Good second keyboard

[Cobra Jet]

I currently have a Kronos X 73 key as my only keyboard. I’m in a cover band that plays roughly twice a month. Recently I thought it might be a good idea to have a backup keyboard in case I have a problem with my Kronos just before a gig. My first thought would be to purchase a second Kronos but due to the cost that’s not possible. I’m looking to spend around a $1,000. If I purchase a Triton it will be much easier to get a handle on because it’s like the Kronos and also I had one in the past. I also think it would be nice to have something different just to play around with. The three keyboards I’m looking at currently are the Fantom X, the motif XS and the Triton.

Any advice or recommendation for a good stand in board that might also be fun to play around with. It would need something like the set list so I can organize my patches.

[GregC]

I currently have a Kronos X 73 key as my only keyboard. I’m in a cover band that plays roughly twice a month. Recently I thought it might be a good idea to have a backup keyboard in case I have a problem with my Kronos just before a gig. My first thought would be to purchase a second Kronos but due to the cost that’s not possible. I’m looking to spend around a $1,000. If I purchase a Triton it will be much easier to get a handle on because it’s like the Kronos and also I had one in the past. I also think it would be nice to have something different just to play around with. The three keyboards I’m looking at currently are the Fantom X, the motif XS and the Triton.

Any advice or recommendation for a good stand in board that might also be fun to play around with. It would need something like the set list so I can organize my patches.

I don't know about set list. But I think the Yamaha MX49 would be a good affordable backup . I would scratch the Triton as they are pushing 15 yrs old. They are cheap used but the Kronos has spoiled me and I couldn't go back.

[dfahrner]

Another vote for the MX49: small, lightweight, Yamaha Motif sounds, a not-too-bad unweighted keybed for organ / synth / right-hand playing, and not very expensive...

df

[SanderXpander]

Second hand Nord Electro? As long as you don't have to rely on it completely for more esoteric sounds you get good sound quality and heaps of fun, IMO.

[Cobra Jet]

I'm liking the Yamaha MX & it comes in both the 49 & 61 key.

[Broadwave]

+1 for the MX

I can also recommend John Melas' MX Editor if you want easy full editing access. It's £21/$26, but worth every penny

[Joe Gerardi]

Several options:

Roland Juno DS- comes in both 88 and 61 key. both under a grand. tons of sounds. (I'll add in the Juno-Stage there as well. Older, but still tons of sounds.)

Korg N5EX. Cheap as hell, 1200+ programs. (The EX has the extra 4 Meg piano sample.)

Alesis QS 6, 6.1, 7, 7.1. All really inexpensive, (generally sub-$300.00) and slathered in usable bread-and-butter sounds. The difference is on the outside of the case. The 6.2 (last incarnation) supposedly has better D/A converters.

Personally, I'd also include a Kurzweil K2VX. Most would feel it a little too long in the tooth to use, but I'd grab that in a NY minute.

..Joe

[eli125]

+1 for the mx49 but if you wont your custom samples the mox will do it both sound great for a stand i would recommend the k&m spider pro it is strung stable and easy if you like 2 straight tairs you can order from them it cost like $5.00-6.00 with shipping

[Cobra Jet]

Because I was hoping that this keyboard would also be a backup to my Kronos if it had any problems something like the Set List where I could organize patches would be very useful. Does anyone know if most of these boards have something like the Set List?

[GregC]

Because I was hoping that this keyboard would also be a backup to my Kronos if it had any problems something like the Set List where I could organize patches would be very useful. Does anyone know if most of these boards have something like the Set List?

a few people on the forum have the MOX and they can be more specific.

I would guess you could organize your performances into an empty bank and pedal thru them. Maybe it has a ' favorites ' feature.

https://www.yamahasynth.com/resources/g ... 9-and-mx61

[psionic311]

Besides the MOX or MX49/61, I would also consider the lightweight and more modern MOXF 61. You can use the Master Mode for your gig Set List needs. Here's an example of user testimony to do that:

I use Master Mode on the Yamaha to organize all my gig sounds in setlist order. Sometime they are Multi setup using internal and external MIDI sound, Maybe a single voice, maybe an internal performance setup.

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthread ... ze_your_pa

If you search, you can find them just under $1000:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMOXF6?s ... Cmhbw_wcB=

Here are the cool factors for choosing the MOXF over the earlier generation MOX or MX keys from Yamaha:

-- has the complete 784MB rom soundset from the (former) flagship Motif XF
(basically the entire soundset history of the Motif series)
-- these will include acoustic articulations like brass falls and sax growls
-- can use its flash memory for storing custom soundsets and samples, like maybe some loops or phrases or other samples off of songs
-- 128 note polyphony (although the MX also has this)
-- 8* VCM - Virtual Circuitry Modeling effects

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/foru ... ad/476399/

For cover band work, I'd encourage you to have at least 61 keys handy versus just 49, esp for setting up multiple zones for all the sounds you'll need to emulate.

The MX may well do the job for you, but you can't go wrong with the MOXF either. The Yamaha's guitars and acoustic instruments and pianos would very nicely compliment the Kronos...

[GregC]

Besides the MOX or MX49/61, I would also consider the lightweight and more modern MOXF 61. You can use the Master Mode for your gig Set List needs. Here's an example of user testimony to do that:

I use Master Mode on the Yamaha to organize all my gig sounds in setlist order. Sometime they are Multi setup using internal and external MIDI sound, Maybe a single voice, maybe an internal performance setup.

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthread ... ze_your_pa

If you search, you can find them just under $1000:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMOXF6?s ... Cmhbw_wcB=

Here are the cool factors for choosing the MOXF over the earlier generation MOX or MX keys from Yamaha:

-- has the complete 784MB rom soundset from the (former) flagship Motif XF
(basically the entire soundset history of the Motif series)
-- these will include acoustic articulations like brass falls and sax growls
-- can use its flash memory for storing custom soundsets and samples, like maybe some loops or phrases or other samples off of songs
-- 128 note polyphony (although the MX also has this)
-- 8* VCM - Virtual Circuitry Modeling effects

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/foru ... ad/476399/

For cover band work, I'd encourage you to have at least 61 keys handy versus just 49, esp for setting up multiple zones for all the sounds you'll need to emulate.

The MX may well do the job for you, but you can't go wrong with the MOXF either. The Yamaha's guitars and acoustic instruments and pianos would very nicely compliment the Kronos...

if it were me, and I had to have 61 and for the entire gig, I would just buy a 61 Kronos.

I would like to think, that the potential Kronos 73 downtime is more monetary, no more than a set or a few tunes, maybe I could get by with a 49.

so there are some circumstances for the OP to weigh out.

[spaceman3]

MX49/61 is a fantastic synth.
I have the 49, and it is awesome.
I recently saw an MX61 for $600 bucks new.
Here is a video on this wonderfull synth.
Be sure to click the CC on this video to get english subtitle.


https://youtu.be/Juy7ZeAfIhY

[PCFREE]

Many users say the line outs on the mx49 are quiet compared to most boards. Also, the converters are not as good quality as the motif, the keys are narrower and there's no aftertouch.
There's no aftertouch on the mox or moxf.
I'd hold out for the mox or the moxf .

With the moxf, you have the sounds of the more current motif XF which features 128 extra voices and i think it's 8 extra drum kits which are very nice indeed, plus flash memory option for samples. Both keyboards are very light.

If you're sequencing, the XF allows 8 'voices' to have their insert effects intact as opposed to the mox's 3 voices.

I've owned both of these keyboards in the past.

Also....how about the Korg Krome or the Korg Kross?
At least with the Krome, you can have similar sounds if that's what you're after

Happy hunting

[dfahrner]

Many users say the line outs on the mx49 are quiet compared to most boards. Also, the converters are not as good quality as the motif, the keys are narrower and there's no aftertouch.

There is a downloadable upgrade from Yamaha that increases the MX line out level. Most people probably can't hear any difference in the A/D converters - I sure can't. The MX keybed's octave is 1/8" shorter than say the Kronos RH3, so each key is like .020" narrower; again, I didn't notice the difference. (The MX unweighted keybed is in general not as good as some of the other instruments mentioned here, but it's certainly playable.) The lack of aftertouch might be an issue for you, but again lots of the lower-end synths don't have them nowadays...

All the suggestions here are good (I'd forgotten how nice those old Alesis synths were), and you probably couldn't go wrong with any of them...as always, try before you buy, if you can...

df