gafbass02 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I've need for a few spot keys moments in some songs, strings, piano, synthy theremin type sounds. Lack of keys players means it'll be a job for guitarist number two (I'm number one) What I'm after is something really small, REALLY cheap and simple. Those little midi keyboard things look the right size and price, but I'm assuming have no sounds of their own. Is there a simple solution (no hooking up laptops etc) or is it a trip to Argos for a cheapo kiddy thing. It's got to be south of a hundred. Ideally no more than £70 odd. Any ideas? I've tried triggering samples off my jamman, but the timing/volume issues are insurmountable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 eBay "Roland Keyboard" Used UK only < £100 Ignoring unfinished auctions (where the price may well end over £100) I get three immediate solutions to your problem. None of them will ever feature in a Rick Wakeman live show, but they'll all do pretty much what you've described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 An M-Audio Oxygen 25 can be bought for about £50 off eBay. They're nice and will work with a laptop running whatever software you prefer, Logic Pro, ableton etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 [quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1443518298' post='2875374'] Is there a simple solution (no hooking up laptops etc) [/quote] [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1443521630' post='2875426'] An M-Audio Oxygen 25 can be bought for about £50 off eBay. They're nice and will work with a laptop running whatever software you prefer, Logic Pro, ableton etc. [/quote] Communication fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Hunt around for one of these s/h http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Novation-Bass-Station-Synth-/291576196920?hash=item43e34baf38 I use one in the same way you mentioned. All sounds built in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) Cheers folks. That last one looks perfect. Tiny size, just enough keys and sounds built in. Perfect now just to find one cheap enough. Is there a known budget equivalent? Behringer type of thing? I know literally NOTHING of keys Edited September 29, 2015 by gafbass02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) [quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1443523440' post='2875451'] Hunt around for one of these s/h [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Novation-Bass-Station-Synth-/291576196920?hash=item43e34baf38"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43e34baf38[/url] I use one in the same way you mentioned. All sounds built in. [/quote] These are great wee things, but if Gaf wanted piano or strings a monophonic analogue synth is not going to deliver those. Although the Novation Xiosynth from a few years later might fit the bill (still no piano sounds, but it's at least polyphonic). Edited September 29, 2015 by Beer of the Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 Yeah, it's got to have piano and strings, but that's really all I need. If my iPad wasn't so laggy I'd stick it on a stand and let him use that, but it's an older model and the delay on GarageBand keys is huge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaypup Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Does he use an iphone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) [quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1443524769' post='2875471'] Cheers folks. That last one looks perfect. Tiny size, just enough keys and sounds built in. Perfect now just to find one cheap enough. Is there a known budget equivalent? Behringer type of thing? I know literally NOTHING of keys [/quote] This why I chuckle to myself every time people go on about how much expensive basses cost. The Novation is the budget option. Unfortunately being monophonic (only one note at a time so no chords) it won't do everything that you need. Back in 1980 when I got my first synth you'd be looking at paying about three times that as a minimum for a basic mono synth with no patch memories and about half the sound generating facilities of the Novation. If you wanted (limited) polyphony there was nothing under £1k and anything half way decent with polyphony and patch memories would cost about the same as a cheap house. And none of them would even remotely be able to do a realistic piano sound. Having said that, you should be able to find something that will do what you want second hand for around £200-250 provided that you don't want anything too modern and most realistic of realistic sounds for the non-synthy ones. Edited September 29, 2015 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 Looks like it's a cheapo full size second hand keyboard then. Fair play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I scored an E-MU Shortboard off here for £70 and does everything you'd need. See if you can find one somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 That looks like a smart thing. I'll try to find one. Thanks :-) good call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Surely a MIDI keyboard and a MIDI expander would do the job..? No laptop needed there... Just sayin' ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1443545799' post='2875717'] Surely a MIDI keyboard and a MIDI expander would do the job..? No laptop needed there... Just sayin' ... [/quote] Agreed that a laptop of iPad is a poor choose. Not because of the sounds and features which no doubt are excellent, but because IMO these devices simply aren't robust enough - especially the connectors - for pub gigging use. While a MIDI keyboard and expander would be fine, it's more gear over a self-contain keyboard with sound generating capabilities. From having spent years gigging with this sort of gear you are best going for the least number of connections and individual pieces of equipment that you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 How about this, then, from our very own Marketplace..? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/265681-venom-m-audio-midi-synthesiser/"]Venom M-Audio Synth ...[/url] Ticks all the boxes, methinks..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1443547609' post='2875737'] How about this, then, from our very own Marketplace..? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/265681-venom-m-audio-midi-synthesiser/"]Venom M-Audio Synth ...[/url] Ticks all the boxes, methinks..? [/quote] The only downside I can see is that if you want to create your own sounds, the editing software isn't explicitly supported by the most recent operating systems for either Windows or Mac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 I've literally no idea about any of this! I just need to press a few keys and have a couple of one finger piano or strings sounds come out! I've messaged that seller, thanks for the heads up on that, I wouldn't have even known what it was!! Sooooo far outside my comfort zone on this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 If cash is a limiting factor you could search on eBay for old synth modules. Some proper gear seems to be kicking around in the sub £100 market. Add a midi cable and a cheap midi keyboard... Yes, you'll need to do some plugging in but the sound quality of the piano and strings could be a notch above.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinArto Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1443534655' post='2875604'] This why I chuckle to myself every time people go on about how much expensive basses cost. The Novation is the budget option. Unfortunately being monophonic (only one note at a time so no chords) it won't do everything that you need. Back in 1980 when I got my first synth you'd be looking at paying about three times that as a minimum for a basic mono synth with no patch memories and about half the sound generating facilities of the Novation. [/quote] Off topic I know but there are some great options for cheap analogue synthesis now. I bought a Bass Station 2 when they came out, under £400 and it's an amazing bit of kit. Our guitarist got an Arturia Microbrute recently and again, for the money it's ridiculous what that thing can do. Of course now we've both got the bug and we're eyeing up Moogs and Prophets so it will cost us an arm and a leg in the long run... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 Thanks all, it's a complicated minefield for sure! I'll see what shows up, simple and compact and cheap is king over flexibility or sound quality here. It's only a few signature parts played very simply in an amateur tribute band that may or may not work out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairychris Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 [quote name='AustinArto' timestamp='1443557451' post='2875825'] Off topic I know but there are some great options for cheap analogue synthesis now. I bought a Bass Station 2 when they came out, under £400 and it's an amazing bit of kit. Our guitarist got an Arturia Microbrute recently and again, for the money it's ridiculous what that thing can do. Of course now we've both got the bug and we're eyeing up Moogs and Prophets so it will cost us an arm and a leg in the long run... [/quote] Don't even go there. I've recently picked up a 1st gen Access Virus for £280 for a project, but also own a Moog Sub 37 (previously owned a Little Phatty - both are ridiculous), Arturia Microbrute, Waldorf Streichfett and some semi-modular stuff. Ugh. I love analog but damn the Virus is something else... There are a few options for the OP: One is possibly to look at vintage workstations (eg Yamaha SY range), these were serious bits of kit in the 90s, have yery nice keyboard action, and can be had for sub-200. Early 00s I picked up an SY22 to learn on, didn't end up using it and exchanged it for recording time. I know for a fact that it was in solid use by some friends until about 3 years ago when their band folded. Two is for a midi controller + synth module. For 200 you could get a 4 octave keyboard and a module of some type (both used). If wanting to do strings only then I've seen used Streichfetts going for 100. Three is something like the M-Audio venom, in other words entry-level virtual analog. Not tried one, but will sound a lot better than 99% of Argos specials. Four is the Argos special. Try before you buy. YMMV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 Cheers all. I had a keys player with an sy22 in the 90's. It's pretty much the only thing on here I've recognised! I'll keep an eye on eBay, half the time I've no idea what I'm even looking at. Guitars and basses I know inside out and beyond, but this stuff: nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 (edited) Shame you don't live closer, I have a small Roland MIDI controller keyboard that I never use (cant recall model, may be an A30) you could have had it on loan if you could find a sound module to link it to, doesn't have any inbuilt sounds of its own sadly and I need my sound module for my current project. Edited September 30, 2015 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 You might find a Korg X5 within your budget or an X5D for a little more. Another alternative would be a midi keyboard plus a sound module like the Korg X5DR. Our keyboard player uses one of these as a second top keyboard, it certainly does all the basic piano and strings sounds very well, and provides a lot of other stuff too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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