Need help on new keyboard to add

[johnjwong]

Hi, I own a M50 61 and I solely use this for gigs with 2 bands. I need to add another keyboard on top cuz I can not play all sounds with just a 61 keyboard despite the 16 timbre layering on M50. I am thinking of buying a used keyboard in the local area. After reviewing some used keyboard ads, here are my short list:

Korg Triton 61 - $650 - I dont know why but I see a lot of Triton used for live concerts at least asian ones
Korg Triton le 61 - $650
Korg Triton TR 76 keys - $750 + tax of 13%
Korg M3 61 - $1400 - I added to here because I think it is a great deal
Korg X50 - $600 - Good sound but I already have M50 however, I will use everything in this keyboard since I don't need sequencing (M50 have it already) and sampling.

Roland Fantom Xa - $625 - good for live?
Yamaha MO6 - $700
Roland Juno Di - $700

Factors of consideration
1) Can easily change the volume mix of voices and change sound because I play live. Such as sliders, I do not like touch screen mixer like M50 since it is not safe.
2) A good sound addition to M50, although I do value X50 and Triton because I need a new keyboard simply because my M50 only 61 keys.
3) Durability and Keybeds
4) Very very very minor point: Wav or MP3 playback capabilities and vocoder -- Juno wins here

Really, I am thinking of the MO6, X50, Tritons. And is the above price reasonable for a used one? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dan Stesco]

Hello!

For several reason I choose KORG M3 :
1. Good sound engine,compatible with M50. (M3 V2.0 expanded). Update to v 2.0 is free anyway. In this situation you can have a chance to add a programs from M3 to M50 or from M50 to M3.
2. Huge control palette 8 sliders,10 switches. For example I transformed the slider in drawbars for Organ sound. This organ can be downloaded for free from Karma-Lab forum.
3.RADIAS EXB option (analog synthesizer,step seq. and vocoder with 24 voice polyphony 4 parts multitimbral . )
4. After touch,ribbon, X-Y control on touch screen.
5. Wav player direct from memory stick.
6. Sampler expandable to 256 mb ram.
7. 8 pads. Sometime I use pads when I need a three hands. Two on pad one for solo. Or the pad can be set on different midi ch. to use a orch.hit or other sound that are not on keyboard.
8. Gift from me, 116 progs and 61 combis for live performance. Celebrity sounds from Europe,Rush,Dream Theater, Pink Floyd, Alphaville,Muse etc...
The program pack can be added to your M50.

 

[anotherscott]

If you are satisfied with your existing Korg sounds but have simply "run out of keys," you should be able to buy a plain MIDI controller (no sounds) and run it into the MIDI In of your M50, and set it up so that the external board is running some sounds while the internal is triggering others. That would be the least expensive way to go.

Another aspect I would think about is whether you might achieve some benefit from going with a different kind of keybed, something to offer you different characteristics from the M50's own keyboard. Maybe you would like a keyboard with aftertouch for more expressive synth playing. Or maybe something weighted for better control of dynamics in piano playing.

If you do want to get something with sounds, you might consider a non-Korg to get a completely different range of new sounds to work with, keeping in mind that you could still use that second board to *also* trigger more Korg sounds by simply MIDI-ing it to your M50.