good keyboard for hiphop?

E

emohbe

New member
Hey, I want to buy the best keyboard I can get for $400 or less(preferably less lol). My main focus is hiphop and I will probably end up creating my music on Reason though that I am not sure of either. Thanks.
 
I feel you should go for "M-Audio Axiom Keyboard USB MIDI Controller" (49keys will be enough) It also has some pads on it which are really kool for kicks and drums and other prec. stuff.. + there are also many knobs and faders which you can assign to reason mixer or as you want..
But if you planning to go for a more lower budget then go for
"M-Audio KeyRig USB MIDI Controller"
and then you can separately buy "Korg nano PAD USB MIDI Controller" with "Korg nano KONTROL USB MIDI Controller" (the nano Kontrol is optional depending on you)
Im not into hip-hop production but i feel having pads will sure add a lot of advantages for hip-hop producers...

Hope you do find some of my info. helpful :)
 
I have 2 more questions. I use a m-audio fast track ultra for my monitors so I can use that to connect a keyboard to my Mac correct? And also whatever keyboard I do end up buying, can the sounds that are including in the keyboard be utilized on the computer or will I just be using the sounds included in whatever program I am using for recording. Thanks for the answers so far.
 
If the M-Audio has midi ins/outs and so does your keyboard then you will be able to record your midi to your computer, edit it how you choose, then send the midi back to your keyboard and record the sounds you want through the line inputs on the M-Audio. Midi transmits computer code only not audio signal.
 
emohbe said:
Hey, I want to buy the best keyboard I can get for $400 or less(preferably less lol). My main focus is hiphop and I will probably end up creating my music on Reason though that I am not sure of either. Thanks.
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I use an Evolution (M-Audio) MK-461C and they're good. The Axiom is probably a good bet. You should only have to spend around $250 - 275 or so.
 
i had an axiom...great keyboard..useless pads, maybe budget for some pads to trigger the mighty Kong drum machine in Reason 5 :)
 
CFox said:
Thanks for that, I was considering an Axiom myself for the pad feature.

Searches seem to indicate Korg nanopad has good sensitivity
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yup I ended up selling it and buying a PCR and an MPD...the pads were little more than on/off midi triggers, trying to get any sort of velocity control was near impossible...shame everything else on the axiom was sheer quality


I hear good things about the nano pad...I have the little akai LPK25 for on the go and will probably get the LPD8 pads...if they are anything like the keyboard they'll be well worth a punt
 
dintymoore said:
What was the story with the pads?

Not sensitive enough?
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not so much...you can set it up with more or less sensitivity...its just you had to hit them direct in the middle every time...hitting them slightly off centre didnt trigger the midi sometimes
 
kcearl said:
not so much...you can set it up with more or less sensitivity...its just you had to hit them direct in the middle every time...hitting them slightly off centre didnt trigger the midi sometimes
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They struck me as a hokey add-on, I'd just as soon use the piano keys for drums.

A couple of things I noticed reading this thread I thought I'd mention:

If something is called a controller, then there's no sounds in it.

If you have a keyboard with sounds in it you can use it to program sounds in your computer plus have the computer play the keyboard's built-in sounds.

If the keyboard has USB, you don't need to use the MIDI in or out - the MIDI code will be sent via the USB cable. You only need MIDI when you are hooking up older gear than doesn't have USB, or if you're using a keyboard with no computer, say just a computer and a module.
 
dintymoore said:
They struck me as a hokey add-on, I'd just as soon use the piano keys for drums.
Click to expand...

yeah it was damned disappointing as the keyboard is superb.....i got a PCR instead for its integration with sonar...found out I hate that DAW...the extra keys in the PCR are great regardless

Ive had three controller mind and the axiom was by far the best though....
 
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