I’m a guitar player with VERY basic key skills. My goal is basic proficiency as a keyboard player in my cover band, playing basic chords, horn parts, synth parts etc. for your typical bar band cover tunes. My question is, how “limited” COULD I be if I went with 61 Keys, vs 76? I appreciate any insight and things to consider.
Not from experience in your situation:
1) With 61 keys, you'd have 5 octaves concurrently available (between Cs, so it may feel like 4 octaves in keys of F or G), but you can likely transpose easily to address other ranges. (Or transpose the keyboard itself in its Set-up.)
You might also want to watch keytar players for the range they use. (Keytar: like the Roland AX-Edge.)
2) You might consider playing horn and synth parts on a guitar. I'm thinking of the Boss SY-1 guitar synthesizer that connects just like any effect pedal (but you'll find similar features in e.g. the multi-effect Mooer GE300). You could also use a MIDI guitar.
MIDI guitars come in two approaches (that I know of): those using the 13-pin connectors (to transfer the audio signal for each string separately) and a matching synthesizer (like Roland GR-55 or Boss SY-1000) and those that can send MIDI conventionally, like the Jamstik Studio.
3) I haven't been in a band for ages. I think that in your situation I'd try to use my V-Accordion (synthesizer in the guise of an accordion): I have the smallest button-accordion: Roland FR-1xb. Button-accordions pack a wider range in the same dimensions than piano-accordions, and they resemble guitars in the ease of playing in a different key. (One button up or down equals three frets down or up.)
I think that you'll find examples and reviews of all the above on YouTube.
