Affordable keyboard with best electric guitar sound

[simplekeys]

Hi, I'm a lead singer in a four piece rock band looking to get an affordable keyboard with a good electric guitar sound. I'll mostly be playing rhythm parts, and simple ones at that to complement our guitar player. Looking for something easy to use. I played a little keyboard growing up before I became a singer. This may be more of an experiment as I don't know if I'll be able to play while singing, so don't want to spend much money. Any suggestions?

Posted in Introductions (sorry for the repost), not sure if that was the right spot.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Sargas]

To be honest, I've never encountered a keyboard with a good electric guitar sound, at all.... Even the most expensive ones sounds crappy :/

Why not buy an electric guitar instead?

And if you're not sure yet that you can play while singing, I would suggest trying that first, before buying anything.... Maybe you have a friend with a keyboard, or even an acoustic piano, that you could just try it out on at first? Or you could try it in-store....

Btw, with "Electric guitar" I immediately referred it to a distorted guitar, but you never actually mentioned that.... There might be some keyboard with decent clean sounds, but I've never encountered a good distorted guitar sound on a keyboard... However, there might be someone else on the forums who has, so don't lose hope

 

[simplekeys]

Thanks Sargas

I have some experience with a keyboard and will pick it up a lot faster than an electric guitar. I tried taking lessons and just couldn't get it. Also don't have that kind of time commitment. At this point, I'll even settle for something just sounds OK. Looking to spend a couple hundred or less used. A guy in the band has a keyboard with a broken key, so that's not working for us. I figure if I spend some money, I'll be more commited to learn. Is there an entry level keyboard that might have a hint of distortion sound? I'll basically just be filling in rhythm in the background so the guitarist can do lead parts.

Thanks!

 

[Sargas]

Did a quick research, and found 3 boards that might be worth looking into.

Yamaha PSR-E223

Casio CTK-240

Casio CTK-810

You might find a used one for around your budget, at least I found a few of the Yamaha PSR-E223 on eBay for around $100

I haven't managed to find any demo of the guitar sound of any of them, though, but they seem all-around decent for the price.

 

[A.Dawson]

While most of the acoustic guitar sounds on my Casio CTK-5000 don't sound very realistic (I used to play 12-string (Alverez/Martin) professionally, so I know good guitar sounds), I was pretty surprised with the distorted electric-guitar sounds available in this keyboard. There's 37 guitar sounds, not counting the additional 7 GM (general MIDI) guitar tones. About 15 of those 37 voices are distorted/overdriven guitars. Playing "Star Spangled Banner" with a few of those tones/voices sounded very much like Hendrix's recording from Woodstock. I was quite surprised by that. Add in the CTK-5000's pitch-bend wheel and you could get some very realistic sounds with practice.

It's also a good all around entry-level/learner's keyboard (why I got it). And can be found many places for under $200. I got mine on a very good bid from ebay for only $35 last year, but I've never seen them go that low ever again. In fact, prices kept getting higher and higher once everyone started realizing what good boards these CTK series have become in the last couple years. Much to the chagrin of the Yamaha proponents.

See if you can't find someone playing a demo of the guitar sounds on Youtube or elsewhere to be sure it's close enough to the sounds you'll need.

 

[simplekeys]

Thank you both! I will check them out!!!

 

[A.Dawson]

Try this google search string: ctk keyboard guitar site:youtube.com

I'd find one for you, but I'm on dial-up (the only speed available where I live) and it would take hours to find a good demo to lead you to. I notice one listed on the first page of hits has the comment "That sounds just like a guitar ..... Wow ... that is really something !! I never thought a keyboard could. do this??"

 

[simplekeys]

I will do that, thanks again!

 

[Duane Massey]

I use a Yamaha S30, great axe for the $$, but almost all Yamaha's that I've played have decent "crunchy" guitar patches. You have to play/think like a guitar player for it to work. Learn how a guitarist would voice the parts and play it just like that, without throwing in the extra notes just because you can.

The S30 is rarely available on eBay, but when they are they go for $300 or so. The S03 is cheaper, but is really limited.

Also, a volume pedal is really useful, a pitch wheel is great IF used tastefully, and the mod wheel should not be used for vibrato.

 

[simplekeys]

Thank you all for your recommendations! I have decided to go with the Casio CTK-5000, just waiting to get it now . . .

I'm sure once I receive it I'll have lots of questions, like trying to find the right sounds, etc. Playing while singing will certainly be a challenge. I have a hard enough time just singing!

 

[A.Dawson]

If you didn't get a good bargain on it and had to pay about $200 for it, I'd suggest you cancel that order. The new CTK-6000's are hitting stores now, with an introductory price of only $200. They do some amazing things. Same sounds in them as the CTK-5000, but it also has a full-fledged tone editor so you can tweak the tones til your hearts content, or make your own tones. It also has a tap-tempo feature which could be important during live performances, which you state you'd be using it for. Something to consider.

Check out the manual for one: http://support.casio.com/pdf/008/Web_CTK6000_WK6500E1B.pdf

 

[Julia]

I don't know how advanced technology has gotten, but I also play guitar. The chords are going to be an issue since the note you need to play for the chords, unless they're power chords, are going to vary from the chord on the piano.

There are some VIs now, like this one: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Electri6ity/ that change the piano chord to a guitar position. Here's a video of the solo sound:

Yes you do have to "think like a guitarist." It really helps to be familiar with the instrument. The same with using any VI or instrument emulation on the keyboard.

 

[A.Dawson]

Well done! (where the hell's that applause emoticon at...) I guess that'd be a good example of what can be done with a pitch-bend wheel in talented hands. Bravo! Sorry... Brava!

 

[Julia]

I can't take credit for that. But I'll take credit for finding it. I don't have that software yet, but when I heard that my jaw dropped. I also play guitar. Just can't and probably will never be able to play fast on it. I'm a pro on the keys, and a hack on the guitar. I should be able to play something like this with ease. I want this VI.

 

[Patrick Hurd]

Personally, some of the best guitars I've heard are on the Yamaha Motif XS. Distortion, acoustic, you name it. I do a lot of writing and record my own work demos at home. It's one of the reasons I bought the Motif.

Some of the guys challenged me to record a song with heavy distortion guitar in it to see what it was capable of doing so I threw this together real quick but it gives a pretty good idea. Check it out: http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_1838317

 

[MartinezMetal]

Which keyboard is that in the video? That's the kind of sound I'm looking for.

 

[The Y_man]

Which keyboard is that in the video? That's the kind of sound I'm looking for.

Patrick said it was a Yamaha Motif XS.

http://europe.yamaha.com/en/product.../keyboards/synthesizers/motif_xs/?mode=series

Unfortunately they are not the most affordable machines - but from what I have heard, I understand Yamaha makes some of the best guitar emulations.

At a lower price range you migth look at the Yamaha MM6?

The Y-man

 

[The Y_man]

I don't know how advanced technology has gotten, but I also play guitar. The chords are going to be an issue since the note you need to play for the chords, unless they're power chords, are going to vary from the chord on the piano.

There are some VIs now, like this one: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Electri6ity/ that change the piano chord to a guitar position. Here's a video of the solo sound:

Yes you do have to "think like a guitarist." It really helps to be familiar with the instrument. The same with using any VI or instrument emulation on the keyboard.

That is just insane!

The Y-man

 

[kristianb]

yeah, really well played
The best guitar sound on keyboard i've heard is on a korg oasys, but it's the less affordable machine ever... :/

 

[The Y_man]

yeah, really well played
The best guitar sound on keyboard i've heard is on a korg oasys, but it's the less affordable machine ever... :/

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Oasys.... The whole point of developing that machine was around trying to emulate guitars or something...

The Y-man