Cheap electric piano that doubles as a midi controller?

[DangerousDave]

Does such a thing exist, preferably 61 keys, but i might take 49. I just want something i can bang around on without having to play it through Live, but also would like to use as a midi controller so i dont have to use my korg all the time. Price range around $200-300.

Thanks!

[theophilus]

Do you mean an actual electric piano (rhodes style), an electric keyboard that sounds like a piano, or just a keyboard with sounds?

if you mean the last... there are tons of them, if you go used. Any midi keyboard will work. Some are better than others. But I think for $300, or maybe not much more, you could get an old trinity if you like that style. I really like the older emu e4-series sampling keyboards; they are sometimes really cheap, but hard to find - 76 good-feeling keys, but unless it comes with flash, you have to load from disk before you can play anything. Not a big deal. This is what i'm using right now. Also, decent control capabilities - in addition to the standard pitch/mod it's got 4 assignable sliders, a thumb button, and 3 pedal inputs (2 sustain, 1 continuous). There are better nowadays but considering I got mine for ~$200 (I did some cheap upgrades on it afterwards).

If you mean the middle (i.e. piano style keys) - probably your best bet is something like an old ensoniq ks32. It sounds decent for its age and the keys are a nice weighted action. And in your range. (My favorite keyboard action ever is actually the ensoniq zr76 keyboard, but that's closer to $500-600 - sometime one will actually be for sale when I have the money for it .

If you mean the first - doubt such a thing exists.

[luddy]

I had an RD300S years ago (sold it) that I thought had really nice EP sounds. You could probably pick one up pretty cheap these days. They're decent MIDI controllers too, very solid if not very feature-rich. Thing is, they're 88 keys and probably a lot heavier than what you are looking for.

In general, a lot of the digital piano / workstation keyboards of that generation had usable EP sounds.

-Luddy

[DangerousDave]

Cool, thanks for the info gents. Either of your suggestions would probably suit the job well.

Doesn't have to be a legit Rhodes or anything, basically it needs keys (weighted would be awesome,) be able to play sound directly form itself (not just like a standard midi controller,but like through phones/speakers) but also be able to function as a midi controller.

Thanks again

*88 keys would probably be too many but thanks for the heads up Luddy

[crofter]

this would probably do you,
http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Yamaha_NP-V60/YAM-NPV60

[DangerousDave]

this would probably do you,
http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Yamaha_NP-V60/YAM-NPV60

Seems appropriate in terms of size/price, but no midi capability right? Unless I missed it in the specs. Other than that it looks great

[fishmonkey]

definitely has USB-MIDI. don't know about normal MIDI ports.

[DangerousDave]

scwhing, must have missed it. thanks everyone.

[crofter]

says midi as well, although the Yamaha website photos only show USB.

Or this,
http://www.dv247.com/keyboards-and-midi ... ano--53236

[DangerousDave]

says midi as well, although the Yamaha website photos only show USB.

Or this,
http://www.dv247.com/keyboards-and-midi ... ano--53236

YES! Thats what I need, thank you for looking out!

[lauschepper]

Do you mean an actual electric piano (rhodes style), an electric keyboard that sounds like a piano, or just a keyboard with sounds?

...

If you mean the middle (i.e. piano style keys) - probably your best bet is something like an old ensoniq ks32. It sounds decent for its age and the keys are a nice weighted action. And in your range. (My favorite keyboard action ever is actually the ensoniq zr76 keyboard, but that's closer to $500-600 - sometime one will actually be for sale when I have the money for it .

I was just opening a thread on this and exactly mean "the middle". Any other good & cheap vintage ones like the ensoniq since they are pretty hard to find themselves, at least for me!?

Please give me some hope that this "swiss-army-knife" does actually exist,

cheap, decent (semi-)weighted keys, usable as a midi-keyboard and a lovely epiano sound.

[lauschepper]

the casio looks decent, if it wasnt that BIG. the speakers seem to double the size and it would take my whole desk.

anyway, many thanks for your input. i'd still consider getting one if it would come cheap.

[theophilus]

i think you'll have a hard time finding many vintage synths at all that have weighted keys, and they are all going to be somewhat rare.

perhaps you might have some luck and find a kurzweil sp76 or so... the older kurzs (1000se, 1200, 1500, etc) had weighted keys too IIRC and were pretty well regarded, and seem to go pretty cheap used. can't vouch for the sounds personally but they are supposed to sound good.

i imagine ensoniqs are a lot rarer in europe... but don't think anyone else commonly put weighted keys on their synths. btw, the kt76 if you see that one is the same as the ks32 (well, almost the same). there's also a kt88.

the Korg N1 is one that has a great feeling (weighted) keyboard and some decent sounds too... it was their top-end AI2 keyboard at the time, but it came out same time as the trinity series, which killed it they used to be available in the $300-400 range, but there aren't any on ebay so it will be pretty hard to find too I imagine.

i don't think there were that many of these really... they would have been top end keyboards when they came out, and most of them are still expensive...

[lauschepper]

many thanks theo,

so ill just have to wait and see. some ensoniq or kurzweil will pop up at the bay

or i just save money a couple of thousand years and buy a rhodes...

[UncleAge]

the casio looks decent, if it wasnt that BIG. the speakers seem to double the size and it would take my whole desk.

anyway, many thanks for your input. i'd still consider getting one if it would come cheap.

I don't know how easy they are to get where you are but take a look at the Privia line. And forget what you might think about the brand name. These are really decent, imo. As long as you stay above the "130" you'll get decent polyphony and a set of keys that I think are really nice to play. And not just nice for the price, though its a steal if you can find one used. They popup on Craig's List here from time to time and they're fairly inexpensive. I haven't tried the PX-3 yet but the 330 I liked. I liked it better than the yammy. As always, ymmv...

for instance:
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-CAS-PX130-LIST