Mr. Winter, I need your knowledge

[karpsmom]

I really really really want to learn how to play piano. I want to get a keyboard, and my dad agreed to buy me for my birthday. You are one of my favorite players out there, so I would like your advice. What is a good keyboard for the 4-500 dollar range? What should I be looking for when looking for a keyboard? Do most keyboards come with different modes? (like synthesized instruments and such, like standard piano, organ, strings, etc.) I'm totally lost. Please help me guru!

 

[RADICAL CUT]

Piano and keyboards are very,very,very,very different;in my opinion it's better to learn before the piano and after the keyboards;lear to play a real piano teach to you to create a sound, use colors,pedals and dynamics, and make stronger your fingers and make them more faster on every keyboard!!

 

[Jaen]

that being said, i really like Yamahas Digital Grand series, very versatile and no too expensive.

 

[karpsmom]

That is interesting enough already. I never knew there was much a difference between piano and keyboard other than the action of the keys. Don't they make keyboards with the same action as a piano though?

 

[Andy Winter]

I really really really want to learn how to play piano. I want to get a keyboard, and my dad agreed to buy me for my birthday. You are one of my favorite players out there, so I would like your advice. What is a good keyboard for the 4-500 dollar range? What should I be looking for when looking for a keyboard? Do most keyboards come with different modes? (like synthesized instruments and such, like standard piano, organ, strings, etc.) I'm totally lost. Please help me guru!

Hi,

I do appreciate the vote of confidence, but believe it or not I'm no expect when it comes to this. What I have knowledge about (at least some, although I'm no expert I'll admit) are things like pianos, how the different ones sound compared to each other, etc. I also have some knowledge about vintage synthesizers and things like that, but as far as newer "all-round" keyboards, or "keyboard workstations" as they are conveniently called, I have never owned one and wouldn't know where to begin recommending one.

My impression though, is that they vary tremendously in quality, both sound-wise and to the touch, which is equally important. I couldn't even play one of those very well, I don't think, because the keys on some keyboard workstations are so light and cheaply made, that they feel like plastic and have almost no authentic sensitivity to the touch.

I do own a controller keyboard strictly for controlling sound modules with, but the one I own has a full 88 keys and they are also weighted keys, which means it feels pretty much like a real piano even though of course it doesn't sound even close depending on what you plug it into. It's mostly for practicing and for doing synth stuff with.

So going only from second hand experience, I know a lot of people like the Korg units, although they are expensive, probably outside this price range. Roland always make good stuff, that's probably what I'd recommend as a starter keyboard if that's the route you are interested in taking. They also make some decent electric pianos although I'm not too familiar with those either.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Regards,
Andy

 

[niniel]

If you are lucky enough to find yourself a Roland XP-30, take it. Nowadays, if you're lucky, you can find one used for about that price range. The pianos, strings, organs etc etc are awesome, and also, the more analogue type sounds are a lot of fun. There are over 1200 different instrument sounds on it, the keyboard itself is pretty easy to figure out, the fonctions are easy to access and understand. It's a really good starter keyboard, and it's also good for more advanced players.

That's what I have as a keyboard for now. On the Korg side, I like the Z1, it has very nice sounds, but it's more an analogue modeling synth, which means that in the way of real sounding pianos, strings etc, it's not too effective. And it's a little more expensive even though it's slightly older.

Neither have weighted keys though.

 

[Andy Winter]

Neither have weighted keys though.

... and I don't think any workstation does, because this becomes very impractical when moving the workstation around, doing gigs, etc.

My controller keyboard literally weighs a ton.
It is incredibly heavy and requires a lot of work even to move it around the house, etc.

Weighted keys is also not a requirement by far, it's more a matter of what you are used to.

Regards,
Andy

 

[karpsmom]

Niniel thanks a lot for the advice! I'm going to look into your suggestions. What do you both suggest when starting, weighted keys or not? I've never really played, so I don't know if I have a preference. Is there any sound difference between the two?

Andy thanks for your input. I'm curious, in the Age Of Silence song "Of Concrete And Glass" at around 1:48, what are you playing on, since it's obviously not a piano, is it that workstation you are talking about?

I wish Lazare would post on this forum once in a while, I'm sure he could give advice about keyboards also, all I know about him is he uses a Hammond a lot. But on the earlier Solefald albums it doesn't sound like a Hammond, and on the new Solefald album it doesn't sound like a Hammond either.

 

[the2stranger]

I wish Lazare would post on this forum once in a while, I'm sure he could give advice about keyboards also

agreed on.

Andy, Lazare and Sverd are my favorite keyboardplayers, and my biggest inspiration on keyboard.

I play keys in a Symphonic Black metal band.
I use a Yamaha psr3000 for this, it's an awesome keyboard.

but I really need an additional keyboard, or actually a synth.
but I don't have enough money for that right now.

oh well, we'll see.

ps: my store has the new AoS back in stock, so I 'll be ordering it today(alng with the new Solefald

 

[Andy Winter]

Andy, Lazare and Sverd are my favorite keyboardplayers, and my biggest inspiration on keyboard.

Lazare and Sverd suck! I rule!!! Hahahahahahaha!!!!

For those with no sense of humor, I'm just kidding of course.

 

[karpsmom]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha I see you are taking that "insult" from Arcturus seriously. It's time for a piano challenge album. haha, I keep coming up with ____ vs. ____ albums, first Arcturus Vs. Winds, now Andy vs. Sverd vs. Lazare. That would be very interesting, you're all sooooo different from one another.

 

[Andy Winter]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha I see you are taking that "insult" from Arcturus seriously.

Well, I hate to disappoint everyone that enjoyed this band rivalry stuff as much as we did, but that "insult" in the form of a picture of Arcturus with the text "we suck even more than Winds now" was actually not made by any of the guys in Arcturus themselves, it was made and put on the old Arcturus site by their former webmaster who is no longer the webmaster for the band. Not to mention it was more of an insult towards Arcturus than it really was towards Winds. Never the less, we had a lot of fun with it!

I keep coming up with ____ vs. ____ albums, first Arcturus Vs. Winds, now Andy vs. Sverd vs. Lazare. That would be very interesting, you're all sooooo different from one another.

Don't know about an album, but it sure sounds like the unavoidable topic for a poll doesn't it!

Andy

 

[karpsmom]

I would have trouble choosing a favorite if there were a poll. I would pick you over Sverd, but Lazare holds a special place in my heart. He may not be as technically capable as you (as far as I can tell), but I really dig his style. I think you two are perfectly matched in how much I like you.