Classic Rock Stage -Dual Keyboard - Reviews and Recommedations

[TomQuick]

HOLA from Costa Rica. I'm living in central CR and I have a Yamaha MOXF8. No stores in CR carry anything pro or high end keyboards. I am researching a second board for the two manual option ( I originally played only organ, Hammonds ) It would be cool to have something simple to program...that supports layers and splits. Also... is there any board that allows separate octave adjustments for individual zones /splits.? As far as action...I would like the in-between type. Not heavy weighted like my MOXF8... and not super light like synths... semi-weighted or adjustable would be good.

So I'm considering the Roland FA -07 or Yamaha YC-73...or Maybe a Korg Kronos...?

Any reviews and /or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

My budget is very flexible...but, I don't want it to be too heavy like the MOTIFs... the MOXF8 is about the type of road worthy weight that works for me. A 76 key board is my preference. I plan to mount it above the MXF for gigging.

Pura Vida...as we say down here...

Tom

 

[b3maniac]

Tom, I have an MOXF8 and looked around for a second tier board. As fortune would have it, I found a little used MOXF6 and ended up buying it. It has the benefit of sharing library sounds, and weight 16 pounds. It has semi-weighed action. and you can use the A/D input and usb midi to play keyboard apps on and Ipad. The YC-73 came out 2 years after I bought my MOXF6 or I probably would have gotten the YC73.

Don aka B3maniac

 

[anotherscott]

is there any board that allows separate octave adjustments for individual zones /splits.?

Almost every board that does splits gives you separate octave adjustments (including your MOXF8). Though there are some occasional exceptions like the Vox Continental and some lower end slab pianos. Some boards let you easily change the octave of a zone "on the fly" for even mid-song changes (i.e. no menu diving required), but that's relatively rare.

As far as action...I would like the in-between type. Not heavy weighted like my MOXF8... and not super light like synths... semi-weighted or adjustable would be good.

No action is adjustable physically, though most boards have a touch control of some sort that affects how hard you have to hit to get a certain volume out of it.

So I'm considering the Roland FA -07 or Yamaha YC-73...or Maybe a Korg Kronos...?
...
I don't want it to be too heavy like the MOTIFs... the MOXF8 is about the type of road worthy weight that works for me. A 76 key board is my preference.

Kronos 73 is heavy, and also has a (non-organ friendly) hammer action and one that is heavier feeling than your MOXF8. But you you might consider their new Nautilus 73 instead.

Yamaha YC73 action is also a hammer action, lighter feeling than what's in the Kronos, but still similar to what's in your MOXF8.

Roland FA-07 is a possibility. (Their Fantom 7 is a big step up, but is probably pushing beyond your weight limits.)

Continuing on to brands you didn't mention, I'd take a good look at Kurzweil PC4-7 or SP6-7. The latter is simpler (and you did say you prefer something simple to program), while the former is more versatile and has more features/functions, like aftertouch and the ability to load in custom samples (and can actually be simpler in some ways as well, like in patch selection, with 50 pages of 10 definable Favorites, vs. one set of 5 favorites, or by giving you 9 simultaneous sliders for organ drawbar adjustment).

There is often a balance you may want to look for between versatility and simplicity. To get back to the ones you mentioned as a reference point, the Kronos leans toward the former and the YC73 leans toward the latter.

Also worth looking at: Dexibell J7 Combo, Hammond SK Pro 73, and Nord Electro 6D 73 or Stage 3 Compact. Different trade-offs.

 

[Biggles]

One thing about two boards by the same manufacturer is that there maybe quite a lot of very similar if not identical sound palette content.

Hence a Nord, Korg, Roland, or Kurzweil may offer a greater variety of features

 

[TomQuick]

Almost every board that does splits gives you separate octave adjustments (including your MOXF8). Though there are some occasional exceptions like the Vox Continental and some lower end slab pianos. Some boards let you easily change the octave of a zone "on the fly" for even mid-song changes (i.e. no menu diving required), but that's relatively rare.

HOLA anotherscott! Thank you very much for your reply and information. I would like to know how to change the octave of one zone without the same change being applied to the other contiguous zone. When I set up splits on the MOXF8 ....I can change the octave on the fly...but it shifts both zones. How can I get separate octave changes? I'm now researching the Nautilus 73 you mentioned...Any more info on that board would be appreciated. I'm going to watch the videos on Sweetwater's page.
Thank you very much for your kind consideration.

 

[anotherscott]

There are different ways to change the octaves of individual sounds in a MOXF split. If you're in Performance mode, hit Edit, go to the part you want to change the octave of, and set its Note Shift parameter up or down 12 semitones (to shift the pitch of the part up or down by an octave), and store your modified performance. That should do it...

 

[TomQuick]

There are different ways to change the octaves of individual sounds in a MOXF split. If you're in Performance mode, hit Edit, go to the part you want to change the octave of, and set its Note Shift parameter up or down 12 semitones (to shift the pitch of the part up or down by an octave), and store your modified performance. That should do it...

WOW! Great trick! THANK YOU! So ... now, after watching some demos on the Nautilus 73... I'm strongly leaning toward it. Any more info on it would be awesome and greatly appreciated. Any caveats... cool tricks, accessories, etc...
Once again, THANK YOU Scott!

Pura Vida,

tq

 

[TomQuick]

HOLA! Thanks to all the respondents. I have ordered a Korg Nautilus 73. Time will tell how this decision plays out....literally and figuratively. Any advice re the Nautilus will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again. tq

 

[Biggles]

Start by dowmloading the manual and then reading it.

Downloads | NAUTILUS - Operation Guide (English) | KORG (USA)

株式会社コルグは、音楽を演奏、作曲するためのシンセサイザーやデジタルピアノ(電子ピアノ）、DJ機器、デジタル・レコーダー、エフェクター、チューナーまでさまざまな電子楽器を製造、販売しています。

www.korg.com

Then watch the Korg Video Manual totorial series

 

[TomQuick]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BIGGLES!