. Good luck to you and I hope this helps. Play On!

Super helpful, my friend. I too feel that 88 keys is too big and was looking at smaller units, like the 61 or 76 keys. I was thinking a budget of $500 new but don't really know the market so might have to stretch that a little bit. I've done some preliminary research and like any new instrument it gets overwhelming pretty quickly so that is why I posted here. Figured that on an acoustic guitar forum that people would understand the dabble concept with other instruments.

Thanks again. Rob

[Tahitijack]

Be careful, after 25 years of playing guitar I often find myself saying...I wish I had started playing keys years ago.

[catt]

Originally Posted by guitar12

I'm an acoustic guitar player through and through but lately have started to think about having a digital piano, keyboard or synthesizer around just to noodle with and learn a few chords/notes.

Do I want a digital piano/keyboard or synthesizer? Don't want to get too complicated. I know that everybody recommends weighted keys but with my creaky hands not sure I care about that. Don't need 88 keys.

This is on my local Facebook Marketplace, looks pretty cool and tho old, people seem to like them (1983 Yamaha PS-55 Stereo Electronic Piano Keyboard Synthesizer):

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...78520320760409

Or maybe something like the Yamaha Piaggero NP32?

TIA. Rob

Avoid vintage electronic gear unless you're into disassembly, cleaning, etc.

As you've observed, electronic keyboards range from simple 'piano' emulators, like the 'piaggero,' to full-on wave modifying synthesizers with 'poly-touch' key bed. If you're into sound synthesis, or even just multi-voice keyboard with organ, pads, etc., new keyboards offer an awful lot of sound variety for just a few hundred $. Many of the inexpensive keyboards that come with several hundred voices have acceptable piano emulation as well.

I recommend listening to the demos online to hear what each keyboard does, as well as an evaluation of the key bed feel.

[YamahaGuy]

If weighted keys aren't a priority, I'd suggest the Yamaha PSR e473 or for a little more than your budget, the Yamaha MX49.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by guitar12

Do I want a digital piano/keyboard or synthesizer? Don't want to get too complicated. I know that everybody recommends weighted keys but with my creaky hands not sure I care about that. Don't need 88 keys.

I'm mainly a keyboardist, with guitar a distant second. I recommend AGAINST weighted keys. Of course you want touch sensitive, but not weighted. If you want weighted, get a piano. Yamaha's newer keyboards have great touch and enable lightning speed. I had a digital piano with something like 10 voices -- piano, harpsichord.... That was a MISTAKE.

A synth is definitely the way to go. I had a (way old) Sequential Circuits Prophet V, a Yamaha SY77, and now a Yamaha Motif XS7 (76 keys). I recommend 76 keys over 66. You'll want those extended bass notes. I know the Motif XS7 is way over your budget, but it is really awesome. (Reverb has a used one in 'very good' condition for $999, with a 'make offer'. I mean, listen to the demo!) I know next to nothing about the more inexpensive Yamaha synths. I guess just try some out and get one you like with some voices you like, and maybe some built in rhythms. Getting a synth keyboard is an excellent idea!

This Motif XS7 demo totally sold me.....

[catt]

I've had a Rhodes and a few classic synths like Seqential Circs prophet 600 and Korg M1. I used to stack an inexpensive yamaha poly-voice organ keyboard on top of the korg piano for skanking in roots reggae band.
....

My wife goes to the local big box music store and gets the kids yamaha PSR-E453 - it sat around for a few years before I absconded with it and use it for backing Latin percussion tracks for forro accordion playing and mid-eastern Arabic/Turkish oud accompaniment. The thing has several choices in most major forms: forro, cumbias, the standard cha cha cha, rhumbas, etc. It even has

156 Saeidy
157 WehdaSaghira
158 Laff
159 IranianElec
160 Emarati
161 AfricanGospelReggae
162 HighLife
163 AfricanGospel
164 Makossa
165 ModernAfrobeat
166 IndianPop
167 Bhangra
168 Bhajan
169 ModernDangdut
170 Keroncong
171 XiQingLuoGu
172 JingJuJieZou
173 YiZuMinGe....

The keyboard has all kinds of internal accompaniment options, split keyboards, recording, bells and whistles ..but I don't use/know any of it - I'm old school - I just crank it up and use it as a rhythm machine. But I'm thinking of getting an ASM hydrasynth..

*I always advocate for everyone to have a keyboard - they're incredibly inexpensive for a lot of variety, and of course having a keyboard around for theory practice and all.. A great tool for a musician.