School an idiot guitarist on a basic keyboard rig

[matt3]

Hi guys, first post here.

I play guitar in some bands, but might be doing some keys stuff eventually. Here's my dilemma:

I have a Casio WK3700 or some similar keyboard... sounds awful. I use the organ tones and some electric keyboards playing mostly funk type stuff. I know it's possible to use the midi outs on it to hook it up to a laptop to get better sounds, but this wouldn't be my ideal gigging situation.

Is there a piece of hardware I can use instead of the laptop to get real-ish (not toy sounding) organ sounds? Can I salvage this board somehow, or do I really just need to buy a big boy keyboard to get big boy tones?

As a bonus question... is using my regular guitar tube amp (Fender Hot Rod Deluxe) an option for keyboard amplification? Thanks!

 

[happyrat1]

You could spend about $400 on ebay and buy an older Yamaha Motif Module or for about $600 you could just break down and buy a new 5 octave keyboard like the soon to be released Korg Kross or the Yamaha MM6. You'd probably be better off buying a keyboard and you could pick up a used MM6 or Korg X50 for about the same price as a used Motif Module.

 

[matt3]

Thanks for the reply, I'll check those out tonight. I should add, I'm not particularly bothered by the keys or anything physical about the keyboard I have... only the stock sounds.

Also, I should've mentioned, I've played some Nord Electro 2s and that's the dream. Just wayy too expensive right now. No question, if I gig on keys more and more, I'll be getting one, which is why I hesitate to buy a new board unless it's real cheap, because I know what I eventually want... that could be the wrong thinking though.

 

[happyrat1]

As long as you're shopping around Nord Electros, then take a look at the Kurzweil PC3LE line as well. A bit cheaper and also world class sounds.

But for now, what you are asking for is a way to use your Casio as a controller for a decent sound module without breaking the bank. A used Motif module is the way to go there or else just buy a low end yamaha or korg used and you'll keep things below the $400 mark.

Otherwise there's not a hell of a lot to be gained by spending $1500 on a module to use with a $150 controller

 

[happyrat1]

You might also want to consider a used Korg Triton module in that price range as well.

 

[matt3]

Thanks for the advice... really on point. i checked out a yamaha mm6 today at guitar center and for $400, that might be a great pick up for me. The guy there was trying to upsell me on an mx61 but it wasn't too clear why that was any better... similar features... same patches?

I played it back and forth with a Nord as a sort of control which only made me more impressed at how "real" the nord reacted, but it was still pretty encouraged I could tinker with it and get some sounds I liked.