r/keys

Please educate me on the subject of:

- a cheap plasticky keyboard like M-Audio Keystation 61 MK3 which I can get a pair of and run them through a sound engine to get a two-manual organ...

VS

- an expensive plasticky keyboard like Nord Organ 3 which already is a full-fledged two-manual organ.

As far as I understand it the two keyboards in question use plastic keys with the springs to return the keys in the upper position when they are pressed and subsequently released.

I can get two M-Audio Keystation 61 MK3 keyboards 10 times cheaper than the Nord Organ 3.

Please explain to me - does plasticky keyboard of Nord Organ 3 feels/lasts/works/etc. 10 times better than the plasticly keyboard of M-Audio Keystation 61 MK3?

I've never dealt with the synth keys before, I only have a Yamaha weighted keys digital piano.

Many say M-Audio Keystation 61 has 'spongy' feel. Does Nord in contrast has elite 'springy' feel or something different from the basic 'spongy'?

I’m looking for a triple pedal unit (soft, sostenuto, sustain) that actually works fine and looks good. Most of what I can find are the usual all-black. Also, few have universal jacks as connectors, using some proprietary din plug. Does anyone have recommendations? Roland have the gorgeous Kiyola, but aiui they don’t sell them separately.

Just to be clear, I’d really want something that wasn’t all-black, or at least had some cosmetic detail about it.

I’m about to invest in a new keyboard and have refined my list down to the Nord Electro 7 or the Yamaha YC73.

I’m a simple man, and the Nord looks slightly less complicated. One of the key features I want is being able to layer sounds, split the keyboards and save those specific settings for live performance.

Anybody got any thoughts or recommendations?

Hey y'all, I'm a professional pianist who plays with a Jewish temple for the high holidays. They've been using an old Clavinova since the early 2000's, which had the damper pedal die out recently. Because of this, I told them they need to invest in a new instrument and they've asked for recommendations around $2500.

What's making it hard for me is they really want it to look like a real piano, which means most keyboards (and the possibility of bringing my Nord) are off the table. They were interested in the Williams Symphony II but I feel those keyboards sound and feel extremely poor.

Any ideas that fit the range, have a good action, and look like a full piano?

Hello. I’ve been playing for several years, I’d call myself an intermediate. I started on piano, but I have moved to keyboard. I mostly play with my husband who is a guitarist, and a few other guitarists and singers. We like to jam, write songs, and have fun, mostly pop and rock. I’m planning on starting to do a few open mics. I’ve been using the Yamaha 310 72 key keyboard, but I’m outgrowing it and I want something with fully weighted keys. I’ve started looking at other keyboards, but I can’t find one that quite fits everything I’m looking for. I was hoping to get a keyboard with 88 fully weighted keys, but lightweight and portable enough to bring to open mics. One thing I like about my current keyboard is how easy it is to transpose on the touchscreen when the guitarist want to capo up or down. But there doesn’t seem to be a 88 key keyboard with fully weighted keys, with a touchscreen, that’s lightweight and portable, at least not for under $2000 which around my limit. I’ve looked at the Yamaha 670, which is quite heavy, the Roland P 50, Yamaha 225, and others. If I got the 670 I think I would only use it for home play and I would have to have something else for an open mic, though. What would you recommend for my needs? Also, do you think that my Yamaha 310 would be appropriate for casual open mics or should I have something better for that? Thanks so much for your help. This is a whole new world to me.

Gigging keyboardist looking to replace my 20yo Roland 300SX. That 88 key keyboard weighs about 34 pounds. I’d like something lighter, that feels good, has good piano sounds, and 5 pin MIDI DIN out

Keyboards I’m considering include:
Nord Electro 6 HP 73
Yamaha YC 73 Stage
Yamaha CP73

I prefer new, and under $3000. I would consider Guitar Center used (45 day return policy) I tried the Roland RD-88, but thought action too light

My other gigging keyboard is a Roland VR-09. I like the organ sounds, but find the pianos weak.

My band plays blues and Southern Rock. I also play occasional solo jazz & blues gigs.

Suggestions?

Hey everyone,

I've been working on a new VST host built specifically for live keyboarders, in the same space as GigPerformer, Camelot, VST Live Pro, and MainStage. It's getting close to a beta-ready state and I'm looking for a few players willing to put it through its paces in rehearsal and maybe even on gigs.

A few things that set it apart:

• Full decoupling of all I/O via virtual ports (MIDI in/out, audio in/out)
• Plugin sandboxing so one bad plugin can't take down your whole rig
• Multiprocessor support
• Robust application architecture built for stability and performance
• Keyboard range linking
• A unique setlist view
• Setlist and song racks
• Easy setlist reordering
• Full mixer with buses, groups, inserts, sends, etc.
• Touch-friendly UI for tablets and touchscreens on stage

Heads up: Windows only for now. No Mac or Linux build yet.

If you play keys live and want to help shape this thing, shoot me a DM with a quick note about your rig and the kind of gigs you play. Happy to answer any questions in the comments too.

Cheers!

Quick edit: just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone! I didn’t expect to get so many response so soon. I’ve gotten a couple mentions of the Yamaha YC73, one supporting the Nord, and some other great recommendations. I’m still open to receive any other recs since it’ll be a while before I pull the trigger on anything, but happy to get help from this community!

Hey all! So currently I have a Korg SV-1 which I love but I use at home because of how heavy it is. About a year and a half ago I got a Yamaha PSR-EW320 76 key cause it was cheap and lightweight. I was just only starting to do open mics so I figured something cheap was a good way to go for starting. I have been thinking of upgrading at some point for something a little nicer and with better keys and am saving some money right now. My first thought was maybe something like a Nord electro because they are still on the lighter side even though they’re a bit heavier than the Yamaha, but I’m not sure if that seems overkill for doing open mics at bars, breweries, etc. I was suggested a Yamha YC73 or CP73 but they still seem a little heavy just for these. I tried out a Roland Go:keys when I was first looking but wasn’t super into it. I’d possibly consider again but I did want something with more than 61 keys. Are there any good other keyboards like the others mentioned I may not know or be thinking about? Is a Nord electro good or is it too much for these? Thanks everyone!

Got a Casio Keyboard last year because I didn’t know anything about piano. Being alone with that keyboard and my headphones was some of the most relaxing times I’d ever experienced. Sick uncle got painkiller prescription cutoff. Now my friend is pieces and my music closet empty. How does one go on when the music stops?

I am a gigging jazz pianist and I currently use a Roland KC-150 hooked up to my Nord electro 5 HP.

I’m a fairly poor college kid, so upgrading the keyboard is not in the cards unfortunately, BUT I desperately need to upgrade from the KC-150.

I’ve been looking at powered speakers like the QSC K series stuff which looks really great but is not cheap. My KC-150 has a good enough sound output in terms of volume (maybe a tiny bit too quiet) but it does not deliver the quality I wish it could.

Questions for buying a powered speaker system/PA:
How essential is buying two speakers for stereo? And if so how essential is a sub?
Could I get by just getting one good powered speaker?

Budget is around $800-$900 but lower than that is definitely preferred

I'm a complete beginner and I just want to play piano music for fun for myself. No performance just fun music

I was thinking about Yamaha brands

I want to cover Get lucky by Daft punk, I want to use fantom-6 vocoder. but I can't make sound like that. Please advice

I used to have a more expensive el paino with weighted keys, but had to sell it since i didnt have space for it. Now i have a new apartment and figured i should get some keys again. I figured id start with a cheaper keyboard without weighted keys first for organ and then buy a more expensive one with weighted keys for piano later.

I already have UADx waterfall rotary speaker vst, and good organ plugins, so i dont really need a huge expensive real organ, at least not now. So my questions is, for a midi keyboard, what should i look for? Obiously i need a exp pedal, but other than that? What is important? I mostly play blues and rock and similar genres.

Hi all, sorry of this has been asked before. I'm looking to buy a small portable keyboard that could ideally fit in a backpack. Thinking between 24 - 37ish keys.

It's main purpose will be for brass lessons (for pitch, tuning, theory visualisation, etc) so don't need anything too fancy. Would need it's own speakers or at the very least a headphone jack so I can connect it to a cheap speaker I own.

Gone to a couple music shops near me including a dedicated keyboard shop but they tried to sell me a Yamaha YC which while seeming like an amazing bit of kit that is the perfect size, is more than my budget would currently allow and overkill for my needs. Although I may go back and get it for myself to mess around with some Gospel chords...

Any recommendations would be amazing.

Thanks I'm advance!

**Edit: probably useful to include a rough budget. Would be happy to spend around £100 but for something good I'd go a little higher

In the 80s and 90s I was passionate about music production and owned a Jupiter, Casio FZ1, M1, Juno and many more.

I’d love to get back into creating but I’m aware the technology has advanced so much in the last 30-40 years.

I’ve noticed software instructions that emulate all my old keyboards.  Could you explain in simple terms how to use them? Do I need Logic? I’ve bought a USB/MIDI keyboard.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.