Hi everybody. I´m Fisklingur and I´m new here! Nice to meet you all! I orginally posted this at general discussion forum and there I was adviced to go here. Well.
I need some guidance.
I can play a few instruments but my main instrument is the piano.
I’ve been thinking about buying a keyboard and I need some advice on what to buy.
I want to use it for composing and recording to cds and have fun playing it. I’d prefer it to be touch sensitive and good sound.
I’m totally new to this and it is so much on the market that I feel completely lost.
I’ve been looking at Yamaha DGX 505 adb, Tyros and Tyros 2(What’s the difference?), and Casio PX400, but I haven’t tried any of those I just read about them on the internet.
If someone can advise me on a good keyboard that is easy to work with and has all the latest features and possibilities I would be thankful.
Thanks in advance
Fisklingur

Welcome Fisklingur,
you'll find lots of info in this forum.

There are quite a few arrangers in the market.

all the ones you mentioned, contain styles (accompaniments, such as drums, bass, paino or guitar and other instruments) that compliment the melody you play with your right hand, essntially making you sound like an "one man band".

The main difference of the Casio is that it has a "piano-like" keyboard, including hammers. All the others you mentioned have "synth-action" keyboards, and feel a lot softer in the touch than piano keys.

If you like synth action keyboards, you will have many choices, if you like piano-like hammers your choices are a tad limited but enough.

Give us more information, how much you want to spend and where are you located? Do you want to carry the keyboard around? Does it have to have 76 or more keys or can you play with 61?


[This message has been edited by trident (edited 01-18-2006).]

I am located in Iceland but I´ll be buying it in Florida (It is 2/3 cheaper in Florida then at home ).
And I think (correct me if I´m wrong) That you thought that I was meaning the diffrence between those and the casio, but I mean the diffrence between tyros 1&2.
I have a piano so I´m not looking for that, but I´d like it to sound like one. It can be 61 keys but I´d prefer it to be larger. I don´t have to carry it around, I´m planning to keep it at home and play with it there. And Lastly my price limit is around $3500
Oh and I have one more question. There is a big price difference between Tyros 1&2. Does it pay? to get Tyros 2 I mean.
Thanks for all your help
Fisklingur

Hi,

Welcome to the 'community'!
You should check out the Yamaha S90ES.
It's an 88 key synth with a great piano sound also. It has the latest Yamaha voices, including the MegaVoices of the Tyros1. It is NOT an arranger. If you are looking for an arranger keyboard with 76 keys, the Roland G70 is an option or the Korg PA1X Pro. Most arranger keyboards have 61. Like I said, if you don't need the 'arranger section' on your keyboard, the S90ES is a beautiful board and is in your price range. I just priced one last night at Sam Ash for $2099.00

Hi Fisklingur
Remember the Voltage in the USA is 110V, whereas I think in Iceland it is 220V like Europe, so check to make sure that whatever you choose, can be adapted to your Voltage.
Hope this helps.

Bill

.

My recommendation would be the DGX 500. I think it offers the most value for the price.

Notice that the Tyros - both of them - only has 61 keys. If you are already a skilled pianist, I think you will not be satisfied with 61 keys. There is just not enough room for your left hand to play.

Many on this board have said that 76 keys is enough, so you may not need to buy an 88-key board.

.

Fisklingur, welcome to SZ. My main instrument was also piano. Here's my experience with some of the boards you mention. I had a DGX 505, it has some nice features but I wasn't totally happy with the the keyboard action. Yes it has 88 keys but I found it difficult to play with the dynamics that some piano solo music requires. But it was easy enough to transport to playing background music that I play on gigs. For my use it didn't have enough variety of styles/arranger features. I traded it for a Casio Privia PX400r, which I still own. This has 88 keys and a much better acoustic piano type action and for the price it is a good value. It works for playing piano solo stuff, its' styles and arranger features are fair at best IMHO. I have at home for home use the Yamaha Clavinova CVP 307. This is the best of all worlds for me great piano sound, action and arranger features. There's lots of good choices and others have talked about them here, best bet is to try to demo as many as you can.

Hi Fisklingur,

Welcome to the forum.

One keyboard you may want to look in to is the Gem Genesys Pro S.

It is 61 keys and has lots of good sounds and features. It has some really good pianos IMO.

They also have an 88 key Genesys.

Another good thing about the genesys is that it has an onboard DVD reader/CD player and CD burner so you can play and record your performance and burn it to CD all from the Genesys.

It is one of the easyest keyboard on the market to use IMO.


Wirth checking out.

If you do your homework, you can get one for the $$ you are willing to spend.


[This message has been edited by to the genesys (edited 01-19-2006).]

HOw about this? You should consider the DGX-505 for the weighted action and if you just need sounds really and maybe some groove or arpeggiating features, check out using a Korg Triton rack... you can MIDI them together and basically have an 88-key Triton.

Jeff

Hi and thank you for all your advice.
I will look into all of these keyboards and advices. I am thinking about buying perhaps two keyboards (or more can you ever have enough?).
Thank you all.
I send you my best wishes
Fisklingur