Midi

[scottfisher]

Okay, I have a big sort of question. Ive recently downloaded Fruity Loops, and I love all the instruments it has and everything. I dislike drawing the notes in the the piano roll, its hard for me to do.

From what I read, you can get a keyboard that plugs into your computer that will put any notes you play into Fruity Loops on the piano roll. Am I correct about this?

I dont really want to buy anything other than the keyboard, so Im thinking USB may be the way to go, if it will work. If these USB keyboards dont work in Fruity Loops, what program is better?

Thanks

 

[bennychico11]

yes, a USB keyboard should work fine. They also make very inexpensive USB-MIDI connectors that you can buy separately if you like a certain keyboard that doesn't already have USB.

Any MIDI keyboard should interface with FL perfectly.

 

[Justus Johnston]

I can attest to the fact that it does. So now you get to think about what keyboard you want to get? Thought about it at all yet? Things to consider:
- Weighted, semi-weighted, or non-weighted?
- range(number) of keys
- dumb controller or synthesizer keyboard?
- Interface: USB or MIDI
- extra assignable controls or no?
- Onboard controls for extra things like transport or patch changing

I'd say the last two aren't very important at all for FL, but might be nice to have in the long run if you ever want to use it for more complex synthesizers. I personally love my M-audio Radium61. 61 (octave selectable) non-weighted keys (non-weighted is absolutely necessary if you A) are not a trained pianist and B) want to perform keyboard drums), 8 assignable knobs, 8 assignable faders, and a USB interface. Sadly, no transport or patch changing...but the best part is that I got it for $129, and you can get the 49 key version for $99. It's a dumb controller, so it doesn't have any sounds.

 

[scottfisher]

I was thinking about Keystation 61es... what are the advantages and disadvantages of having semi-weighted keys? And what would be better for a program?

Cubase, Fruity Loops, etc.

 

[Justus Johnston]

Semi-weighted keys are full size piano keys with a little action on them, instead of just springing back like non-weighted. While the nonweighted keys on the Radium are full-width, no nonweighted keys are full size like semi-weighted. Semi-weighted is always more expensive than non-weighted, and fully-weighted (which has an actual piano-esque hammer action) is even more. Basically, you get nonweighted if you're not trained as a pianist (or have no intention of doing so using that keyboard) and fully weighted if you're SO well-trained a pianist that you're uncomfortable with anything that doesn't physically respond like an actual piano. For those of us not piano trained, non weighted is much much easier to play almost anything on. Semi-weighted is that bastard middle child for someone who wants something in between those two extremes.

The software functionality should be identical. It's all a matter of how you like to play.

One thing you might like to keep in mind though, the extra sliders and pots on the Radium (which are lacking on the keystation 61es) can be quite useful in programs like Cubase or Sonar. If you don't use them to control synth parameters, you can set them up like a control surface to physically control anything you want: specific channel's sliders, panpots, etc. If you DO have a synth (software or otherwise) that is set up to respond to specific controllers, the extra knobs and sliders are an absolute Godsend. I can't even begin to tell you how pleasant it is to be able to physically adjust a control for realtime subtractive filtering, LFO, or ADSR controls on certain synths.

 

[scottfisher]

Yove been really helpful, thanks. One more question, would the number of keys make much of a difference to me? I like to play simple chords on my 61 key piano. The keys just go spring right back up once I push them, so I guess its a 61 key nonweighted. I find it useful to have the whole piano, but Im not sure if its going to make much of a difference...

 

[Kronpox]

Check this out. Good stuff for basic melody work or chords (maybe not both at once, though) at a PC.

 

[Justus Johnston]

Yove been really helpful, thanks. One more question, would the number of keys make much of a difference to me? I like to play simple chords on my 61 key piano. The keys just go spring right back up once I push them, so I guess its a 61 key nonweighted. I find it useful to have the whole piano, but Im not sure if its going to make much of a difference...

Depends nearly entirely on whether you'll be needing to hit the absolute bottom notes and the absolute top notes simultaneously. It doesn't sound like it though. Almost any modern controller has octave shift buttons, so you can instantly transpose your keyboard down an octave for bass work, or up an octave for those stratospheric violin melodies. The only real reason to get an 88 key is if you need both at once (ie - most pianistic playing). I suppose it would be nice to have an 88key, but it doesn't seem worth the extra expense (not to mention deskspace) to me, since I don't play piano.