recommendations for a pro arranger keyboard

[Rick_Rhino]

I'm a guitarist who wants to get into arranging/composing.I see yamaha,roland,and korg

have some new intelligent arrangers which brand do you recomend? I'm looking for something that is for a non-keyboard player like myself.

I would sacrifice sound for ease of use. I am very familiar with keyboard sequencers(triton,motif,xp60)

but an arranger would help me get my ideas down quicker. also would like to have the final arrangement on SMF so I can choose any sound to replace.

thanks

by the way roger will be missed

[Dave The Rave]

Sonar, Cubase SX, DP, Logic, ProTools, Cool Edit Pro etc. on a DAW would be better for you IMO. Since you're a "non-keyboard player", why do you need a keyboard to do your arranging? You can program your sequences directly on a computer, record your guitar etc. and mix/arrange it however you like. The PC/Mac sequencer/arranger s/w is much more adept and easier to use than any keyboard's built-in sequencer/arranger that I know of.

 

Just my tuppence worth.

 

:DTR

[SoundWrangler]

What Dave said. Pro arrangers don't use "pro arranger" keyboards.

OTOH, even if you do get into one of the aforementioned programs (& once you have a good sounding keyboard or software synth as a sound source) - another one you should definitely check out is Band-in-a-Box . Some hardcore MIDI sequencing folks take it less than seriously (especially because it lets you do stuff like render "Giant Steps" as a polka!) ...but for busting song ideas, trying out alternate chord progressions, & woodshedding over jazz standard changes it can be truly useful tool (& more fun than a squirmy puppy). And it kicks ass on almost any of the "intelligent" keyboards you're talking about (unless being a real-time, one-finger wonder is actually what you had in mind).

[Soundscape Studios.]

Sorry guys, I'l have to disagree on this one.

 

Rick is clearly interested in something that would help get ideas down quickly. A computer based sequencer is anything but quick and convenient. You wanna just turn on the keyboard and record!

 

I would say to get a Korg PA80 or the new updated model (don't know if it's shipping). The synth engine is supposedly similar to the Triton's, but rest assured, my Triton Pro is staying here for the time being. That being said, the quality of the sounds is much better than the average aranger keyboard's, such as from Yamaha's PSR line.

 

The Roland G-series also has some decent sounding boards, but are a PITA to operate IMO.

[Rick_Rhino]

Thanks guys

I think that what I was looking for is an "intellegent" arranger because of my lack of music theory. I could play simple melodies on the keyboard

but I can't play chords to accompany me. I could play plenty of chords on the guitar but to translate/play that on the keyboard is waste of my time. I'm taking some keyboard lessons but my mind is racing with ideas. I did check the website for Band in a box that's probably the cheapest way to go

but it looks more like a loop sequencer kind of like Apple's Soundtrack but if it does midi were I can export the arrangment to a sequencer there is where I can change my sounds.

I have a protools mix plus that I use for recording and somtimes sequencing but most of my sequencing is done on an MPC3000 (pop,dance,rnb,hiphop)

about 3 years ago I was at a guitar center where they had a korg "i" series keyboard,I started to play a simple melody all of a sudden the thing was playing chords and a bass line, thats kind of what I'm looking for

thank you for anymore responses

 

rick

[supermanrulez]

The Yamaha Tyros is probably the top of the line arranger keyboard. If you go the keyboard direction make sure you check it out.

 

If your literate on computers, I agree that band in a box is something to check out. The good thing about most of the computer programs is that you can download demos to see if they'll work for you.

 

Chris

[dementia13]

I did check the website for Band in a box that's probably the cheapest way to go

but it looks more like a loop sequencer kind of like Apple's Soundtrack but if it does midi were I can export the arrangment to a sequencer there is where I can change my sounds.

BIAB is a MIDI, not a loop-based program. What it does is to auto-generate accompaniments based on chord names you input. You can enter in melodies, or it can auto-generate melodies and solos, too. Anything you do in BIAB can be exported as a standard MIDI file. By itself, it's a good practicing tool, but for writing/arranging you'd want to use it in combination with a more powerful sequencer. It's constantly in development. The good side of that is that there are frequent updates. The bad side is that every Christmas like clockwork you'll be getting mail and e-mail pushing the lastest version. I'll probably go with the upgrade this year, seeing as how they were good enough to implement some of my suggestions. (They keep a forum thread on their website for suggestions on new features, and they do read and respond to it.)

[Dan O]

An arranger keyboard discussion .....interesting .

 

I am pretty knowledgable about arranger keyboards . I am a former demonstrator for an Italian company called Ketron .

The Ketron SD1plus is currently therer flagship arranger / workstation keyboard .

 

Here's some brief info .

 

The SD1plus has 76 keys /a 6 gig hard drive/ and digitech vocal harmony chip w mic input . Store thousands sequences on the hard drive and have direct play back and edit sounds/volumne / effects/panning/transposition in real time without transfering the midi sequence into the internal sequencer .

 

Another cool feature is the drum remix feature.This allows you to take any of the 307 drum tracks ( there's more available) and remix a midi sequence with the drum tracks provided. The drum tracks have multiple variations and can add a new groove to a sequence . You as a guitar player could trigger fill in's and tempo changes with your feet ( using FS6 pedal) . Or make your own drum track and remix a sequence with your own loop .

 

Excellent sounds /Drums and arrangements . Please remember I am a former demonstrator for this keyboard , but I believe it to be the best kept secret for recording and live gigging. I have mp3's available if you want to hear some demo's , just email me privately . No Ketron spam intended .

 

Dano / former SD1 demo guy