Yamaha YPG-535 88-Key You See

With Yamaha's detailed stereo grand piano sound -- plus an extensive palette of 500 more sounds, tons of on-board learning tools, and inspiring auto-accompaniment rhythms and styles -- the 88-key Yamaha YPG-535 Portable Grand keyboard makes practicing piano great fun. Packed with bells and whistles, yet incredibly easy to use, the YPG-535 has a "Portable Grand" button that takes you back to Yamaha's stereo-sampled, room-filling grand piano sound with just one touch. From there, you can easily layer sounds, split the keyboard, jam along with built-in Styles, see the chords and notes you're playing on-screen, follow Yamaha's built-in lessons, and even record yourself with the 6-track sequencer. The Graded Soft Touch keyboard is gently semi-weighted and is easy for beginners to play -- just choose one of three settings for touch-sensitivity. Best of all, this full-size, 88-key keyboard fits your home and your budget.

Roland Juno- GI You Know

Lets talk about a keyboard that think can hold its own amongst the competition. The Roland Juno-GI Mobile Synthesizer with Digital Recorder.Since its inception in 1982, Roland's JUNO series of compact, easy-to-use synthesizers has always delivered impressive sound at an affordable price. The Roland JUNO-Gi does justice to the JUNO name by adding 1,300 flexible sounds and professional effects processing derived from the Boss GT series. Best of all, the live-performance features you expect from a JUNO synth are now complemented by an on-board 8-track digital recorder, complete with guitar and microphone inputs. If you want your main gigging keyboard to double as a serious composition tool, without sacrificing portability, he JUNO-Gi takes the cake, while still breaking the price barrier. This keyboard is very good for working in the music studio. you will be very impressed with the versatility and potential of this key synth. It interfaces seamlessly with PC's and other gear. With over a thousand onboard sounds, and ways of combining and altering them, this is an instrument that really gets the creative juices flowing.  If there's a weakness at all it's in the percussion sounds area, but like myself, if you got a kit and a PC to interface with, it's not a problem. It's strength is in the solid consistency of the sound patches, and the creative ways to alter them, it's pretty much endless. Furthermore the number of live sets on this instrument will take forever to get familiar with. But the preview button will give you a good, brief feel of each tone offered. Needless to say, it'll be awhile before you run out of things to discover. The split/layer feature offers near endless tone customization. The D Beam makes for a much more unique experience. For all the features this keyboard offers, it is an amazing value. But I would only recommend it if you can picture yourself using those features. If you don't think you'll ever use the 8-track recorder, for example, you might find a better value elsewhere For the price, this unit exceeds my expectations.

Yamaha DGX230 a Hero

Ok we are back with another keyboard to spark your interest. this is something that is very affordable, and one that you may want to consider if you are a beginner. The DGX230 is the most affordable model in the popular Yamaha DGX230 digital piano range. With a superb stereo grand piano sound, and 76 box style piano keys, the DGX230 is an ideal introduction to piano playing. Not only is the piano action touch sensitive, but this model features Yamaha's graded soft touch offering an authentic key action that's heavier towards the bass end lighter towards the treble end. Now as for some of great benefits of this board. I like that there are twelve amazing demo sequences pre-loaded on this instrument that just blew me away. Nine of those demos have transcriptions in pdf format and cover different styles of music from rock,  jazz, to waltz. The demos are really great sources for learning cool chord voicing's, fills, transitions, melodies, etc. You can solo or mute the piano parts while you play along with the band. This instrument is amazing for the price and is ideal for anyone wanting to gain a higher level of composing skills and chord voicing knowledge. The DGX230 has improved content over the old model DGX220 with extra new styles, 489 sounds and an increased music database. It can be connected via USB to your PC, allowing you to download data from Yamaha's internet music finder service onto your PC then into the DGX230 music database. Running off either mains, adapter optional, or batteries, the DGX230 is versatile and portable, making it ideal for performers of all ages and abilities.  It's hard to believe that a keyboard costing so little that comes with a stand and headphones, could sound this good and have this good of key action.

Moog Will Change Your Mood

Alright back onboard with another synth for all you electronic music producers. I want you to feel the power of a genuine Moog analog synth with the Little Phatty Stage II. Like the Stage and Tribute Edition before it, the Little Phatty Stage II puts the performer in control of a 100% analog signal path. Features include things such as two ultra stable voltage controlled oscillators, a voltage controlled filter and other versatile tools like an external audio input, CV and KB gate inputs, and a full midi controller. With so many features and so much power coming together in a single performance synth, there's no limit to the hypnotic sounds the Little Phatty Stage II can produce. As one industry professional puts it "The Little Phatty not only has it's own signature killer sounds, but the ability to use it's innovative interface as a versatile general MIDI controller make it an incredible tool for both performance and the studio,"  as per Cyril Lance, Engineering Manager. Now everybody says Moog synths sound great, but after playing a few notes and turning a few knobs I was surprised just how good they really do sound. The tones are thick with rich harmonics; just pure synthesis bliss. The quality really cuts through a mix too, and really sounds great when combined with other material. For my type of music, modern electronic like dub step, electro, breaks etc, this little synth is perfect. In my opinion, I imagine its quality will transcend any type of music.

Roland E09 for the Mind

There are just so many boards out there to choose from. If you are looking for something entry level I have something that may peak your interest this week. The Roland E09 is next up to bat. But first, Roland makes some of the best keyboards out there they have brand that most can depend on and prefer. The Roland E09 keyboard is a good board to get started with for a beginner. Its price might say low end, but the E09 sounds and styles are nothing but first class. Building on the success of Roland's popular E-series arrangers, the E09 ushers in a brand new look, feel, and sound for the family. With its new high quality sound engine, pro style appearance, and powerful specifications, including a newly designed library of sounds and interactive styles, the E09 raises the quality standard for entry-level arrangers. And definitely for the money you get a good quality sound, and the E09 is on par with other Roland big boards

Features:
Newly designed musical styles, including Western, Middle East, and Asian

High-performance speaker system onboard 7.5 W + 7.5 W

New high-quality sound engine; GM2 compliant

64-voice polyphony

800-plus tones, 70 drum kits

47 Multi-FX plus reverb and chorus

16-Track recorder with Easy Mode

Friendly Music Assistants, One-Touch settings

The E09 introduces a new professional grade industrial design to the E family. Its black metallic finish, coupled with a slim, streamlined chassis design, makes the E09 eye catching and easy to transport. Despite its slim physique, the E09 outputs an impressively big sound from its built-in stereo speaker system. So if you are just getting started and don’t want to spend a lot, but still want the benefits of the big boards, this may be the answer.

Korg Pa800 or Nothing

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The new Korg Pa800 is the complete arranger keyboard for the professional musician. It’s intuitive, powerful, and interactive with some of the most stunning sounds ever produced by an arranger keyboard. Some people would argue that he Korg Pa80 is the most successful professional arranger keyboard ever produced, but I’m not sure about that one.  It is however used by tens of thousands of musical professionals in every country of the world, some may even agree that it’s an industry standard, but once again, I’m not sure I agree with that either. But developing this type of arranger from Korg I feel like they really understood the needs of the modern musical professional while respecting the technology chosen by so many musicians worldwide. After countless interviews from musicians in dozens of countries, Korg knew what they needed to do to develop the complete professional arranger keyboard. First used on the Pa1X, RX Technology was used ss the guiding philosophy behind the Korg Pa800. The RX Real eXperience guided all their design and sound decisions. When the Pa800 performs, they want the audience to listen, and believe. To be sure that the vocal processing and harmonies of this board were the best possible, Korg worked with a recognized world leader in audio technology, TC Electronics. The Pa800 includes as standard the TC Helicon Voice Processor. This features EQ and professional quality effects like reverb, echo, etc, designed and shaped specifically for vocals. These effects, combined with the built in 3 voice harmonizer and dedicated high quality mic preamp to ensure your vocals have the highest possible sound quality. The most important controls to keep your voice under control are available in the panel and in the display's main page. All you have to do is connect your microphone and you good. It has two interface modes, Easy and Expert. Easy just only shows important controls, while Expert gives you full editing capabilities. Overall this is definitely a great board to check, it just may be a good addition to your setup.

Novation Innovation

Recently I talked about the MicroKorg, now today I have something that is comparable to that board. The Novation UltraNova is a Nova series analogue modeling synthesizer with a powerful effects processor. It is a single-part synth taking the legendary Supernova II synth engine as a starting point and packing it with some premium technology. It now has features including wavetable synthesis, even more powerful filters, a software editor and a revolutionary touch-sense performance mode. The Novation Nova family was born in 1998 with the Supernova, which was the first of a series of powerful synthesizers. These quickly became industry standard big-synths which are still used by countless artists and sound designers.

Some key features are:

- Nova-series synth engine based on Supernova II
- Touch-sense controls enable powerful sound-shaping and performance
- Totally gig-able with 37 full sized keys, a vocoder, and loads of controls
- Software plug-in editor and Patch Librarian for full visual editing
- Built-in 2 in 4 out USB audio interface and it can be bus powered

I know some people that bought the MicroKorg first and was a little disappointed with it, but I like it still. The sounds are out of this world, this is easily pro level in my book. Ultranova sounds amazing, of course that's subjective, but I like it. It has a great low end and effects with many options. You can add all kinds of panning to your sounds with it. You can get beautiful pads, thick basses or anything else. I have used the MicroKorg and think it may be just a bit phatter than Nova personally, but the Nova holds its own and actually those two make a great combination. MicroKorg for the analog, and the Nova for the digital. I think Nova sounds better in terms of it being less artficially bright and flashy than the MK. The Nova does have some character.

Yamaha MM6 in the Mix

Moving right along, we are going to talk about the Yamaha MM6 this time around. Many often think you have to spend lot of money for a great sounding keyboard. Sometimes they feel need to take college level courses to understand just how to use something as simple as the sequencer. They figure professional keyboards are too big and weigh a ton. Well the Yamaha MM6 is the answer to these problems. It is a light weight, easy to learn performance synthesizer that gets its many sounds from the legendary Motif workstation. It sounds like a million bucks but you won’t have to break the bank to buy one. It has four hundred and eighteen voices and 22 drum kits that have been taken straight from the Motif s you get the thick synthesizer sounds, the fat drum tones, amazing acoustic instruments, and of course the signature Yamaha digital piano. It has a built in eight track sequencer that is easy to use, so you can create fresh compositions. These sequences are stored in the universal midi format, which can be easily transferred to your computer because they incorporated a usb connection on the back of the board.  This MM6 also comes with Cubase LE package. Overall this is a great board to have. Everything from its size and weight, to sounds and ease of use. This is a nice top tier board for any stand. The Yamaha MM6 puts powerful synthesis and sequencing for stage within the reach of any musician.

Micro Korg Borg

Back again bringing you the latest and greatest info in the world of digital keyboards. With so many boards to choose from I want to keep you plugged into what I think is hot and what’s not. First things first: if you're primarily a piano player, the microKorg's 37 mini-keys may take some getting used to. It's designed to be played one handed, which means your other hand is free to manipulate the pitch bend wheel, modulation wheel, and five fat knobs. With 112 preset programs in seven categories: trance, techno/House, electronica, drum'n'bass/breaks, hip-hop/vintage, retro, and sound effects/hits. You can pretty much find that just about every synth sound you can dream up is represented here. Play the keyboard as you twist the knobs that control filter cutoff, resonance, envelope attack and release times, and arpeggiator tempo, you’ll have a great time. This keyboard is for anyone that likes to create their own sounds. This keyboard can make just about any synth sound you'd want it to make. Obviously it doesn't have anything like piano but that isn't what this keyboard is designed to do. It does, however have a pretty good electric piano imitation. Some of the bass sounds that come out of it are absolutely enormous and are ridiculous coming out of such a small package. The board features an amazing vocoder with a mic included. The vocoder sounds so cool and is a great addition to the right tracks. Also, the keyboard has a lot of settings that can be changed, but it also has a light that lights up to let you know when you've set the setting you're changing back to its original value which is very helpful. All in all this is a great piece of gear.

Access Virus T12 Initiate

So I have something special to talk about this time around. It is the Access Virus T12 Keyboard. This synthesizer keyboard is one that I had a chance to play with on a few occasions. Although something about the name of it always sounded a little suspect, but let’s get right into it. We can pretty much look at the keyboard in a way where you get the convenience of a VST software synth with the power of a hardware synth. Basically hands on controls without having to use a mouse or midi controller to tweak parameters. They are constantly adding OS updates with new features and improvements and the sounds and effects are amazing. Overall this board features everything the same as the desktop version, but with a pro grade keyboard which for me is a little better cause it’s all in one. Now is you like turning knobs and pushing buttons this thing is for you. With thirty knobs and forty three buttons, your ability to tweak and create new sounds becomes endless. The Virus T12 has twenty five percent more calculating power and has a redesigned housing and front panel than its predecessor. It also has been designed with new material to bring down the overall weight of the board. As for some of the effects, it comes with a vowel filter that I happen to like in particular because it is a simple and effective way to vocalize any sound similar to the way a talk box or vocoder would do. The comb filter on the board will can create everything from subtle pithed overtones to extreme time warped deconstruction of any of the patches. Now this board is cheap but can be a great addition to your setup.

Krome Dome!!!

Ok I am back with a new keyboard that may peak someone’s interest. We are going to look at the Korg Krome workstation. Now I’m pretty much a big fan of Korg keyboards because they generally tend to have a good sound and feel for what I like. So as for this Krome we get the great piano and e-pianos from the Kronos mixed with the likes of an m50 with a better display. All this for a great price. While this certainly isn't a Kronos it still inspires me. When you tune into that perfect sound and hit the drum track or arpeggios, you can really get caught in a great amount of creativity. This is exactly what I like in a good workstation. With that said, there are some cons. The key bed is not as good as the kronos in my opinion, but still good enough to get feel, and not feel like you're going to break it. I wish the synth sounds were just a little bigger. They are good, but after hearing what the Kronos can do, it makes it hard to go back. The boot time is slow, so if you're a live performer keep this in mind. There is also a lack of extraneous outputs like xlr or additional inputs. Power button feels cheap and has an external power supply which may be a pro for some. No live set view, software update or upgrade, Korg what’s up with that, I know this is possible. With that said, this purchase can still be well worth it. I highly recommended this for someone needing a entry level to mid- level workstation.

The interview

Yamaha Me

Next up we have the Yamaha PSR-S950. This keyboard can definitely hold its own amongst some of the top tier models out there. This is an arranger workstation that features audio style technology which brings the realism and character of live drums and percussion to the table. With the Vocal Harmony two you can augment your singing with three part harmonies and effects. With new “real distortion” dsp you can add high quality distortion and overdrive effects to voices like guitar and electric pianos. You can also assign and trigger trigger WAV audio with Ymamha’s new audio link multi pads. Yamaha also redesigned the speaker box which has extended lows couple with a jighly efficient digital amplifier and digital EQ to tweak the perfect overall sound. Here is a list of some of the key features:

·         61 Keys

·         Mega Voices feature various playing techniques and performance sounds like guitar and bass finger slides, brass falls, vocal effects, etc. When used in Styles, Mega Voices provide some of the most realistic-sounding and dynamic accompaniments

·         The PSR-S950’s microphone input lets you connect a microphone and sing along with your keyboard  performance

·         Features a Yamaha manufactured digital amplifier with a superb signal to noise ratio. Because of its fully digital, highly efficient design, the amp delivers high performance while significantly reducing energy consumption.

·         Audio Styles - Audio Styles add recordings of professional drummers and percussionists from around the world. Yamaha's real-time, time stretch technology allows a wide range of tempo change without noticeable audio artifacts.

Kurzweil So Wild

I want to talk about the Kurzweil K2500 Keyboard. This right here is another amazing edition in the evolution of the Kurzweil sampler, synthesizer, workstations. This board uses Kurzweil’s V.A.S.T. technology. For those of you that don’t know what this is let me explain. V.A.S.t.  stands for variable architecture synthesis technology. It is a variable in that the user can select different signal paths which contain different DSP functions for use in creating and shaping a sound. It also includes an extensive modulation system, on e that is similar in concept to that of a analog modular synthesizers. A wide range of modulation sources can be assigned to various parameters within a signal path. And modulation sources can be combined to create new modulation sources. Now that’s just a little information to give you a basic understanding of what it is. As for the K2500, this keyboard can definitely compete with some of the other top boards out there. It is equipped with seventy six semi weighted keys, 88 full weighted keys on the K2500x. It also features eight real time sliders, two ribbon controllers, pitch and mod wheels and total midi compatibility. Anyone familiar with the Kurzweil brand knows that they can expect high quality, professional, superior instruments with this brand. This keyboard is one that helps define name. This K2500 is very flexible, programmable and excellent sounding piece of equipment. The K2500s model adds a sampling option with extensive sampling processing and a hi-tech real time live mode V.A.S.T. and K.D.F.X. processing of external analog or digital signals, capable of interfacing with ADAT, TDIF, and AES/EBU, and receiving up to eight digital channels at once via the digital multitrack interface.

Roland on a Roll

I have always been a big fan of Roland keyboards. This is a world renown company known for producing some of the best and most popular keyboards on the market. They really took things to a new level with their Super Natural technology. Of course there are several keyboards that feature this technology but one in particular that I like is the Roland RD 700NX, this digital piano is top flight in my book. I first want to talk about the Super Natural technology this keyboard is equipped with since this brings such a new element to the world of digital sound. When we think about various acoustic instruments such as violins, and pianos, we recognize that they have unique performance characteristics. There are many different factors that can affect the sound of these instruments from the way it was made to its current condition. With the Super Natural you get more than just a single sound, effect, or operation. Since each type of instrument whether it’s a string, wind, or even keyboard all subtly shapes sound in its own unique way. As most audio professionals and musicians know, particular characteristics enable different forms of tonal expressiveness. Super Natural gives you the ability to shape the physical parameters of virtual instruments in organic and expressive ways. Now how about that for cutting edge technology. This technology is blazing a new path in a world of electronic musical expression. Now Roland came with the RD 700NX which raises the bar for on stage performance with its amazing sound. touch and control. Together with its advance Super Natural sound engine this keyboard can prove to be an important addition to your studio or live sound show.

Motif for the Mind

Ok I want to talk about a keyboard which is one that I really had a good experience with, which is the Yamaha Motif. One of my top ten producers, Scott Storch uses this keyboard. This is a popular keyboard, I know several people who own one from a sixty one key, to an eighty eight. One feature I like about this workstation is the seven thousand arpeggios it comes with. This helps to really spark your creativity because many of the arpeggios have chordal intelligence capabilities of tweaking patterns in real time depending on the chords you play. The quality of sounds are outstanding with Yamaha’s expanded articulation technology, you get smooth horns and winds, guitar harmonics and key release sounds of pianos that add much realism.

Here are some of the key features:

- 88-key Balanced Hammer keyboard combines piano touch with synth flexibility
- 1,664 voices, including famous Yamaha pianos -- plus 97 drum kits
- 2 expansion slots accept up to 1GB of flash memory for all your sounds
- 128 MB built-in sample ROM -- start sampling right out of the box
- Stereo 1/4-inch A/D inputs accept a guitar, bass, or microphone source for sampling directly to your XF8 or streaming out via FireWire or USB
- 7000+ arpeggiator patterns -- many with chordal intelligence
- 16-track integrated audio and MIDI sequencing
- Time Slice function lines up digital audio with MIDI tempo
- Backlit 5.7-inch color LCD
- Built-in USB and Ethernet ports
- Add FireWire connectivity with an optional expansion board
- Included Steinberg Cubase AI software

Now this is by no means a vintage keyboard workstation but however it has earned its place in history. The Motif music workstation has grown over the years in polyphony and waveform memory. This is overall in my opinion a good choice if you are looking to purchase a new production keyboard or even if you need something to take out to your live shows.