I currently have a Nord Stage 2 as my main keyboard but would like to add a new additional keyboard specifically to recreate 1980s band sounds i.e. Duran Duran, Simple Minds, Depeche Mode, Human League, Soft Cell, and all those big 1980s sounds including the ones which include guitar..... says our guitarist!!! (So looking at material other than Kraftwerk!!
) Thinking I need another keyboard with good arpeggiator and looping capability, (which might include drum as bonus only), while I play synth on the Nord, with maybe presets for the 80s synth and piano sounds. Needing something to work with the Nord maybe layering on top of what Nord primarily is playing, Nord always being the main keyboard with secondary keyboard backing up what I can't play at the same time on Nord with its 2 slots per programme.
My local music store PMT in Bristol, UK, showed me the ROLAND VR09 before lockdown on a casual visit, and it was about £700 then, its now available for about £570. Awesome price when I consider the price of a Nord. This Roland VR09 is 61 keys, not weighted, which is fine as I have my beloved Nord with 88 fully weighted keys for my main stuff. Looking at videos the Roland VR09 seems to cover a variety of decades, not particularly 1980s.
What do you 1980s guys and girls think. Agree, disagree, can you offer alternatives up to approx £1000 UK sterling pounds. (I am a classical trained pianist now mostly playing In a David Bowie tribute band which is currently exploring a side line of 1980s music. Things like modules and tech stuff are therefore a bit alien to me, not necessarily beyond me, but thinking that is something I might need to get into reluctantly. Any comments and recommendation welcome).
Happy lockdown creativity, and love to you all. Looking forward to hearing from you. Boom Boom Boom.
Sally
