midi keyboard key amounts

[monstertruck]

was wandering if bought a midi keyboard that has like 61 keys how would i work it so i can get lower or higher sounds that i could get with an 88 key board?
if that makes sense

[subtractor]

Most have an octave up and octave down button(s).

[drstawl]

You can also probably set your receiving MIDI app to transpose on the fly several octaves in either direction.

[monstertruck]

so does the keyboard need an octave up and down button or does the midi/synth program need it?
would like especially to take synths like bass for example and go into lower octaves making even more bassier

[subtractor]

Every keyboard under 88 keys that I have has octave up and/or down. And even some modules...

[drstawl]

Originally posted by monstertruck
so does the keyboard need an octave up and down button or does the midi/synth program need it?
would like especially to take synths like bass for example and go into lower octaves making even more bassier

You don't *need* the control. It is a common convenience item.
It transposes the Pitch value messages that are sent to the synth or the MIDI recording device.

Ultimately, the synth just plays whatever note it is asked to play. Each note is given its own note value so the command has to have the octave encoded in the note value to have the module play the note you want.

[subtractor]

Originally posted by drstawl
You don't *need* the control. It is a common convenience item.
It transposes the Pitch value messages that are sent to the synth or the MIDI recording device.

Ultimately, the synth just plays whatever note it is asked to play. Each note is given its own note value so the command has to have the octave encoded in the note value to have the module play the note you want.

Simply put.
Damn doc, could you rephrase that ? It seems like you got so wrapped up in the explanation you forgot what the question was... Or is it just me?

[Roel]

And it's not really correct, in the way that it is confussing as it can be.

Midi works with numbers. There are 128 note-values in midi. You need 12 per octave, so that means you can get over 10 octaves using midi.

Now, your keyboard sends a midi note-on message with one of those notenumbers indicating which note to play. This message is received by your module. Depending on the sound chosen, it will play a sample. Most modules I know can do layered sounds, and allow to play note values that are a certain number of 'steps' (half notes) lower or higher than the note received in the note-on message.

And, controllers with a transpose function, allow to change the note value that is sent whenever a certain note is pressed. Really advanced synths allow to do more complicated stuff, for example, each half note on the keyboard is set to a quarter tone. So playing a half step up on the keyboard resulst in just a quarter of a tone up in sound!

Hope that's clear. Jee, I'm smart.

[monstertruck]

ahhh screw it i think i'll just get a good midi controller and screw learning piano.
anyone know of any good/decent priced midi controllers for just working with software based synths?

thanx 4 ur reply's

[James Argo]

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[drstawl]

Originally posted by Roel
And it's not really correct, in the way that it is confussing as it can be.
Hope that's clear. Jee, I'm smart.

Did you forget to take your smart pill today?

What's not correct?

I said that the octave information is not sent separately from the note pitch value. The octave is thus encoded in the note patch value.

[drstawl]

Originally posted by subtractor
Or is it just me?

Yup!

[subtractor]

Talk about delayed reactions...