Newbie needs recommendations for an inexpensive control surface

  • Thread starter Thread starter Springo
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Springo

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Hello, I am a lifelong guitar player, but I am very new to computer-based music creation and recording.

One of the things that struck me right away was how difficult it can be to play music using a computer keyboard. I was noticing how cumbersome it can be to try to twist virtual knobs quickly, in real time. It's also difficult trying to use the mouse to "play" a virtual piano-type keyboard, or trying to remember which buttons on the computer keyboard correspond to the notes on a piano-type keyboard.

Then I read about control surfaces, and realised that that's what I need. Of course I have absolutely no knowledge about them whatsoever, so I am asking for any recommendations. Something under $300, but preferably under $200. I need something that I can use to learn on, and then when I become proficient I can step up to something with more capabilities.

My requirements at this time are as follows -

1) Compatible with most major programs, but at the least it should work with Reason 3.0 and Acid Pro 5.0 in a Windows XP Pro environment. It would also be nice if it had some pre-programmed mappings for the major programs, so I can just plug it in and select my program and go. At least at first, until I get better. I would think anything pre-programmed can be edited as well. Also, I should be able to map the whole thing manually if I want to, as well.

2) It should be fairly intuitive and have plenty of knobs, sliders, etc. Like an old analog synth.

3) It should have a basic piano-style keyboard. It does not need to be a big 88 key job - but a basic one is mandatory as I do not own a seperate, stand-alone keyboard.

4) Includes any other necessary or desirable features that I am not aware of.

5) I built myself a very stout computer. If I can't run something on it, then 99.9% of the rest of the PC's in the world can't either. There are no limitations as far as my PC hardware is concerned.

Thanks for your help!
 
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Do you mean a Control Surface (for mixing with faders/pan controls/etc...) or a Midi Controller? (for recording midi parts using a piano-like keyboard?) These are different things.
 
gordone said:
Do you mean a Control Surface (for mixing with faders/pan controls/etc...) or a Midi Controller? (for recording midi parts using a piano-like keyboard?) These are different things.
Click to expand...

Yes. I mean both, in other words I do not know!

Whenever I search for "control surface" I end up with all sorts of stuff, so I am confused.

What I would like to do is to be able to manipulate the virtual "knobs" on computer software such as Reason and Acid by mapping them to real knobs on a control surface. That is the most important thing to me. I would also like to be able to press the virtual "keys" on the keyboard of a music program, also mapping them to real keys, hopefully on a control surface as well. I am not a pure keyboard player per se but I am serviceable at it and can compose, so I would like the keys too.

Please take a look at the following item. It looks to be what I need, it's a little above my budget but not too much and seems like it would be cheaper in the long run as I would not need to upgrade it. I can also plug instruments etc. into it and record them as one track, which seems like a desirable feature to me. Please take a look at it, and see if it is what I just described. I think that I want a "control surface" as opposed to a "midi controller" but the two seem to overlap and what I really want seems to be a combination of both.
Thanks!
The more that I read about the following item, the more that I think that it is exactly what I need. If there is something equivalent that costs a bit less, please let me know. But at $389 shipped, this seems like a good deal.
http://www.floridamusicco.com/proddetail.asp?prod=ozonic&partner=google
 
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