Hey, I am joining a band on keys, the problem is I’ve been a guitar player for the past 10 years. Playing isn’t the issue, I’ve taken piano lessons, but what I am asking you all for is a little advice on equipment. The band is of the rock genre, I’ve heard a lot of great stuff about Moog, I just don’t know exactly what to get. If anyone can recommend a quality set up, I would appreciate it. Everything from the keys to midi/laptop (if needed) to programming or whatever else there is. As I’m sure you can see, my knowledge is limited. Cost is all relative, quality equipment comes first. Thanks for the help.
Depends on what style of music you’re into. You also have to decide on the sound you’re looking for. Do you want a monophonic keyboard or a poly (eventually you will have both).
MarkM is quite right on all counts. The style of music will drive the need for keys.
I hate to say this (this is a Moog forum after all), but I think your best bet is to go with one of the current ROMplers from Roland, Korg or Yamaha. These boards feature samples of everything you will likely need for any type of music you might be called upon to play - electric and acoustic pianos, organs, clavs, strings, pads, soundFX, etc.
And don’t forget quality amplification. You’ll need an amp that can handle the wide range of frequencies covered by keyboard sounds. Another possibility here is to run the keyboard through a good PA.
Greg
simple. just go with a memorymoog.
if you want to see what moogs are like you could download Arturia’s free software demo of the minimoog, to get an idea
http://www.arturia.com/en/minimoog/minimoogv.php
obviously it’s better if you have a real one to play with but it’s better than nothing
you might want to look up a basic desciption/introduction to analog/subtractive sythesis to help you to understand it.
monophonic = one note at a time
polyphonic = lots of notes
just in case you didn’t know.
moogs are high quality and have good synth sounds, but are not the thing to get if you want to play piano parts
the cool thing about analog synths (and virtual analog synths) is that you can create your own sounds, which gives you a much larger scope for self-expression
the way i look at it if you want a keyboard, whatever type you get, it should (ideally) be real
piano sounds - get a real piano or a rhodes
organ - get a hammond/similar or a pipe organ
synth - get a real analog synth
that’s just my opinion though, i just feel that with these “every sound keyboards” you can easily loose your identity as a musician.
I have to agree with GregAE, though perhaps for different reasons. You say you’re a guitar player, but that you have played piano. I think it would be foolish to spend thousands of dollars on equipment for an instrument that you haven’t even really undertaken yet. If the band wants to buy it all for you, fine. But if you realize that keyboards just aren’t for you and you want to go back to guitar, then all of a sudden you’ve got a big pile of equipment that you have to unload.
I think that at this point, something (portable!) that can cover a wide range of sounds would make the most sense. Then, if after a few years you know that keyboards are the path you want to pursue, you can begin to acquire more specialized gear. You might decide that classic Hammond organ sounds are what you love, and by then maybe you’ll have roadies to carry it around for you - and don’t forget the Leslie rotating speaker!
GregAE makes a good point about amplification as well - most likely a guitar amp won’t cut it.
I don’t mean to be a naysayer, but I felt like this perspective needed to be voiced.
it would really help if you went and listened to a bunch of albums that have keyboards in them. picked one that has the sound you want to achieve in your band, and then came back here and asked how to get that specific sound.
because playing “keys” in a “rock” band can mean a thousand different things.
Instead of the B3 by hammond, many people travel with the lesser featured M2, M3 or similar, as they are much lighter.. yet still have that charastic “electro-mechanical” sound. For a Hammond, you are looking to drop $3.5-$7 K into one that is at a descent playing level. If you get one that is not upkept- you may need to do a few thousand of serious repair to the tubes, or the tone wheels, if they were kept oiled or not…
Why did Hammond have to kick the bucket in 85’? Why? Why? Why?
My church has the M2, and my Father in law to be has a B3 w/2 leslies… enough to make me want more…
Speaking of which- does anyone have recordings or know of recordings of people running Moogs through Leslies? 
thanks for all the help, i think you guys have put things in perspective and directed me down the right path.