What kind of keyboard do you suggest?

[Jome7]

At first I was looking for a midi controller, but I want to get something with 49-61 keys. After looking around at the prices though, I see that I can probably pick up a used synth or one of the Casio or Yamaha keyboards with all of the instruments for around the same amount of money or even cheaper.

The thing with those though, is that I would like to have some knobs so I can tweak multiple parameters at once, something I can't do with my current setup which is just a mouse. And also to keep from having to reach from the keys to the mouse every time I want to change something.

So was thinking maybe one of those Casio workstation types and a separate drum pad thing like the little Akai. But then I'm getting up to the price of a good used synth lol..also, going to be upgrading my software from Live Lite, so do you think it is even worth it to get something with it's own sounds when I will have all of the new virtual instruments and presets that the software is going to have?

A good thing about the Casio or something similar though, is that I can use it off the computer and practice with the built-in lessons and stuff. So am kind of between all three options right now.

[Silwolffe]

If I were you, I would get a keyboard controller, especially when you say you're considering upgrading from live lite. I have an incredible amount of sample libraries, however, so I always play plugged in to my laptop.

I went from an Oxygen49 to an MPK61. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MPK61

I know a lot of people have complained about how artificial the keys feel on the MPK, but I for one find them very enjoyable. They don't feel cheap to me like the oxygen49's keys did, they're pretty solid. Whenever I played on the oxygen, I would be scared I would break the plastic.

[DaddyHam]

Upgrade to live 8 and get one of the V3 M-Audio Oxygens. Honestly, instead of gear lusting, buy something cheap and learn live well. The oxygens come with direct link which is actually not bad at all. 8, knobs, 8 faders and 49 keys. The knobs will map up to the ableton live instruments nicely as they all have 8 parameters.

If you need some sort of validity, Bryan Eno has an oxygen 49. I mean that is obviously not his studio, but he at least uses it for sketching ideas.


http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/ ... terview-4/


I would go with this set up and then eventually incorporate maschine after you have bought some solid reference monitors.

[paddyb]

What is the max you want to spend? That will really determine your options. I would recommend getting a good used workstaton synth. There are a lot of good synths in the $350-$600 range that make good MIDI controllers. The advantage is internal sounds/synthesis, built in arpeggiator and sequencer for sketching out ideas and, importantly, better build quality and key action 90% of the time. The disadvantages are no USB MIDI, no automapping/templating and on many models you have to dig a page or two in the menu to change MIDI channels, set up splits and layers etc. For me the pros outweighed the cons and I ended up getting a Yamaha CS6x. It has knobs that can send CC data, 4 zones and a pretty good synth engine. You should be able to find one under $500. A lot of people also like the Roland XP-30 ($300-500) and Korg Triton Classic ($400-$600) as MIDI controllers.

[Jome7]

Thanks, yeah a workstation synth/keyboard would be good since I would kind of like to have the best of both worlds with all of the instruments but also with custom synth sounds, but I'm looking at the $200-300 range since there is a few other things I want to get. But I am interested in splitting the keyboard and things like that too though, so will keep a look out for those, thanks!

Another thing I am wondering about is faders, and how useful they are or how often they get used? I tend to do a lot of automation, so I'm not sure how much I would use them. There is this control surface that I was checking out that has motorized faders and might get it if I go with a basic midi controller, are they really that much better than regular faders?

Like with the regular faders, do most people set each one to a track and that's it, or set them to different parameters and have to keep resetting the positions when you want to change something on a different track?