Keyboards: you know where this is going

Do it

Yes, just get a Nord. I’ve tried everything out there. Nothing beats the red beast. Except maybe Moog for synth functions. I play a Nord Electro 6D 61 in the studio as a master controller plus surprisingly often for its sounds. It’s also a fantastic gigging keyboard. I programmed a Behringer FCB1010 to do a few useful things to free up my hands. It won’t do sustain, but other than that it fits my needs.

Another option

I did Surfaces’ Endless Summer tour with a Roland VR-09. It was worse overall, from action to build quality and sounds. But the sounds were surprisingly usable.

The randos

I also have a Korg X50 which I will never sell - they put a Triton engine in this tiny thing with little carrying handles. It sounds HUGE and has that patch that Dirty Loops uses.

I have a Yamaha MO6 which has made itself onto a surprising number of collabs. Drum sounds mostly. The Novation X-Station 25 is so fun to play around with, and I can’t bear to part with it since it can serve as a battery-powered portable backup audio interface, ADC, DAC, midi controller, synthesizer, pitch/mod joystick, etc.

I’ve been playing with a Hohner Airboard melodica and have definitely not ruled out a keytar of some kind for the future.

Stand

My stand of choice for seated + standing playing is the K&M Omega. The QuikLok QLY-40 is also OK, though it is discontinued and not without fault. For standing stage playing, I currently use an Ultimate Support Apex but ideally would use an angled keyboard with a reversed second tier for better ergonomics.