Midi Keyboard HELP !!!

[z0x3]

Hello everyone , I plan to buy a MIDI keyboard , but I 'm undecided . I produce hip hop and sometimes electronic . Which keyboard would you recommend ? I want maximum 49 keys . Thank you

 

[DM60]

Most people who do the style you are talking about, usually spend more time with samples and controllers than with a keyboard. If you are going to perform with this, I suggest looking into more of a controller keyboard than a pure keyboard. The controller would give you more control over glitching and controlling samples and the keyboard would be to just add notes, probably with one hand and not be that much of a focus.

Something along these lines: Advance 49 : Akai Professional - Iconic music production gear, including the legendary MPC

It is not a recommendation, just an idea of what would serve you for what I think you would want in the long term. Hope this helps.

 

[z0x3]

Most people who do the style you are talking about, usually spend more time with samples and controllers than with a keyboard. If you are going to perform with this, I suggest looking into more of a controller keyboard than a pure keyboard. The controller would give you more control over glitching and controlling samples and the keyboard would be to just add notes, probably with one hand and not be that much of a focus.

Something along these lines: Advance 49 : Akai Professional - Iconic music production gear, including the legendary MPC

It is not a recommendation, just an idea of what would serve you for what I think you would want in the long term. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your advice . What do you think of akai mpk249 ? What other keyboards do you advise for me staying below 300 €/$ ?

 

[DM60]

I can only go by what I have read, I couldn't really recommend.

I use an APC40 and a little Roland PC100 that is about 25 years old. I like the APC40 with Ableton (I've heard Bitwig is pretty good as well for live performance). But I don't do that much EDM. EDM is fun to do live (like a jam), but I find it rather uninspired to record. I think it depends what you are going to do.

I would also suggest, before you purchase, decide what software you will be using and what you are going to do with it. Once you have a strong idea, then you can do some research and find one that will work the best. We will see if others on the board will lend a hand and can provide some first hand recommendations.

 

[z0x3]

I can only go by what I have read, I couldn't really recommend.

I use an APC40 and a little Roland PC100 that is about 25 years old. I like the APC40 with Ableton (I've heard Bitwig is pretty good as well for live performance). But I don't do that much EDM. EDM is fun to do live (like a jam), but I find it rather uninspired to record. I think it depends what you are going to do.

I would also suggest, before you purchase, decide what software you will be using and what you are going to do with it. Once you have a strong idea, then you can do some research and find one that will work the best. We will see if others on the board will lend a hand and can provide some first hand recommendations.

Ok thank you very much , I'll wait for the advice of other users. I produce mainly hip hop beats and I use Logic Pro x and sometimes Ableton.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

If I were shopping for a 49-key controller right now, I'd probably go with one from either Akai Professional or Novation. I like the looks of the Novation Launchkey 49-- mainly because of its nine sliders-- but it doesn't have aftertouch. The Akai Professional MPK249 also looks good and does have aftertouch, but only eight sliders. (For a keyboardist, nine sliders are nice because they can be mapped as organ drawbars.)

 

[z0x3]

If I were shopping for a 49-key controller right now, I'd probably go with one from either Akai Professional or Novation. I like the looks of the Novation Launchkey 49-- mainly because of its nine sliders-- but it doesn't have aftertouch. The Akai Professional MPK249 also looks good and does have aftertouch, but only eight sliders. (For a keyboardist, nine sliders are nice because they can be mapped as organ drawbars.)

I'm considering the novation impulse 49 , What do you think about it?
How many keys on a midi keyboard for EDM and Hip Hop? 25 or 49?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

I'm considering the novation impulse 49 , What do you think about it?
How many keys on a midi keyboard for EDM and Hip Hop? 25 or 49?

Well, the Impulse has after-touch, which is nice if you're into that sort of thing. I don't have any keyboards with after-touch, myself; but if I were buying a new keyboard controller, I'd prefer to get one with after-touch if possible.

On the other hand, the Launchkey has twice as many pads as the Impulse. And the keys are different-- piano-style (Impulse) versus synth-style (Launchkey). So it depends on which type of keys you prefer, and how many pads you think you'll need at once (i.e., without switching to a different bank).

As for 25 keys versus 49 keys, that also depends on preference and how many octaves you think you'll need for playing. A 25-key controller is more compact and can be nice if you need something smaller that can fit into a smaller workspace. On the other hand, the smaller size also means that a 25-key controller typically has fewer controls than a 49-key controller does. And if you're a keyboard player and plan to play with both hands, a 49-key controller (or bigger) would definitely be preferable-- although a 25-key controller might be fine if you already have one or more keyboards with 49 or more keys.

 

[z0x3]

Well, the Impulse has after-touch, which is nice if you're into that sort of thing. I don't have any keyboards with after-touch, myself; but if I were buying a new keyboard controller, I'd prefer to get one with after-touch if possible.

On the other hand, the Launchkey has twice as many pads as the Impulse. And the keys are different-- piano-style (Impulse) versus synth-style (Launchkey). So it depends on which type of keys you prefer, and how many pads you think you'll need at once (i.e., without switching to a different bank).

As for 25 keys versus 49 keys, that also depends on preference and how many octaves you think you'll need for playing. A 25-key controller is more compact and can be nice if you need something smaller that can fit into a smaller workspace. On the other hand, the smaller size also means that a 25-key controller typically has fewer controls than a 49-key controller does. And if you're a keyboard player and plan to play with both hands, a 49-key controller (or bigger) would definitely be preferable-- although a 25-key controller might be fine if you already have one or more keyboards with 49 or more keys.

Ok thanks for the clarification . Yesterday i went to the music store and they showed me the new m-audio code 49 . What do you think about it? The code 49 has many controls , many pads and the price is very competitive!!!

 

[SeaGtGruff]

As you may have seen in my sig, I have an M-Audio controller-- the Axiom 61-II-- and I'm reasonably happy with it. It's the only keyboard controller I have, and I chose it because it had plenty of buttons, pads, and sliders, although so far I haven't used it as much as I'd planned to (mainly because I tend to use my Yamaha portable keyboards instead). My only complaint about it is that the keys seem a bit "noisy"-- although that doesn't have any impact on using it for recording in a DAW using MIDI and virtual instruments, and I only mention it because I have seen user reviews complaining about the noisy keys. I've seen reviews of other M-Audio keyboard controllers (not the Axiom, but models such as the Keystation) in which people said that the build quality wasn't all that great, and they were basically warning people away from M-Audio controllers-- but I haven't had that sort of reaction myself with my Axiom. So I guess I'm saying that my M-Audio controller is okay for me, although I have noticed that the keys do make a bit of noise while I'm playing it (which doesn't really bother me), and I must admit that I don't have any experience with other brands so I can't really compare them except in terms of advertised specs and features. The Code49 looks like it has plenty of controls, and while I don't have AIR Hybrid (which is included with the Code49), I do have other AIR virtual instruments, and I like their sounds.

EDIT: My advice would be to try out the M-Audio, Novation, and Akai Pro controllers in the store, if they have all three available. And when I say "try out," I realize that you might not be able to play them while they're hooked up to a computer or laptop, so I mean "playing" them silently to see how the keyboards feel to you.

 

[z0x3]

As you may have seen in my sig, I have an M-Audio controller-- the Axiom 61-II-- and I'm reasonably happy with it. It's the only keyboard controller I have, and I chose it because it had plenty of buttons, pads, and sliders, although so far I haven't used it as much as I'd planned to (mainly because I tend to use my Yamaha portable keyboards instead). My only complaint about it is that the keys seem a bit "noisy"-- although that doesn't have any impact on using it for recording in a DAW using MIDI and virtual instruments, and I only mention it because I have seen user reviews complaining about the noisy keys. I've seen reviews of other M-Audio keyboard controllers (not the Axiom, but models such as the Keystation) in which people said that the build quality wasn't all that great, and they were basically warning people away from M-Audio controllers-- but I haven't had that sort of reaction myself with my Axiom. So I guess I'm saying that my M-Audio controller is okay for me, although I have noticed that the keys do make a bit of noise while I'm playing it (which doesn't really bother me), and I must admit that I don't have any experience with other brands so I can't really compare them except in terms of advertised specs and features. The Code49 looks like it has plenty of controls, and while I don't have AIR Hybrid (which is included with the Code49), I do have other AIR virtual instruments, and I like their sounds.

EDIT: My advice would be to try out the M-Audio, Novation, and Akai Pro controllers in the store, if they have all three available. And when I say "try out," I realize that you might not be able to play them while they're hooked up to a computer or laptop, so I mean "playing" them silently to see how the keyboards feel to you.

After so much indecision , I think I'll take the Novation Impulse 49

 

[SeaGtGruff]

I hope you get much pleasure and use from it.