Getting my first MIDI controller... have a question

[thedust2010]

Hi everyone. I'm about to buy my first MIDI controller. I'm looking for something under $200 that captures velocity and has a fair amount of tweaking knobs as well. If you reccomend any particular product, let me know.

Anyways, I've been reading up a lot on MIDI lately but am still confused about one thing - how do you go about adding on more sound banks to work with? Do they get installed to your sound card or to memory inside your MIDI controller? I'm just unsure how this works. My sound card has 128 instruments already installed on it, but am I able to work with more somehow? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Krakit]

Your MIDI controller has no internal memory or sounds. It is exactly as described, just a controller. Think of it as the equivalant to your QWERTY keyboard on your computer. It is that similar.

The sounds are produced by that which is controlled. It could be a synth (either keyboard or rack mounted), a computer software program, a drum machine or anything with a MIDI input that also makes sounds.

My favorite controllers are the Evolutions but a lot of people here seem to prefer the M-Audio variety.

Carl

[tedluk]

My first thought at that price point would be a Radium 61. It has a fair number of assignable controllers.

The Evolution series have better/more MIDI controllers, but I don't like the feel of the keyboard itself.

It all depends on what is most important to you.

A note of clarification-

Both the Evolution line and Radium line are owned by M-Audio.

Ted

[Krakit]

It's true that M-Audio bought out Evolution about a year ago, but I was a fan of Evolution boards before that.

I don't know if M-Audio ruined Evolution by now or not.

Carl