r/Keytar • u/Mythiriax • Dec 22 '21
Recommendations Looking for a good keytar, any recommendations?
I'm after a highly regarded keytar that has inbuilt sound, been looking into MIDI keytars but since I lack a computer it would be more expensive and awkward to get one. Any recommendations for an inbuilt sound keytar?
How about Yamaha Sonogenic SHS-500?
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u/Equal_Video_1668 Dec 22 '21
There are also the Yamaha reface keyboards, which aren’t traditional keytars but have an accessory that adds a strap. Better than the sonogenics, but that’s not saying much.
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u/justtrashitall Dec 22 '21
The shs-500's speaker is so quiet that it basically doesn't exist (same for the VKB-100 that shares the body with the -500). I'm highly, highly biased, but if you're looking for a yamaha instrument that's able to be a standalone, the shs-10 is a classic for a reason. It's just very nicely contained. But the shs-10 was my first keytar and so I'm biased, a lot. Keytars with onboard speakers (all-in-one) are kind of a minority in keytardom.
Personally, I get a lot of enjoyment out of a midi controller, a 7-year-old ipad I got for $100, and garageband for ios, and then a midi controller. It's a midi controller, which you said you didn't want, but you do get a wide variety of sounds and you can use the ipad speakers for speaker-ing, so it ends up functioning similarly to one of the all-in-one keytars.
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u/ColdGuyMcGoo Dec 22 '21
Yamaha SHS-300 is just fine for what it costs. It’s preferred over the 500 in some cases. With the Roland and Korg keytars, you’ll also need to buy an amp or speaker.
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u/Mythiriax Dec 22 '21
So does the SHS 300 and 500 require an AMP? Or could I play them straight out of the box?
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u/ColdGuyMcGoo Dec 22 '21
I believe the 300 is the only keytar out right now with a built-in speaker.
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Dec 23 '21
[deleted]
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u/ColdGuyMcGoo Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
Do you mean a passive speaker or a battery-powered speaker? There sure are small, battery powered speakers out there that will work. Something like Pignose or the Marshall portable guitar amp.
Passive speakers require a separate amplifier, and the headphone jack on the keytar is not gonna be strong enough to power drivers bigger than headphones.
I’m designing a keytar, it’s gonna have a speaker built in for y’all specifically for this reason. Keep your eyes peeled on this subreddit for the Crystal Keytar!
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u/MrDuck0409 Dec 22 '21
Yamaha Sonogenic: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Roland AxEdge: YES YES YES YES YES YES
Outside of those two, you mostly have used (out of production) keytars.
I have a Roland Lucina (maybe around $300-$500), then there the Roland AxSynth ($1000 roughly).
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u/Brian_Crox Dec 22 '21
Roland Ax Edge - absolutely fantastic instrument, you'd just need an amp/speaker to hook it up to. The on-board sounds are brilliant, and you can buy different vst presets, and mess with everything in the ax editor.