need a keyboard for quick sketches - suggestions?

SeikoT123 · Post by **SeikoT123** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 1:46 am

Due to my day job I have been out of the loop on the music writing front for the past 5 years, and am now finally getting back into it. I am working on upgrading my home studio - I left off with a Blue & White G3 running DP 3.6 on classic OS 9, external sound modules running through my A90EX, mixers, freemidi issues, etc. - you get the idea. I have a lot of upgrading to do, and it's gonna be a while before I am once again even minimally proficient in working in a home studio environment.

In the meantime, I am looking for a new keyboard that will allow me to lay down my compositional sketches in the quickest and fastest way, and preferably allow me to burn them onto disc on the spot, rather than having to fuss over Digital Performer, mixing, burning w/ the computer, etc. I am a pianist by training and write most of my pieces on an acoustic piano. As I said, I plan to upgrade my home studio and invest the time and energy into re-aquainting myself with DP, but in the meantime I want to get a self-contained keyboard - complete with built-in burner - for those days when I only have 20 minutes to sit down and work on a composition and don't have time to boot up the computer, turning on all the peripheral equipment, and grappling with relearning DP.

Can anyone recommend a good unit? Assume that price is no problem, but that too steep a learning curve might be...

Most of my compositions involve piano, strings (some orchestra), some choir vocals and heavy percussion. An built in audio interface for the keyboard would be a plus, but not a must.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:02 am

You're asking for a keyboard that does everything Digital Performer does, plus what a Mac does as well? Maybe I've been too focused on what I'm doing, but to my knowledge there is no such thing as a keyboard at which you compose, orchestrate, and burn a completed song to CD. But I may be wrong. If so, someone will be along shortly to correct me.

Shooshie

npatton · Post by **npatton** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:02 am

You'd be looking at one of the very top end workstations from Korg or Yamaha (not sure if Roland's Phantoms have the CD-burning capabilities). I believe the Korg Oasys and Yamaha XS8 have this feature, but you're climbing the cash mountain at that point. Check out Sweetwater.com or the brand websites listed above for feature lists.

Good luck.

n

IAMLFO · Post by **IAMLFO** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:08 am

Since money is no factor, Korg Oasis will do all of that for a cool $8,400. Where's the envy icon when I need it?

Hope this helps,

-Kevin

Buzzy · Post by **Buzzy** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:56 am

I don't claim to know how that Korg unit works but isn't there going to be a learning curve on that thing as well? It kind of reminds me of the old days when you spent so much time mastering the workflow of so many different modules until they became obsolete, or your unit died whichever occured first.

Just thought I'd throw this out there.

.Bzz...

G5 DUAL 2.0 | 10.4.9 | 4GB RAM | DP 5.11 | 828 mkII fw | Reason 3.05 | Colossus | Wave Arts Power Suite 5 | Izotope Ozone - Spectron - Trash - RX | Gearbox Plug-In | Pod XT Live | Variax 600 | Radium 49 | Roland TD-7 Drums || Studio Computer ••º••º••º MacPro Quad Core 2.66 | 10.4.8 | 4GB RAM | Receptor ||

npatton · Post by **npatton** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:27 pm

Buzzy wrote:I don't claim to know how that Korg unit works but isn't there going to be a learning curve on that thing as well? It kind of reminds me of the old days when you spent so much time mastering the workflow of so many different modules until they became obsolete, or your unit died whichever occured first.

Just thought I'd throw this out there.

.Bzz...

Excellent point. I'm guessing the learning curve of working with the software interface on an Oasys (and especially ANYTHING with a smaller screen) would rival or perhaps outweigh the work needed to relearn DP! (And you've spent WAY more $ in the process.)

n