I was gonna ask the "best keyboard" question, but we all kno

So I'mma tackle this in a different way.

I really just want a super expandable piece of gear I can spend the next few years wrapping my head around. As music becomes much more of a hobby than anything, I'm looknig for a keyboard/sound module to get lost in.

I have about 2k.

So, here's what I'm looking for, in order -

east yet depth

sound shapping possibilities. Articulations of strings and brass on the fly, controllable wiith hardware is an absolute must.

versatility. I have a loaded z8 and a virus b sitting here (amongst others, but those are my go toos). What I feel I like is a really really versatile library. I want all of it, and all of it done well.

Expansion - I want a new staple, something that I know back and forth, yet something that grows

Library Formats - it'd be nice if it could load at the very least akai and roland formats (though roland isn't that important), but I'd also be really into something that could load modern formats as well. Soundfonts and all that. I have Chicken Translator, so I can kinda convert what I need to, but to be honest, that program, for how rad and brilliant and essential it is, is a gianormous piece of crashing crap and I try to avoid it when possible.



So, here's the pieces on my mind -

Kronos - I'm getting so set on this that really, you're gonna have to convince me not to get it. I have a few concerns about it, mostly how good is the audio recording/editing, how good the strings sound (I hear mixed reviews), and the articulations.

Fantom G - the articulations on this blow me away so far. I'm not sure if the Kronos can compete (as in I literally don't know, I'm still searching), but that simple fact may tip it in the fantoms favor. The things I don't like about it is going from 6 SRX slots to 2 ARX slots is almost a deal breaker. I have an xv3080 and a few SRX cards. This also means that a Fantom X is on my radar, obviously

Motif XS/F - everyone I know raves and raves and raves about yamaha sounds, but in my VERY limited experience with them, they sound cheesey. Still, I hear about how indepth this piece is, and it def interests me.



So yeah. Any input woud be super awesome. I kinda make a bunch of random stuff, but mostly rap and dnb, but the ability to record liv instruments is important as well. And now I'm rambling

and it has to be a hardware all in 1 keyboard?

motif, used

On the used market...

Excellent sound and lots of controls...go Kurzweil PC3 K6,7, or 8
negative: small screen, many button presses

Lots of sounds, somewhat thin sounds but excellent layout and easy...go Roland Fantom G.
negative: Fantom X / S with SRX cards or Integra module is a better deal.

Great pianos, tweaking and not so easy(not hard either)...Yamaha XF, XS
negative: lost the warmth of the motif ES.


Note: all of them sound good enough to be sure. Sound is subjective. I have learned that you simply tweak the Rolands, layer or compress and mess with the attack and the drums sound better. Kurzweil is in another world when it comes to sound quality of real instruments. Korg is really good for strange unique sounds. Korg takes a minute to figure out usually the design structure is always complex. Yamaha is similar in that they try to do things in new ways and get into the minutiae.

Cheers,
Ian

Doesn't have to be all in one, but it'd be nice.

I'd like to replace my pro-keys 88 with a good keyboard as well (none of the stuff I'm looking at is full weighted. I thought full weighted would make me wanna learn to play better, it didnt) and then get back into getting some more rack gear.

That Integra 7, which I hadn't heard of, is honestly everything I wish my xv3080 was...and I love that damn thing. That's a serious piece of kit...

In all reality, controllability of the most versatile sounds is I think what I'm really after (everything else is just bells and whistles, though bells and whistles ARE nice), and the soundset in that Roland is insanity.

As for the Kurzweils...I always hear and read so much good things about them, but I have literally never seen one, so I have no experience with them. For this kind of money, I kinda like at least a few hours with something before I buy, but every single thing I hear about them is always good.

Does it have to be a workstation? If not, then why not check out the Nord Piano 2?

if it makes any difference im selling my XS6 because it sounds to clean, I want a more east coast 90's vibe keyboard and the XS6 wasn't doing it any justice. nice sounds though but again, to crisp and clean for me.

No, it doesn't have to be a workstation. I've got a 5k sitting right here, been using mpcs for like 10 years now. I can't imagine any other sequencer/sampler/all the things a 5k is is ever really gonna replace the mpc workflow for me.

That said, additional functions are additional functions. I've got a MC909 that I absolutely love making beats on, just cuz it' a little different and I get different results on it.

If you have the MC909 and an SRX card then you don't need the Fantom. The same sounds and effects are in all the Roland gear. Maybe one or two sounds are missing but it is very repetitive amongst Roland gear. Especially the drums.


Cheers,
Ian

I know it isn't hardware... but is a midi controller and vst pluggins out of the question? Because you can't get more patches and instruments than that... especially when you consider how great quality of ones exist now-a-days...

the reason I mention it.. is besides being all in one box.. it probably fits all your wants you mentioned except for expansion cards, but I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't kontakt patches of those online somewhere.

Ok, that brings up a good question I've had for a while now.

I have an xv3080 and an MC909. Super similar soundsets, obviously. This is why I've never gotten the Fantom XR, even with its more SRX slots and all that. I figured having 3 machines with the same soundset is retarded.

How updated is the Gs soundset? I really like Rolands sounds (if I did go the G route, I'd obviously sell the xv3080 and the 909), but I don't want to spend a crap ton of money for essentially the same thing I've got now. Im not going to lie though, that Integra 7 is seriously everything I've ever wanted out of Roland. I always found their architecture and OS' confusing, but the sounds just kinda do it for me.

That said, the Korg or Yamaha have entirely new soundsets, which sound really, really nice

And no, it doesn't need to be strictly hardware. Part of what I'm selling to get this would be a ProKeys 88 and a Xstation, and I've got a comp. Sinking a couple hundred into a real interface and some vsts really isn't the worst idea I've ever heard. It may just be time to bite the bullet on that one

Man, do not sell that 909. But if you do, I'll take it for $400, shipping included.

@ ILL Green...you came too high should have said $300. LOL

@ Manji, The Integra 7 at $1600 is a great deal and you will not need much else other than a sequencer. It has so many outputs and a great new way to place your sounds in the 360 degree field of sound.

The sounds in the G are the same sounds except for a few new things Roland added...like better sounding string sound implementation. That same set of waves are in the roland Sonic Cell. (Don't get a sonic cell because it doesn't have enough outputs) The G was made because the Fantom X users needed a few performance tricks. The Fantom X is the bomb. The G is really for live performers who want to have various setups pre-made that they can scroll through and pull up in an instant. If you are a studio musician then it is overkill.

IMHO...if you have an MPC, and the integra, then all you need is a virus, or one other different sound source and you are done. Preferably a synth that has an input so you can filter through it. What more would you need?

Problem with the MC909 for me is that it doesn;t control external gear properly and it doesn't respond to be sequenced properly. It is great in that it has so many patterns already set up. If you are getting Integra sell all that other Roland stuff to off set the cost.

Cheers,
Ian

v-synth