Ok here is the scoop. I am just starting to learn how to play the piano. My intentions are to eventually be able to play along with my favourite tunes, plus I then hope to be able to start playing cords, strings, effects and beats Like how Moby did with his album PLAY.( as a hobby)

My question's are:

1. what is a good starter keyboard to learn with (do I need weigh down keys(hammer action) 88 set or just touch sensitive 61 keyset)They say beginners will never use 88 keys

2. What type of equiptment(Ie: keyboard workstation) does an artist like moby use to make his music.

Right now they have a Yahmaha PSR 2100 (includes stand and foor pedal and adaptor) on sale for $1099 Canadian ($891 USD) should I get that, is it a good price. I am worried that it is too complicated for a beginner like me, that by the time i get good enough, the unit will be outdated?

Any thoughts or comments are welcomed


3. also anyone here live in the GTA (Toronto)
know of any good music stores here in Canada that has good selction and knowledgible staff

I would not buy any PSR series or ANY keyboard with built in speakers . On the used market they have no value and almost no value on trade in .
For that kind of money you buy a real synthesizer on the used market . It will have all the familiar sounds like piano and strings as well as purely electronic sounds for when your experience starts to grow .
Check out things like the ROLAND XP-30 , XP-60 , JV-30 , JV-80 . Korg N series synthesizers , or Yamaha S series synthesizers .

I'm a little confussed. Those models you listed I'm assuming are old outdated models cause I went online to check out some of the stores and the only thing I can find that u listed was the yamaha S series synths that cost and arm and leg?

Yes they are older , but not outdated . They are all sample playback machines , even the PRS you looked at . Since they are sample playback , and EVERY company is just reusing their sample libraries over and over in new models , you do not have to buy a new model . You have to take the time to check into them . They can be found at Harmony Central , Ebay , used music stores . The JV , XP , XV models from Roland are the same , the only differences are small features like effects , arpeggiators , and the number of sounds .
The same sample libraries from the Korg N series I.E. N364 is in the later Trinity and Triton models .
The S series from Yamaha has the same samples as the earlier W series .
If you must have new models , The Roland JUNO-D which is a professional board is less than $600 and will hold value much higher than the Yamaha PSR .
The Yamaha S-03 is another .
The Korg Triton LE is not much more than the Yamaha .
Other used boards are The Korg Karma , Yamaha W-5 , Roland xp-50 .

I am analog guy myself . I've been using analog synthesizers for 22 years , these are keyboards made from the 60s , 70s , and 80s . These boards you don't just push a button and play a sample . You must build the sound from the ground up . Their is alot available to you .
http://www.harmonycentral.com http://www.vintagesynth.org http://www.sonicstate.com http://www.synthfool.com http://www.moogmusic.com http://www.galaxymusicusa.com
Check them out .

Hello!
Getting that PSR or any arranger keyboard (anything with built-in speakers and programmable accompaniment) is not such a bad idea.
It will give you a lot of different sounds and features to play with without making things overly complicated.
So if you decide to do that feel free to post at the General Arranger section. Actually post there in any case. There’s a lot more traffic there as well as people who won’t mind explaining you the basics about MIDi and MIDI sequencing as wel as Audio recording and software.

If you decide to go more electronic and get something more advanced than perhaps getting a beginner level workstation like a Korg Triton LE or a Roland JUNO-D is the way to go.
You will however need at least basic understanding of MIDI, some external speakers (a Hi-Fi will do) and some sequencing software too. Oh yeah, and a midi interface.

And finally to answer your question about Moby. He uses more equipment than I can list on this page. Such is the case with all the other artists and producers. Just to give you an idea (I have a relatively small studio) I have four keyboards, five modules and ton of ssoftware. I downsized because I switched to using software synths. Before that my studio looked like a music store.


-ED-

Hey about on-board samples.
What you say is indeed true, but only partially. You're right, some of the old samples are being used on newer synths like the Yamaha MOtif, Korg Triton and ROland Phantom series.
But by the same token tons of new ones are being added.
For example my MOtif ES8 does feature some samples from the W5 and Sy series but they only make up a small fraction of an entire ROM sample data of an instrument. MOre like only 8 megs out of over a hundred.
So, nope. You are missing a lot more than just arpeggiators extra FX/DSP and sampling.

-ED-

Right Now I have my eye set on a Korg Triton le, but I wonder guys I have access to any software based sequencer, synth etc.. programs like Reason 2.5, etc (as many as i want)I get them free, witht hat being said should I just stick with maybe the roland Juno?

Plus I then assume that my board will need to interface with my PC,( iwant one that can) does that require midi?

Yes , you will need a MIDI interface . Most of the low cost ones will be a USB midi interface .
Also , do you have an audio card ?
If you have a Soundblaster card , that will not cut it . Soundblaster is a multimedia card , you will have latency ( stuttering ) in Reason and other software synths .
A great cheap audio PCI card for PC is the AudioPhile 24/96 . It also has MIDI , so you will get both for less than $200 . You will get 24 bit audio at 96khz , which is pro audio quality recording for just a few clams .
Roland Juno-D , AudioPhile 24/96 , free software synths - now you are talking !

[QUOTE]Originally posted by NVIDIA256:

My question's are:

1. what is a good starter keyboard to learn with (do I need weigh down keys(hammer action) 88 set or just touch sensitive 61 keyset)They say beginners will never use 88 keys

Answer:
Why don't choose something between? There are a lot of 76 key keyboards (6 and half octaves). Try Roland A37 (or second-hand A33 or A30). This is not monster-88-weighted-keys-over-1000$-masterkeyboard, but something much more than 5 octawe PSR or Casiotone. You can connect this keyboard to computer and try soundcard sounds, soft-synth, or buy soundmodule.