Keyboard Controler?

B

Broth3rz

New member
I have a Babyface Pro and I'm in need of a new piano keyboard. My current doesn't have any MIDI OUT and it's old and has issues. I'd like to buy a new one with MIDI OUT. I do NOT need a workstation as my PC will be that. I need a solid good product that is as close to a grand piano as I can get, but also something I can work with in Pro Tools, Play 5, Kontakt, and VSTs well.

I've been looking at a few and I can only find a few good ones without braking the bank. It has to be 88 keys. The Yamaha P-255, Studiologic SL88, and the Komplete Kontrol S88.

Which would you all go for? Does anyone have any other recommendations? I can't go above the $1,300 for the P-255, which I'm having a hard time it's worth that much?

And no, there are no local music shops around here to try them and even if there was they wouldn't have the SL88 or KK S88 in stock. So I can't really test play.

If anyone has any other ideas or thoughts on these 3, please help!

Thanks!
 
The Yamaha P-255 isn't a keyboard controller, it's a digital piano. Of course, it can be used as a controller. But if you're primarily interested in using it as a controller rather than in playing it as a digital piano, then you might want to broaden your search to other P-xxx models that aren't as expensive as the P-255, because assuming their keyboard action is on a par with the P-255's, they should work just as well.

EDIT: Okay, I see that other P-xxx models might have USB To Host ports rather than MIDI ports. Although, if you're going to be using it with your computer, then a USB To Host connection will do the trick.
 
Wouldn't it be better to connect to the Babyface Pro then to my PC via BFP? What's the benefit on connecting through the BFP?

I know I could go super cheap since a controller can be cheap but I'd like a real piano feel also as I actually play piano.
 
The following comments are just my opinions, and other people may have differing opinions. :)

If you intend to connect a keyboard or controller to another MIDI device, then it would be best to get a keyboard/controller that has MIDI ports, because you'll be able to directly connect the two devices together using just MIDI cables (assuming the other device also has MIDI ports). In contrast, a keyboard/controller that has a USB-MIDI port can't be directly connected to another MIDI device, because it must be connected to a USB host (typically a computer). Most USB-MIDI adapter cables can't act as USB hosts, although there are some USB-MIDI interfaces that can, such as from Kenton and iConnectivity. So it's certainly possible to connect a keyboard/controller that has a USB-MIDI port to another device that has MIDI ports, but it requires more than just a connecting cable:

Simplest: Device A (MIDI ports) -- MIDI cables -- Device B (MIDI ports)

Not as simple: Device A (USB-MIDI port) -- USB cable -- USB host device -- MIDI cables -- Device B (MIDI ports)

Won't work: Device A (USB-MIDI port) -- USB-MIDI adapter cable -- Device B (MIDI ports)

On the other hand, if you intend to connect the keyboard/controller to a computer to use it with MIDI software (a DAW, notation program, soft synths, or other virtual instruments), then it would be best to get a keyboard/controller that has a USB-MIDI port, because you'll be able to directly connect it to the computer using just a USB cable. Most computers don't have MIDI ports. Of course, you can connect a keyboard/controller that has MIDI ports to a computer using a USB-MIDI adapter cable, but inexpensive USB-MIDI adapter cables can be problematic (read: a POS). Also, most households are more likely to have a spare USB cable lying around than a spare USB-MIDI adapter cable. So if you want to connect a keyboard/controller that has MIDI ports to a computer, you'll need to buy a decent USB-MIDI adapter cable (and hope it works with your MIDI device), or buy an audio interface that includes MIDI ports (which you've apparently already got), or buy an internal sound card that has MIDI ports for your computer:

Simplest/least expensive: Device A (USB-MIDI port) -- USB cable -- Computer

Simple but slightly more expensive and prone to faults: Device A (MIDI ports) -- USB-MIDI adapter cable -- Computer

Simple but even more expensive: Device A (MIDI ports) -- MIDI cables -- USB audio/MIDI interface -- USB cable -- Computer

Simple but most expensive: Device A (MIDI ports) -- MIDI cables -- Computer with internal sound card with MIDI ports

So the bottom line is that you can use either a keyboard/controller that has MIDI ports, or one that has a USB-MIDI port, although which type is best can depend on what sort of devices you intend to connect it to, as well as how simple and inexpensive you want the process of connecting the devices together to be.

Of course, the ideal choice would be a keyboard/controller that has both MIDI ports and a USB-MIDI port, to have the best of both worlds.

But to get back to your specific question, there's no real advantage to getting a keyboard/controller with MIDI ports and connecting it to your Babyface Pro versus getting one with a USB-MIDI port and connecting it directly to your computer.

EDIT: That's assuming you're only ever going to be using it with a computer. If you want to leave open the possibility of connecting it to another MIDI device at some point in the future without needing to go through a computer or buy a special USB host MIDI interface, then it would be more advantageous to get one with MIDI ports.
 
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Just like to add...Many MIDI controllers these days have both USB and MIDI out. My son's Evolution is one such and you can even power it over USB on one computer and play/record MIDI on that and/or feed MIDI to an AI (2496 card in our case) and play a different instrument.

Only quite expensive MIDI controllers/kbds have MIDI in and can therefore act as a full blown MIDI interface.

I know I am well known here for my MIDI rants but. USE it or LOSE it! And that would be a shame, we have SO few real standard systems in the music world.

Dave.
 
I was planning on buying the KK S88 which has these connections. So it has both. I just didn't know if there was a benefit to connecting straight USB-MIDI to my PC verses MIDI OUT to MIDI INTO my BabyFace Pro. Sounds like from what your saying there isn't any benefit to go though the BFP. So it sounds like I should just go straight to my PC via USB-MIDI.

I'm not sure what other interface I'd even wanna connect to my keyboard, I will be using it mainly as a MIDI keyboard for my DAW, Pro Tools. Was going to plug keyboard into it via MIDI but I don't see a reason to with what you said. So I will connect it straight to my PC.

Now lets say I don't have the BFP. How would I connect my speakers up to my pc? I will be getting the Adam A7x's. Here is the rear. So it's XLR and I take it i need the interface to connect them, yes? Either an interface or sound card with XLR are my only options on connection those speakers?

So now thinking about it why does the BFP even have a MIDI IN? What do they expect you to use it for?
 
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Depending on the interface, there might be a benefit from connecting to the interface rather than directly to the computer. For instance, some of the iConnectivity MIDI interfaces can accept connections (via powered USB hub) from several USB-MIDI devices at once, as well as connections from multiple computing devices at once, allowing all connected computing devices to interface with all connected USB-MIDI devices at the same time! But I think that most interfaces are designed more for interfacing audio devices, including converting the analog signals to digital using a sound card that's superior to whatever is inside the computer, and with those types of interfaces there's really no benefit (that I know of, anyway) to connecting a USB-MIDI device to the interface rather than directly to the computer.

The reason audio interfaces often have MIDI ports is so you can connect MIDI devices-- as opposed to USB-MIDI devices-- to them, which saves you from having to get a separate USB-MIDI adapter. Not all devices that have MIDI ports will also have USB-MIDI ports, just as not all devices with USB-MIDI ports will also have MIDI ports, so it can be extremely useful to have an audio interface that includes at least one set of MIDI In/Out ports, and possibly several sets, depending on how many MIDI devices you have.

Also, even if you have no MIDI devices and no audio devices per se-- aside from headphones and speakers-- just USB-MIDI devices, there is still a benefit to having and using an audio interface, since it's probably going to give you a much better sound quality than the internal sound card your computer came with.

EDIT: By the way, a USB connection can accommodate the data from several MIDI ports at once, so if you have several MIDI devices it will be simpler to connect all of them to an audio/MIDI interface so there's just one USB cable connected to the computer, as opposed to having each MIDI device connected to a separate USB port via USB-MIDI adapters. A computer has only so many USB ports, and you'll probably want to save at least a couple of them for your computer keyboard and mouse! :)
 
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