Synth purchase help :D

[Krigo]

Hey, I'm an aspiring Keyboardist who never really got around to getting amazing at keyboard. Fortunately, after listening to Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica and Cain's Offering I started to get into Keyboards again thanks to Mr Jens Johansson and Mikko Härkin and I wanted to pick up a Keyboard again. I narrowed my search down after discovering the Roland AX-7 which looks really cool as it's everything I'm after. (seriously love keytars)

We found the AX-7 for $600 at a little shop where I live and I'm going to be getting it for my birthday. However after discovering that it was discontinued many years ago and replaced by the AX-Synth (which looks amazing) I'm just curious, how different are the AX-7 and the AX-Synth?

Does anyone have any other suggestions for around that price range? The KORG-PS60 looks great as well

[RckteerGZ]

ok for this one i've got it

mainly; an Ax-7 is just a midi controller, which means, it does NOT have any sounds integrated; it means, you need another synth/rack/module connected via MIDI to operate it's sounds/parameters remotely with the AX-7.

Ax-Synth is a synthetiser, which means, it has some sort of sounds included already, and you save your time and money buying a master synth to be operated with the keytar. got it? any doubt i can resolve.

PS: i would highly recommend that if you buy the Ax-7 gear yourself with a really nice Laptop/external sound card with BUNCHES OF Sample Libraries/Vst's, it's way better, and easier to program. trust me, i use that with my band when it comes to LIVE performances, and it works fine (just that i don't have a keytar, i have a normal hardware controller)

[Plisken]

Ah for your first real keyboard I recommend a workstation of some sort. Korg or Roland. Maybe even Kurzweil.

If you never have had a real keyboard before then I recommend not getting into VSTi's first. It can be VERY complicated and there are a lot of things to think about with that kind of set up.

First of all whats your budget?

[RckteerGZ]

oh yeah, price ranges,i forgot to ask you that
you can be into some good korg/roland stuff for around 500/800 US$, some korg X50(tho i don't like it AT ALL)

for Vst's well, if you're not experienced with the usage of sound editing programs/vst hosts, then it can be a little complicated, you better search for a hardware workstation
i'd recommend aiming for a Roland's Fantom, it's high, but it's one good piece of plastic that will last for some years without being too outdated, plus it's easy to arrange and to edit

[Plisken]

PLEASE for the love of GOD (being Jens ) do NOT get the Korg X50!

So yeah, i dont know your budget. But if you have $3000 to spend on a keyboard I would say go for a Korg Kronos. I have one. its awesome! Worth the price I think. If you have around $2000 then I would say a Roland Fantom G6. Also have that. Awesome keyboard =). If you have around $1000 then there are a lot of options. You can get a used keyboard of the past generation keyboards from Korg or Roland. For example you could the Roland Fantom X6 for around $1000 from ebay and its a really awesome keyboard. I have the Fantom X8.

OR if you want you can get a Roland JV-1080 like jens. They go for around $150 these days. Awesome sound module, even still today compared to the newest stuff.

Other keyboards to check out. Korg TR61, Kurzweil PC361. Roland Fantom Xa. Korg Triton Extreme. Korg Karma.

What exactly are looking for in the keyboard you want? what kind of sounds? Do you wanna be able to program your own sounds? do you want to be able to sample? record audio with it? Sequencer? Play live with it?

Also have you ever played a Keytar? I have had both the AX7 and the AX-Synth and let me tell you it takes a while to get used. Even then its not often you can used both your hands on it. So depending on what kind of role your keyboards have in the music it might not be a good idea to have only a keytar.

[RckteerGZ]

very well said!
oh wait... you have a KRONOS? D: you bastard hahaha joke joke!

well that's all truth, it depends on your budget, it depends on what you really want! but it's heavily suggested that you search for an editable stuff (in case you want to do jens's lead sound, (which i FINALLY DID over 3 months of focusing)

JV1080 is recommended, but it would take time and patience to learn to program it, so i would recommend a 1-piece gear! and if you go there, PLEASE make sure your controller is not Korg, or you will have HARD TIME programming it (own experience),it's far better for you an M-audio's Axiom 61(i own like 3, 2 in painting process, and 1 original, the one i used for Children of Bodom gig)

Korg: please NEVER even think of going for the X50, NEVER; you can get better with Tritons, even TRINITY, M3, but some awesome Korg would be the Triton Extreme, heavily recommended, plus it's SEXY as hell, and very complete.

Roland: as Plisken said, there are tons of choices, and they're all good choices, Fantoms, Junos, whatever, there's a lot of options! and if you have tons of money you can buy their new Jupiter, which costs a shitload of money!

personally i'm aiming for Roland's V-synth, i'm in LOVE with it.

[Plisken]

Yeah Kronos is great =) I used to have a Roland V-Synth. I really miss it. It was great!

You were able to make jens lead in 3 months? can i listen to it? it took me almost 6 years to mimic it >.>

Here is a sample of it. Let me know what you think!

http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/5vudxk85x ... s_lead.mp3

Its not well played or anything. Also that solo I never learned it, all by ear so its not exactly the same but you can hear the lead well in it.

personally I just programmed the JV-1080 through the module itself. Controller I used was a DX7 like Jens >.> lol.

[Plisken]

I know you read here from time to time Jens! Let me know what you think too! here or pm or whatever! I dont use the lead in my bands music. Not sure if you (jens) would like people using the lead in there music when it sounds this close to yours... and I respect you wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to much to be an asshole and use it without knowing. Even though it took me 6 years to make >.>

[RckteerGZ]

oh well, your's is WAY MORE like it! mine is a little more like warman's lead tone, but it's the same root! i'll see if i can upload it somewhere!! holy molly! yours sounds pretty accurate! any external FX/pedals/whatever??!

gimme some page i can upload something fast and i'll record some lick right away so you can check it out!
i made it with some GREATLY AWESOME Vst!
what i can't achieve at all is his ''Choirs'' sound, i think it's some preset that sounds great hahaha!

oh yes, i know Jens observes this sector! and he need to answer!

*A wild Jens Johansson appeared*

[Krigo]

To make matters more clear: This is not my first keyboard, I've had a basic Yamaha keyboard since 2005, which I unfortunately don't have anymore.

My budget is around $600 or slightly higher, the Roland JV-1080 is tempting because I currently have $150 on me at the moment. But that means I'll also have to find a midi controller keyboard as well.

What I'm looking for a keyboard is something that I'm able to play live, perhaps not a keytar, perhaps a keytar. But it's something that I would be able to program and play live and to be able to change sound modules around easily while performing.

[RckteerGZ]

i'd say some Roland Juno, or Juno Di!you could achieve good stuff over some nice Roland! and it's exactly into that price range!

[Krigo]

Still looking but the Juno's around $1000 right now on ebay, it costs $400-700 just to get mods for it.

[AGAG]

Steal the first model of Kurzweil, NASSA made it.