usb midi controller

[travelin travis]

has anyone tried a usb powered controller keyboard? are there any issues with them? I need to get a low cost midi controller for drums, organs, synths. I will mostly use it for writing drum lines. I'm on a PC with Sonar 3. Any suggestions? I'm on a low budget.

 

[Atterion]

Most of us here use (or have used) USB controllers, I think. If you want just a basic controller (with or without knobs or sliders), you can't go wrong with the M-Audio's (Oxygen8, or the Radiums). They have no aftertouch via the keyboard, but they are all around good low-cost controllers.

 

[travelin travis]

I'm lookin at a Radium.......it has alot of sliders and knobs that look very useful for controlling soft synth and multitrack parameters. I don't know anything about aftertouch but it is included in some plugins is'nt it? You know if the Radium has velocity sensitive keys? I'm not a keyboard player so I don't need anything too fancy.

 

[true-eurt]

hey travis..caught any fish yet?

Sorry could not resist teasing you....I can not help you...wish I could...but I am fumbling about this recording stuff...but I will learn...If I find out ...or somewhere for you too look I will leave a post...
eurt

 

[true-eurt]

found some info travis

Travis....I searched on net and found some info....Apparently...some
Radium do have velocity touch and some do not...you just havwe to search for what you need.....The main thing to watch for is whether it is all factory
pre-sets......you could spend hrs setting to your needs...then it reverts back to factory pre's....BUMMER...and a waste of precious time...If you go to google and type in Radium usb midi-controllers....and then scroll dn to web results...you will find info....takes some time to read all so hope you find what you need....also...type in Radium usb midi-controllers velocity sensitivity....and it will bring up brands to choose from and tell tou info on other features...hope I was a help...and hope you caught your fish...hehe
TRUE-EURT....

 

[Atterion]

My Radium 61's are velocity sensitive (But the velocity curve is set a little steep for my liking, i.e. you have to really hammer on the keys sometimes, a real bummer if you are trying to pull off a smoking-fast solo...Might not be a problem for you though). I attribute a lot of that to the quality of the keyboards responsiveness too (What do you want for $200). Also it has like 15 overwritable Presets (Mine have never reset themselves, but I only use the last 5, can't really say about the first 10).

 

[travelin travis]

thanks for the info.............I'm guessing damn near any keyboard aimed at the audio hobbyist/pro is gonna have velocity sensitivity. correct me if you know of any exceptions.

 

[Atterion]

That's pretty much a standard.

 

[travelin travis]

i've been reading up on the m-audio and edirol keyboards. alot of people are saying that the parameter knobs on the m-audio controllers don't work very well. i've been reading alot of good things about the edirols.....this is looking like the way to go for me.

 

[antennafarm]

if you're interested in an edirol pcr-30, i have one for sale. $100 plus shipping. works dandy off the usb bus. email me: squid@squidnetwork.com

 

[travelin travis]

damn.......I just ordered one from MF last night!

what's your opinion of it? have you tried any other brands/models? I picked this one because of the knobs and sliders......I hope they work well.

 

[Atterion]

Kool!!!
Actually you heard correct (to an extent) about the M-Audio knobs.
I've never had a problem with either the knobs or sliders working properly, but the knobs reach their maximum value at about the 3 O'clock position, even though the knob still has a quarter-turn left (between 5 and 6 O'clock position) after you reach that max value (And this makes fine tuning CC data a bit difficult). If the taper was a little wider this wouldn't be a problem.