Returning Musician, need help purchasing a keyboard (amps, speakers, performance)

damontgo · 02-10-2009, 09:20 AM

I've been dying to get back to the piano for a few years, and now I can finally do it- but everything I thought I knew about digital pianos and keyboards has changed, and I have no idea where to begin. The digital piano I used to play on was before MIDI really took off, though I think you could most liken it to what is now known as a stage piano- but with built in speakers. It was meant to be a home-use piece though, not a stage-performance piano.

I'll try to describe what I'm looking for as best as I can, and I hope someone can help!

Built-in speakers
88 keys
Weighted Keys
I'm told I should look for something called GM (General MIDI, i think?)
Portable - I have space restrictions, so it needs to be able to live in a case and be put on a fold-out stand when I'm using it
Headphone jack
Mac compatible, if at all possible (If what I have read is true this rules out Casio and Yamaha)
Recommendations for a sustain pedal to go with

To give you an idea of how I'll use it- it will be for home-use only, which is the reason for the built in speakers. I'd say about 80% of the time it will be used just like a normal piano would. However, I dabble in video production on my Mac, and I'd like to be able to compose my own songs in Garageband when needed. You can think of me as a serious amateur in this regard, I don't need something that has 10,000 samples and programmable this and that- mostly just be able to record what I'm playing on the keyboard to my computer.

It seems like a lot of of what I'm finding requires speakers and amps and the like, while I have a pair of professional performance speakers from long-forgotten projects I'd rather not go that route if at all possible. I would really love to be able to simply fold up my stand, turn on the keyboard and go. And for the rare times I'll need the MIDI capabilities, something simple on that end of the spectrum will suffice- USB interface if at all possible.

02-10-2009, 09:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
damontgo Groupie Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2	Returning Musician, need help purchasing a keyboard I've been dying to get back to the piano for a few years, and now I can finally do it- but everything I thought I knew about digital pianos and keyboards has changed, and I have no idea where to begin. The digital piano I used to play on was before MIDI really took off, though I think you could most liken it to what is now known as a stage piano- but with built in speakers. It was meant to be a home-use piece though, not a stage-performance piano. I'll try to describe what I'm looking for as best as I can, and I hope someone can help! Built-in speakers 88 keys Weighted Keys I'm told I should look for something called GM (General MIDI, i think?) Portable - I have space restrictions, so it needs to be able to live in a case and be put on a fold-out stand when I'm using it Headphone jack Mac compatible, if at all possible (If what I have read is true this rules out Casio and Yamaha) Recommendations for a sustain pedal to go with To give you an idea of how I'll use it- it will be for home-use only, which is the reason for the built in speakers. I'd say about 80% of the time it will be used just like a normal piano would. However, I dabble in video production on my Mac, and I'd like to be able to compose my own songs in Garageband when needed. You can think of me as a serious amateur in this regard, I don't need something that has 10,000 samples and programmable this and that- mostly just be able to record what I'm playing on the keyboard to my computer. It seems like a lot of of what I'm finding requires speakers and amps and the like, while I have a pair of professional performance speakers from long-forgotten projects I'd rather not go that route if at all possible. I would really love to be able to simply fold up my stand, turn on the keyboard and go. And for the rare times I'll need the MIDI capabilities, something simple on that end of the spectrum will suffice- USB interface if at all possible.