Best 88 Key Synth for this situation

I'm primarily a DJ who messes with Ableton. I use controllers etc. Don't know jack about keyboards other than I plonked around on a Nord Stage 2 once at a party and later learned it cost as much as my entire portable rig!

The GF is a classically trained pianist: Bach, Beethoven, & all that (& apparently a lot smarter with DAWs & computers than I am).
I come home from work & she's messing around with an Ableton track I left open. What took me a couple of weeks, to figure out took her hours, grrrrr.
She loves making DAW music now. "I just love Hans Zimmer" she says.

So... I've been looking at a few synths to combine our team.
Akai MPK88, Roland RD700, Yamaha MO8 88, Korg Trinity/ Kross, others?

First off, I can't play, and have done everything I needed to on my controllers. 2nd, she's only played Grands and never synths or keyboards.
This much I know:

Budget: Around a $1000 US for a used/new
Desires: Full 88 keys that are weighted and 'feel' good to someone with piano experience.
She likes foot pedals, but isn't sure if that feature being missing will bug her with a synth.
+ Something easy to use with Ableton features.
+ Something classy and simple appeals to her, something that you can tweak the shit out of sound appeals to me.

Thanks in advance for replies.
 
Hi there, i am no expert but got the feeling you mixing up terms with synth and keyboard here.

i did a quick check on your picks and thats what i think they do:

Akai MPK88 - i think its just a midi controller what means no sounds in the unit only working with software!
Roland RD700 - Stage Piano with sounds in it, not sure if it can be used as midi controler for ableton and vsts
Yamaha MO8 88 - looks like a full music workstation, whith sequenzer build in all stuff so you can make tracks even without pc

(in my book none of them is a synth)

I am in the same boat right now, i take piano lessons lately and want to upgrade to 88 weighted keys too :)

my focus is more on the midi-controller side.
The Best 88 Key MIDI Controller Keyboards | Gearank
Then i have my eyes on the Native-Instrument S88 cause i already invested in Komplete 10U.

Since your GF is Pianoplayer i would let her try out some in a music store too and see how they feel and compare.

"Something classy and simple appeals to her, something that you can tweak the shit out of sound appeals to me."
Not sure if something like this excists - specially in that price range :/ But with midi conroler like the akai you can map those control to tweak your software synth.

Yo hope it helped you bit and not confused you more lol
but make sure you know what you buy when you put a grand on the table :)
cheers
 
I'd probably get a stage piano instead of a controller, like the Roland. No idea about those things though...but I'd wager you'd be able to get something fairly decent at that price.
 
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