(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best musical instrument keyboards & midi

Well, they're both certainly great looking. I think the MT-65 is one of the best looking keyboards ever made, and the MT-70 is no slouch either with its classy two tone scheme.

They're both pretty unique as far as Casiotones go, the MT-70 being covered here. Don't know if the MT-65 has a similar page. They both can sound pretty good, especially with external effects (your guitar pedals would be great for this), as demonstrated here and here. I used to have a Casio MT-100 that I had some fun with. Sounded more like the MT-65, but it was less interesting except for the EQ section.

But...

First off, even in immaculate condition I would personally never pay $50-60 for a Casiotone of any stripe, especially one with some parts missing. I got that MT-100 I mentioned for $4 and that's about how much it was worth. They're toy keyboards, not professional instruments (although many Casiotones have of course been used professionally).

Secondly, if you're trying to buy your first synth to learn synthesis, you're not going to be able to do that on one of those as they have almost no sound editing capabilities and the sounds you do get are very limited.

$50-60 isn't a whole lot of money for a synth but you could still do a lot better than a Casiotone. Here's some options that you might consider:

• Stylophone Gen X-1: At $70 it's just a tad more money than one of those Casiotones, but it's a full-featured pocket synth that sounds really good and will teach you the fundamentals of synthesis as it's totally editable. This is what I would personally recommend for you as it's a complete analog synth that lets you create your own sounds, is very easy to use, has a built-in delay, and is self-contained like the Casios with battery power, a speaker, and a touchstrip ribbon keyboard that you can play with no prior keyboard experience. I kind of want one myself!
  
  
• Casio SA46: At just $39 new ($49 for the slightly larger SA76), this Casio undercuts the price of the Casiotones you've been looking at and is a lot more modern, with 100 sounds to choose from instead of the handful you get in a Casiotone. And, like the Casiotones, a lot of them are nice, usable sounds. There are a few people on here and on the Facebook synth groups that have one and enjoy it. If you really want a small Casio, this would be the one I'd heartily recommend! As with the Stylophone, it's alluring enough that something I kind of want to buy for myself just for fun.
  
• Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators: These tiny calculator-like devices have lots of that lo-fi charm that people love about the Casiotones, but are enormously more flexible and lots of fun to jam on. There are a bunch of different options that all sound great, and they start at $49.
  
  Any of those three options would be a great fit for you in my opinion. However, if you can stretch your budget, there's a whole lot more fun gear you can consider.
  
  
• Akai MPK Mini Play: At $129 it's quite a bit more expensive than a $50 Casiotone, but it's worth all of those dollars as it's totally packed with features. It's a new model of one of the most popular MIDI controllers ever, but this one adds a suite of built-in synth and drum sounds to play on the keys and pads. Another one I really want myself!
  
• Korg Volca Keys: The Korg Volca series is one of the most popular points of entry for people new to synthesizers. They're small, they're fun, and they're packed with features. Any of them would be good for you, but the Keys is my favorite and the simplest for a beginner IMO. If you're more interested in making drum sounds, there's the Volca Beats, or the Volca Sample for sampling. And so on. A Volca Keys or Bass would serve you really well for a first synth. New the Volcas are $150-160, but they very frequently show up used for less than that. Here's a Keys for $115, and they sometimes show up for as low as $80. And that brings me to my final suggestion:
  
• Used synths! There are tons of great synths that you can get for very little money if you snoop around Reverb, eBay, Craigslist, and sometimes even the Facebook Marketplace. Volcas, Meeblip Triodes, Korg Electribes, Arturia Minibrutes, home keyboards with synthesis editing capabilities and many more.
  
  Finally, if after all of this you decide you actually really do want an old Casiotone, please don't get extorted into paying $50 or $60 for one. Check your local thrift shops and you'll likely find one for about as much as I paid for that MT-100 in a Goodwill. They're all pretty similar anyway.
  
  I hope any of this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

I can't answer your question, but I can give you general advice/opinions =) I recently bought a digital piano that I'm really happy with, so I'm excited to share my experience.

My situation:

• Living in an apartment, don't want to make noise
  
  
• Played piano from grade school through high school, so trained but nothing fancy/professional and hadn't played regularly in ~10 years
  
  
• Wanted to stay around/under $1000
  
  
• Just wanted to be able to play again on something that felt nice!
  
  
  I couldn't find anywhere local to try out different digital pianos in person that were in my price range, so that advice didn't apply to me. Everything on Craigslist seemed really old/outdated yet still overpriced. After reading a lot of reviews and forum posts, I landed on the Kawai ES100, available on Amazon for $800. I got the stand as well, which put the total over $900.
  
  I've been playing on it for 8 months now and I've loved it since day one! I think a big caveat here is that I actually haven't played on a digital piano since I was in grade school, so I really have nothing to compare to. I'm amazed at how much the weighted keys make it feel like a real piano. Other commenters are saying the feeling of an acoustic doesn't exist yet, so I guess the better thing to say is that the feeling of the keys lets me play like I'm used to and doesn't get in the way, and I don't really notice a difference.
  
  I'm sure there are a lot of nuances that I can't appreciate and are missing from the experience, but for what I want, which is to be able to sit down and enjoy playing whenever I want, it's perfect. If I had more experience with pianos, or if I had gone and tried out expensive digital pianos, I might not be so satisfied, but in this case I'm fine with an "ignorance is bliss" perspective since I can't afford the alternative =)
  
  The acoustic piano I had growing up wasn't the greatest, so I actually find myself enjoying the digital more than my old acoustic because the sound is so nice (the higher notes just sound so pretty and ethereal, it makes my playing sounds like it's on a professional soundtrack or something. I'm experiencing a whole new world of joy in playing!)
  
  One of the selling points for this model was that it doesn't have a ton of extra synth features or a fancy display, so ostensibly your money is going toward better piano quality. Not knowing anything about the speakers, I'd say they aren't super great. The lower register feels a little muffled, but great over headphones.
  
  Anyway, just thought I'd pass along my experience since it seems like we're in a similar situation, and I've been so satisfied with my purchase.

TL;DR: Okay this comment got very long. Basically, I think it's entirely accidental but people have a habit of going OTT when they're "into" an instrument, and forget what a beginner truly needs. I think there's a minimum requirement, but that it's achievable for something closer to $180-300

I see two clear sides to this.

Part of it is that Piano tends to be a predominantly middle class "hobby" (/pastime.... the fact "hobby" doesn't feel like the right word half proves my point), and therefore perceptions of "cheap" can vary quite wildly. That can throw out a feeling of snobbery, especially when anyone new to the instrument knows they can get a basic keyboard for $50. That's where the stuck up/snobby side comes in

There's also a point that most people who are here take the piano fairly seriously: and therefore have a different perception of what is needed for a "minimum acceptable" piano, because they themselves would find anything below that level completely useless. This is where the elitist side comes in to the perception

Similarly, there's a point that the more "into" piano, or anything else, you are, the higher your minimum accepable level is. I struggle to recommend cheap laptops for my family, because a $400 Dell from target could never cover my needs. We're all guilty of this sometimes: because we've invested so much time and effort into something that our expectations are far higher and we can find it difficult to recognise that others don't have very advanced requirements.

On the other hand, there is a clear minimum level (touch sensitive keys) below which many strongly feel that you are no longer playing the Piano, but are instead using a basic synthesiser with the notes arranged in the same way as the piano. I think we all agree that a basic Casio keyboard doesn't allow you to learn how to play staccato, or even to understand the difference between playing piano and forte. Therefore, there is a basic requirement that isn't covered by cheap keyboards.

It's not that people are being elitist in saying "Look, if you want to be able to learn on this keyboard and then transfer the skills to a piano, you really need weighted, hammer action (or at least touch sensitive) keys", it's that.... well, they're right. If you play a keyboard without touch sensitive keys, at an absolute minimum, you can't learn many of the skills that go beyond plinking out a basic melody.

It's a tricky one, balancing the two, and I feel the FAQ definitely strikes the wrong balance. It aims too much for "assuming you can already play and are happy to invest heavily", rather than "You've got an interest and want something that you can learn on from scratch"

Particularly with this line, which definitely lends itself to the "snobby and elitist" thing. The line in question is linked to <$500 keyboards

> Keyboards in this price range are more toys than they are instruments.

So the first thing I'd ask here is that if <$500 gets you a toy rather than an instrument, we have two things to ask.

1. What is the true minimum needed?
   
2. How much is the cheapest instrument that reasonably covers the above.
   
   While we see lots of "You need midi", "You need voices" nonsense banded around, I think we can sensibly limit the "needed" down to:
   
   

• Touch sensitive keys: Mandatory
  
• 88 keys: debatable
  
• Semi-weighted or weighted keys: debatable
  
  Personally I'd say that for a true beginner on a tight budget, weighted keys are a nice to have, but not a deal breaker. 88 keys, similarly, is nice... but how many beginner or even intermediate level songs use the 1st and 7th octaves? Anything over 60 keys, if we're honest, is enough to cover the 5 octaves used in most music.
  
  So we're looking at 60+ keys and touch sensitivity, as being the "true minimum". With 88 keys, weighted or hammer action etc being "nice to have". So how much is one of those?
  
  Here's one for $300 that's got graded, hammer action keys. So we're already at 60% of the $500 mark in my first search, hitting both my "necessary" and ll three of my "nice to have" measures.
  
  Is it an incredible piano? No idea, I've never tried it. But it certainly looks good enough to learn on, as far as I can see.
  
  And here's one for $180 that lacks the hammer action and fully weighted keys, but still has 88 keys, and is touch sensitive and semi-weighted. Would anyone say that a beginner couldn't genuinely start to learn with this instrument?
  
  I do see the point that there's an element of "buy right or buy twice" here, that buying a $700 instrument that will last you well until you're proficient, rather than a $300 beginner instrument and upgrading later, will actually save you money in the long run... but we have to remember that this sub has a confirmation bias. By being here, you instantly belong to the "didn't give up on Piano" club. For everyone in this sub, there are others who wasted $300, never mind $700.
  
  So yeah, I'd say that we really just need to re-define the "minimum" and "recommended" levels, find the right instrument for those levels, and then discuss them sensibly
  
  There's nothing wrong with saying "This is the basic piano that's worth having at $180" (or whatever) "And here's a better one for $300 that will last you beyond beginner, and a $600 one that's good enough for anybody to keep at home" or whatever.
  
  It's just the re-adjustment at the bottom end that's needed. Just because I've got a $1400 Yamaha Arius that's practically an Acoustic replacement, doesn't mean that's suitable for a beginner on a budget. Let's try to give the best advice we can, regardless of situation.
  
  Of course, I accept that others may think that those pianos I've linked aren't worth learning on: I'd welcome any responses justifying that (not in a "Defend yourself!" way, but for genuine discussion)

Welcome to the sub! I'm sure you'll really enjoy yourself here! Everybody is so nice.

As for the contest, I like to sew, doodle, and find other crafty things to try when I feel creative. I even took a lost wax casting class and made some pendants and rings! I have been doing these things since I was a kid and it helps to unwind me. I made a silly monster for my dad for Christmas and this lovey bear for my grandma just because I had been wanting to make her something.

I do like to do other creative things like sing, play music, and make up fun stories.

If I were to be chosen, I would love to have a copy of My Neighbor Totoro to inspire creativity in drawing and story creation

or a Klingon translation ring to inspire secret messages between friends

or a Kalimba to inspire musical fun!

(If I could choose a favorite, it would be Totoro.)

Thank you very much for the contest and I hope you have fun browsing the forum and making new friends!

I originally started producing, barely haha. Downloaded some music software, and learned the ins and outs of it. Wasn't the best software by no means. But you soon get a handle of how music is supposed to be structured. Got introduced to people like Deadmau5, Adventure Club, Avicii, Daft Punk, Nero, and Flux Pavilion at somewhat of an early age. though it was 2007 when I found out about this music, it was basically still underground from where I live. Then around junior year of high school I was bored and looked up apps on my phone. Turned out there was a DJ app, go figure. Now don't hate people, I only used it to keep me entertained. For some reason though I had a big urge to do my own research. Then I would constantly look up stuff music related. Watch documentaries, YouTube videos, tutorials, you name it. I went head first into the culture and loved every bit of it. DJing fascinates me because there is so much potential for skill in it. The complete unknowing always believe that its just a big iTunes playlist equipment, but there is far more to it.
After that I bought my first set of turntables.

Then I got better headphones, to adding stuff like this bad boy! Also this too!

Being used to controllers and on a budget, I upgraded to this I personally wouldn't recommend it because it lags, and makes my computer run terrible at times. Keep in mind that I do have a solid laptop.

And now I've saved up and will be adding this to my collection.

It's all how you want to get started. Keep in mind with my first turntables I was able to easily do house parties and keep it simple with it. With my second one I soon started doing bigger house parties as well as doing events, and using speakers that only used XLR cables made me have to upgrade. Now the newest one is basically one of the best before going full CDJs. I get several events now and having the amount of stuff those turntables have is something that I need. Keep in mind I love to mix live, and play fully house, dubstep, and trap.

So it's up to you man, if you love music, love remixing it, and love the culture, I would say go for it. Now don't go full blast just yet. Always good to start small then work your way up.

This promotion doesn't have a direct link, so I linked an item with a promotion link.

I noticed this earlier today and wanted to make sure that everyone was informed. Amazon hasn't made any public releases for this, it only shows up on specific items, and the promotion text is badly placed.

Amazon Harmony is a recent promotion for musical instruments. Certain high value items that are sold by Amazon have this promotion text:

>Speak with an Amazon Harmony associate for discount codes and to learn more. Call me

If you click the link, you can receive a call from Amazon. If you ask them for the Amazon Harmony discount, they'll ask you for some information and then read you a code to enter at checkout. They can also e-mail the code to you.

Here are the details:

• The link only shows up on certain higher value items. However, the code works on almost every musical instrument. It doesn't have to be used on a specific item.
  
• The item has to be directly from Amazon. It doesn't work for items that are fulfilled by Amazon.
  
• The promotion value changes weekly. The highest value is 20%. The lowest value is 5%. The current value is 15%.
  
• The code is unique and saved when used. The expiry date is longer than seven days.
  
• The code has no limit for qualifying items. It works on this piano.
  
• The code stacks with other coupons or promotions. It stacks with earlier codes.
  
• The code works for all qualifying items at checkout. However, you can request more codes from Amazon rather than placing one large order.
  
• The code works for most microphones. Microphones are often categorized as musical instruments.
  
• The code doesn't work for most headphones, headsets, monitors or amplifiers. It does work on some headphones like the Sennheiser HD 650. It's unlikely to work for any item that doesn't show up for a "Musical Instrument" search.

Well, on a budget, I see three digital pianos that stand out. The Yamaha P-115, the Kawai ES100 and the Roland F-20. They have around the same specs. The differences are the number of voices, styles, speakers and polyphony and MIDI support and most importantly, Tone. They all support the three pedal assemblies sold separately and come with one. Also stay away from Casio. Their action and Tone are inferior.

Voices and Styles don't matter if you are playing the piano because a piano is not a keyboard.

As for Speakers, the Yamaha and Kawai have 2 7W speakers and the Roland has 2 6W speakers. This means the Yamaha and Kawai will probably be louder and will sound possibly better. I've only compared the higher end Yamahas and Kawais and not these particular models but i find their digital piano sound quite comparable. This will not matter if you practice with headphones or are planning to buy a separate keyboard amp which can go from an extra 100 to 300 dollars.

Polyphony in a nutshell is the number of keys you can press simultaneously that will be played through the speakers. The Kawai and the Yamaha are 192 while the Roland is at 128 but this shouldn't matter. 128 is for most people much more than needed.

The Kawai has a MIDI input and output port for digital recording as well as the usual headphone ports. The Roland has a USB port for digital recording and can connect to a computer. The Yamaha has just a USB to host connector which can record MIDI to your PC but no MIDI in unlike the other two. Here, I like the Rolands features the most and the Yamahas the least. None of this will matter if she records via AUX and MIDI does not matter to her.

Now Tone. I find Yamaha and Kawai to be very similar on tone and I prefer Roland to them. It sounds warmer to me which I like. Get your girlfriend to try one/any digital piano from each company to see which she prefers.

Overall, Id get the Roland because its more or less equal to the Kawai and the Yamaha but the 100 bucks more than the Yamaha gets me a tone I prefer. Then I'd get the Kawai because of MIDI IN/OUT. Else, I would have gotten the Yamaha. But the Yamaha is the cheapest and only loses features you possibly may not care about and has a very nice Tone too.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-P115B-Digital-Piano/dp/B00UHBGE7A?ie=UTF8&keywords=yamaha%20p115&qid=1465281078&ref_=sr_1_1&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Kawai-ES100-88-key-Digital-Speakers/dp/B00GXH4XVQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=kawai%20es100&qid=1465281051&ref_=sr_1_1&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Roland-F-20-CB-F-20-Digital-Piano/dp/B00FB2THIS?ie=UTF8&keywords=roland%20f%2020&qid=1465282786&ref_=sr_1_1&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-1

Here are the Kawai and the Yamaha with the furniture stand, the furniture bench and the three pedals in a combo. I recommend you get one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Kawai-Portable-Digital-COMPLETE-BUNDLE/dp/B01BFIRNOG?ie=UTF8&keywords=kawai%20digital%20piano&qid=1465283255&ref_=sr_1_8&refinements=p_36%3A-100000%2Cp_n_condition-type%3A404228011&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-8

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-P-115-Digital-Furniture-Style-Instructional-Polishing/dp/B00UOEBXBC?ie=UTF8&keywords=yamaha%20115&qid=1465283364&ref_=sr_1_4&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-4

And here are some good Keyboard amplifier to have a better and louder sound

http://www.amazon.com/Peavey-KB-20W-Keyboard-Amp/dp/B004LRP56W?ie=UTF8&keywords=keyboard%20amplifier&qid=1465283594&ref_=sr_1_2&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-K900FX-BEHRINGER-ULTRATONE/dp/B000LQ29XE?ie=UTF8&keywords=keyboard%20amplifier&qid=1465283594&ref_=sr_1_3&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-3

I just purchased my first keyboard a few days ago.
After talking to a lot of people and researching what I needed, I went with this.

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-CAS-PX150-BK-Tri-Sensor/dp/B0094KNESM

There are some keyboards that are 50-100, but the extra features you get with this one make it worth it.

I love it so far, sounds and feels great.

If you're in Canada it's a little more expensive. I got mine from best buy for 599 inc. a wooden stand.

edit: I think almost any modern electronic keyboard has a headphone jack, this one does as well as the ability to connect to your computer through usb for midi control and to upload different songs to play along with.

I had it narrowed down to three, I was also looking at.
http://www.amazon.com/Korg-SP170s-88-Key-Digital-Piano/dp/B004M92J0O
and
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Series-P35B-88-Key-Digital/dp/B009CN8WZ6

Guitars

• Ibanez AEG10E-BK Acoustic Electric Guitar - for acoustic guitar recordings and live acoustic sets
  
  
• Ibanez GRX20Z Electric guitar - for darker electric guitar recordings
  
  
• Fender Squier Telecaster - Electric guitar - for brighter, more twee type guitar recordings (such as trixie) and used for seven live performances of "The Wedding Singer" the musical
  
  
• 1970's Montaya Les Paul Knockoff - electric guitar - 1970's korean les paul knockoff. For live shows, not recording.
  
  
• Washburn traveller - lap guitar - tuned almost like a mountain dulicmer. not for recording; used as a custom lap guitar, a creation of my own.
  
  
• Washburn bass xb100 - bass guitar, used for recording. Mine has a pinkie pie sticker
  
  
• Two "retired" electric guitars, used for parts
  
  
• A kid's acoustic guitar, tuned up to mimic a ukelele sound.
  
  Pianos
  
  
• Yamaha Portable Grand NP-30 - Main piano used for composing and recording piano sounds, and occasionally used for string and vibraphone synth.
  
  
• Casio CTK-2080 - Midi controller, used for recording and controlling synths
  
  Recording Interfaces
  
  
• Alesis i02 - used for recording on my main computer. Channel one is switched between the Yamaha piano and the guitars, and channel two is always the microphone for recording quick vocal demos
  
  
• Tascam US800 - in the other room, with my soundbooth, I use this for recording the final vocal tracks on each song, and also for recording live drums, and live bands, due to the extra space in the room and the extra audio inputs
  
  
• Optimus stereo disco mixer ssm50 - Circa 1980 something. Used for underground garage punk festivals and in recording as a better mic gain control than the i02.
  
  Microphones
  
  
• AudioSpectrum AS-420 - decent mic. I use it to record demo vocals and backup vocals where the quality needn't be the best.
  
  
• Radioshack Brand Super-Cardioid Dynamic Mic - my main vocal mic, located in my soundbooth. I use this for most lead vocal recordings, with some notable exceptions.
  
  
• Samson C01U - great little mic used for recording video voice overs, and the main vocals on a few songs I did not expect to become popular (see: set fire to the con)
  
  That should be about it! If you're curious about anything else, let me know! I record all of my music in garageband, and with a few exceptions (see: Trixie), I master the tracks in Adobe Soundbooth.
  
  EDIT: Fun fact! I wrote this list while TIPSY!

>I always though of piano lessons as incredible fun, or - in English English - a “hobby”. Perhaps this explains why educators of music always disliked me.

I started off playing "for fun." I was switched into the RCM a few months later because they thought I had real potential.

It's not because piano stopped being fun - it's just more refined. Private tutors will hone in on your weaknesses and spend double the time to get you to really get good and you can tell by the performance.

When I started taking private lessons to actually level up and not just tinker, it made my songs/repertoire sound more embellished.

>If it helps most of the piano students at a b.mus piano program I know all - secretly - have a 600$ ish digital piano at home/dorm. So with your background try that.

Gotcha. Good to know.

So I assume something like this:

https://www.amazon.ca/Alesis-Recital-Pro-Built-Educational/dp/B072FKLXRB/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=digital+piano+88+keys&qid=1565564867&s=gateway&sr=8-6

... isn't going to be anywhere near as good in quality. I'm not attempting to take piano seriously anymore - due to lack of time/energy restraints - but I am also concerned my background will make me feel like the keys are cheap.

>They feel like a new Steinway Essex brand piano, or lower priced Yamaha acoustic - all of which are better than my college ‘s practice pianos

Not familiar with the Steinway Essex brand, just Yamaha. The FP10/40/50 (can't remember the exact model number) feels like an acoustic. Someone recommended it earlier in the thread and it's quite pricy! Still, wonder if it's worth the value - after all, wouldn't it still be digital? :)

It seems like Casio WK500 would be something to get: it allows for creation of custom accompaniment, has a built-in sampler and a PA system (line - in), SD card slot and MIDI. I didn't get much time to play with it, but I am considering buying it for myself for quick drafts. It costs around $300.

As for the software - Energy XT 2.5 is a nice simple sequencer, and Ableton Live has an interface which explains where to click to do various things (but it might be an overkill).

In any case, you can get a free VST host and some free synths (my favourite being Superwave P8, MinimogueVA,Polyvoks station) - find all of them on KVR Audio Forums (in case you don't know, VST is a standard for virtual instruments, aka a way to get amazing sounds out of the computer).

You will also need a good audio interface for low latency (othewise the synths will be unplayable). You need one with ASIO support; use this google query to find one (Behringer ones are cheap and decent for a start).

I bought my sister this keyboard, although I got it at a discounted price. The reason I got her this keyboard is because it is a student edition, meaning that it has a digital display which shows which keys you hit and the notes associated with each key. It only has 61 keys, but that's all you'll need to start off with. This keyboard also features what the description calls "touch sensitive keys". That means that if you hit a key softly, it plays softly, and if you hit the key hard it plays the note loud.

There are other models and brands similar to this keyboard, but the main things you want in a keyboard include:

• Full sized keys: some keyboards, and especially a lot of midi keyboards, have small keys. Make sure the keys are full scale.
  
• Touch-Sensitive or Weighted Keys: This emulates a piano, where it makes the volume softer or louder depending on how hard you hit the key. Without this feature, you could get used to banging on the keyboard or playing too softly. It's good to get in the habit of controlling your volume.
  
• Sustain Pedal: You may could do without it to begin with, but sooner or later you won't want your music to sound choppy, but instead flow smoothly and continuously when desired.
  
  These are the main features you'll want in a keyboard. The goal, for buying a keyboard, is to get used to playing keyboard instruments until you can afford to buy a piano or electronic piano.
  
  I would suggest googling something like "Beginner's Guide to Buying Keyboards". There should be some comparisons online for which are the most economical, and which provide the best bang for your buck. I'm not the right person to ask about electronic learning and plugging your keyboard into your computer. I'm a traditionalist, and have never really even messed with all of that.

Try to find some used pianos.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Pianos.gc#narrowSideBar

and also your local craigslist/letgo/offerup

also on amazon:

• Alesis Recital Pro ~$270 with amazon harmony discount + prime store 10% cash back
  
  >* https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FKLXRB/
  
  
  
• Yamaha P45/P71 (same thing but 71 is cheaper) and it can be midi compatiable if you download the drivers: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/pianos/p_series/p-45/downloads.html
  
  It comes out to $330, maybe 380 with tax.
  
  
  >* https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Weighted-Digital-Sustain-Amazon-Exclusive/dp/B01LY8OUQW
  
  
  
• Casio Privia PX-160, about $450 total with prime card cashback + harmony discount
  
  >* https://www.amazon.com/Casio-Privia-PX160BK-88-Key-Digital/dp/B0100RBPTC/r
  
  
  For the Prime Store Cash back you need to get the amazon store card (a credit card, you recieve 5% back on all amazon purchases, but sometimes, like for instruments you can recieve 10% back.) and for the Harmony discount you go to the product page and press the call me button and ask for the Harmony promo code. The %of the code varies between 5% to 18% so in total you can save 15% to 28%

Hi! Looks like the perfect place to ask for recommendations.

I'm looking for a small keyboard and I'm a bit lost. My goal is to have something to visualize music theory on, try out some chords progressions and simple melodies, and maybe work the synchronization between the two hands. I'm a guitar player ( trying to learn theory) and I think that could be great to practice some concepts.

Looking at forums, they say 61keys is the minimum to learn piano. But I'd like a smaller keyboard, 60cm length or something, something easy to just sit on my bed or in front of my computer and try out things. What is the minimum amount of keys you'd recommend? Is 37 keys enough to work on synchronization between hands? I saw this one and the size looks nice ( maybe something cheaper though).

I think having built-in sounds would be nice, since having to plug a midi keyboard to my computer will stop me from playing sometimes. However I don't need 150+ sounds, with fancy ding-ding sounds. Just 3-4 nice sounds will be enough. Looks like the one I mentionned previously has that. But it's a bit expensive for me to start on.

Any suggestions?

Oh that's fine, but you can go in to feel the keyboard see which one is good for you and then buy it online later. They can be surprisingly very different (mainly weighted keyboards). Normally I wouldn't suggest doing that much for a beginner piano, but you're talking about spending $300. What ever you do buy with that amount could last you a good amount of time.

This is what I got (it's what my first teacher used for his class) after I became really passionate about playing.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-CP33-Stage-Piano/dp/B000TG619O

Was about $500 used.

Had it for about 2-3 years now and the only "upgrade" (obviously this is very opinion based) I could make would to be a real piano. Like someone said before, you really shouldn't spend that much to start out with, but if you do, there are choices that can last you a really long amount of time if you choose carefully.

This one is $138.04 used but good condition on amazon lights up and is midi compliant http://smile.amazon.com/Casio-LK165-Lighted-Keyboard-Headphones/dp/B005N4N2GW/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1405829989&sr=8-7&keywords=piano+

This one has a usb port but I'm not sure if it works the same way as midi...http://smile.amazon.com/Yamaha-YPT-240-Premium-Keyboard-Headphones/dp/B00F07YC4S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1405829989&sr=8-4&keywords=piano+keyboard

If you can deal without the midi and specialty connections and functions (like me. I just stick my laptop on my keyboard and follow with youtube tutorials of songs) there are some good ones on there for under $100 that will work for a general player. This is the one I have and it works like a gem http://smile.amazon.com/Huntington-KB61-Portable-Electronic-Keyboard/dp/B005JK63K2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1405829989&sr=8-8&keywords=piano+keyboard. Basic but lots of sounds and good portability.

I'm willing to help pitch in a little if your ending price for the one you want is a little over $100.

I'm a curious newb that's been doing my best to soak up as much information as possible researching about synths and keyboards. A lot of this new jargon has been challenging to say the least. I have a question and I suppose I could've made a new thread but I feel like it's a dumb question so didn't want to draw too much attention.

I know it may not be fiscally or practically sensible but lets say that I want to get a Yamaha Reface CP as a mostly on-the-go-jam instrument but I also want to learn how to play keyboard in my room; so I decide that I want to have a master keyboard (lets say something with 49-88 semi-weighted keys w/ touch response) to play the Reface CP. What are my options? What constitutes as a master keyboard?

If I understand my research correctly, a MIDI keyboard controller with a MIDI dim (such as the Alesis Q61) plugged into the Reface CP won't act as Master.

I've seen discussions that mention using a powered MIDI USB host (such as a Hobbytronics MIDI Host) to make digital piano/keyboards with USB MIDI act as Master to the Reface CP but I don't understand which part of that equation makes that possible. Is it the fact that the digital piano has onboard sound or is the powered MIDI host playing some larger role besides merely extending the MIDI out signal from USB to MIDI dim?

Or to put it another way, would using a MIDI host with a MIDI keyboard controller (equipped with either USB or MIDI dim out) cause it to act as Master to the Reface CP when all plugged in together? This is of course assuming all of the components are compliant/compatible.

My instinct is that the device intended to act as Master always needs to have onboard sound and I'm letting the stuff I read about extenders over-complicate what is admittedly a pretty convoluted idea to begin with.

I love the melodica idea! Definitely this. I play lots and lots of instruments, and this is one of my favorites to just noodle around on - it's so easy to dismiss it as a toy, but it's really capable of a lot of expression, and even virtuosity if you work at it.

edit: This is the one I play: http://amzn.com/B000Y7LVES

Okay great. In that case I definitely recommend this Yamaha keyboard. It's the current version of the model I had when I was in college.

It's great for the uses you described, plus it'll cover just about anything you could possibly come across as a jazz trumpet undergrad: it can be used as a midi keyboard, headphone jack for personal practice in your dorm, and it can even be used for performing (in a pinch). Amazon has it for $180.

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-WK-500-Personal-Keyboard-Connection/dp/B001FSJC2S

I have a used one of these...it's terribly improbable but if you happen to be in the houston area I would be happy to work with you. It has been sitting unused for a while as I haven't really been motivated to play it.

As far as finding one with weighted keys that's not too expensive will probably be tough as it's usually only the higher end ones that do. What is too expensive for you. Found what looks like a good one but it's about 400. Maybe watch for one on craigslist or something?

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-CDP-100-88-Note-Weighted-Digital/dp/B000GAP3J2

Welcome Ringo!

This is probably the coolest cheap(ish) thing in my wish list.

Of course, my view may be skewed by my love of playing music.

• Budget - Budget is flexible, looking in the ~$150, don't mind going all the way up to $400 if you think it's worth it
  
• Source - Computer and Digital Piano
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Don't really need any isolation, will be using 99% in quite office
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - I prefer full sized since I tend to wear my headphones for 8+ hours a day
  
• Preferred tonal balance - I haven't really experimented enough to know if I like a specific type, so probably just an overall balanced tone.
  
• Past headphones - Currently using a pair of Corsair 1500s, I like that they work and give me the directional sound that I need :p
  
• Preferred Music - I listen to a lot of rap sung to dubstep beats
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up I'd like to have just a more high quality sound experience, and since my current headphones are USB I can't use them with my Digital Piano unless I do some complicated setup
  
• Note: I do not have a sound card in my PC, so I am also looking at getting an amp/DAC, suggestions on that would also be appreciated

So, I ordered two instruments online and they finally got here. I ordered a mini Stylophone and a Otamatone. They are pretty awesome and hilarious. I've also learned only musical nerds still play the stylophone because there are not too many sites that have notes up for songs, guess I'll have to go through trial and error.

Nah. If you going down the try first route, you are better off with full size keyboards with velocity sensitive keys.

Something like this. Its more expensive than the casio mini keyboard, but honestly, that feels and looks like a toddler plaything.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-PSRE-343-61-Key-Portable-Keyboard/dp/B00CGDJFPA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1468758565&sr=1-1&keywords=psr+e343

This might be up your alley in that case, or, if you want to spend a little more money, this one give you some extra keys to play with.

This is just some Yamaha stuff I found cause I'm a huge fan of their stuff. Nothing from them has failed me yet! I'm sure if you poke around some more you can find something. Amazon search engine is your friend.

> can negotiate substantially better pricing from the supplier.

Not trying to be argumentative but the fact that amazon can store and ship a grand piano via prime tells me that concrete and other heavy items aren't too far fetched. I honestly thing that brick and mortar stores only advantage is that you can get those heavy items simply by driving out and picking them up yourself.

Looks like some sort of LED indicator plug.

all I can find similar are these or a bunch of patch cables that have LEDs in them which is also pretty neat.

It is a question of quality. A melodica can be created as a toy, or as an instrument. Kind of like the difference between $.99 harmonica toys and actual instrument harmonicas.

An instrument melodica is actually harder to find than you'd think.
Look for well known brands of actual instrument companies.

Like this!

Not this.

Ones that complete a bent circuit are new to me and I don't know if they're the same, but people have made plugs that look like this for Eurorack as an indicator for a jack's output, particularly with bipolar LEDs for positive and negative voltages.

[Singles] (http://division-6.com/shop/Jacklight-3.5mm-Red-Blue-Test-LED.html)

[5x] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01FWQ8RKQ/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all)

[DIY] (https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83999)

I don't exactly need them as I have a mini oscilloscope but I'd like to make some for output jacks with normalled connections when I want to break them. Anyway here, perhaps just the connection to ground through the LED is all the bend needs.

This synth-action piano from Alesis fits your budget - with room for a cheap multi-effect pedal on top. (A multiFX is probably the quickest way of turning five relatively undistinguished sounds into something a bit more unique. Within your budget, these kinds of GM boxes are your alternative for expanding your palette in a relatively portable way, perhaps combined with a slightly cheaper dumb keyboard like the Keystation 88 mk2; but chances are you'd still want the multiFX, and that quickly turns into Too Many Boxes...)

edit: If you can stand to lose an octave, Casio do a few 76-key keyboards (the WK245 is $199) - but at least one commenter complains that the black keys are too thin, so maybe try one first if you can. That might be your best option for something you can sling under your arm and vamp on with a few friends.

I think you might find the following more fun in the inspiration department. I have a roland sh 201 which is analog modeling like the mircro korg and i have alot of fun with it but don't end up recording with it.

http://www.amazon.com/Korg-Volca-Keys-Analog-Synthesizer/dp/B00CAKSVTU/


http://www.amazon.com/Korg-MONOTRONDUO-Oscillator-Analog-Synthesizer/dp/B00684KFFW/


http://www.amazon.com/Korg-Kaossilator-Dynamic-Synthesizer-Recorder/dp/B00B5S93OK

http://www.amazon.com/Korg-Volca-Bass-Analog-Machine/dp/B00CAKQCHS/


http://www.amazon.com/Korg-KAOSS-Dynamic-Effects-Sampler/dp/B00B5SDFRG/

They're actually really fun to play with.

$30 Otamatone

I have the Casio SA76. It's a pretty cool little travel practice board. 44 keys, a lot of different sounds, and it's $50. Battery or ac power.
https://www.amazon.com/Casio-SA76-mini-Sized-Tones/dp/B00416WHV4

I was looking at the P155 and found the Yamaha CP33 I think it's a much better digital (although a stage piano). Have you gone to Youtube and looked up Kraft Music's video reviews? Those are really well done and show you the features in action.

$286 to be precise, but still good imo.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-REFACE-DX-Portable-Synthesizer/dp/B010UXJZWA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=reface+dx&qid=1569531865&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/REFACE-CS-Portable-Modeling-Synthesizer/dp/B010UXJXWC/ref=pd_cp_267_1/131-4624601-0474465?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B010UXJXWC&pd_rd_r=f0afa203-b148-4008-829e-37c8ed85b9de&pd_rd_w=FrqbX&pd_rd_wg=WGXdB&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=29AHJDDZH3CMBN4G0A7X&psc=1&refRID=29AHJDDZH3CMBN4G0A7X

Ah yeah I was, I tried not staring directly at the image for too long, I didn't want to revive them and have them come through my screen. My question still stands though here is a nice keyboard on amazon for 25$(Used) http://www.amazon.com/Huntington-KB61-Portable-Electronic-Keyboard/dp/B005JK63K2/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1372620971&sr=8-19&keywords=keyboard

I recommend:

Mouse - Cheap and deals on buying multiple.

Keyboard - Reviewed really well and great for beginners but not the cheapest.

This was posted into the comments of a post asking the same thing from u/Mr_Liney97 (Everyone say "Thank you Mr. Liney!")

The two ROLI bags belong to the ROLI Seaboard Rise. Awesome, but pricey.
https://www.amazon.com/ROLI-Seaboard-RISE-25-Controller/dp/B0159ZO4U2?tag=equipboard-proof-20&psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0159ZO4U2

The small item to the left of it is a Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer.
https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Engineering-002-AS-001-OP-1-Synthesizer/dp/B00CXSJUZS?tag=equipboard-20&psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00CXSJUZS

To the left of it is a audio interface, Scarlett. To me it looks like a 2i2.
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA

Below that is the Arturia BeatStep Pro.
https://www.amazon.com/Arturia-BeatStep-Pro-Controller-Sequencer/dp/B00V5BIKNW?tag=equipboard-20&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00V5BIKNW

Below the ROLI bags is the Apogee Quartet Audio Interface
https://www.amazon.com/Apogee-Quartet-Audio-Interface-iPad/dp/B009HPDNKS?tag=equipboard-20&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B009HPDNKS

And to the left of that is the Yamaha Reface DX
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-REFACE-DX-Portable-Synthesizer/dp/B010UXJZWA

I don't know what the other things are, but I hope that I helped

Epic win https://www.amazon.de/Elektronisches-Musikinstrument-Klangspielzeug-Otamatone-Schwarz-Black-Japanese-Normal/dp/B002IGTP00/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=otamatone&qid=1555089901&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Well, I have this Digital Piano:

http://www.amazon.com/Korg-SP170s-88-Key-Digital-Piano/dp/B004M92J0O

It's not exactly light weight, but if I wanted to I could easily move it from room to room. Could you explain to me what you mean by the difference between keyboard and digital piano?

Kind of looks like these.

I've found one pretty cheap, if you're interested

The two ROLI bags belong to the ROLI Seaboard Rise. Awesome, but pricey.
https://www.amazon.com/ROLI-Seaboard-RISE-25-Controller/dp/B0159ZO4U2?tag=equipboard-proof-20&psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0159ZO4U2

The small item to the left of it is a Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer.
https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Engineering-002-AS-001-OP-1-Synthesizer/dp/B00CXSJUZS?tag=equipboard-20&psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00CXSJUZS

To the left of it is a audio interface, Scarlett. To me it looks like a 2i2.
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA

Below that is the Arturia BeatStep Pro.
https://www.amazon.com/Arturia-BeatStep-Pro-Controller-Sequencer/dp/B00V5BIKNW?tag=equipboard-20&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00V5BIKNW

Below the ROLI bags is the Apogee Quartet Audio Interface
https://www.amazon.com/Apogee-Quartet-Audio-Interface-iPad/dp/B009HPDNKS?tag=equipboard-20&SubscriptionId=AKIAJNPAI32UDCKLKDGA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B009HPDNKS

And to the left of that is the Yamaha Reface DX
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-REFACE-DX-Portable-Synthesizer/dp/B010UXJZWA

I don't know what the other things are, but I hope that I helped

Thank you Koran for the timely response. I was looking at this 500 dollar one I saw posted in the FAQ http://www.amazon.com/Korg-SP170s-88-Key-Digital-Piano/dp/B004M92J0O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406221916&sr=8-1&keywords=korg+sp170 would this be a good one to get her?

https://www.amazon.com/Casio-WK245-76-Key-Sensitive-Keyboard/dp/B00MJ83QZW
What about something like this?

Looks like a Yamaha Reface DX

There's lots of fun, not super expensive musical toys out there he might be into - Otamatone, buddha machine, theremin kit, etc.

For the books angle, this is awesome

I run an Akai LPD8 alongside my Numark MTP. I use the top row as a drum machine and the bottom row for other samples. I got extremely lucky and picked one up used from a local Guitar Center for $15, I just had to get a new mini-USB cable for it.

It's not a MIDI controller, but I also use a Korg KP3 for effects.

I really hoped not to have to make the Obamaphone joke but whomp, there it is.

I can recommend the Yamaha PortableGrand NP30 that's $299 but only 76 keys.

Zoom MS-70CDR + Casio SA76 + Cheetos + Root beer + hosa 1/4" - 1/8" cable= $186 plus shipping and handling. Basically an M-1 but with cheetos and rootbeer.

https://www.amazon.com/Maywa-Denki-Otamatone-Melody-Instrument/dp/B004B87GQI

That's the off-brand one, but the top-of-the-line consumer-grade one is still just $50: https://www.amazon.com/Otamatone-from-Maywa-Denki-Black/dp/B002IGTP00

A classic instrument, the otamatone! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IGTP00/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_B4f9BbAZ0MY5D

Here you go: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IGTP00/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_uOGIxbD9K8ZQ8

Did she ask for a Kaoss Pad specifically?

Trying to get my first piano have the option between the Alesis Recital 88 keys or Casio WK-245 ?

https://www.amazon.com/Maywa-Denki-Electronic-Instrument-Synthesizer/dp/B002IGTP00/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=Cj0KCQiAiNnuBRD3ARIsAM8Kmlv9xoEmMWQhVy-ZiSKP8JUwHlMlhGIcXlGXPVO16bqdO8zhBodbAnMaAmHYEALw_wcB&hvadid=178396518628&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9013250&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9775043141420030543&hvtargid=kwd-23231419645&hydadcr=25909_9922155&keywords=otomotone&qid=1574383945&sr=8-1

The Casio WK-500 is a decent starter for the price:
http://www.casio.com/products/Musical_Instruments/Workstation/WK-500/

About $250 street:
http://www.provantage.com/casio-wk500~7CASS1M5.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Casio-WK500-Personal-Keyboard-Connection/dp/B001FSJC2S

Here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/Otamatone-from-Maywa-Denki-Black/dp/B002IGTP00

First off this is a fun contest! Second off... I am so sorry that you also struggle with depression and anxiety. I feel the pain and I get it. I actually use 7cupsoftea to chat with free listeners that give me advice. However, if things start to get bad for me I work on my rabbit charity or go out and volunteer. Getting out, helping and interacting really boosts me and helps me get the focus off my depression.


And.... now for the item that I think might help with your depression? I think maybe this weird instrument might help? Haha I've been watching YT videos about them for weeks now. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IGTP00/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1Y7HZF56S3X4B&coliid=I2ON3XODL0EZB5&psc=1