Getting more back into music. Looking to add some sort of keyboard to my collection, particularly to be able to help write songs. Looking for good model suggestions. This is not going to be my primary instrument. Budget is flexible, but I'm targeting <$500. Would love to be around $200-$300.
I definitely want something that can be hooked up to a PC and used as a MIDI controller. I'd kind of like something that could also function as a synth plugged into an amp or mixer/PA.
At least 49 keys. 61 keys will probably be the sweet spot. I need to test drive some things to see what I think of different key weightings, but suspect I'm going to want Semi-weighted or fully weighted.
Looking at things like: M-Audio Keystation, Arturia KeyLab, Novation LaunchKey. I can pick one up used for cheap. All are only MIDI controllers.
Also looking strongly at something like Yamaha PSR-E473, or something else in the PSR-Exxx line. This looks strongly like it might be just what I need. I'm wondering about how well it will function as a MIDI controller. It has USB out.
Duke
MegaDork
2/9/25 10:50 a.m.
I'm not current at all, but if best value is your goal, it's hard to go wrong with Yamaha for any musical instrument.
Won’t be the cheapest, or anywhere near the most expensive, but it will likely play more like the latter and be priced more like the former.
Best value means used! When I needed a larger midi keyboard, I picked up a DX7 II. Solid construction and a nice keybed. You can get full service manuals and schematics for them as they were built to be professional instruments. With midi, they can sound like whatever you plug them into.
Mine came from Japan. There are concerns out there about the power supplies working on US power, but the schematics indicated the US and Japanese used the same internals. I did have to open mine up and change the battery to allow for stored internal sounds but that's just a bit of soldering.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Funny you mention that. I saw one for sale locally.
It doesn't seem quite like what I'm looking for though. Seems like it would have a very specific timbral range, and not going to play well with modern computers.
Like, it would be perfect if I want to play 80's 90's synth pop stuff, but limited for much of anything else.
In reply to Beer Baron 🍺 :
Used as a midi controller, it sounds like whatever it's controlling like a software synth on your computer or another instrument - I've used mine to control an 808 clone and a Minimoog clone as well as virtual instruments on my laptop. It works just fine with modern computers, although you'll want a MIDI to USB adapter if you don't have onboard MIDI ports like my last desktop tower did. My adapter is a Roland and works just fine.
If you want to use it at a gig, just bring along that laptop and you've got every sound you can generate.
I'm not saying the DX7 II is the only solution, just giving an example of a pro-level instrument that's available in that price range. A Korg M1 would also work It's all about the keybed once you've got MIDI, and just about everything since the mid-80s has MIDI.
I guess what I'm doing is separating synths from the actual keyboard. To me, they're two different things. Even back in the day, you could get a rack mount synth module of the DX7 so they've always been separate.
Keith Tanner said:
I guess what I'm doing is separating synths from the actual keyboard. To me, they're two different things. Even back in the day, you could get a rack mount synth module of the DX7 so they've always been separate.
Aha. I gotcha.
I was just wondering how well older MIDI equipment played with modern computers. It sounds like just as long as you have a MIDI output (whether USB or that weird MIDI jack) going into your computer - a MIDI signal is a MIDI signal. It's not a different format or anything.
There are a lot of keyboards that act as MIDI controllers and have onboard synthesizers to be able to just play without a computer.
We have a korg electric piano that we've been quite happy with. Admittedly I did have to replace the main board, but I don't think most electronic pianos/keyboards are designed to handle being flooded due to an open window or a cup of juice being spilled in them..
I don't know much about these things other than how to fix it. This was the piano my wife liked best for kids to take lessons on in the $4-500(?) new range.
Beer Baron 🍺 said:
There are a lot of keyboards that act as MIDI controllers and have onboard synthesizers to be able to just play without a computer.
Just about any keyboard/synth has the ability to act as a MIDI controller, but you will always be limited to a certain sound palette. The DX7 and M1 are both like this, as are so many others on the market. That's why I was suggesting separating them at least mentally. Select a solid keyboard to use as a controller and then deal with sounds as a lower priority, because MIDI allows any keyboard to sound like any synth, but you can't change the keys.
It used to be that the sound generation was the difficult, bulky part. Now just about any synth you can think of can be modeled in software, so a laptop or even a tablet replaces racks of gear. This makes the native sound generation of the keyboard/synth less important than it was in the day.
Seems like others have outlined the differences between keyboards, controllers, and modules so I won't rehash that ground. I have several vintage and modern keyboards, but I also have M-Audio and Arturia controllers. I highly recommend the Arturia Keystep or Keystation units. They offer a lot more features than my (admittedly older) M-Audio unit. If you buy a controller, there are many modules available, and there are also software synths, both free and paid. This is one of the highly rated open source software synths but there are many others, both vintage and modern:
https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
-chris r.
I like a weighted keyboard and found a Casio Privia digital piano with stand locally for $200. It's been great. 88 keys so it's pretty wide but the footprint otherwise is small. It's got usb and midi so can be used to control a computer or any number of synth modules. Whether you want a weighted keyboard is personal preference but I love the piano feel versus the light action of your typical synth.
so_slow said:
Pretty good price on this one if it does all that you are looking for: (61 key Yamaha PSR-270 for $140)
https://musicgoround.com/locations/columbus-oh/product/S000296227/Yamaha-PSR-270?sku=40012-S000296227&gad_source=1
I don't think that one has any sort of MIDI out. They have other ones there that do, though.
I also need to try things out and decide what sort of key weighting I like best.
JG Pasterjak
Tech Editor & Production Manager
2/10/25 9:55 a.m.
Yeah I'll join the chorus of software > hardware at this point in your journey. A decent controller, like a keyboard from M-Audio, plugged into a DAW is going to give you a fairly limitless palette to create from, and you can always add hardware synths later if you;re looking for a specific sound or workflow.
In reply to Beer Baron 🍺 :
It does have MIDI, but I think of most of the PSR series as very much a beginner keyboard.
JG Pasterjak said:
Yeah I'll join the chorus of software > hardware at this point in your journey. A decent controller, like a keyboard from M-Audio, plugged into a DAW is going to give you a fairly limitless palette to create from, and you can always add hardware synths later if you;re looking for a specific sound or workflow.
What I mostly have found myself wanting is something I can just grab and plink out a few ideas on while brainstorming things.
I'm not planning to write and arrange songs start to finish by myself right now. I'm sketching out broad ideas to convey to the band for them to flesh out their own parts.
My normal practice space where I keep guitars and amps in the basement. But it's also our rec-room, and I can't take it over to turn into a music studio. I have free-reign to make as much a mess of my "office" room, which is also where I have my nice desktop PC.
The answer might be two pieces of equipment. A simple M-Audio/Arturia/etc. MIDI controller that lives in the office but can be hooked up to my laptop and a mixer if I'm focusing on ideas, and a cheapo used Casio/Yamaha in the basement when I just need something to grab.
