FAVORITE KEYBOARDS

MINIMOOG: The classic: Great fidelity, really looks cool, easy to use. No computer chips; true discrete circuitry make for the BEST in clear and full sounds, fast envelope action, the Moog filter sound!, stunning when played with pedals hooked up for volume/filter action, audio input for processing other instruments.

RHODES CHROMA: A great underrated polyphonic synthesizer. Lots of programming options (filters, audio routing) and best of all INCREDIBLE keyboard with great touch response. Truly a joy to play for someone who can appreciate analog sounds AND has playing skills. NOT cool-looking, so it really gotta have a lot of good points to be so recommendable.

Mellotron 400: What a great machine! Classic sounds, looks weird, feels weird, and instantly gives people the chills when they hear it. Set up properly, they work great (those old '70's problems were due to some bad parts and maintenance ignorance). One of the few keyboards that EVERYONE seems to like.

DKS Synergy: A real secret weapon! Ask Wendy Carlos - she has several.... it's amazing how warm and clear this thing sounds; and (no preference here) it's digital! Fairly good touch response (not as good as the Chroma or a piano), and a very unique sound character. Note: some of the preset sounds are really bad, but some are astounding and beautiful. "Clearer" sounding than almost any sampler, lots of detail and able to 'morph" between patches from dynamics or key range.The few people using these have only begun to scratch the surface (Listen to Wendy Carlos' Beauty in the Beast)

ARP 2600: Somehow underrated; probably because everyone usually listens to it through the little speakers! A great set of modules, patchable, and stable oscillators. Great for processing external sounds - worth it as an effects unit alone. If this system said "Moog" on it, it would be about twice the price! It's AMAZING to have two hooked together!

POLYMOOG: great sounds (simple, but bizarre controls; it takes a bit to get the knack), looks cool, great key action. Gary Numan, Blondie, ELO, Genesis, Yes.

CON BRIO ADS200: Even though it's likely the best-looking keyboard ever made, it happens to be VERY powerful, with a superb human interface. Big 8" floppy discs, and some really great features, such as CV/Gate interfaces to analog keyboards. Not too portable.

CONN ELECTRIC BAND: goofy all-in-one synth, beatbox, bass, chords. You could do an entire "moog" album LIVE with this... Rock out! (likely to break...)

HOHNER PIANET N: electric piano of the Beatles/Zombies/Genesis/Fleetwood Mac. Incredibly rich tone; has to be heard (through a tube amp) to be believed.

HOHNER CLAVINET: Surprised they're not more popular... Possibly the hardest keyboard sound to fake, but there's lots of bad imitations out there. So many great records use one (Superstition, Outta Space) and it really has a unique sound that works well to help certain tracks come alive. Incredibly touch-sensitive; great with effects (distortion, filters, phasers).

MOOG MODULAR: THE sound! THE look! We all know it and love it, we all want one for cheap!