Hello Forum Members,
I just joined recently and need some advice, feedback, etc. I have been reading your posts with great interest and have learned a lot from many of you.
My Background – I started taking Classical piano lessons at 6, along with singing in the choir at church. At 14, I started playing professionally and at 19 had my own working band. I played mostly jazz, pop, rock, and some Classical and musical theatre. At 27, I formed a group with three high-quality musicians that became the top event band in our part of Florida from 1987-1993. At 32, I retired from playing professionally and basically drifted away from music altogether.
My last keyboard was a 1989 vintage Yamaha SY77, the first one sold in my area, which I used to perform covers and record original music. I edited sounds, composed and arranged using MIDI, and generally played the heck out of that board.
Fast-forward 25 Years – for reasons not entirely clear to me, the desire to start playing, composing, arranging, and maybe even performing again has arisen within me again. I suppose it started by me helping a friend pick a keyboard as a Christmas gift for their child. I stumbled across the PSR-EW400 and watched the demos on YouTube. WOW. How could they make a keyboard that seems to sound really good SO CHEAP??? I started investigating all the other PSR S demos and that old urge to play and maybe perform started to rise up inside. (I also found this forum.)
It would have never crossed my mind to even think about an “arranger” style keyboard when I was playing full-time. I always had pro equipment like Rhodes, Yamaha DX7, Korg M1, a 300-watt keyboard rig, etc. It seems like today’s arranger keyboards have progressed and become professional performing and composing tools. Apparently, pros still scoff at them, especially in the US.
The current situation – I made the transition to a solid professional life outside of music long ago, but believe I want to start playing, and perhaps eventually performing again – VERY part time. Arranging, composing, and playing only music that I like. I am concerned about my REAL level of interest, and thus the level of investment I should consider making. Another issue is the limited time I have to devote to music right now. A competent arranger keyboard seems to be a quick way to put music together, arrange and compose, but still sound professional, if not entirely original. Here are a couple of my questions:
- Should I get a less-expensive starter keyboard like a PSR-EW400/410 to gauge whether this is a passing fancy or not? My fear here is that I really get into this and quickly reach its limitations (polyphony, sequencing, sound quality, etc.) and will want something better quickly.
- Would a PSR-S975/775 be better? Much more expensive with higher capabilities, more polyphony, memory, tracks, etc. What if I spend the dough and then lose interest? I have only played a very few times in the last 25 years. Still, music speaks to me like no other art form.
Any thoughts or advice you might have for me would be greatly valued and appreciated.
Jay B., New Member