Good keyboard for live performance?

May 19, 2011 7:45 PM

Looking for an affordable keyboard for live performance with GREAT piano, elecric piano and organ samples.

I'm in the market for a keyboard which I can use live either solo or with a full band. I totally have recording covered so this is really only for live use and maybe practice. There are three key sounds I need - piano, rhodes/wurlitzer electric piano, and hammond B3. I use a few others but they are decidedly non-critical. Of the three, the piano and hammond are the most critical, especially a decent Leslie sim.

I have absolutely no use for any sequencers or other arrangement tools.

My ideal keyboard would be a full 88-key sampler which would allow me to use my Kontakt samples (I use the Alicia Keys piano and the Vintage Organs hammond). Clearly I could do this with a midi keyboard and my MacBook but I need something that's simpler than that.

I have a super cheap Yamaha PSR keyboard which the kids use and is really not bad at all but the Hammond sound sucks balls and I need another octave in the left hand.

posted by unSane to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

I have a Roland FP-7, and it does exactly what you want. If you'd rather have a keyboard without built-in speakers, then you might want to check out its touring cousins, the RD-300NX and RD-700NX.
posted by epimorph at 8:36 PM on May 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

Don't know about the sampler stuff, but I recommend checking out Novation's lineup. They have a few different models that might suit you. Also, I suppose you know this, but I'd definitely go and demo stuff in person. Key feel and all that.
posted by Magnakai at 3:49 AM on May 20, 2011

Oh whoops, sorry. Total manufacturer mixup there. You want Nord. I reckon the Electro or the Stage would be worth looking into.
posted by Magnakai at 3:55 AM on May 20, 2011

I would guess that Nord is what you want but may be too expensive.
posted by mary8nne at 4:09 AM on May 20, 2011

Response by poster: Yeah, the Nord and Rolands are more than I want to spend. Keyboard isn't my main instrument -- I'm looking for something more on the value end of things. Like a good consumer keyboard that actually has decent sounds.
posted by unSane at 5:23 AM on May 20, 2011

I'm really, really reluctant to recommend anything M-Audio, but it may be worth looking at their digital pianos.

I also have literally no experience with workstation keyboards, but you could look into getting a something like a Korg Triton off eBay. I'm sure that you could find some decent samples that will fit into the very limited memory. For example, these don't sound too bad (for Youtube) and apparently only take 30MB of the memory.
posted by Magnakai at 6:10 AM on May 20, 2011

Nthing the FP7 here. Personally I've loathed the key feel on every workstation keyboard I've ever touched.
posted by cromagnon at 8:06 AM on May 20, 2011

Ah - there seems to be a cheaper FP4 out now. 2/3 price, same guts, different keyboard. I'd look really closely at that if I were you.
posted by cromagnon at 8:10 AM on May 20, 2011

Response by poster: I think I found the answer. I just played a Casio Privia PX-330, which is really really good. Gets terrific reviews and has all the stuff I need and not much I don't. $629 Canadian at my local store.
posted by unSane at 11:55 AM on May 20, 2011