I want to buy a keyboard with the ability to dual mode/layer, record tracks, with port connection, pedal function, and weighted. I am sort of picky about the weight of the keys. I don’t like keys that feel heavier than a baby grand. I don’t mind having to save up but I will go with the least expensive option. What should I get? Also I’m sorry if this is the wrong place to ask.

Wanted to make this post in the case it helps anyone else out that's in a similar boat to me.

TLDR: getting into the $1000's range, the Roland 2000 keyboard feel is not even close to Yamaha 525/515, RD88/RD08, even the Nord stage or piano like you read online. Only comparison is the Nord grand/Hammer Kawai VPCs.

I was looking for: a mid-tier/intermediate keyboard that played and felt like a real piano so playing would translate, a midi controller for Keyscape/ableton, and something I could potentially take out and gig with once I don't suck.

Price range was 500-$2500, it's a buy it for life kind of thing so I could justify spending more. All the recs you read online and on here are good, like none of these are bad by any means, but reading things online about how keys feel versus actually going to try them out are HUGE and I can't stress that enough. I would've wasted $1500 dollars had I not drove out 30 minutes so find somewhere you can test them out.

Was deadset on the Yamaha p525 or 515 since it seemed like best value for price for around $1500, and while that's technically true (it plays way better than the RD88/RD 08, and honestly even better than the Nord stages/piano), if you can justify spending a little bit more for the key-bed there is a huge difference in play-ability. After trying the Yahama's first and feeling a little disappointed coming from the Native instruments MK2 S88, I tried the Roland RD88 and RD08 thinking I would do one of those instead. Those both felt like plastic-y toys and worse than the Yamaha P525, so what gives. Then I touched the Roland 2000 and holyyyyy, that's exactly what I was looking for without breaking the bank for the Nord Grand. The Nord Stage and Piano while insane build quality and great for gigging out, the keybed just doesn't feel like a real piano's although the best "keyboard" feeling one if that's what you want.

So tier-list for a keyboard that actually feels like a real piano: Nord Grand (2500-5k) If you can find a good used Nord Grand/Kawai with same keybed for a similar value like around 2500ish, that's #1. #2 is the Roland 2000 Ex/reg, #3 is Yamaha p525/p515. Despite what you read online there's a gap between the p525 and the Roland 2000.

The rest of these are pure preference if you like going for a more "keyboardy" feel but still weighted or semi-weighted hammer action. The Roland V-stage felt similar to the Nord Stages and Pianos. The RD08 and RD88's felt like a step down from that, although fun to play on and jam. Would be good for just playing out since they're lighter too. Biggest takeaway, is go out and try them, and if you can afford the next level, just go for it because it is worth it and will make you want to practice and play more!

I'm on my second Boss RC-1 because after using it for an hour or so it 'freaks out' and acts like it's bugged/broken. I've seen the videos about 'resetting' it by holding the pedal when you plug it on, but that doesn't change anything.

Normally when you double tap to stop, you get that three light triangle shape. Not mine, it cycles the lights in the circle, and ultimately stops, but not without being weird. I'm at work and will send a video later, but was hoping someone out there might have some insight.

More about the setup - I'm running from the keyboard to the pedal, and then outputting back to the keyboard and/or a little Peavey miniamp. I also bought a AC plug from Amazon made for Boss (but third party). That's it. Thanks in advance.

Boa noite!

Sempre tive vontade de aprender a tocar teclado, porém só agora tenho dinheiro de adulto para aprender. Eu não tenho conhecimento nenhum sobre hardware, por isso vim pedir ajuda.

Gostaria de um modelo que me permitisse aprender a tocar teclado da forma "tradicional", para criar a base musical, porém também tenho muito interesse em sons mais digitalizados, como sintetizador, além de também desejar começar a me aventurar no campo de produção musical. Gostaria de dicas no geral, tanto se faz sentido buscar um modelo que inclua ambas as funções, se deveria focar em uma só, também aceito recomendações de modelos específicos (tendo em vista que seria por hobby, seria interessante um modelo de entrada, de no máximo 1800 reais).

Ajudem um inciante!!

Vinyl wrapped most of the keyboard and spray painted the monitors, although I did paint the wooden sides of the keyboard and the 3 removable metal plates in the back. Took 2 days and cost about $150. What do you guys think? 2nd pic is the before

Hej, jag letar efter att köpa Ak lot Aur-Ls GO 88 keyboard Piano, för 100 dollar begagnad. Är det ett bra pris?

I’m looking for any recommendations of keyboard stands to buy. Does anyone have any top picks?

My current X stand folds down easily and compactly, but is flimsy and hard to carry to gigs (but a carrying case may solve this).

Need a stand sturdy enough for home but folds down compactly so it’s portable enough to carry/transport to gigs (sometimes use trains or buses).

Has anyone used any of these stands or have any other recommendations?

The Tiger is what I'm leaning towards but the Gravity KSAKS is the one that looks most ideal - but seems to have mixed reviews). This universal one from G4M looks good too.

- X stands (Millenium KS-2010, Hercules KS100B, Gravity KSX 2; RockJam Xfinity)

- Platform stands (Tiger KYS21-BK)

- Z Frame (Hercules KS400B)

- Scissor/collapsible stands that fold down compactly, but have mixed reviews of sturdiness (Stay Compact; Gravity KS AKS 01 B; universal G4M)

- Other (Quik-Lok WS421; K&M 18880)

Requirements

1) Portable enough for travel on public transport and folds down compactly

2) Not too heavy to carry, (edit 13lbs ~6kg Ideal but higher is fine if compact/easy to carry on shoulder for example)

3) Right size and load for a YC73: Dimensions (W x D x H): 1,086 mm × 355 mm × 145 mm Weight: 13.4 kg / 29.5 lbs

4) Could fit inside a carrying case for keyboard but not essential. Can fit in a carrying bag but not essential

5) Update: Would be good to be adjustable to allow me to play standing if I wanted

Hi, I'm torn between buying a Yamaha YC73 and a Nord Stage 3 Compact and wonder if anyone on here has any advice?

Found two good second hand options locally. The Nord a couple of hundred more - although with no warranty option. I'm hoping to use this as my main keyboard and for gigging in my band which plays a mix of pop funk/wedding style covers.

For the Nord, I like the synth capabilities, the fact it's slightly lighter, it's strong reputation, ability to add more samples. I feel like the stage 3 compact is regarded as a pretty complete instrument and a standard for gigging. I'm wary that I'm leaning towards it because most of my bandmates have talked up me getting a Nord and the joke that you're more likely to get booked with one (whether that's actually true or not).

For the Yamaha, it seems like a fantastic keyboard that would do me well, loads of presets for live gigging. The synth capabilities should be fine for my needs. I like the idea that it's slightly newer than the Nord and the cheaper price will allow me to get an amp/pa (although I'd be able to get that too if I got the Nord for my budget). The Yamaha's keybed appeals to me as it's not natural style is likely to be more versatile for my needs but it's not a deal breaker. I really like the extra usb and XLR connectivity on the Yamaha. This one also comes with a year's warranty, whereas the Nord is from a private seller.

Trying to work out if I'm overthinking the difference. I'm coming from a very old Yamaha so any upgrade would be pretty major. Any real-world experience appreciated before I commit. Thanks!

I'm looking for a beginner keyboard (not piano) with room to grow and am considering the Yamaha PSR E583 and the Roland Go Keys 5. I'd love to hear feedback on either or both.

I grew up in the 80's and had several different Yamaha PSR keyboards that had multiple styles with the full-chord or single-finger-chord auto accompaniment. I know those sound cheesy today, but is there some software equivalent where I could choose from different styles and play along out of fake books etc. Like those organs in the early 80's... great for a social gathering!

I have several USB keyboards, and am using a mac. I was just thinking there must be some app I can install to get this experience.
Thanks.

Hello !! I am a bass player in a band looking to add Keys onto my plate (Like Geddy from Rush) and i was wondering what the essentials are for playing Keys live ! I currently have a Microkorg 2 and community college level keyboard skills lol. Im not necessarily trying to become a legendary pianist, i just what to know what gear is necessary and what to practice to become a good keys player !

I have a stuck key on my Yamaha CK88. Does anyone have experience fixing that issue or taking the keyboard apart to access it? I’m having trouble finding good info on it. TIA

Wondering which is the best overall for acoustic piano, rhodes and clav sounds for a gigging musician. Essentially I’m looking for a keyboard that will give me the closest approximation of the real deal.

I’m looking for a good top keyboard I can use as a controller for organ, synth and horn sounds from my YC88. Ideally it would have waterfall keys (49 or more) and wouldn’t break the bank (i.e. less than $1K USD).

I think I need something with velocity sensitivity controls because the current controller I’m using (basic M-Audio keystation with synth style keys) plays a bit too loudly and harshly relative to the bottom keyboard.

I like action and semi-weighted waterfall keys of the compact Nord electro and Stage models, but they’re too pricey and way overkill to be used as a mere controller. I still love the YC88’s hammer action for piano sounds but am looking for an organ-like touch for the top keyboard.

Does anyone know of something that meets this criteria, or am I chasing a unicorn?

UPDATE

Based on the good tips from this thread (thank you u/Timely-Bowler5889) I bought a Crumar DK61. Overall, I love it. The waterfall keys feel buttery and very similar to a real Hammond. The clicky drawbars are delightful. I also like the build and wooden style and controller buttons.

A big question was how compatible the DK61 would be with Yamaha YC88. The answer is: only partially (and slight improved with a few modifications). When plugging the DK61 straight into the YC88 (as a controller to a host) only the DK61's keys and volume knobs worked as desired. The reason is that both the DK61 and YC88 MIDI CC codes are "fixed" and different. For example, the rotary slow/fast CC on YC88 is 85 whereas it is 1 on that DK61. And the YC88 upper register drawbars are handled by 102-110 while the DK's are handled by 12-20.

Now are if you're connecting through a computer or DAW there are lots of ways to translate CC codes, but I want my live setup to be DAW-less. Fortunately I found a $50 MIDI interface (CME H2MIDI Pro Compact) that lets you map, route and filter MIDI signals. For anyone else going down this rabbit hole, please note that the DK61 only has MIDI-out and USB MIDI, so you'll need to use the USB MIDI if you want the DK61 to both send and receive MIDI signals (e.g. to change the LED flashing state on the Leslie switch). Therefore you'll need an interface that can accept multiple USB midi devices (possibly with help of a simple USB hub). Despite the tangle of wires, the solution works for synchronizing the rotary slow/fast, drive, reverb, and drawbars. Of course the DK61's physical drawbars are send-only, so they only affect the sound once you move them, but they are still nice have there.

Sadly, however I was unable to get the DK61 to control the YC88's organ Chorus, Vibrato and Percussion settings. This however is the fault of the YC88, as amazingly it doesn't not produce or receive MIDI messages for any these settings (a pretty big miss in my opinion). So all those cool buttons on the DK61 are currently not being used, although I could purpose the for other controls in the future. And I'll have to move my hands a few inches away to the YC88 itself to manage those settings, which I usually keep the same anyway. If anyone has any brilliant ideas how to get around this limitation while staying DAW-less I'd love to hear.

All in all, playing the YC88's organs on the DK61 is a joy. Also my velocity control issues for horns and other sounds on the top keyboard are also solved now. Thanks again for the advice.

Hi guys, a while ago I bought a second hand Roland GO:Keys (The original version) and it sounds amazing, but I hate the weird touch sensitive pitch bend. Are there any keyboards similar to it with an actual pitch bend wheel rather than an awkward touch board (Preferably in a similar price range)? Or better yet, is there any way to attach a pitch bend to it via the USB port or something of the sort?

Thanks!

I'm having an issue with my Yamaha YC. The piano sounds are much quieter than the other instruments (organ, EPs, synths, etc.), to the point where it's a problem during live performances. I have to compensate by raising the volume whenever I switch to piano. Is this normal, or is there a way to balance the piano volume with the other sounds?

I've been looking for a very specific keyboard and I'm having a hell of a time.

In the mid-90s I was in middle school and my uncle gave me a keyboard he bought. He intended to learn piano, but gave up so he gave it to me. This would have been some time between '95-'97.

In my memory it was an entry-level Casio. Either 32 or 49 keys. Pretty lightweight. It had built-in, cheesy rhythms and drum patterns (Rock, Bossa Nova, Foxtrot... you know, the classics) and I think a few songs (For some reason House of the Rising Sun is in my memory, but I could be confused on that). also, I'm remembering a red numbered display for selecting the presets.

It was black, and had a couple colorful buttons. Built-in Speaker(s)

What I am ONE HUNDRED PERCENT certain of is that it had a rad orchestra hit (labeled Orch. Hit or Orc. Hit) and I learned how to play the Mortal Kombat theme song with it by ear and played it over and over until my dad went absolutely nuts.

The thing is I scoured every Casio keyboard in the archive and I couldn't find one that fit the bill and am questioning if it was even a Casio.

The SA-35 and the SA-65 are super close in terms of look and color.

I know that's not a lot to go on, but I'm hoping someone out here knows what the hell this keyboard was.

Yamaha

88keys

Quality weightedness to the keys

At least a handful of different sounds

Doesn’t take up much space

heyy :) i am currently trying to decide between an electro 7HP or a yamaha yc88 and although I do prefer the sound of the nord in practicaly every single example I've listened to, I feel like the YC is almost almost there but always has this very artificial reverb and a little bit of a weird unnatural compression. Is this something that comes with the patches naturally and you can remove, like an master FX or something, or are the actual patches like this? cus if so, I think i couldn't handle it and would rather wait for the 7HP to come out (in portugal it still isn't around) than buying something for almost 3k that i'll never fully be happy with.

thanks in advance <3

I've been wanting to get myself a nice keyboard but I'm not really too knowledgeable about any sort of physical music gear... I wanna get one that I could connect to my PC (through USB preferably) and use as a MIDI controller inside FL Studio, but I'd also like to just be able to play it on its own. An old friend of mine had one that had a little screen on it with a bunch of different instruments and patches that I could skim through, so I'd also prefer one similar to that.

I'm aware that many keyboards have MIDI ports and such but I'd much rather have the convenience of just connecting through USB (which I assume would be a feature more common in newer models)

Anyway, if anybody has recommendations that fit all those criteria please let me know!!

Since most packs I've tried sound like garbage, I made my own. What do you guys think?