First midi controller $150 Need Help on Present Selection

[Drewdo]

Hi My name is Andrew, new member,
My girlfriend has about $150 to spend MY christmas. I have been doing alot of recording lately with Sonar, I also want to do a few things with Acid (which I believe you must have a Midi controller for). I am a complete noob @ all the Midi stuff, but have been recording audio for a while in my cousin studio. He has since moved to FLA and I've started hacking away myself. But to the point I have the Dreaded audigy sound card , I also have a Boss digital recorder which I basicly use as a pre-amp as I run guitar and Mic through this, then into the computer. I get surprisingly good sounding records with this primitive setup, but I want to have more control over my drum tracks. I also would like some violens and maybe some horns. Im not sure if the recorder is "midi ready' so I may have to go the usb route. Firewire is possible also. The true question anyways is what do you guys suggest I get for my situation stated above for around $150.

Thanks in Advance

[Toki987]

This looks to be a good contender for that price, and would suffice to allow you to drive softsynths, or an external module (but that would be more cost).

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/705360/

You could always look for a used midi equipped keyboard/synth in the pawn shops or classified ads and you`d have 49,61,76, or possibly 88 keys to work with including whatever rom sounds it already has on it.

[Disposable]

Tell me again why you would have to go USB or Firewire?
The Audigy has midi in/out doesn't it? My SB Live does...

[Drewdo]

Originally Posted by Disposable

Tell me again why you would have to go USB or Firewire?
The Audigy has midi in/out doesn't it? My SB Live does...

My mistake... I am at work at the moment so I'm running everything off memory... and at this time of day that section of my brain is on idle mode...

:: Waiting to get home and rock or groove or what ever happens other than work ::

[Drewdo]

Originally Posted by Toki987

This looks to be a good contender for that price, and would suffice to allow you to drive softsynths, or an external module (but that would be more cost).

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/705360/

You could always look for a used midi equipped keyboard/synth in the pawn shops or classified ads and you`d have 49,61,76, or possibly 88 keys to work with including whatever rom sounds it already has on it.

Thanks for the reply. Im very new at this Midi stuff as I said, but what am I going to use the knobs and sliders for. Am I not able to adjust these things within Sonar?? or is it indisposable?? BTW I am a perfectionist when it comes to music so if I will be lacking without these please let me know. Also another note, I am not a pianist, will this hinder my ability to perform on a midi controller??

[Disposable]

I feel you man... Works a drag huh?
I'm actually in the same boat looking for a keyboard/midi controller...
The M-Audio Radium line is looking good to me.

[Toki987]

Originally Posted by Drewdo

Thanks for the reply. Im very new at this Midi stuff as I said, but what am I going to use the knobs and sliders for. Am I not able to adjust these things within Sonar?? or is it indisposable?? BTW I am a perfectionist when it comes to music so if I will be lacking without these please let me know. Also another note, I am not a pianist, will this hinder my ability to perform on a midi controller??

You can do anything that the remote controller does within sonar. You can open the piano roll view and you have a keyboard right there, you just point and click the notes you want to play and when you want them to play, and then edit the qualities of those notes from there. It is much easier with an external keyboard however. No, it will not hinder you any more than sitting in front of a piano and not knowing which keys to press to get what tone, until you reach out and strike one.

[Drewdo]

Originally Posted by Toki987

You can do anything that the remote controller does within sonar. You can open the piano roll view and you have a keyboard right there, you just point and click the notes you want to play and when you want them to play, and then edit the qualities of those notes from there. It is much easier with an external keyboard however. No, it will not hinder you any more than sitting in front of a piano and not knowing which keys to press to get what tone, until you reach out and strike one.

But the keys are so intimidating
/sarcasm
I've played a few songs on the piano, but very limited
I have also tooled around with piano roll and almost stuck my head in the monitor because it was so tedious... so yes will buy... prolly the one you recomended... thanks