Which Workstation?

[Alexis]

I want to buy a workstation to use it with an external sequencer (Digital Performer) and I want to be able to sequence with it's built in sequencer. Which one should I buy, which is the best workstation in the market???
I am between... the Triton, Karma, Motif or the new Fantom (Roland), or a Kurzweil k2600.
I need opinions about this so I can go with the best option!

[Bob]

Alexis,

The Triton, Karma, Motif, the new Fantom, and k2600 are all fabulous machines with there own specific strengths and weaknesses. You'll have to enlighten us all on what your looking for in a workstation - other than a sequencer and great sounds. Do you want an endless library of sounds? Do you want to create your own sounds. do you just want a sequencer/workstation that is very simple with no extra frills. What type of music do you do. Hip hop andR&B, classical, singer/songwriter stuff, etc. do you want the most versatile? Sorry I'm answering your question with a question but I think each and every keyboard you named could be the right one for you. We just need to know a bit more about you!

Let us know!

[Alexis]

You are right, you need more details on what I am looking for.
I am a songwriter and I am starting as a producer, what I am looking in a workstation is first of all... great sounds!, sounds, sounds and more sounds. Also I am not a killer drummer so I want to find good grooves and drum paths or drum sounds. (You may suggest to go with a groove box don't you?) well I don't know if this is the answer. I am not so into creating my own sounds but I will like to get more into that. So, what I need is a keyboard with such variety of sounds to be able to create different styles. I am more of a pop, ballad and R&B musician.
I was looking at the Triton, Motif, Fantom or the K2600
I need Help!

Thank you
AE

[Bob]

Alexis,

Thanks for the details! Let's look at each keyboards strongest points. The Triton was made for R&B and Hip Hop music. Very cool sounds. Also a sequencer and sampler as well as expansion ROM. So you can definately get more sounds in it if need be or create your own sounds. The Motif is similiar but a little less r&b and hip hop sound oriented and a little more acoustic sound and classic synth oriented. It is also a sampler/workstation and has expansion ROM. There PLG boards don't only give you new sounds, but entirely new synths. And the VL board has some of the most amazing woodwind and brass sounds I've ever hear. Especially if you had the wind controller to it. Just out of this world. The Fantom will give you a very good sounding meat and potatoes keyboard with an easy to use sequencer and some expansion. So sampling on this one. Last is the Kurzweil K2600. Probably the grand daddy of all workstations. Great acoustic sounds out of the box. Not as much polyphony as some of the other synths (although Kurzweil uses the polyphony it has much more inteligently then other keyboards). It does sample but most importantly it is the most versatile of the lot - allowing you to create pretty much any sound imagineable.

Feel free to give me a call and we can discuss further!!

[edgewater]

Bob,

What makes Kurzweil k2600 the granddaddy of all workstations? Is it the sampling and sound manipulation capability? This workstation is unfortunately outside the price range of this home/pre-production studio builder.

What would you recommend to the amateur musicmaker who is setting up a home studio and is interested in keeping his equipment down to the bare bones but still able to make some original tracks without relying too heavily on loops and patterns?

I like acid/techno but I don't want to be pigeonholed by saying I want to make techno tracks. Every time I say techno someone recommends the Yamaha RS7000. Is this a quality machine for digital pre-production? Isn't it just recently on the market? I don't want something that is still getting the bugs worked out of it. I'd like something solid that isn't going to make me tear my hair out and I can have fun with once I learn to play it. Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to invest 6 mos to a year to learn how to use it.

[Bob]

_
"Give me ambiguity or give me something else."
-that's a great quote

The Kurzweil just seems to have it all. It will sample, it will do sample playback, it has some of the warmest ROM sounds in any keyboard, but the most important thing is its customizeability (is that a word?). The VAST Engine will let you create your own custom patches. This thing can sound like anything you want it too. I've heard it said that if 2 totally different musicians bought a Kurzweil (K2500/K2600) the same day and you check with them a year later, those two Kurzweil's will sound like 2 totally different synths. They'll sound exactly like their respective users.

Saying that, they are expensive. I think the RS7000/motif angle is a great one. They are brand new but I have a few customer's who already own em and there have been no kinks at all. I kind of see it as a mini Kurzweil. It has great sounds and some amazing features, especially for Producers and songwriters.

[clay_bo]

THE TRITION IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO!!!!! BUT IM A KORG FAN.....TRUST ME YOU LOVE IT AND THERE EASY TO NAVAGATE.

[LkWisard]

The thing i 've come to value the most about the triton is the touch screen, nothing beats it.

[Bob]

So, what did you end up buying Alexis??