MIDI controller keyboards?

[SkyMonkey]

I have a Roland A-500 PRO. Fairly expensive-ish.
I have a mate who wants to get his first decent, cheap, full key sized controller.
Anyone have any experiences or suggestions.

 

[SkyMonkey]

Bit sluggish in this room!

Does no one use controller keyboards?

 

[steveb63]

I'm waiting on the replies as well.

I'll be needing one sooner than later, being that I have no experience with keyboard controllers am waiting patiently.

Be using mine for arranging orchestral string sections. Not so much as a controller.

 

[steveb63]

I usually go to @Thatbastarddon for advice.

 

[Astral Traveler]

I have a Roland A-500 PRO. Fairly expensive-ish.
I have a mate who wants to get his first decent, cheap, full key sized controller.
Anyone have any experiences or suggestions.

I have a Novation Launchkey that I'm happy with. It has a number of pads, sliders and knobs that can be used for all kinds of nice stuff in a DAW. The keys are velocity sensitive and feel OK considering the price but they don't have the piano feel that you'll find in the more expensive controllers.

 

[SkyMonkey]

Thanks @Astral Traveler I will look into the Novation controllers.
The Roland A-500 is velocity sensitive but not 'piano' feel.
You have to step up to the A-88 for that.

How many keys does your Launchkey have?
Is 49 enough?

 

[Astral Traveler]

Thanks @Astral Traveler I will look into the Novation controllers.
The Roland A-500 is velocity sensitive but not 'piano' feel.
You have to step up to the A-88 for that.

How many keys does your Launchkey have?
Is 49 enough?

I have the 61. It's enough for me but I'm not a real piano player. I'd say 49 is the lowest I'd go bit it depends on you buddy's aspirations.

 

[SkyMonkey]

He's a guitarist, like me.
But we are both learning to use Cakewalk (BandLab).
It would mostly be used as a trigger for drums and some synth work like bass or pads (synth pads, not the physical ones).
We are both 50+ and unlikely to become proficient on keys any time soon.

 

[Astral Traveler]

He's a guitarist, like me.
But we are both learning to use Cakewalk (BandLab).
It would mostly be used as a trigger for drums and some synth work like bass or pads (synth pads, not the physical ones).
We are both 50+ and unlikely to become proficient on keys any time soon.

Then the 49.

 

[SkyMonkey]

Looking at Thomann, maybe an M-Audio Keystation?

M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3

USB MIDI Keyboard 49 Velocity-sensitive keys, Pitch bend and modulation wheel, Octave selection, Transport button for DAW control, 1 Fader, 6.3 mm jack input for optional sustain pedal (not included), USB Bus-powered, Plug-and-play for Mac and PC,...

www.thomann.de

 

[Astral Traveler]

Looking at Thomann, maybe an M-Audio Keystation?

M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3

USB MIDI Keyboard 49 Velocity-sensitive keys, Pitch bend and modulation wheel, Octave selection, Transport button for DAW control, 1 Fader, 6.3 mm jack input for optional sustain pedal (not included), USB Bus-powered, Plug-and-play for Mac and PC,...

www.thomann.de

I'd recommend either one with drum pads or a separate controller with pads. Personally I really like knobs and faders too, I assign them to tracks so I can control balance and volume for each track in the DAW using the MIDI controller.

 

[Thatbastarddon]

I had/have an Axiom25 by M-audio. All the rubber buttons(not the pads) have disintegrated over the years...I could use a new one, if I thought I would use it, I’d probably look at some of the AKAI stuff. Thing is, I have a 48 key usb Keyboard(don’t remember the model) that does what I need...no bells or whistles. I have one of those usb pad controllers(also AKAI) too, and a Mackie control surface...so I’m covered, and have been for too long to be much help I’m afraid..
@Kerry Brown has a cool AKAI controller/keyboard IIRC. Maybe he’ll chime in.

 

[Kerry Brown]

@Kerry Brown has a cool AKAI controller/keyboard IIRC. Maybe he’ll chime in.

I hardly ever play mine. I got a full size Yamaha Clavinova. Since then the Akai has been relegated to bass tracks when I record. I loaned my bass to my granddaughter. I can get better bass tones from the midi than a guitar.

 

[SkyMonkey]

The M-Audio Oxygen has a similar array of knobs, sliders and pads to the Roland A500-PRO.
Might the Oxygen be the successor to the Axiom (currently unavailable).

M-Audio Oxygen 49 Mk4

USB Keyboard with 49 velocity sensitive keys 8 Velocity sensitive trigger pads, 8 Assignable rotary encoders, 9 Assignable faders, Transport buttons for (ex.) DAW management, LCD Display, USB bus powered, USB MIDI, Input for sustain pedal, Included...

www.thomann.de

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Not sure where this unit falls into the midi portion of this subject, but it does have midi jacks in the back. Maybe someone can explain this to
me. I am planning to pick up a very cool Korg SV1 88 Key keyboard. Here are the specs.

https://d1aeri3ty3izns.cloudfront.net/media/5/52795/download_52795.pdf

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

 

[Seamus OReally]

I do play piano, and I find a 61 key is sufficient for what I normally play. I use a Komplete Kontrol 61 by Native Instruments, which has plenty of encoders and touch pads that I mostly use for mixing.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Seamus, I bet 61 is plenty for most folks. My wife enjoyed piano during her youth, so when she got excited that her daughter bought a Roland HP10 for her husband, I felt like she would surely love a digital piano with weighted keys. Lots of options to choose from, including the same Roland he got. My mind went to asking my pro and amateur keyboard playing friends for their opinions. I know the big names in the business, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Kurzweil, Roland, Korg, Nord, Kawai, etc of old and new, so i narrowed my options to Roland, Kawai, and the Korg SV1 or similar models that i could buy for under $1k. Considering the features of the Korg SV1, and it comes in 73 and 88 key versions. I'm looking forward to seeing her face when she sees it and hears all it can do.

The Korg SV1 acts as both a 73/88-key MIDI controller and a sound module, featuring 5-pin DIN (In/Out) and USB MIDI ports to connect with computers, DAWs, and external gear. It supports "Local Off" to mute internal sounds, velocity-sensitive triggering, and MIDI program changes to select sounds remotely.
This video demonstrates how to connect the Korg SV-1 to a computer via USB:

 

[67plexi]

I wanted a keyboard was looking a Roland David Bowie's keyboard player was in the keyboard section
what asked me what songs we were going to use it for mainly Led Zeppelin get the Korg Triton Extreme
Doug our Keyboard player plays Roland and all his Keyboards sound cheap
next I got a Native Instruments Komplete 15 Collectors edition Doug was playing Drums I played a keyboard solo
Doug got up walked out quit the band little did he know I got the new Keyboard for him to play
sad part Doug and I had been in bands together over 40 years Joe Harris and I had been playing music since 2008
Joe said to hell with all the cover songs we play we need to write our own songs Joe was on the road 30 years as a drummer
he played bass with our band since 2008 and plays guitar and keyboards and vocals I got burned out going to bed at 7:00 AM
that's when I like to get up in the morning.

I'm going to give this a try I use 7 channels for drums and my other interface has 4 prime mic preamps

Discrete 8 Oryx Synergy Core | Antelope Audio

Antelope Audio Discrete 8 Oryx, a 26×38 USB-C audio interface with 8 console-grade preamps, real-time Synergy Core FX, and advanced headphone monitoring.

en.antelopeaudio.com

 

[ibmorjamn]

I wish I had seen this when it was posted, not sure why it didn’t show.
I have novation launchkey 3 , 37 keys
I got it to control ez drummer. It does that well, plus attempt to play the keyboard.lol
I have go back and read this.Whoa, I new it was necro but oops