Need some help choosing a new keyboard

[richievh]

Hi,

I've been a keyboard player for some time and my first keyboard (and only) is a Yamaha PS3 E303. I'm thinking of buying a synth or workstation. I play progressive and pop rock mostly. I would say the tones I like to use would be closer to Geoff Downes' (so we can set a reference) and I also play some A-ha on the pop end.

I basically am looking for a keyboard that has:
- Melotrons (tape strings, flutes and choir);
- Leads (something moogish);
- Voice leads (anyone who know Yamaha knows what I am talking about, but this is mainly a vox humana w/ strings patch);
- Organs and Pads

I checked out a few boards and thought about M50, Kurzweil PC3LE6 or MOX 6.

I'm also thinking of buying two or three "lesser" boards instead of these ones above like a Roland Juno + Gaia combination or a X50 + Lucina combination.

I need a keyboard for rehersals and playing live. It would be great (if it was only one keyboard) if it would be real easy for me to change tones and to layer 'em

Thanks for the attention and I really hope you can shed a light on the subject w/ your experiences.

 

[drewwilliamspiano]

Roland G series workstations will cover all your bases. if that board doesnt have the exact sound you want, the editing parameters are the most powerful of any workstation out there - and you can get the closest. awesomely easy to layer patches too. fat sounds. its one of the only boards that lets you transpose octaves within patches in a layer....a total LIVE keyboard player's keyboard.