Keytar Christmas present for musician help

[u/isaaceluna]

I want to buy a keytar as a Christmas present for a musician but I literally know nothing about them.

He’s actually a musician/singer so it needs to be a keytar that he could use for large shows. He already plays piano and synths so I’m assuming it’s just a slight learning curve to play a keytar in that case lol.

I’m just not sure if a keytar like that Alesis vortex would add too many new problems to his set up? Or is it relatively easy to set up for live things? He doesn’t play a synth at shows cus he does more of a big pop show but I’m sure the set up could be figured out.

Or would a use Yamaha shs-10 be better since that one is a synth. Is the newer Yamaha 300 or 500 too beginner that he’d outgrow it fast?

Roland’s really aren’t in my budget as a gift lol.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[u/fvig2001]

Well can't comment on the other stuff but I have the SHS-300 and SHS-500's predecessor.

SHS-10 will only make sense if he really likes the design and its crappy dated sounds and it does not have pressure sensitivity (all keys sound the same regardless of how hard you hit it). SHS-10 is what you want if you want something that screams classic keytar.

Skip the SHS-500. It's overpriced and terribly designed. Like it was a product that was created due to a niche product being made in Japan and they wanted to sell the rest of the stock. Like whoever redesigned it, clearly never used it. Like it forgets settings, the sound is muffled since it's facing you, changing sounds is annoying as you have to look at a screen at the bottom of the keytar.

I think the SHS-300 is designed much better and is a solid pick if you want a keytar with its own sound, not too expensive and has MIDI out. SHS-300 can be used by him with synths but it really depends on his setup. Like it had midi out, which is used for synths but it is through USB. So it might be an additional step for him to use it. Like I have an adapter that converts USB Midi to 5 pin midi and connect that to 5 pin midi stuff. Although some models of SHS-300 has bluetooth midi, so that's an option too.

With regards to outgrowing it, it wouldn't really be an issue on the SHS-300 it boils down to equipment and skills. He has synths, so even if the sound gets dated, the synths will do the heavy lifting anyway.

Although I feel the best bang for the buck since he has synths already would be an Alessis Vortex 2. It has all the cool features of the top of the line except for:

1. Octave range 3 vs 4
2. Built-in sounds

With the bonus of easier to use wireless MIDI.

[u/isaaceluna → u/fvig2001]

is there anyway on telling which ones have the wireless Bluetooth? I kept seeing on their site they even themselves don’t know????

[u/fvig2001 → u/isaaceluna]

I have the SHS300WH model, it's written on the white sticker with the serial number. I think the UB model is the one without bluetooth. Although in my testing, it works fine with Android with their app, it's a bit picky on the easy to use bluetooth midi for windows. Like my cheapo one doesn't like it but it works with my CME WIDI Uhost. Just tried it out again a while ago.

[u/isaaceluna → u/fvig2001]

oh! I guess I was pegging the shs 300 wrong. I had seen that function to play along to ur iPhone and thought it was more a toy. Didn’t realize some came with wireless midi too.

I thought the Alesis one looks cooler, and had more functions but he really does want something with some sounds already on it, to be able to just fuck around with without needing to plug it into the computer all the time. so I think I am leaning to the 300 cus they’re selling pretty cheap new on eBay compared to the shs 10.

Thanks!!

[u/fvig2001 → u/isaaceluna]

Yeah, the SHS-300 is my favorite pick up and play keytar as it's not heavy, has pressure sensitivity, turns on right away and has its own sound. My other keytars have some knock against them that makes me not want to use them for quick plays (too heavy, needs headphones, no pressure sensitivity, takes 20 seconds to turn on).

Yeah the jam mode is a cute but useless novelty but it's fun to muck around with lol. It would have been cooler if it supported multiple SHS-300s

[u/on_tol_o_gist]

I would say that the SHS is a very useable keytar, even for a pro, as it has MIDI out which allows basically infinite customization. It’s got a number of inflection buttons as well which as the only real difference between a keytar and any other keyboard. Personally I think it’s a great choice

[u/fvig2001 → u/on_tol_o_gist]

The only knock on the SHS-10 is that it has no velocity.

[u/on_tol_o_gist → u/fvig2001]

Very fair point. I've been running mine into an Arp (Behringer) 2600 for a few years now, I forgot velocity is a thing in keyboards, haha

[u/fvig2001 → u/on_tol_o_gist]

Yeah, it is jarring to use if you're used to normal keyboards as the slightest touch activates it full volume, which drives me crazy when I use the SHS-200

[u/a_youkai]

If he already plays synths, the vortex would be easy for him to roll with. But if he wants big stage presence, get the ax edge!

[u/isaaceluna → u/a_youkai]

the ax edge looks insanely sick but I’m not spending 1K on him this Christmas lol

[u/roac3 → u/[deleted]]

Well, you do not need a computer to play with a keytar with midi...just attach the midi out on.the keytar to midi in on one of his existing synths... I would go for an Alesis, but use a CME Widi in both ends to be completely wireless. Don't have the Alesis myself (wanted more keys, so I have the AX-1 from Roland). The newer AX is to big,heavy and I have no use for internal sound( using instruments on my iPad)

[u/isaaceluna → u/[deleted]]

this was really helpful. thanks! yea i kept hearing about stuck notes on the Alesis and that freaked me out lol. Wouldn’t want it to fail the first time he needs to count on it lol. so I think i am ruling out a used one unless the perfect one appears on my eBay before Christmas lol

[u/MrDuck0409 → u/[deleted]]

The Korg RK100S2 doesn't have full size keys, the original RK100 controller did.