Morrissey Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 1 hour ago, cphollis said: Does anyone see a pattern here? All I see is red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wineandkeyz Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 3 hours ago, Dr Nursers said: S70XS for me - super heavy but had the best time with it and at the time had killer sounds. I consider best, most useful, and most enjoyable as three different categories. The Yamaha S70XS has been and still is my most useful keyboard to date. It covers a lot of ground sonically, has a great-feeling action, serves as the master keyboard in my rig, and is short enough to fit in my Honda CR-V, even in its road case. As for best keyboard, I'd probably go with my Weber grand. For most enjoyable, I have to go with the Minimoog Model D I used to own, although I'm having a ball right now learning my way around the SK Pro 73 I bought last fall. 1 Quote Live: Yamaha S70XS (#1); Roland Jupiter-80; Mackie 1202VLZ4; IEMs or Traynor K4 Home: Hammond SK Pro 73; Moog Minimoog Voyager Electric Blue; Yamaha S70XS (#2); Roland Integra-7; Wurlitzer 200A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Nathan Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 5 Quote Don't rush me. I'm playing as slowly as I can! http://www.stevenathanmusic.com/stevenathanmusic.com/HOME.html https://apple.co/2EGpYXK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 2 minutes ago, Steve Nathan said: Purty! Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbhoosier Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 My Yamaha YC88. A few months ago I probably would have said my Nord Stage 3 Compact but I just seem to always prefer the sounds and experience of the YC now (I actively use both). My old Yamaha DSR-2000 was a lot of fun back in the day as well, though... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksoper Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 Best: Moog One Most useful: Emu Emax Most enjoyable: Moog Voyager But there can be only One. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redknife Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 C7 Quote Chris Main gear: Yamaha C7, Kronos 2 88, Moog Sub 37, CK61, Kurzweil PC2x, Pearl epro, Mac/Logic/AUs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 4 hours ago, cphollis said: Does anyone see a pattern here? Nord “leads?” 😉 1 Quote ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Dude Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 21 minutes ago, drawback said: Nord “leads?” 😉 The plural of 'Nord lead' is 'Nord lead'. Hence the winner by a margin -- Nord lead Quote Mills Dude -- Lefty Hack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp-the-nerd Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 If I can take into account bang-for-the-buck, I have to give a nod to my Korg Minilogue XD. The thing is so damn versatile and fun for a budget polysynth. It makes me smile every time I start messing around with the analog control knobs. If anyone wants a solid analog polysynth for well under $1000, you would be crazy not to consider the Minilogue. Quote Keyboards: Nord Electro 6D 73, Korg SV-1 88, Minilogue XD, Yamaha YPG-625 Bonus: Boss RC-3 Loopstation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Best: Current Kurzweil PC4-7. I've only scratched the surface, and it's already replaced two keyboards for gigging. Most enjoyable: PC-361, probably because I got very deep in my understanding of its programming. Most useful: The one I made most use of was probably the Ensoniq EPS (13 bit). In addition to being my never-since-equalled backup band, it also served me as a piano, string section, Synclavier, and wavetable synth. Add polyphonic portamento and polyphonic aftertouch, and you have one honkin' keyboard. Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulArtola Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 My Roland XP-30, expanded with Vintage Synths and Keyboards of the 60s & 70s, makes jamming with all type of musicians fun. Easy to dial in a patch that supports whatever sound I want to play, and nice design for getting to them. Bought new in 1999 to get me on this started on this adventure. - Paul "Uncle Chrome" Artola 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImproKeys Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Nord Stage 2 HA76. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Cornish Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Korg OASYS for me. It was so far ahead of everyone else I played it for 9 years until it died with no GAS symptoms. Got another 8 years out of the Kronoses that replaced it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drohm Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Most useful: NS3 Compact Most loved: Yamaha S7x grand piano Most fun: Hammond XK5 w/ 3300 Favorite synth: Prophet 6 Quote NS3C, Hammond XK5, Yamaha S7X, Sequential Prophet 6, Yamaha YC73, Roland Jupiter X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkfloydcramer Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 I've reconsidered. The most useful keyboard I've ever had was a pre-MIDI Yamaha SK20, because it kept me from getting fired. I had somehow BS'd my way into a blues club house band (think Opie in a band with the cast of Sanford and Son) but things were shaky- the Kurzweil K1000 I had been using wasn't cutting it for organ, which was the only sound I used. The SK20 had a hot sound and cut through the din of the Peavey pawnshop house PA, even with a Peavey KB100 keyboard amp carrying FOH. The Leslie effect wasn't bad either, in fact superior to the clones of the day which included the Korg CX3 and the new (at the time) Hammond XB2. Setup time 5 minutes. Good ol' days. For sheer fun nothing tops my Kimball upright freebie church piano. Playing ragtime and blues on it is a gas, nothing else responds like it when I dig in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dongna Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Yamaha S90ES for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Rhodes Chroma, DSI/SCI Evolver and Pro 3, Oberheim Matrix-12, Kurzweil K2600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 On 3/16/2022 at 3:34 PM, Morrissey said: All I see is red Quote Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pa Gherkin Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 I’ve had a bunch but my B-3 ranks among the top along with the D50 which is still cooking and still sounds great to me. Most recently the SKPro is high on my list. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Moog Memorymoog Plus. Bought it new at the fire sale at Moog Music (Buffalo NY) back in 1985, they had just ceased all synthesizer manufacturing in the wake of the DX7. I cut my teeth on that thing - it saw many gigs, I learned a lot of sound design tricks on it, and my day job as systems engineer was valuable experience to fix the well known reliability problems. My internet (in)famy came from publishing my fixes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rofox Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Roland RD200. Bought new in '86/87. Loved it from first touch and bought it on the spot. Eight sounds, three of them usable and two superb. No other instrument I've owned has provided the same playing experience - the SA sound generation combined with the keyboard feel provided a connection and response that was second to none and it formed the basis of my solo keyboard rig for 10 years until it was stolen. Piano 3 had so much bite when you hit it yet could be caressed, the same with the two EPs. Paired it with an MKS20 transposed down an octave for extra goodness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Havu Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 I've got its much bigger brother, the RD-1000. Heaviest piece of equipment I own, but it sure sounds good. Only issue is that some of the keys make a clacking noise when released, which tells me there's a felt strip that needs to be replaced. 1 Quote Hardware Yamaha DX7, PSR-530, MX61/Korg Karma/Ensoniq ESQ-1/Roland VR-760/Hydrasynth Deluxe/ Behringer DeepMind12, Model D, Odyssey, 2600/Arturia Keylab MKII 61 Software Studio One/V Collection 9/Korg Collection 5/Cherry Audio/UVI SonicPass/EW Composer Cloud/Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, Trilian/IK Total Studio 3.5 MAX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 1 hour ago, justin_havu said: I've got its much bigger brother, the RD-1000. Heaviest piece of equipment I own, but it sure sounds good. HP4500 owner here. Think home version of the RD1000 but with speakers and stand. It still scratches the SA itch. 1 Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 The single board that checks all the boxes in the thread title is the NS3C, with nothing in second place. Split the title into separate components and the answers multiply, though... Quote Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mullins Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 The boards I have now are the best I've ever had (Kronos, Stage 3) but if the question was "what was the biggest leap in usefulness and enjoyment" ...definitely the Yamaha S90ES. First time I was really happy with an action (one of the rare good weighted actions that also had good pressure sensitivity) and very good sounds for the time. 1 Quote Yamaha CK88, Arturia Keylab 61 MkII, Moog Sub 37, Yamaha U1 Upright, Casio CT-S500, Mac Logic/Mainstage, iPad Camelot, Spacestation V.3, QSC K10.2, JBL EON One Compact www.stickmanor.com There's a thin white line between fear and fury - Stickman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 For me, it was the Korg SV-1 hands down (no pun intended). 😁 The SV-1 was my Rhodes on steroids until I got the real deal.😎 1 Quote PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamanzarek Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Might have been a Kurzweil PC88MX. I used it for practicing at home and for gigs with Boss PK-5 pedals. Took it on a European tour and the sound crew was raving about how great it sounded. Didn't hold up but it was great while it lasted. Replaced it with a PC2X/O which didn't work out nearly as well despite having tone wheel section and more sounds. 1 Quote Gibson G101, Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, Vox Continental, RMI Electra-Piano and Harpsichord 300A, Hammond M102A, Hohner Combo Pianet, OB8, Matrix 12, Jupiter 6, Prophet 5 rev. 2, Pro-One, CS70M, CP35, PX-5S, WK-3800, Stage 3 Compact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgoo Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Most useful would have to be my Kronos LS. The versatility and power of it are pretty incredible. However, as a jack of all trades, I ultimately find it to be a master of none and I'm currently in the process of converting back to a laptop based rig. Most enjoyable would likely be my Wurlitzer 200. I've gigged that thing a decent amount and it's simply an inspiring joy to play. Best is my Multimoog, which I got in 1979 and still have and use. Cut my synth teeth on it and bringing it to an audition helped me land my first road gig. That little baby has been my biggest game changer! Quote Custom Music, Audio Post Production, Location Audio www.gmma.biz https://www.facebook.com/gmmamusic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Fortner Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Useful and enjoyable have two different meanings for me. The most useful was my first Kurzweil, a K2000 I bought in 1995 and still have. I say that because in terms of the number of different sounds I got out of it and ratio of paying gigs played to its cost, it has worked harder than anything I’ve owned since. That’s mainly because being a broke-ass grad student in the 1990s motivated me to squeeze every drop out of programming I could out of it, seek out aftermarket samples, etc. Enjoyable is a tougher call because I’ve enjoyed so many. The piece of gear I’ve gotten the most enjoyment out of is probably the Leslie 142 I acquired a few years later. Not a keyboard, but it adds such vibe and dimension to any organ sound put through it, even from a source like an old ROMpler or DX7. (I mainly used it with my Roland VK7 but now it sits connected to my XK-3C system.) Quote Stephen Fortner Principal, Fortner Media Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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