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Can you good folks steer me right for a xmas purchase. My 16 year old son has been playing keyboards on an old Yamaha PRS 170 - 61 key keyboard for the past couple years. When I bought it I felt is was little more than a toy (I still think this). Wife and I are very impressed by what he has taught himself to play on it, but been dissappoint that we could never convince him to take lessons. He always said if he took lessons it would spoil the fun. By the way, he is a good trumpet player in school bands for all his years. So Mom feels no lessons, no new keyboard! Dad feels differently! Assuming I can get my way. What would be a GREAT buy to step up a notch at this time. I feel: He needs more keys, he needs weighted keys, he needs better piano sound. Maybe in the ~$500 price range?? Help guys I am counting on you taking my side here and providing a link to a offer to good to pass up so I can convince wify..  Dad
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He is getting some music theory from the trumpet side, so you can tell him he'll be able to move faster when he takes piano lessons.
If it helps, I wish my parents had insisted I take keyboard lessons. As a pro horn player, it's been a harder road without it.
See how I straddled both sides of that fence nicely?
Good luck!
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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As a guitar player with some key knowledge, I know that as he gets older and more proficient at the keyboard, he'll wish he had taken lessons. Man do I ever. I also had school band, therory etc but piano lessons are invaluable no matter what you play, even for voice coaching.
As far as the keyboard, in the 500 range you are not going to find much I don't think. You're gonna have to go to a dealer and explore options as far as weighted keys, 76 or 88 keys and realistic piano sounds. You might get one or the other, but not all three for 500......sorry.
I love yamaha stuff, you might find a nice used one or a roland digital piano in the price range. Don't cheap out it will cost you more in the long run.
Rob
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Quote:
...in the 500 range you are not going to find much I don't think.
I was afraid of that, but my homework is tending to agree with you. I read the reviews of the $500 range keyboards and don't like what I hear. Just means a harder sell to the wife. So lets for the sake of argument bump the budget to $800. What then? Or should I just go to Ebay and find a used one? I need to find a killer deal.
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My newest baby is a Korg ps60. Very light, I like the feel of the keys, and it's quite intuitive. About 650 bucks I think now.
It does need speakers, I have either my Roland Cube amp, the one that makes your arm long when you carry it, or my Bose system. I have taken the output from a keyboard through a stereo system before and that's ..ok.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Yeah, most better synths need separate speakers. The ones that come with speakers built in are suspect right off the bat here. Probably not meant for professional use... although I've seen exceptions to that rule too.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Quote:
Quote:
...in the 500 range you are not going to find much I don't think.
I was afraid of that, but my homework is tending to agree with you. I read the reviews of the $500 range keyboards and don't like what I hear. Just means a harder sell to the wife. So lets for the sake of argument bump the budget to $800. What then? Or should I just go to Ebay and find a used one? I need to find a killer deal.
Check out the CASIO WK-7500 first.
--Mac
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I went through this search a year ago and came to the conclusion that you will not get true weighted keys for $500. I already had a Casio WK7500 and because I had done all my playing on an acoustic piano I literally couldn't play the Casio without making all kinds of mistakes.
I was nearly taken in by such descriptions as 'semi-weighted' keys. They really are not much better than "synth keys"
I eventually bought a Yamaha CP33 for $1000 and the feel and piano sounds are great - I can play again!
Tony
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Check out the Yamaha DGX series of keyboards. They have some great sounds in them as well.
Trax
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Great help guy, thanks much.
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Last edited by pghboemike; 11/21/11 06:26 PM.
Lenovo YOGA 900 Window s 10 Home 64bit M4 pro Mac mini 1tb HD 24GB mem casio wk7500 presonus audiobox i2 usb interface
casio wk-7500
biab & realband 2025 everything pk both with Current builds
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. A friend asked me the same $500 question last Xmas, for her daughter. I totally recommended this Yamaha DGX, and still do: http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-i...630/?mode=model...we found one on craiglsit for 500 exactly.
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I would say eBay and Craigslist would be friendly to you for your price range. I am big on legacy boards so for piano I really like my Ensoniq KS32. 76 weighted keys and amazing sounds. And I found it for $200. Of course it was a friend who had it, but it was about the right price. I would have paid her $250 for it but she game me the "You're a good guy and I like you" price...
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Eddie, I saw a KS32 for that price earlier this week.
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76 weighted keys eh? And the trombones section, Professor Hill, how does it sound with all those bones. And, over there, in River City OH, are the bassoons still having their big fat way?
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Quote:
Eddie, I saw a KS32 for that price earlier this week.
I love it. I feel like I have been lifting weights when I finish practicing on it, but that is to be expected after years of synth keys. I never had a weighted key keyboard before this one. Some of the chorused digital pianos are beautiful.
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There are also tons of PSR Styles and midi files if you decide to go with one of the DGX boards. The PSR Styles are fantastic. They all work in any Yamaha keyboard too. Check out Youtube for demo's of their sounds and styles. There are plenty uploaded there and you can usually find one in the $500.00 range.  Trax
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Here is a user video of the Grand Piano sound. Here is some used ones at Musicians Friend for $400.00 640 DGX Used Trax
Last edited by Muzic Trax; 11/21/11 09:11 PM.
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Hi there,
For what its worth I bought the Casio CDP-200R digital piano a couple of months ago and I love it. I like the key weightings and it is actually adjustable.
We get ripped of a bit here in South Africa but I see on Amazon (just to get a ball park price) its $450.
I would recommend it.
Connected it straight into RB and BIAB, USB ...no problems. Recording is real easy and is making a difference to my songs ...
I'm doing allright for Country Trash ....
I used to care, but things have changed (Bob Dylan)
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M-Audio FastTrack C600, Rode NT2-A
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Epiphone Sheraton, Ibanez 12str, Washburn 6str, Cort 6Str Nylon
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
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Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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