Guitarist needs help with an Arranging Keyboard Recommendation

[Skoolboy Jim]

I am a guitarist who wants to do horn arranging on a keyboard (sax, trumpet and trombone). I am doing demos and arranging songs for horns and I want a keyboard where I can experiment composing different horn parts.

So, ideally I would like to be able to start with a programmable drum machine on the keyboard. I'm not sure if stock drum patterns will work even though the songs are really simple country and blues songs. Do any keyboards have programmable drum machines on them? I'd like to compose to a click track, but could work with existing patterns as long as they have decent shuffles, strolls and waltzes.

I know I also need a sequencer to record to on the keyboard. And it is also important that I can add tracks externally, i.e. not played on the keyboard such as real guitar (either mic'd or direct in) and vocals. Do any keyboards fit this description. I can't seem to find anything, but then again, maybe many of the arranging keyboards can do what I need. Sound quality obviously isn't important just a keyboard that will do what I want to do. I don't want an expensive workstation. A smaller one would be great. Thanks!

 

[happyrat1]

Take a look at the Casio CTK-6200.

I think it would meet your needs nicely.

Gary

 

[Pete]

Tyros 4 does all you need an very much more.....

 

[Fred Coulter]

Do you have a budget?

 

[happyrat1]

Tyros 4 is way out of his budget.

He pretty much specified he wanted to keep it cheap and cheerful

Gary

 

[Fred Coulter]

Is the Tyros 4 gloomy?

 

[Rayblewit]

Is the Tyros 4 gloomy?

Haha
Never known a kb to classed into categories of cheerful and gloomy lol

 

[Keyman3]

I had a Korg Microarranger around, $500. Small only 10 pounds, keys are small too. Lots of nice styles similar to the older pa1x.

 

[Fred Coulter]

The disadvantage to the Microarranger are the microkeys. IF you want to play keyboards, you might want to stick with normal sized keys. That way you learn the right habits. (I.e. this is how an octave feels. This is how to play a major chord. Etc.)

Or buy a MIDI controller for the Microarranger. Those can be pretty cheap. (Assuming that the MIDI controller still gives you the same features as the keyboard on the Microarranger.)

 

[Keyman3]

If your just programming sequences, drum machine and for song writing, this would be sufficient. It even has a SD slot. It is unbelievably small and light. Hold in one hand.

 

[happyrat1]

?????

 

[Fred Coulter]

?????

I think he was responding to my post about the microkeys on the Microarranger. Everything he said is valid, so if the OP wasn't interested in playing keyboards, or if he's real flexible on key size, then the Microarranger may very well be a good fit. (Or if a MIDI controller can do everything the keyboard itself can do.)

 

[tassiespirit]

Ok, from a different direction, does it have to be a keyboard? Hove you thought of using Band in a Box? You just put in your chords and select your style, tempo, different type of drums etc horns, strings (whatever) and there is your backing done. Changeable on the fly, and you can mute any part. Just a thought.