Re: keyboard?
- From: Benj <bjacoby@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:12:53 -0700
Jim Carr wrote:
For what you want, you should definitely stop by any department store
(except Wal Mart, because Mike Rieves will have a shit) as well as
electronics stores (Best Buy, Circuit City). You're really looking for a
consumer keyboard rather than a musical instrument.
I got my Casio at Fry's Electronics for about $150 as I recall. It's *great*
to have round and well worth the money. There are lots of good models for
under $200. Make sure you get one with plenty of rhythms - it's great for
practicing.
I don't quite agree with Jim. When you say "I'd like to take up
keyboards" I am assuming that you'd like to rather seriously try to
learn to play keys and specifically piano only in an electronic
version. I may be prejudiced because I learned to play (though I
still suck) on a "real" acoustic grand piano. Therefore to me a Casio
is the lowest of the low! I can't imagine even a beginner using a
Casio to start out.
But before I go into that, let me say that Casios ARE cool! Lots of
electronic features that rock, VERY nice low price. If all you want is
something as Jim says to "have around" a plastic-keyed Casio is hard
to beat! ALSO let me make another point. I just assumed you wanted to
play piano. Playing piano and playing organ are QUITE different. IF
your goal, for example, was to learn to jam on a B3, a Casio is very
adequate. This is because on an organ volume is foot-controlled and
keys have only an on-off function. When you play an organ your fingers
just sort of "crawl" over the keys. It's a VERY different feel from a
touch sensitive piano where you put emotion into HOW you press the
keys.
That said. Let me say that I too have been toying with the idea of
getting some keys (not my grand piano at my mother's place which she
would LOVE to have me get out of there!) In going around the stores,
I'm sorry to report that you pretty much get what you pay for. Really
nice feeling keyboards and by that I mean where the keys have a nice
weighted feel to them and pretty much feel just like the keys on a
grand piano when you press them, cost plenty! As far as I can tell
the better the keyboard feels and the better the samples sound, the
higher the stack of money required to take it home. The good ones are
NOT cheap!
If you are limited in cash, I'd try to at least get something with
touch (velocity) sensitivity and minimally weighted key action. Also
watch out for non-standard key sizes! These will drive you nuts if you
learn on one and then switch to a better keyboard or a "real" piano.
Also check patch sounds. I don't know why it is that SO many keys
players ALWAYS have to pick the WORST sounding patches to use. I hear
bands and the keys player invariably chooses a patch that sounds just
like my old POS electric piano. Hey it HAD to sound that way, but why
choose it? Oh, yeah, give me the car with the crank rather than the
electric starter because it's just so 'traditional"! sheesh!
Hope this helps.
Benj
.
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