Looking for best Combination of Digital Piano + Synth, Thanks for helping me with your sharp keys knowledge !

[Axel]

Hey everybody.

I bought a Roland FA-08 2 years ago, which I sold (really good product, did not match what I looked for).
My final intention is to find a good combination between a good digital Piano (A) and a synth (B). Digital piano for the "piano feeling" + few features, combined with a synth to have fun creating sounds (and being able to play them with the digital piano if I fancy it). Mostly playing home, with guitar as well, want to loop few reefs, piano or guitar, then adding layers, just experimentation with no high technical expectation, staying quite simple.

Here are my "must have parameters"

A. Digital piano :

- 88 good feeling keys
- Good "piano" feeling
- Few basic effects (reverb, delay, drive, simple superposition of sounds...)
- Few cool synth sounds within (for fun, not only the "lord of the ring" strings and weird concert stuff which is still sometimes funny)

(Favorites : Kawai mp7se, Roland RD2000, Juno ds88)

B. Synth

- With more than a small plastic keyboard of 16 keys
- Whatever that can be a good "starter kit" to learn and enjoy having more control on sounds.¨

(Favorites : Waldorf Blofeld, Behringer Deepmind 6)


So the strategy is clear : 88weighted digital piano, simple, connected via midi and to be able to play the synths sounds with.... Playing mostly at home, connecting with my loop pedal and mix with guitar lines, being able to experiment a bit.

The "ideal" combination I found so far according to my feeling trying the products : Kawai mp7se (super feeling, clean sounds) + Waldorf Blofeld (really cool sounds, not that hard to use, pretty big) + KRK speakers (6) + Abletone.

Now the main questions :

- Do you think this combo can work well and response my expectations ?
- Would the Kawai mp7se work correctly if i plug it midi to play the Blofeld's sounds ?
- Do you have any other device to suggest ?

Thank you very much for you help, I'll pay you a beer If I know where you were !
Cheers, Axel.

 

[happyrat1]

As long as the Kawai has real DIN MIDI ports it will work fine with a Blofeld.

Personally I own a DS88 and a Blofeld Desktop Module and I rate them both very highly. I also own a Deepmind 6 and it works nicely as well.

You might also want to take a look at a Kurzeil SP7 or Forte or the new PC4 when it comes out this summer.

I think for what you are looking for the combination of Kawai and Blofeld would work just fine. A Deepmind would offer a different palette of sounds from the Blofeld though.

Gary

 

[Axel]

Hey Gary,

Thanks for your lovely answer.

That's what they say about the Kawai :

"Thankfully, articulate control has been a trademark of Kawai MPs for many years, and this latest model is no exception. Multiple pedal inputs, knobs, buttons, wheels, and faders support primary keyboard input, with custom key ranges, assignable parameters, and independent 4-zone MIDI control transforming the MP7SE into a fully-fledged master keyboard."

They don't specify if that't a DIN or not. Will it still be working well with the Blofeld ?

I had the Juno as an option but The feeling on the Kawai is just better for a keyboard player ! Furthermore, I don't know which functions would the Juno have that I can't do with the Kawai + computer ? (OK it has samples but I don't need it... it feels more like a synth less like a keyboard)

Thank you

Cheers, Axel

 

[Axel]

(Here's the link for the infos bout the control possibilities with the Kawaii http://www.kawaimp.com/mp7se/detail/control/ )

 

[happyrat1]

Yep, on the specs page it has a full set of MIDI DIN ports. IN, OUT and THRU.

No problems with using it as a controller.

BTW, you really don't absolutely need a synth with a keyboard built in. Either the Blofeld Desktop or the Deepmind 12R are modules which take up much less space and can be controlled by a Split or Layered keyboard configuration on the Kawai.

Gary

 

[Axel]

Yep, I also got to this conclusion.

I can find a "used" Waldorf with keyboard included for a good price, space is not a problem... there's so much of it !
And with two keyboard it's easier to play at the same time live with different sounds on different devices right ?

Thanks for you precious advices Gary.

Best, Axel.

 

[anotherscott]

Since space is not an issue, I'd consider the Studiologic Sledge instead of the Blofeld... similar sound, but much more real time control.

 

[happyrat1]

I own both a sledge and a blofeld. The sledge is still sorta buggy. They've ignored a couple of major bugs in the last few fixes that persist to this day.

Also the OP said he saw a Blofeld on the used market for an attractive price.

Gary