what is the cheapest small keyboard you can buy?

Post by **Doog** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:22 am

Save up a bit more and get a used MicroKorg- seriously, they're so fun.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:24 am

Doog wrote:Save up a bit more and get a used MicroKorg- seriously, they're so fun.

this.

many many times over.

euan · Post by **euan** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:28 am

Microkorgs should get cheaper now there is a new model.

Post by **Doog** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:31 am

Has pic?

euan · Post by **euan** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:38 am

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/news/news ... ws_id/2789

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:39 am

ahahah Euan beat me by a hair.

you must read the comments on this one post, lolz.

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2008/ ... of-synths/

Post by **Doog** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:40 am

Nice! Certainly looks a bit more robust for live usage.

suede · Post by **suede** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:55 am

heavium wrote:haha

you play it with toothpicks ?

the stylus....

william · Post by **william** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:47 am

i sold my microkorg. i found it a pain in the ass to use.

go with a dave smith mopho, if you are gonna look at entry level analog synths. for one thing, its analog.

James · Post by **James** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:51 am

william wrote:for one thing, its analog.

Why is being analogue a reason to buy anything?

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:07 am

Also he clearly said something with a KEYBOARD.

Seriously, wtf?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:26 am

mage wrote:
william wrote:oh yeah:

i have a yamaha portasound just like this one:

oops, didnt work.

which has programmable/savable patches, FM synthesis, phrase sampler, programmable drums, and like a million preset voices and rhythm tracks. i bet if you could find one youd get it cheap, and its really amazing. ill post demos, sometime.

EDIT: midi!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-PortaSound-P ... =72%3A1205

do it!! i HIGHLY recommend this keyboard.
WHOA. ROB, GET THAT.

That thing was my first musical instrument at the age of 4. I've had that shit for 19 years. Much <3 for the pss-480

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:39 am

my first post asked for people NOT TO POST

1. muppet babies keyboards
2. midi controlers

so people fucking post

1. fucking muppets
2. fucking shit i gotta fucking plug into the computer to work

I ALREADY GOT A FUCKING MIDI CONTROLER AND NEVER USE IT I DONT WANNA NOTHER. AND I DONT WANT SOME PLASTIC POS MUPPETS THING.

GOD DAMN EVERYONE TOOK THE ADD REVERSE PILLS TODAY?

FUCK.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:01 am

[youtube][/youtube]

william · Post by **william** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:30 am

analog is a reason to buy something when that something is an analog synth.

also, i know he said with keyboard, but the mopho is so much better than the microkorg (at least the 1st gen) that i thought id point out that they cost the same and might be worth looking into the mopho if someone were leaning toward the MK.

EDITED: to try and get things back on track. the question was "what small 100 dollar keyboard?" and i helped in getting things pretty well derailed. sorry rob.

william · Post by **william** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:39 am

two votes for the yamaha now.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:49 am

I don't know if I'd count mine as a "vote".....I mean I like it for what I've used it for, but the synthesis is rather linear, so it'd be hard to recommend someone unless it's what they're looking for specifically.

Honestly rob I feel like your best bet is a microkorg if you want something small, versatile and affordable.

They can be had on craigslist for $250 or less quite often. If it's slightly out of your price range sell off a cheap guitar and dew it.

It'd also do the Kanye vocoder thing you want to do.

william · Post by **william** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:56 am

Nick wrote:I don't know if I'd count mine as a "vote".....I mean I like it for what I've used it for, but the synthesis is rather linear, so it'd be hard to recommend someone unless it's what they're looking for specifically.

Honestly rob I feel like your best bet is a microkorg if you want something small, versatile and affordable.

They can be had on craigslist for $250 or less quite often. If it's slightly out of your price range sell off a cheap guitar and dew it.

It'd also do the Kanye vocoder thing you want to do.

it doesnt really to the kanye vocoder thing. its not that fine of a vocoder. more of a robot voice type sound, but for that i think a talkbox and some basic waveform synthesis is better. i suspect that's what some of the robot singing is on 'discovery'

just beware that it has a very linear sort of nonfriendly menu rubrick way of editing patches. not user friendly at all. if you get seriously into analog synthesis even a little, you will be very frustrated with the MK.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:43 am

if you can use a shift+ or alt+ command on a computer keyboard, you can figure out the MK in a few minutes, the command key is printed right on the front of the keyboard.

No the vocoder isn't as precise as autotune, but it's fun and easy to use on the fly.

Looking back on the thread though, Rob is looking at small Casios and stuff hopefully for $100

Here's an idea.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CASIO-CZ-1000-Vinta ... 0319111279

About the size of a microkorg....I've seen em go for around $150, sometimes less, and they sound really cool.

Also, I know you didn't want to play with softsynths rob but have you considered one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEALED-NEW-CREATIVE ... 0327447152

william · Post by **william** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:54 am

Nick wrote:if you can use a shift+ or alt+ command on a computer keyboard, you can figure out the MK in a few minutes, the command key is printed right on the front of the keyboard. i didn't say it was hard, i was saying its senselessly obtuse. too few knobs for too many functions. going into any sort of deep patch editing means referring to the rubric over and over, and turning the same 5 knobs over and over again. the concept is simple, but in practice it's just not user friendly. you can find a used MS2000 for just a tiny bit more, same synth, but a knob for each parameter. if korg virtual analog is what you are going for.

No the vocoder isn't as precise as autotune, but it's fun and easy to use on the fly. its not only not as precise, its not doing the same thing. and it doesnt sound remotely the same.

Looking back on the thread though, Rob is looking at small Casios and stuff hopefully for $100 indeed. we digress

Here's an idea.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CASIO-CZ-1000-Vinta ... 0319111279

About the size of a microkorg....I've seen em go for around $150, sometimes less, and they sound really cool.

Also, I know you didn't want to play with softsynths rob but have you considered one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEALED-NEW-CREATIVE ... 0327447152

im trying to figure out what level of keyboard rob is looking for.

yo la tengo had some smallish casiotone type keyboard on stage going thru some stompboxes that sounded HUGE. and AWESOME. and YOU SHOULD FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WERE USING AND GET THAT. and I WILL LOOK TOO.