Dear everyone - keyboard help

[matt bird]

Hi.

Sorry to waste a thread over this but I'd really appreciate your help here as this is something I've been after for a long time. Basically, I'm after a keyboard. And I want it to sound pretty much EXACTLY like THIS (http://tv.cream.org/specialassignments/themes/taxi1.mp3).
Sound-wise I mean, I can't play that well. YET.

But yeah if any of you could identify the keyboard/organ used in that song, or the one Billy Preston used with the Beatles in the Let It Be sessions, I'd be extremely appreciative.

THANK U LOL

[Fritz Zanzibar]

well, I can't really identify it, but it makes pretty much the same sounds as a Yamaha Clavinova (yerr, they are a bit.. newer than the keyboard used in the song). I own one and I'm very happy with it.

[GorillaBearBear]

Most keyboards can make that sound if you fiddle with the settings a bit. I don't know much about Keyboards, but I'd suggest something by Casio if you're gonna want to fiddle with settings.

[Soapie]

That's a Fender Rhodes, by the sound of it. They cost thousands of pounds because they're incredibly famous. However, because they are so incredibly famous, every single cheap keyboard ever has got a setting that sounds like (or is meant to sound like) exactly what you're apparently after. The best thing would be a Nord Electro, but they cost about a grand too, but there's plenty of cheaper things available.

If you just go into a music shop, you should be able to get something pretty decent, there's so much available, it all depends on how much money you have to spend. If you're gonna wanna fiddle with the settings, then that'll cost you a lot more.

BaaBaa, Casio keyboards are notorious for their lack of interaction. They have sounds that you cannot manipulate, unlike with Roland or Korg keyboards (for example). This all shows through in the price, however. They're good for people who are learning.

[Beef Magic]

While on the subject of Keyboards, what's good for a first-timer? I'm interested in the MicroKorg myself, I just want to have a lot more control over my tracks, other than relying on samples.

[Soapie]

While on the subject of Keyboards, what's good for a first-timer? I'm interested in the MicroKorg myself, I just want to have a lot more control over my tracks, other than relying on samples.Alesis Micron > MicroKORG.

Alesis Micron does drums, too (though not at the same time as synth, I don't think, but you can't have everything), but this is not important. The real reason the Micron is best is because the pitch wheel LIGHTS UP. Oh, and it's better designed (full size keys), easier to use, better sounding and doesn't cost that much more.

Alesis Micron (http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/options.php?id=13060).

[Bappel]

As Soapie said, its a rhodes. Try to find a cheap one, but most keyboards have the rhodes sound. Try a yamaha s90. A friend owns one. You could download lots of different rhodes sounds to it and try them out until you find the one you wants.

[Beef Magic]

Alesis Micron > MicroKORG.

Alesis Micron does drums, too (though not at the same time as synth, I don't think, but you can't have everything), but this is not important. The real reason the Micron is best is because the pitch wheel LIGHTS UP. Oh, and it's better designed (full size keys), easier to use, better sounding and doesn't cost that much more.

I'm not too interested in light up shit, or full sized keys, I have sausage fingers. The MicroKORG has everything listed out in front of me, I can live with that, rather than trying to piss about with presets. And the KORG has a Modulatation wheel. And a microphone straight from the box (yes, i know it looks shit, It's got to be better than my current mic tho).

And I'm most interested in the Bass more than anything.. Cypress Hill use it and that's generally all cool with me. I'll have to A/B test them both tho.

[Soapie]

I'm not too interested in light up shit, or full sized keys, I have sausage fingers. The MicroKORG has everything listed out in front of me, I can live with that, rather than trying to piss about with presets. And the KORG has a Modulatation wheel. And a microphone straight from the box (yes, i know it looks shit, It's got to be better than my current mic tho).the Micron has two modulation sliders. They have a groove in them, so you can move them both in time if you want to. They're also posititioned as such you can use one hand to play and one hand to fiddle about with both of them.

It's easier to use than the MicroKORG once you get used to it.

[Beef Magic]

It's easier to use than the MicroKORG once you get used to it.

Oh man, but screens scare me. I can barely play guitar, let alone keys

what are the string sounds like?

[Soapie]

Oh man, but screens scare me. I can barely play guitar, let alone keys

what are the string sounds like?
...

both the Micron and the MicroKORG are analog modelling synths. Strings on 'em, therefore, sound sound like a mellotron after it's been on tour, like strings sound if you set up a string-esque pad on an analog synth.

[GorillaBearBear]

Le Bump.

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/options.php?id=68074[URL]
[url]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/options.php?id=1393

OK, so I might be setting up a little system to make tunes with (like, a drum machine (if I can find something cheap that does sampling and drum loops, so much the better), a deck for simple cuts and samples and a keyboard, to do something either fairly simple hip hop or maybe a bit of electronica) For the keyboard I would only be making like, small little tunes and things, nothing fancy because I can't really play keys. Basically, are either of these any goods, can any of them play live and is there anything better around the £100-150 pricetag I can get?

[Soapie]

You're not gonna get any sounds out of what you linked to, that's a controller, it just tells other things what to do.

If you're after a synth that's even a little bit customizable, you're gonna have to be paying about £300 for the Alesis Micron (or a bit less for the far less credible MicroKORG).

[Beef Magic]

you're gonna have to be paying about £300 for the Alesis Micron (or a bit less for the far less credible MicroKORG).

Listening to samples of the Korg actually makes it sound quite naff

[Soapie]

Listening to samples of the Korg actually makes it sound quite naffHmm. I wonder why...