todreamnomore Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Hey all, I'm a keyboardist in a progressive metal band. Up until now, I have been using a Motif Es 7 for live gigs, but I'm thinking about picking up a new board. I love my ES. The sounds are absolutely amazing. But it seems like more of a studio keyboard than a live one. I want something that's more straight forward, easier to use on the fly, and that offers easy access to different sounds. A sampler would be nice, and I'm hoping for great sound quality like the Motif. If I could find a keyboard that has all this in a 61 key package, I think I'd be happy for the next year or two. Anyone have any suggestions? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDragonSoun Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 There are alot of choices here for you I'll give you a few: Korg Triton Extreme Roland Juno G Korg X50 Clavia Nord Yamaha Mo Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todreamnomore Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 I was thinking about the Triton Extreme or a Fantom. The Mo would be cool, but since I already have the Motif, I'd like to try something new. Mostly, I just want one that sounds great, offers a sampler, and is easy to use live. As far as sounds go, I usually use strings, piano, and some lead synths. Choirs too. Whatever board I choose would have to be able to rock those sounds. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Dave: Welcome to the forum. Not to dissuade you from dropping a couple grand at your local retailer, but have you explored the various modes of your Motif ES? Between Master mode, and Song/Pattern Mixes, there are a few different ways to quickly access the sounds and setups you want. I ask only because there are a lot of Motif owners that never really explore the full potential of their instrument. If you were unhappy with the sounds, I would approach this differently, but... your challenges seem to be with the interface (something I completely understand and sympathize with). I use my Motif ES7 live and it's become the centerpiece of my rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todreamnomore Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 I definately havn't even scratched the surface of what the Motif can do yet. And as I've said, I adore it totally, and by no means am I replacing it, just adding something new to my sound. Another reason I was thinking of getting something else is simply because the Es7 is way too large for me right now. A 61 key setup would be more practical for me right now. But I will definately take another look at that Master Mode. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Originally posted by todreamnomore: But I will definately take another look at that Master Mode.You definitely should... it was a real life saver for me with the many different gigs I do. That and a SmartMedia card have made the ES exponentially more suitable for my live gigs. If you haven't, stop by the Motifator website and check out the forums for Motif-specific help. If you're looking to augment your Motif, then I'd avoid the other ROMpler workstation candidates (Fantom, Triton) in favour of some real analog... something like the Dave Smith Instruments Poly Evolver . If you're looking for something similar to stand in for the Motif, then yeah, the Fantom is a good candidate based on its simpler user interface and better sampling support. I'm not a big fan of the Triton series when lined up with the Roland and Yamaha offerings, but they're obviously popular. It'll all come down to your ears, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I second what Sven said. Adding another instrument simply doubles your learning curve (kinda). (I am not going to mention the Nord Stage for that reason.) The Motif may be confusing, but it has a logic to it. You are going to have to immerse yourself in it to find out. Break up your learning into little chunks. Hit a chunk a day. Use that learning in the next gig. You won't feel better about your instrument right away. But one day you will find that you love the nooks and crannies of the instrument that you disliked a short while ago. Because you would have made it your instrument. All the best, Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todreamnomore Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Good advice all around, folks. I appreciate it. I guess I will stick with my Motif for awhile longer. If I do decide to add another board to my live setup, it wouldn't be until early next year, anyway. Are there any cool new keyboards on the horizon that havn't been released yet? And second question: What do you guys think about the Yamaha MO series? And just out of curiosity, how does the origonal Morif (Non ES) compare to the new models? I never got the chance to try one. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKeys Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 One of the easiest ways to save your patches is the Favorites button. It will save something like 10 different patches. It is only a 2 step operation and I use it all the time. Except for the time when I didn't use it and lost all my patches but I must have done something to deserve that. Also as Sven said, the song mode will hold a lot more,over 100 I think. any questions on how to do these things have probably been addressed here. You might do a search for info. Also check out www.motifator.com as that is the motif forum. Welcome Jimmy Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT www.steveowensandsummertime.com www.jimmyweaver.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Originally posted by todreamnomore: Are there any cool new keyboards on the horizon that havn't been released yet? Do yourself a favour... don't go there. You'll see the term GAS bandied about here a fair bit. It stands for Gear Acquisition Syndrome, and it's basically a form of paralysis that attacks some keyboardists and all breeds of sheep, usually just before the NAMM and MusikMesse shows). What it results in (more often than not) is someone spending a lot of money on features that weren't in the previous generation of a product, and that they still aren't using... but hey, they've got the latest and greatest! Oh wait... what's coming up at the next show?!?!? And second question: What do you guys think about the Yamaha MO series? And just out of curiosity, how does the origonal Morif (Non ES) compare to the new models? I never got the chance to try one. From your perspective, owning/using a MotifES, the original Motif will be something of a disappointment; it'll sound flatter, less present than your current board. As for the MO6 and MO8, it's basically the baby brother to the MotifES... no aftertouch, less polyphony. No reason to consider it given your current gear, but a great board for the amateur or semi-pro player looking to add some great sounds to a nonexistent or less capable rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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