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Music Workstations – Portable Music Studio in One Keyboard Workstation
Music Workstations guide! A Keyboard Workstation is the ultimate in digital/electronic keyboards. It's a Synthesizer, Sequencer, Sampler all rolled into one instrument.

When you reach the stage wherein you are exploring various music workstations and considering buying one, you are no longer just a keyboard or a Piano player.
You have grown as a musician and you are becoming better at composing, arranging and music technology skills.
Now you need something which will help you to give shape to all the musical ideas in your head...and that is where the Keyboard Music workstation fits in.
A Music workstation is also known as a keyboard music workstation... or simply as a workstation.
Music Workstation Keyboards - Competition is Getting HotterBefore we go into the technicalities, a brief overview of the major players and their product history!
Music Workstations is one area where all the major players (Roland, Korg, Yamaha) want to dominate, to show their supremacy in the digital keyboard instruments arena.
Yamaha, which did not have any presence in the Music Workstations market, entered with a bag few years back with the Motif ES. It just tore apart the competition at that time.
Korg and Roland had no choice but to innovate and come with better products. Korg came out with the Triton Extreme, which made it cheaper to own a Triton. Roland came with the super Fantom X series, which included audio recording as well.
These three continue to improve their flagship products and continue to offer more at reduced prices. Of course, as a consumer you can’t ask for more as the eventual beneficiary of this competition is going to be You!
Currently, the latest offerings from these include:
Yamaha MOTIF-XF6 / Yamaha MOTIF-XF8: 16 audio channels directly to the DAW
Korg M3 61-Key / Korg M3 88-Key: Aggressive on price, based on their flagship OASYS
Roland Fantom-G6 / Roland Fantom-G8: Better sequencing, editing, display and hardware quality
As of now, no new models in this category have been announced, so maybe it's time to get an established product.
Why A Music Workstation?Because it is a synthesizer, sequencer, sampler and a musical keyboard, everything rolled into one! It is a self contained music production tool which lets you compose music using just one piece of equipment.
It can be described as a portable music studio!
The basic aim of having a workstation is simple, you do not want to leave your instrument when you get that brilliant idea in your head. You need all the tools at one place to turn that idea into a masterpiece.
FeaturesAny keyboard workstation should normally contain the following features:
• Multi-track Sequencing – lets you record and edit your composition, including vocals • Drum machine – record, edit and play rhythm tracks • Synthesizer – lets you create, edit, store and play back the sounds • Sampler – lets you record external sounds, manipulate and play back the sounds • Effects device – apply effects like reverbs, delays etc. at both the global level as well as at channel specific levels • Controllers - includes knobs, switches, faders, ribbon, etc. to let you change each and every parameter of sound
Popular BrandsThe more popular music workstations include Korg's Triton, Roland's Fantom, and Yamaha's Motif. In addition to the above features, these instruments will include things like CD burners and expansion cards which will let you add new sounds.
Yamaha is also projecting its Tyros as an arranger workstation though it is more of an arranger keyboard and not as powerful as the Motif.
On stageKeyboard workstations can also be used for live performances. As a keyboard player you will normally create compbination of sounds and assign it to the various keys or you will create sequences which you may use later during your live performance.
Once on the stage, you can apply effects or use the controllers to modulate the sounds on the fly without needing any external gear.
Accessories for Music WorkstationHere are some keyboard accessories to consider for your music workstation keyboard considering that you will be doing a lot of onstage performances, in addition to using it in the studio.
First of all get yourself a nice keyboard stand and if you are going to play more of the piano, a good padded keyboard bench.
For working on demos or creating music at home, you may wat to get yourself a nice pair of closed headphones that isolates sound well.
A good sustain piano style pedal will suit piano players and a volume plus expression pedal will come handy on stage.
High-quality audio cables are always required if you are a regular performer onstage. Keeping that in mind, instrument cables will benefit you on the stage or in the studio.
For getting the best sounds from your setup, you can go in for good powered monitors for studio use and for your onstage setup, get yourself a powerful PA system / keyboard amplifier
Related Posts
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Best Music Workstations Yamaha Tyros4 61-Key Arranger Workstation Keyboard Comments: Easy to use, greater and wider variety of Voices, Styles, and sophisticated features.
Yamaha MOTIF XF6 61-Key Synthesizer Workstation Comments: Yamaha MOTIF XF is the latest offering from the hugely popular Yamaha MOTIF series.
Roland Fantom-G6 61-Key Sampling Workstation Comments: Huge video screen. New expansion options. Should keep you happy for a couple of years.
Korg M3-61 61-Key Synth Workstation Sampler Comments: Comes with touch screen, features second generation Karma technology. This is a spinoff of Korg's ultimate synth, the oasys. Korg has redefined the Workstation category with this one.
Value Picks from zZounds
Korg M50-61 61-Key Synth Workstation Weighing in at just fifteen pounds is the fiery new KORG M50, ready to take on all contenders! Incredible new sounds; fat & juicy combis, splits and layers; a plethora of ace effects; dynamic Drum Tracks; enhanced poly-arpeggiators; classic sequencing tools, a solid, confident keybed; up-to-date SD storage; companion editing software and our famous TouchView interactive display - it all adds up to an invigorating and sexy keyboard instrument that could only come from KORG. Also comes in an 88 key version Comments: No compromise on sound quality. You get bang for your bucks!
Yamaha MO6 61-Key Music Production Synthesizer Yamaha, proudly introduces the MO Music Production Synthesizer. Targeted to semi-professional musicians and home/project studio owners as well as songwriters and performers, the MO provides a full set of authentic sounds and comprehensive music-making features-including an emphasis on contemporary styles and voices. Highly portable and compact, the MO also serves as an ideal keyboard for live performance situations. Comments: 64 voices. Onboard sequencer. Sample Playback. Direct DAW integration. Very much like an older Motif.
Roland Juno-Stage 76-Key Expandable Synthesizer Keyboard Designed from the ground up for live performers, Juno-Stage is a new breed of synthesizer that every gigging keyboardist will love. Decked out with an extra-large display, USB backing-track functionality, a Click output for drummers, dedicated performance knobs, hands-free patch select, instant master MIDI control functionality and much more, Juno-Stage sets a new standard for powerful onstage performance at a friendly price. Comments: Packed with great "stage-ready" sounds. More for the stage than the studio but can work for both.
Roland JUNO-Gi 61-Key Synthesizer In the JUNO tradition of great sound, compact design, easy operation and affordable price, the new Roland JUNO-Gi delivers. What propels this synth into another realm is the feature set: over 1,300 fresh sounds, an onboard eight-track digital recorder, and pro-effects created by Boss. Write, record, mix, master, and perform anywhere with the new Roland JUNO-Gi. Comments: This is not an analog board, but sample playback, 128-voice, USB MIDI and audio, and Digital Recorder.
Roland VP770 49-Key Vocal and Ensemble Keyboard Roland's VP550 introduced the world to a new category of musician -- the vocal keyboardist. Today, the VP550's successor has arrived, broadening the scope of the vocal keyboardist. With the latest technology onboard, the VP770 allows a single musician to create realistic backing parts that range from futuristic electronic vocal textures to incredible emulations of large-scale gospel choirs and beyond. Comments: This one Replaces the VP550
Yamaha S90XS 88-Key Weighted SynthesizerReal-time controls for tweaking of the sound as you play. Audio recording to USB memory. Extensive computer music features. Ease of use, plus compact size and portability. Introducing the S90 XS and S70 XS Music Synthesizer. Comments: Great sounding board for stage or for studio. Doesn't come with sequencer and sampler. Fantastic quality sounds.
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