Midi Controller Soft Synth Noob Advice Needed

[HomeMadeHitShow]

Please help me out with some general advice/discussion.

I'm a home recorder just doing it for fun. I currently use a Yamaha PSR home keyboard to add some bits and pieces but it's obviously limited.

I want to upgrade and could spend around $500.

I've looked at

Yamaha DGX305
Advantage: Cheapish, has a midi recorder, nice piano sound
Disadvantage: No good synth sounds, large

Yamaha S03
Adv: Nice Piano
Dis: No arp, weak synth

Roland Juno-D
Adv: Good Piano,
Dis: Price not so good

Micro Korg
Adv: Superb Arp, Vintage synth is outstanding
Dis: Small Keyboard, no piano sound

So I came to realize perhaps a soft synth / midi controller is the way to go but I know nothing about them.

Questions:
1) If I buy a $150 controller can I find cheap/free synth modules that are like the Micro Korg
2) Are $150 controllers worthwhile
3) Should I go with the Micro Korg and use as a controller

Sorry for the long post, keep in mind I am just a hobbyist. I am comfortable with the PC but I like that I can play a keyboard live which is not convenient near my PC.

Thanks for the input, please check out my show, see the link below.

Tony

[CyanJaguar]

valid questions. I'll try to help because others helped me a few days ago.

I used to do this bigtime with keyboards and sound modules, but imho, a controller and softsynths sounds so much better. here is the kicker, you need to already have a powerful computer.

I bought my m-audio 88 key keyboard two days ago for around $150 new. It is semi weighted and absolutely perfect. It uses on usb to my computer for both power and midi signals. It is also very light 13 lbs, so easily transportable.

I use kontakt $399, but for what I do it is perfect. I wanted real sounding instruments with an emphasis on quality not quantity and kontakt does this for me. If you want synth sounds, reason might be better.

I paid $100 for an e-mu 0404 soundcard. It comes with cubase le and e-mu proteus le(which is supposed to have 1000 sounds). I have not installed either but $100 for a soundcard with a sequencer(64 midi tracks) and a softsynth sound module is not bad.

you can hear what I threw together here:

http://overtime.metroplexdeals.com/Isadora.mp3

[Atterion]

I'd suggest looking around for a used synth like a Korg N364 or other N-series or Triton LE (which can be expanded with a sampling option, which exponentially expands your palette of available sounds). You can probably snag any of these for 5-6 bills on EBAY (minus the sampling option on the Korg probably for that price, but hey at least you know the option is there). These synths have a good balance of sounds, and plenty of sound design possibility, sequencers, arps, real time patterns, etc.

Another good one might be the Alesis QS 6.2 ($599 new). It has no sequencing capability onboard though. I think of the ones you listed, I like the S03 best actually. But it is pretty weak on the synth side.

You might be best to try and avoid the whole all-in-one approach, and snag couple of different synths. Ideally that is your best bet for satisfying all your criteria (whilst depleting the old bank account). To satisfy your soft-synth needs head over to http://www.kvraudio.com/ use the search function, and enjoy.

[altitude909]

Your PSR should be fine as a controller provided it has midi. I would look at used keyboards/synths/modules usually they are reasonably priced and resale will be about the same you bought it for

[HomeMadeHitShow]

thanks guys, the PSR is not practical for me as a controller because it's semi permanently located in another location, is far to big for the computer area and does not have a USB interface.

Even on eBay the Triton LE is usually $700 or so. I'd much rather spend the $150 for a controller and have more flexibility.

Thanks for the responses.

Tony

[CyanJaguar]

I just went back and looked, and kontakt has a bevy of synth sounds available.

so, if you already have a computer

controller + kontakt 2 + e-mu 0404(with cubase and e-mu proteus included ) $600 max if you buy in person at Guitar Center

[HomeMadeHitShow]

Thanks Cyan, why would I need the sound card ?? Just wondering.

Tony

[CyanJaguar]

it comes with cubase (same version of cubase I paid $100 for)

if you already have a good soundcard(not the onboard thingies) and a computer sequencer, then you dont even need it and you can save some money.

[Atterion]

Originally Posted by HomeMadeHitShow

Thanks Cyan, why would I need the sound card ?? Just wondering.

Tony

If you don't have a soundcard with ASIO drivers (or equivalant), you will never get close to playing in real-time. Every note you play will have a noticeable amount of latency, and trust me that's a bitch. Of course this is really only the case with soft-synths, and not the hardware portion of your synth, because most hosts/sequencers have delay compensation, that adjust for this delay while recording (But you still need to monitor outside of the computer if you don't have low-latency drivers). Also, if you are using your PC's onboard soundcard, you will get better sound-quality via a higher grade sound card, due to better A-D/D-A Converters, higher sample-rates etc.