A few MIDI Controller questions.....

[LosingReality]

1. How many keys should i get? I plan to use it for adding synth and just background stuff to my music.

2. This is used to basically play/record the midi into the song via VSTi like synthmaster or AAS Ultra right?....instead of clicking with the mouse right? So, as i play the keyboard it will put in the midi notes on the cubase map?

3. Any recomendations? Im looking at the M-audio ones right now. Any Others?


Thanks!

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

I have a keyrig 49 - I think it was $100. It isn't anything special, but it's comfortable to play, and does the job just fine.

 

[narcossintese]

If you have space I recommend one with at least 3 octaves. It´s much easier to write and mess with chords and melodies than the ones with only 2 octaves.

 

[AudioPhile777]

yeah i agree... at least 49 keys, if you have the space and can afford it, go with 61.

 

[Josh M.]

+1 on the past 2 posts. I have a 2-octave midi keyboard/controller and it is so annoying trying to record with it. I even prefer using a mouse to it now .

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I have an 88 and a 21, I hate using the 21 but it's good for sketching chords. The 88 is much easier to play.

 

[azistenostora]

I am not a big player so I only bought the 49 keys M-audio keystation.

 

[narcossintese]

I had a Line6 KB37 with 37 keys (3 octaves) that was good for writting. At least I could make chords with one hand and melodies with the other. But it was too big and I sold it and bought a M-Audio Midair with 25 keys. Shouldn´t have done that : /

 

[Forceps]

I have an 88 and a 21, I hate using the 21 but it's good for sketching chords. The 88 is much easier to play.

Same here, I use the small one for programming drums... when I break it, it's not that big of a deal. I just get a new one, when the big one is broken, it's gonna be a lot of $$$ (as it's not only a controller, but a complete synth).

But I recommend at least 49 keys... when it's only for some additional keys.

 

[Jind]

I have a PCR-300 32 key controller for all the options it has - lots of dials, buttons, and faders. It also has tight integration with Sonar, my DAW of choice. When I need a little more range, I also have an Edirol PC-50 (49 keys) which I got really cheap and it gives me a little more range with less features of the PCR-300, but once again - Edirol's tight integration with Sonar is a plus for me.

I also have MIDI controller capabilities from my Edirol M-16DX digital mixer/audio interface. It can run in controller mode in either "Exclusive Mode" or "Alternative Mode" the difference being how much of the mixer is dedicated to the DAW, in "Alternative Mode" you can use both mixing capabilities and some DAW functionality, while in "Exclusive Mode" almost the entire surface is used as a controller (mostly for post production type stuff i.e. mastering.)

 

[No More Beers]

One thing i always wanted to know is the difference between a midi controller and a keyboard with midi out.
I would only need something to write some drums and simple keyboards, could i buy any keyboard with midi out or do i have to buy a controller?

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Controllers tend to be cheaper and have more midi functionality (like faders, rotary encoders etc...) from what I have seen. Other than that, there is no reason a modern keyboard with midi out shouldn't be acceptable.

A word of warning though: I had an old 80's cheapo synth (yamaha) that put out every note at 90 for a velocity. Yeah it sucked.

 

[Forceps]

A controller doesn't have any sounds of itself, a keyboard (or synthesizer) does. So if you only want to program drums and use softsynths, a controller is good enough. If you like to expand your synth sounds, you could look for a synth of keyboard. Just remember that you'll need a mixer to connect the outputs of the synth to to hear the sounds.

I have a big synth to play the piano/ synth parts and a small controller to slam the drum parts