I'm looking to buy a keyboard MIDI controller... Need advice

[roeeby]

hey all,
I realize this is a noob question, but I'm a guitarist looking to take up some keyboard parts in my home recording.
I'm looking to buy a relatively simple midi controller and could use some advice from someone who possesses greater knowledge than mine.
since I don't play keyboards (yet) I don't know what I should be looking for in a good (but affordable) midi controller.
I'm basically only looking to be able to control various synths and VST's i have on my computer. will i need all those knobs and buttons on my keyboard? or will a plain one do? what are the functions of those buttons, etc...
enlighten me!

gracias

 

[roeeby]

oh and just one more question - can a firewire\usb keyboard control MIDI oriented programs (i.e Spectrasonics Omnisphere) and synths just like a MIDI connected one?

 

[digitaldeath]

Depends on how big of a keyboard you're looking for really, and if it should have weighted keys etc.
I have a really simple M-Audio Oxygen8 v2 keyboard. MIDI is via USB or standard MIDI cable. What you'll be able to control with it is only limited by your DAW really.
For example, in Ableton Live you can pull up the MIDI assign screen, highlight something you want to control and simply move the knob or whatever on your controller and it'll assign it. All DAWs do this differently, and it can be a pain to assign controls to 3rd party plugins.
But for playing VST instruments, it works perfectly. Hope that bit of info helps?

 

[roeeby]

hey man, thanks a lot.
i guess im going for a 61 key controller. what's the thing with weighted keys and after-touch? I'm not a keyboard player, again, so i have no idea...

and just making sure again, as my current sound card doesn't have midi inputs - the controller communicates MIDI to the computer using only USB, right?

thanks again

 

[digitaldeath]

I'm not a keyboard player myself, so I'm only going on what I heard.
The weighted keys are supposed to make playing feel much more 'realistic' for a piano player, gives them that 'ivory' response I guess. I only use mine for putting down some strings and stuff in the background of some tracks, always handy for that and it works perfectly!
If you're looking to control a load of plugins, sounds like you'd be better with a controller such as the Behringer BCF2000 or the BCR2000 which are quite cheap.
And yup, I use the USB cable to connect it to my Mac and it works with no problems there too.

 

[roeeby]

nah man, same as you - i'm looking to add some synth parts to my songs and\or get my creativity flowing. i could care less if i could tweak the plugins using the knobs on the keyboard. anyhoo, i think i'll go for a simple m-audio... ill further investigate from here on.
you really helped me out, thank you

 

[digitaldeath]

No problem, glad I could help.

 

[Metaltastic]

Check out the EMU Xboards, I love my 49-key one!