Recommendation for a Midiot

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scinx
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Scinx

Mechanical Monkey
I dont know too much about MIDI...but reading this board has been helpful.

With about a $500 budget - I am looking to buy something to throw extra sounds into my recordings. I really want good strings. My next desire would be authentic piano sounds. Bonuses would be decent to excellent drum sounds, organ sounds, etc. It would be for indie rock, and the like. No techno wanted nor needed.

I understand [as a result of this board] the whole midi module/controller vs. all inclusive synth discussion. Id be open to either - although I lean towards the former cause it seems more customizable (this may be an incorrect stereotype).

I appreciate it - thanks in advance
 
Hey, that's my line!

OK, so from one MIDIot to another ...

Hey, where are you located? I'm selling my Kurzweil PC2R rackmount for $500. But I'm in the SF Bay Area and not really wanting to hassle with shipping and buyers not getting to try it to know that it works before paying me, etc.

I just got the damn thing used like 2 months ago ... why am I selling? Because I've found that the module just complicates my setup. I'm playing music that (for me) is pretty complicated, and I need to simplify for performance's sake. If I were just recording, I'd be all for the module idea. It's just not working for me as a performing musician.

HOWEVER, I will say I like the sounds -- especially strings and pianos (organs are very good but I have a Nord Electro which smokes everything but the real deal based on what I've tried) -- so much so in fact that I am replacing this module with the keyboard version of the PC2. Yes, I forked over the extra $$ for it. I found a used one and it's STILL costing me twice what I'm selling this for.

So if you're in my area let me know, OK? If not, well, then I'd say try to find a used PC2R rackmount, the best option I can think of sound-quality-wise for what you want. You can also get the Kurzweil KME61 module new for about $400, or a Roland XV2020 (but I don't like Roland's stock pianos or strings nearly as well as I like Kurzweil's).

Hope this helps.

gg
 
Im hanging around on the east coast..so unless I forrest gump it -itd take a little bit to do a non-shipping transaction... = )

As far as the advice - I appreciate it....I will look into those

Thanks
 
Ah, I hear ya. Maybe I should stop fearing and Learn to Love the PayPal. :) Anyway, you may very well find exactly what you're looking for near you.

I'd hate to see you 'Gump it all the way out here and then have to do so all the way back, this time carrying gear! :D
 
Would it be better to get the KME61 for $700 or so, or the ME-1 rack for approx. $400? The former looks like its just the ME-1 with a keyboard, all integrated together. Is this correct? If I went for the latter - what kind of keyboard should I get?
Are either of those good choices? Ive read the PC2R line isnt very reliable, but who knows.
Also - if I started using Cubase with their VST (or whatever it is) - would that negate any benefits to having a sound module? In that case - Id just want a good keyboard correct?

Im just going to be using it to add strings, piano, organ, etc. to my recordings. I dont need any $5000 rig, but I dont want to waste a couple hundred on some piece of junk with tinny sounds. I think I want something out of the Kurzweil collection because after listening, I think the sounds are very realistic.

Thanks
 
There were some concerns about certain keyboard controllers in the Kurzweil line, certain keys had mechanical problems. In the fully weighted key keyboards, if I recall ... check reviews on harmony-central.com to be sure which ones, but for some reason the K2600 comes to mind.

I don't know about any reliability issues with the PC2 ... rack mount, semi-weighted, or otherwise. The KME-61 seems like a good board but I'm not sure if the presets are editable or not (this extrapolated from the sales guy telling me the ME module's sounds are NOT editable, or at least no changes are savable. Or something). I dont' know whether that'd be an issue for you.

Also, I was told the ME module uses some 16-bit sound filter and the PC2 series, though offering the same sounds, uses a vastly superior 32-bit sound filter. I don't really know if sound filter is even the correct term. I simply went for the PC2 because I wanted, first, editable sounds, and now, the whole shmear in a 76-key semi-weighted keyboard.

I think Harmony Central can help you narrow it down ... obviously, I know just enough to be dangerous. :)

As for dedicated controllers, I myself can't really recommend any since I don't use any. I just ran the module thru other synths in my setup.
 
The pc2r is lovely but lets not forget the Korg Wavestation for those big swirling pads, the FS1R for FM sounds, some great pads and formant shit, the Emu P2500, expandable and has all the bread n butter sounds you'll need. Or , if you have a pc, get Gigasampler and load it up with their grand piano samples and all the rest of their library is cool and third party libraries are excellent as well. on the soft end of things you could get the FM7 or the Pro52.
 
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