keyboard questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter rutledj
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rutledj

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I'm interested in buying a keyboard for working with virtual instruments. I know nothing about them. I'm curious if the small 25 key keyboards will be suitable enough. Also, I don't understand how you access the upper or lower registers on these keyboards (with only 25 keys). Could some of you enlighten me and maybe make some recommendations?

Thanks,
Rut
 
all 2 or 3 octave keyboards and controllers will have an octave transpose so their range is the same as 88 keys but you can only play x octaves
 
the short models are ok as long as you don't want to play more than 1.5-2 octaves at a time. switching on the fly isn't really an option. so for a real keyboard player, it might be a PITA. you have a lot of options, seems like everyone and their brother is making controllers now: m-audio, korg, alesis, novation. i'm really interested in the new novation controllers that have automapping, which automatically maps the knobs and buttons to parameters in the active plug-in and displays them on the lcd's :) very cool!!!!
 
I was scanning ebay for some older keyboards and found a roland pc-70? Do these older keyboards work as well with the current virtual instruments and recording software? Is there anything to beware of when looking at these older models (other than the condition of the keyboard itself)?

Thanks
 
sure, it will work just fine. it doesn't have any other sliders or knobs though, just one data slider, so you might find that it's a little lacking in terms of tactile control. but if all you want to do is play notes and tweak the plug with your mouse, then that is a fine choice.
 
OK. SO I've been looking some more and I'd like to find out what the advantages are of having a keyboard with midi in and out vs just in. I was looking at the emu xboard 49 which only has midi out. Do I care?

If my budget was in the $200 range, what would you recommend (either new or used)?

Thanks,
Rut
 
There is no reason for a controller to have midi in unless it also serves as a midi interface or merger (like the novations). All it needs is midi out
 
actually midi in is important if you use either one keyboard workstation...or sequencer like mpc to sequence to sequence the module or keyboard
 
for virtual instruments on a pc, you only need midi out on your keyboard. i originally got a small format keyboard and after using it for a couple of weeks i regretted not getting something with more keys. originally i was going to use it only for drum stuff but after playing with some of the synth and sampler plugins at kvraudio, i was infected with the vsti bug. i got reason 3 shortly after that. man it's alot of fun. i'm a guitar player but i have fun playing around with all the different instruments and synths. it's like the ultimate musicians toy.

i would skip the small format keyboards and go for something as big as you can afford. buy used if you have to. knobs, sliders, and buttons come in handy for controlling instrument parameters and your recording software controls. if money is tight, find a cheapo used casio or something with midi out to use for now and save up for something bigger. it's a pain in the ass having to use the octave up and down buttons when you just want to player a couple of higher ocatave notes. it kind of kills the flow.
 
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