Any of the newer yamaha, roland, kord keyboards are great. I am not much of a keyboard player but I upgraded to a newer roland (RS5) last year from an older (1992) roland D5 and the sounds were just so much better! Also the 64 voice polyphony was real sweet. I paid about $700 new for it, which seems to be the going price for the cheapest keys.

You can pay much more for the top of the line keyboards but it would depend on your needs, go out and try them out! I wouldn't get an older used one, though. The sounds are just so much better nowdays. And the newer ones do have at least 64 voice polyphony. Don't settle for less than that.

I'd check out that Kurzweil K2661. It's loaded and has some of the same features that you'll find in their upscale units. Or if going modular is'nt an issue, I'd look into something like the Roland XV5050, Yamaha Motif Rack, or maybe even a few softsynths/samplers if your really on a budget.

Hello !

Why not just get a motherkeyboard (from FATAR or DOEPFER for instance) and trigger samples from the computer ? Since the keyboard will be for recording and not live situations (I presume)

André

behtbeht wrote: ... I've been recording .... and I really need to get a new keyboard that does a lot more!

why ??

that may seem a little short but it is a valid questions as this is an enormous subject with many solutions

What I really need is a keyboard that will give me some decent classic sounds of piano, organ, etc., as well as a variety of synth sounds with the ability to perhaps create my own.

again why ?
You say Keyboard. I have many keyboards and sound modules and software to create many sounds and I couldn't live with only one.
I would say my best buy was the JV1080. I have 3 of them.
BUT
I could NOT advise you to go out and get one now.
If it were a decade ago I could easily recommend that.
Things change and it is easy to give advice in hind-sight.

What is a decent sound ?
so many sounds are great in isolation BUT lack something in the mix.
very difficult to advise on what you may think is decent.

Make and create your own sounds.
So many time people say this but generally people don't.
Programming synths can be a labour of love and is not for everyone.

But the amount of choice out there is simply bewildering - I don't even know where to start.

yes it is,
so don't be in a hurry to place your money down.

These keys will be for recording mainly.

even the word recording is different to different people.

I'm not very interested in midi or sequencing or even drum sounds coming from my keys.

why not ?

if you want to program a synths ... 9x out of 10 people will turn to Sound Diver eventually. Programming and Patch management.

I am interested in a great sounding piano, ...

aren't we all
there is always a new keyboard with the best piano I've ever head ....
yeah right
we have been doing this sales pitch for 25 years now.

The companies are finding it harder and harder to sell Keyboards as computers and software is making things very difficult for the hardware boys.

If you need a Keyboard as a performance tool then you need to identify your needs very accurately and put it through a test before buying.
Things like loading banks on the fly can be more important than the BEST sounding piano.

Sorry to seem negative with all this but this is an enormous subject that even many sales men know little about.

Just for the record my last Hardware purchase was an Access Virus Classic .
... and yes I have the plug as well.
The same day I bought a Waldorf MicroQ and an A-station as they were on special.

I can't stop touching the Waldorf and my best mate just loves the A-station.
I think the V-Classic may still be in the box ???

If the computer is within arms reach all the time, then soft synths have much to offer even though latency and CPU power will get you in the end.

keyboards are just so personal.

behtbeht wrote: Hi all, I've been recording with a Yamaha keyboard with just the basic sounds: piano, organ, vibes, Harpsichord for awhile now and I really need to get a new keyboard that does a lot more! What I really need is a keyboard that will give me some decent classic sounds of piano, organ, etc., as well as a variety of synth sounds with the ability to perhaps create my own.
But the amount of choice out there is simply bewildering - I don't even know where to start. These keys will be for recording mainly. More info, I'm not very interested in midi or sequencing or even drum sounds coming from my keys. I am interested in a great sounding piano, tone bending and mainly to be able to create or havae access to as many different sounds as possible. I'm not fascinated with reproducing a flute, or guitar, etc. but more with synths, though patches for other real instruments would be good too I suppose (I usally try to use the real ones)
So if anyone could point me anywhere in the right direction, I'd be appreciative.

Michael M.

If you want a good all round key board you cant go wrong with a Korg Triton mainly because of the quality of the preset samples and secondly these Tritons are also samplers which means they are able to be loaded with any sound that takes your fancy weather it be from a CD or direct from a mic + 16 track sequencer as standard if you didnt want it before now after using a triton sequncer you wont want to stop using it. Also the touch screen makes editing and access to any parameter a very quick and stress free procedure. I would like to add that since the new studio version of the triton has come out the older version which is (in my opinion) virtually as good is now considerably cheaper than ever!