The DXG and MODX both list GHS as the keybed type. Although maybe not identical - they should be very similar.

The CP88 used comes in right under $2k when I check major retailers. I only include a used keyboard in order to satisfy the price-point. The CP88 with triple sensor and NW-GH keybed probably comes closer to an acoustic piano feel. I know I really enjoyed playing the CP88. For me, it's a better fit than the GHS keybed found in the MODX (and I haven't played the DXG).

A sequencer using software is easier to use advanced features due to keyboard shortcuts, mouse, etc. available where on-board (when available) has limited input capability and menu traversal to match. Plus - learning software (DAW) will apply to any keyboard you connect to the DAW. This may or may not matter in your long-run but I say this because the learning is transferable to future gear if any accumulates over time. Given you want to refresh often it may be worth integrating a DAW into your setup. Choice of DAW is another thing entirely. Most Yamaha synthesizers come bundled with a DAW (probably not the DGX - it's not from the "synthesizer" group). However, Cubase may not be the easiest to use although is one of the most comprehensive and most supported by Yamaha due to ties to Steinberg. For portability - Cubasis runs on iPads and now iPhones. Integration of a DAW live using Cubasis and a tablet (or even full Cubase and something like an MS Surface) may be a good option if you want to take the DAW live without having a bulkier computer setup.

That said, there are some that claw and scrape to have a sequencer integrated into the keyboard so that sequencing can be done without having to use a DAW. That's a valid perspective and the last paragraph is my general feeling if I was guiding someone without experience with either approach. The "pattern sequencer" that is now a part of MODX is a result of initially not having much in the sequencer department and responding to those claws and scrapes. I'm not sure if it's evolving much beyond where it stands today - but it is not as full featured as a DAW for the same actions. Even if you go this route - you may find supplementing the built-in features (of MODX) with the bundled Cubase AI DAW.

The Pattern Sequencer was included in the Montage and MODX to catch people EXACTLY like you.

Its focus is barely on patterns, and it's not truly a sequencer of anything other than its very primitive take on pattern sequencing, which is awkward and unfun.

DO NOT FACTOR IT INTO CONSIDERATIONS WHEN THINKING ABOUT SEQUENCING!!!

It's barely a sketch pad!

Unless you're a freakishly prolific sketcher of musical ideas, or an absolute master of feeding content to patterns from DAW for live work, it's not much use, at all.

Which means you're really looking at keyboards, not workstations, as this is NOT a workstation, much as they'd like you to think it is with the inclusion of a "sequencer" in the bullet point lists.

And, as Jason rightly points out, once you realise you're going to be needing to use a DAW if you get the MODX, really good keyboards become much more interesting, not least because the MODX8's keyboard isn't particularly good, and has had a bit of a record with some problems, too.

If keyboard feel is important to you, I'd suggest the MODX8 is probably the worst option in the 2k price range of sound monsters with 88 piano-like keybeds.

And if you're fussy about the feel of keyboards, it's going to take a lot of time on the different models in the 2k range, as they vary enormously. Over 4k, they're all pretty good. You almost can't go wrong. But at 2k... strewth. You've gotta try them to find the one that gels with your fingers so you don't get tired and frustrated.

And that's going to take hours. So get friendly with a music shop, if you can, and tell them your problem. They'll likely be accomodating. It's a common problem.

I'm getting interested again in creating music and wondering what the right choice is for me, and can use a hand.

My basic must haves: 88 keys, keys feel as close to an acoustic piano as possible, sequencer (either on board or via a DAW not sure which is better), lots of awesome sounds from the factory, ability to load more packaged sounds over time, under $2000, and modern (I don't want to buy outdated tech, or 2 3 generations old).

I like the price point of the MODX8, believe it has weighted keys, lots of sounds, and I assume can connect to a DAW. . Also, the DGX 670 looks good, and I think it too has an onboard sequencer, not sure if it can connect to a DAW.

Would you recommend the MODX8, DXG 670, or something else?

Thanks for your help, really appreciate it!

Hi Scott,
Welcome to YamahaSynth!
The problem with asking advice (especially on the internet) is you get other people’s opinions which can have little or nothing to do with what you want to do.

It’s like going to a group of people out in the street and asking “Do these shoes fit my feet?”
You know that only *you* can make that determination.

The best way for *you* to make that determination is to head down to a music store, grab a knowledgeable sales associate, and spend a few minutes with each keyboard. The two you mention are in vastly different categories — a short discussion with a store associate at the products in question will give you a much better feel for what each does.

Link — The MODX is listed as a Music Synthesizer
Link — The DGX-670 is a portable Digital Grand

They are two very different instruments. Designed for two very different customers. The store will want to “qualify you” — this means they will ask you about you, and what you wish to accomplish. Based on that information they will make a recommendation. Remember their goal is to sell (yes sure) but it also includes selling you the right product based on their time with you. Many do not value this but they want you to be satisfied with your purchase! It does them no good if you purchase something you can’t really use.

Sitting at each (along with a qualified sales associate who can answer or find the answer to most of your questions) will reveal what pinches your toes and what is a good fit for you. You know why a good shoe salesperson, puts them on you and tells you to walk around, after they have asked you … “what are you looking to do with this footwear?” This is because if you plan on mountain climbing, those dress shoes you are asking about are a very different instrument!

Hope that helps.

For me, the Pattern Sequencer was a great addition to the Montage/MODX. I use it all the time, and it does things for me that would be cumbersome to impossible to do via the DAW I use (Cubase Pro).

The Pattern Sequencer comes with a bit of a learning curve, but nowhere near as steep as some of the other features of the Montage/MODX. I think it's well worth your time to climb that learning curve.

My basic must haves: 88 keys, keys feel as close to an acoustic piano as possible, sequencer (either on board or via a DAW not sure which is better), lots of awesome sounds from the factory, ability to load more packaged sounds over time, under $2000, and modern (I don't want to buy outdated tech, or 2 3 generations old).

Picking up from what Jason said about the CP88... Just as you can add an outboard DAW to a keyboard that doesn't have a built-in sequencer, you can similarly add more sounds by connecting to that same device (e.g. a laptop or iPad). The one thing you can't "fix" is the feel of the keys. Based on your "must haves," then I think it makes sense to focus highly on the feel of the action. The Yamaha with the most real feel under $2k is probably the P-515, but to get that kind of feel at that price, it's really "just a piano" feature-wise, and you'd probably rely on your external device for a lot of the rest.

For me, the Pattern Sequencer was a great addition to the Montage/MODX. I use it all the time, and it does things for me that would be cumbersome to impossible to do via the DAW I use (Cubase Pro).

The Pattern Sequencer comes with a bit of a learning curve, but nowhere near as steep as some of the other features of the Montage/MODX. I think it's well worth your time to climb that learning curve.

It's precisely because I know the Pattern Sequencer quite well that I speak of it in the manner I do.

What is the way you use it that makes it so great, for you.

Note, I'm not saying it isn't good for me, nor my daughter's usage of it as a sketch tool.

My criticisms of it start at the point it's nebulously promoted as a sequencer, and the intimations that it makes the Montage/MODX somewhat of a workstation.