Keys/synth question WTB

Cookiemonster

I play in a psychedelic sort of band, and recently thought about doing a few songs on keys instead of guitar.
We have a synth player who mostly uses analog mono synths.
I would like to play chords behind him.

I like the tame impala sounds on the recent stuff, but also the farfisa of the sixties music and Hammond of the small faces,  also the mellotron of the Floyd, Stones, Beatles etc and wonder if there is a keyboard that can do this.

octatonic

Nord Electro does what you want.

Cookiemonster

Looks so expensive though 

octatonic

Cookiemonster said:

Looks so expensive though 

What is your budget?

Cookiemonster

Well I would only use it on a few songs initially, so was hoping 300 to 400, would be looking for new or used.

I had thought about using an ipad with a midi keyboard but would prefer something all in one.

I don't mind it being smaller though as I don't think I need a full keyboard 

octatonic

Cookiemonster said:

We I would only use it on a few songs initially, so was hoping 300 to 400, would be looking for new or used.

I had thought about using an ipad with a midi keyboard but would prefer something all in one.

I don't mind it being smaller though as I don't think I need a full keyboard 

An older sample based synth is the way to go at that price then.
Roland XP30, XP50, Alesis QS6 or QS7.

None of the Virtual Analog synths (Nord Lead, Novation Nova's, Virus) will work as they are more electronic sounding.
The Nord Electro is really the one that does this the best but an older rompler will get you in the ballpark.
They are somewhat out of fashion so can be had for a bargain.

An iPad or laptop with a USB keyboard is the way I would do this though.

Funkfingers

octatonic said:

Roland XP30, XP50, 

Plus an SR-JV80-08 Keyboards Of The Sixties & Seventies expansion board. 

One of the E-Mu "Vintage" or "Classic" rack unit family could probably supply the sounds. A KORG M1 with the right PCM cards could probably fulfil the brief too.

Emp_Fab

If you have an iPad, you can get a midi interface for it and use any old cheap keyboard that has midi (everything except the cheapest toys will), and buy a soft-synth version of many classic hardware instruments.  I’ve got the M1 with every expansion card ever made, Wavestation, FM7 etc etc.

Works very well.

horse

Something like the Yamaha mx49 or korg Triton Taktile might be worth a look too as new lower cost options. Worth reading up on their limitations though, and checking they can make the sounds you want.

paulmapp8306

Roland Juno DS?

The 61 note version can be had for £500 new and its decent at all those sounds - find a used one and it should be in budget.  You can download tone banks from Axial as well, 

Vintage keys option:  http://axial.roland.com/articles/exp-02-keys-collection-ds/
and EP collection http://axial.roland.com/articles/exp-05-electric-piano-collection-ds/
would add a lot of what you want - and there free.

Not a huge fan of andertons TV - but it does give a decent overview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_4rZ5U9AgY

Gear for musics isnt bad as a sounds showcase 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7phR0ZHr2g

Whitecat

Grab a second-hand Korg VR-09. The keybed isn't amazing but it has drawbars for the organs (and good-sounding organs at that) plus a great sampled piano and a whole boatload of other general-use sounds which can be manipulated/mangled with the onboard FX. 

If you were a professional keyboardist with this being your main instrument it might not be the most sensible on offer but as something to be auxiliary to other stuff it's a great deal, IMO.

paulmapp8306

If you go roland vr, get the 370 (I think it is, the 73 key version).  Its keys are much better than the 09, it's a waterfall keybed, and it has some roland v piano sounds as well as the sn ones on the 09. 

More expensive than the Juno which is why I dodnt suggest it.

goldtop

The Studiologic Numa Compact 2x has just had a big update with Mellotron samples added: https://www.studiologic-music.com/products/numa_compact2x/

It's a sort of Nord Electro/Stage on the cheap. It even has the Sledge synth engine on it!

Philtre

Nord Electro. I just bought a 6 and I can do all the 60s and 70s stuff on it - Hammond, Vox, Farfisa, Mellotron, Rhodes, Wurlitzer. Love it.