Good vintage e-piano and/or organ sounds

GoFish

As we're fighting zombies today, I will concur - Yamaha reface is the one. It's great!

Disclaimer: I know nothing.

Question: I thought you had a Studiologic thing @thecolourbox? With fake drawbars and everything. How's the Epianos and Organs on that? 

Stratavarious

I’m enjoying a Juno DS for cover band sounds but looking at a YC88 soon.  Drawbars!

Basher

Stratavarious said:

I’m enjoying a Juno DS for cover band sounds but looking at a YC88 soon.  Drawbars!

The Yamaha CK series have drawbars too.
Admittedly, they're not quite as "pro" level as the YC or CP series (either in sounds or build quality) but are amazing value for a stage keyboard.
The CK61 is about half the price of the YC61!

I've got the CK88 and love it. Have really enjoyed it in a way I haven't with any guitar for a long time. (Blasphemy, I know.)

thecolourbox

GoFish said:

As we're fighting zombies today, I will concur - Yamaha reface is the one. It's great!

Disclaimer: I know nothing.

Question: I thought you had a Studiologic thing @thecolourbox? With fake drawbars and everything. How's the Epianos and Organs on that? 

I do have a Studiologic thing now yeah (not the one with drawbars though), i didn't when this thread was posted nearly 10 years ago haha

It's an ok keyboard, I've done a detailed review of it somewhere in this subforum but the TLDR version is "it's alright, yeah"

monquixote

thecolourbox said:

Wow this is certainly a necro bump 

Ha I didn't spot that it had been necro bumped. 

Oh well I stand behind my recommendation. 

Funkfingers

Matt. 

Q1 - What is your budget? 

Q2 - Are you still pining for Manzarek sounds?
Q3 - Have you conquered your fear of triggering a computer software instrument via MIDI?

My recommendation is Keyscape by Spectrasonics. 

FWIIW, Spectrasonics is behind many of the piano and organ sounds in Roland JV/XV/Fantom instruments. Some of the patch preset names even hint at the Doors songs that they purport to emulate.

thecolourbox

Funkfingers said:

Matt. 

Q1 - What is your budget? 

Q2 - Are you still pining for Manzarek sounds?
Q3 - Have you conquered your fear of triggering a computer software instrument via MIDI?

My recommendation is Keyscape by Spectrasonics. 

FWIIW, Spectrasonics is behind many of the piano and organ sounds in Roland JV/XV/Fantom instruments. Some of the patch preset names even hint at the Doors songs that they purport to emulate.

Thanks for the recommendations @Funkfingers ;- this thread was 10 years ago though so I don't really need it so much now myself, others may find the info shared useful! 

I have a few options now for the epiano sounds, I use computer instruments for recording only but I don't use them for playing for fun as i don't like the disconnect feeling. The Universal Audio Rhodes plugin sounds best for recordings for me, Native Instruments Scarbee is also adequate. I've realised over time that i don't like organ sounds so much, so I'm not too fussed on that front

When playing for fun or for accompanying myself singing, I just use the Studiologic Numa piano, again it's entirely adequate sounding but feels nicer to play than a midi instrument which I have grown to find us more important to me.

Supportact

Sounds like this is now resolved but I've been impressed with the Yamaha reface (the red one which has organ sounds including Hammond). The sounds stand up well through a decent PA speaker (comparing to a real valve Hammond organ), it's lightweight and inexpensive.  It's simple though with no memory or recall.  Ideal if you want some organ sounds for gigging but don't want anything expensive and bulky.  

Basher

Supportact said:

Sounds like this is now resolved but I've been impressed with the Yamaha reface (the red one which has organ sounds including Hammond). The sounds stand up well through a decent PA speaker (comparing to a real valve Hammond organ), it's lightweight and inexpensive.  It's simple though with no memory or recall.  Ideal if you want some organ sounds for gigging but don't want anything expensive and bulky.  

The Reface YC did pretty well in the Andertons Mike Patrick (great player) blindfold shootout:

thecolourbox

I suppose the Reface things you'd have to use with another keyboard feeding them as they only seem to be two octaves with tiny keys? I think I played the e-piano style one once and it did sound good but didn't feel practical by itself?

Supportact

thecolourbox said:

I suppose the Reface things you'd have to use with another keyboard feeding them as they only seem to be two octaves with tiny keys? I think I played the e-piano style one once and it did sound good but didn't feel practical by itself?

It's usable, in that the keys are small but not as difficult to use as they look. Definitely not the same as a full size properly weighted keyboard though, and if you want more octaves then I'd probably get a different option.

I'd say it's great if you want to play some basic organ parts live in a compact format,  but if you're a serious organist and it's going to be your main instrument on stage then maybe go for something closer to the real thing. 

thecolourbox

Yeah that's what I was thinking, like I tend to use the e-piano sounds more than organ, but my 4 octave midi keyboard thing is already too restricting for that and I have to keep thinking about pressing the octave up/down buttons which kills the vibe a bit! I'll stick to my Numa Compact if I get any piano/vocal gigs

MartinB

thecolourbox said:

I suppose the Reface things you'd have to use with another keyboard feeding them as they only seem to be two octaves with tiny keys? I think I played the e-piano style one once and it did sound good but didn't feel practical by itself?

Possibly being contentious here, but often one-hand keyboard parts are just the thing in a band setting, unless the band is explicitly a showcase for the keyboardist (like an organ trio etc). 

thecolourbox

MartinB said:

thecolourbox said:

I suppose the Reface things you'd have to use with another keyboard feeding them as they only seem to be two octaves with tiny keys? I think I played the e-piano style one once and it did sound good but didn't feel practical by itself?

Possibly being contentious here, but often one-hand keyboard parts are just the thing in a band setting, unless the band is explicitly a showcase for the keyboardist (like an organ trio etc). 

My band is me  for an actual band, i'm sure that's very much the case and is useful info for those actually looking for this kind of thing now

Basher

MartinB said:

thecolourbox said:

I suppose the Reface things you'd have to use with another keyboard feeding them as they only seem to be two octaves with tiny keys? I think I played the e-piano style one once and it did sound good but didn't feel practical by itself?

Possibly being contentious here, but often one-hand keyboard parts are just the thing in a band setting, unless the band is explicitly a showcase for the keyboardist (like an organ trio etc). 

Not contentious at all. I think any musician worthy of the name thinks about how what they're playing fits into the band's overall sound. 
I've seen criticism of keyboard players by guitarists because of their tendency to overplay and fill out too much of the sonic spectrum (something keys can do at times). 
Im sure it cuts both ways and it's frustrating to hear your tasteful piano or organ chord voicings obliterated by some Herbert belting out six string chords through a distortion box. 
In reality a good player will lay back at times and let the other instruments get their share of the limelight when it's appropriate.
I love watching bands with keys players and find their sound so much more interesting than the endless two guitar lineups we get in the local covers acts.