Can you get a great piano and organ in one gigging keyboard?

[BobG]

Hi all

I am in the market for a new keyboard as I've outgrown my Casio Privia.

Wondering if it is realistic to find a great piano (with weighted keys) and also with great organ sounds in one KB that is easier to drag around and won't break the bank. Prefer not to spend what a Nord or high-end Roland or Korg or Yamaha costs.

Don't need fancy workstation or arranger/composer - just great preset sounds, ideally spanning the classics (Rhodes, Wurly, Hammond, Vox, Farfisa, Clavinet).

Or maybe better to get separate KBs for piano and organ? Drawbars, pedals nice but don't necessarily have to have.

Also appreciate any advice as to how to go about buying one - I'm sure you need to bang away on them and listen to truly test them but few showrooms have a great selection.

Thanks for any help and advice.

Bob

 

[Biggles]

Last bit first.

Once you have shortlisted a few there is nothing better than spending time in store playing. That said, I appreciate not everyone if fortunate to have a lot of keyboard shops near them as it is I have 5 within 30 minutes of home.

If you cannot test them in store then do ensure that you buy from a store with a 30 day no quibble, full refund return policy.

Manufacturers like Korg and Roland have video tutorials on the features of each of their keyboards and these are well worth watching as they will give you a great insight into how the menu systems work, then when you get hands on you have a head start in playing and changing functions.

Do you have a budget in mind, if so can you share it with us?

Up to $1500 USD will give options, below $1k less so and probably second hand would then come into the picture.

I will leave adding my suggestions to consider until the budget is known.

 

[BobG]

Thanks, good point, budget would help, right?

I'd say 1500 USD a good ballpark - 88 keys preferred.

I am in NYC and we have great stores like Sam Ash, Guitar Center, still they never seem to have the exact ones you want to bang on in the showroom, there are so many models and brands.

Bob

 

[Biggles]

Problem 1
Organs do not tend to have fully weighted keys.

Problem 2
I am struggling to think of a single instrument that will meet your needs and not be a workstation.

Checkout
Numa Compact 2X, which has 8 pianos, 8 EPs, 16 organs plus others. It is an all in one unit with its own speakers but has semi weighted keys. Its main plus point is physical drawbar sliders.

Next up is a Vox Continental organ but it is only 73 keys and is $2k from Sam Ash, it is probably worth having a play of one if you have the chance.

A combo of a Roland Juno DS 88 @ $999 and a Ferrofish B4000+ organ expander $499, will give a great combo and is slap on budget. Hammer action keys but a workstation with which all you need to do is learn the features you want to use. Great piano sounds and very good organ sounds as standard with the Roland but the Ferrofish adds the drawbars and the vast permutations of available sounds and effects that go with it makes it a great combo

Curveball.
Only 61 synth action keys but a Korg PA700 will give great piano and organ sounds out of the box including drawbars and rotary effect. Also checkout the Yamaha SX700 arranger, I am not sure if it has the same features as the Korg.

Finally do note that not all keyboards are self contained with onboard amp and speakers so factor in for this especially in store where you could be playing an instrument through a PA or amp costing as much as the keyboard.

Definitive finally, there is the MIDI route with a keyboard controller and software instruments. Check out Native Instruments S series controllers and their Komplete software plus also checkout Arturia Keylab mk 2 plus their many software packs.

 

[BobG]

Thanks much, looks like some excellent choices - I had thought of going the MIDI controller route but not sure I can count on it in a live setting (although I do have a pretty good Macbook dedicated DAW).

Yea I know there will be some compromises especially considering trying to get an organ feel with weighted keys.

Anyway, will look into these choices - thanks again.

Bob

 

[happyrat1]

Check out the new Kurzxweil PC4. It has the acclaimed K3B Organ Engine and the German Grand Sample from the Forte.

Possibly a little more than you'd like to spend, but it's the best sounding organs and pianos combination that I know of.

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Sells for about $2K USD at most dealers.

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See if any bargains pop up at the post xmas boxing day sales. Also don't be shy about buying an open box demo unit for 20 to 30 % less if you can find one. Better than an unopenede box cause you know it's been test driven and still comes with a full warranty.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

BTW, I personally own a Kurzweil PC3K8 as well as a Juno DS88 and a Ferrofish B4000+.

All great choices.

But save yourself the hassle of MIDIing up the Juno and the Ferrofish and go for the PC4.

It really is all the keyboard you could ever ask for or need.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

BTW, a cheaper option with some of the great Kurzweil sounds is the Artis Stage Piano or the SP6.

Be sure and check those out as well if you con't need all the workstation bells and whistles.

Gary

 

[BobG]

Thanks all, very helpful

 

[Rayblewit]

I added a couple "likes" to this thread because the subject and responses interest me.
Why?
Glad you asked.
The local retirement village here is wondering whether to upgrade their aged grand piano. It is far too frequently going out of tune (apparently). The committee are divided whether to use funds to finance a new one . . Many $1,000s.
Maybe an electric piano would suffice.
I can make suggestions based on your recommendations. Cheers Ray.

 

[Biggles]

I added a couple "likes" to this thread because the subject and responses interest me.
Why?
Glad you asked.
The local retirement village here is wondering whether to upgrade their aged grand piano. It is far too frequently going out of tune (apparently). The committee are divided whether to use funds to finance a new one . . Many $1,000s.
Maybe an electric piano would suffice.
I can make suggestions based on your recommendations. Cheers Ray.

The best thing a Committee can do is to make up their mind on what to do and if that ends up assigning funds to buy a new acoustic piano, EP or keyboard it is then essential that they then let the person with knowledge select an appropriate unit. Management by Committee is a recipe for the wrong unit to be bought.

Our U3A have meetings in a few Church related venues and they all have electronic keyboards of the workstation variety, all are Yamaha with one being a Montage.

So yes an EP would suffice but there are buts.

Just had a look at prices over there and an acoustic piano can easily run to 12000 or more Oz Dollars.

A Stage Piano would be more robust but without inbuilt amp and speakers. A Roland RD 2000 would be 4000 OzD plus amp.

An arranger could be the way to go with a Korg Pa1000 or Yamaha SX900 for about 2500 OzD and both have pretty powerful inbuilt amps and speakers downside is they are only 61 keys unless the budget is upped to a Genos or Pa4X level to get 76 keys.

Good luck if you happen to take a pace forward or be volunteered

 

[anotherscott]

"great piano and organ in one gigging keyboard" with hammer action won't be near your price range. Least expensive decent choice is Kurzweil SP6.

I'd be inclined to keep the Privia and add a Numa Organ 2 if you only need organ, or a Roland VR-09 if you're willing to sacrifice a bit on the organ sound/action/ergonomic controls in order to get lots of other sounds and capabilities (and organ is still quite good).

 

[Biggles]

There you go,

Kurzweil SP6

$1500

@

Sam Ash

 

[happyrat1]

The Kurzweil SP6 has only 4 drawbar sliders. The Artis has 9. But it costs the same as the PC4.

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Kurzweil PC4 88-Key Performance Controller and Studio Workstation Synthesizer

Buy Kurzweil PC4 88-Key Performance Controller and Studio Workstation Synthesizer featuring 88 Fully Weighted Hammer Action Keys, Widescreen Color Display, 256 Voices, 2 GB of Sounds, 1000 Factory Presets, German 9', Japanese 7' Grand Pianos, E. Pianos, Clavs, Organs, and Strings, 6-Operator FM...

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Then again the SP6 sells for $700 less.

Depends if you can live without the extra drawbars.

Col >>> SP6 is only $1295 USD at B&H.

Gary

PS >>> Check the day after Xmas. BIG sales on the 26th.

 

[anotherscott]

The Kurzweil SP6 has only 4 drawbar sliders. The Artis has 9. But it costs the same as the PC4.

SP6 has 4 knobs, but they can be "shifted" to adjust all 9 drawbar levels.
The PC4 is much better than the 88-key Artis... better action, more sounds, aftertouch, bigger/color screen, more front panel controls, 16 zones instead of 4, user sample memory.

 

[delaware dave]

One midi cord required to the keyboard of your choice. $1100.

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Since this video a new acoustic piano has been introduced into the Gemini module that is very good:

I own the table top and can attest to the instrument sound quality of the Gemini module.

 

[Jeremykeys]

Another thing to consider is weight. My primary keyboard is a Korg Kronos but as I get older, it rarely gets up off of the stand that it sits on in my studio. That is unless my back decides it can handle it, or my wife grows GREAT MASSIVE BICEPS! (said in a Scottish accent) or I can find roadies for free. I'm even finding that I don't really need a weighted keyboard for piano and I certainly don't like one for organ although I truly love the piano and organ sounds in my Kronos.
Do you really need 88 keys for piano? I've learned to get by with 73.
Best of luck! I do know it's difficult finding the right keyboard or keyboards.

 

[b3keys]

Hi all

I am in the market for a new keyboard as I've outgrown my Casio Privia.

Wondering if it is realistic to find a great piano (with weighted keys) and also with great organ sounds in one KB that is easier to drag around and won't break the bank. Prefer not to spend what a Nord or high-end Roland or Korg or Yamaha costs.

Don't need fancy workstation or arranger/composer - just great preset sounds, ideally spanning the classics (Rhodes, Wurly, Hammond, Vox, Farfisa, Clavinet).

Or maybe better to get separate KBs for piano and organ? Drawbars, pedals nice but don't necessarily have to have.

Also appreciate any advice as to how to go about buying one - I'm sure you need to bang away on them and listen to truly test them but few showrooms have a great selection.

Thanks for any help and advice.

Bob

IF you will accept a "compromise".... (LOL, and yeah, will break the bank).... For strictly Piano & Organ (ALL variations within) plus some aux sounds you can load in (strings horns... fair).... I dont think you can beat NORD. I do believe they make the "electro" in both weighted and semi-weighted (which, if I was you, I'd sure check out.. sure is easier on the wrists). The NEW ones ARE pricey.... consider "pre-owned".
I'm basically a B3 player... BUT, playing country, I do play a lot of piano. I used to have a Roland for Piano, and an SK1 for Hammond. Now... I just lug around the Nord..... fine piece of technology.
Note: their editor program makes oit really easy to re-organize your set/patch list... One of the easier ones I've found

 

[Kaneda]

Korg D1 on the bottom, Vox Continental 61 on top ?
Or the same but cheaper : Casio PX-S1000 on the bottom, Numa Compact 2X on top ?

Otherwise, just like the Kurzweil SP6, the Kawai MP7SE also has a neat way of emulating drawbars, not too expensive and built like a tank. Piano sounds are top notch, but I believe the organ sounds are not the best (but don't take my word for it).
Or maybe, a Korg Krome EX 88 on the bottom (has a library with very good sounds, piano, organs, you name it), and if you want drawbars, then maybe a 61-key midi controller, from M-Audio, Novation, Arturia (plenty of choice, and inexpensive)...

 

[anotherscott]

D1+Continental... way over budget, but he could stay at least closer to budget by sticking with his current Privia on bottom instead of the D1 (not sure the D1 would be better anyway, especially since "easy to drag around" is a concern). But from a strictly organ perspective, I think the Vox lags the Numa Organ 2 (or, if he needs more sounds than organ, the Roland VR-09), at least to the extent that Vox doesn't actually support all the percussion and C/V options of the original, plus Vox exceeds budget and those others are below. The Vox does have some nice features to recommend it, though... one could prefer its sound and/or action.

Kawai MP7SE, also over budget and not so easy to drag around, but yes, a nice board, with probably a better piano action than many of the other recommendations here.

A MIDI controller with drawbars connected to a Krome still won't give you a drawbar organ, the Krome doesn't actually have a drawbar organ engine, just some samples, which cannot be manipulated at the drawbar level.