Midi Keyboard Controller

[electromonk]

Hello everyone

I am confused about something.How helpful a midi controller is to a musician when it comes to home production (no live performance).Is it a necessity even if you are not performing live?

Can you suggest some nice midi keyboard controllers

 

Thanks

[EmeraldEcho]

Hello everyone

I am confused about something.How helpful a midi controller is to a musician when it comes to home production (no live performance).Is it a necessity even if you are not performing live?

Can you suggest some nice midi keyboard controllers

 

Thanks

Supposedly, Mozart heard every note of a composition he was thinking of crystal clear in his head and just transposed the imagined pitches and rhythms onto paper, which he could do easily. I suppose he didn't need a keyboard.

 

For most of us, we have to play with ideas by hearing them with our ears and then try variations or refinements. So the issue then is: what is the most efficient way to experiment with melodies and beat rhythms? The (piano-style) keyboard was invented to be a reasonably effective way to produce musical sounds and once they get used to it most people find it more natural and convenient than using a mouse to draw notes or other similar ways of adapting non-musical devices to music data entry.

 

So, for most people, it is very helpful for music composition. Most trance-type melodies and bass lines can be played with a couple of fingers (and those that can't are probably just arpeggiators anyway ) so keyboard virtuosity is not really required, and the lines can be cleaned up in an editor if they were not played perfectly.

 

Personally I have my eye on the Akai MPK49 which will be out soon. There are lots of (cheaper) alternatives though from such comapanies as Edirol and M-Audio, for example.

[Psyvox]

i fully agree with EmeraldEcho.

 

i would like to add that the Keyboard is also extremly useful for *discovering* melodies (i rarely, if ever, wake up in the morning with a melody in my mind, that i have to transpose in musical notes.. when that doesn't happen, i just play with notes at my keyboard, and create new harmonies, new melodies, etc; when i end up with something that i like, i start creating a track structue in my mind, centered on that base melody. It's a lot easier to do this with a Keyboard, instead of using your mouse or whatever).

Secondly, most midi keyboard controllers have those knobs, that can be easily assigned to the virtual knobs/parameters of your VSTs Instruments and Plug Ins. When I feel creative, I just assign, say, the Filter cutoff of my Instrument to a knob on my midi keyboard controller, hit record, and start playing with it. Of course, you could create the automation pattern manually, with the mouse, but that would take a loooooooooooooot more time.

So yeah, i find my midi keyboard controller to be really useful and essential for production.

I have a very cheap, yet very good one: Alesis Photon25; but I saw it was discontinued or something, so you might not find it anymore online. However, the "better" version, Photon X25 is not a lot more expensive, so I'd recommend getting this one.

cheers!

[Mike A]

Midi Keyboard Controller, Are they essential?

yes.

 

and it all depends on how much money you have.

[frosty]

after mucking round with making beats for about 5years now i got my self a xiosynth a year ago (mainly coz my sound card was stuffed in my laptop) & it has changed the way i make music now. dont get me wrong i got by with out one. but now i can 'jam' along to my beats to come up with cool new stuff but the best thing i like about them is being able to tweak n record the automation as it plays along instead of having to write in the automation by hand.

[Bioshift]

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productde...px?ObjectId=865

http://www.m-audio.ca/products/en_ca/Oxygen8v2-main.html

 

Or If You Got More Money For A Better One:

http://www.tomleemusic.ca/main/homekeyboar...&inv=126942

 

I Would Not Mind Having One But I Am Strapped For Cash.

 

Thats Why I Use Software.

 

 

Hardware Has Its Perks Though.

 

 

You Can Do More At The Same Time Without The Limit Of One Mouse On A Computer You Have Two Hands.

 

Depends On Your Financial Status.

 

[Mike A]

what's with the caps, bioshift?

[Aeros]

I have an M-Audio axiom 49 for the purpose of doing live automation passes on anything I want in my tracks, it helps massively in alot of ways, major tool. Sure you don't need it, I think if you're a beginner you should focus on learning the basics first and then when you are ready for it get a controller to help you out and to take advantage of the software you've been learning.

[electromonk]

Thanks you all for your replies.

 

Now that I know midi controller is a must I am a bit confused in between buying M-Audio oxygen or M-audio Axiom and also will 25 keys would be better or 49 keys.If you can guide me in this situaltion too that will be very helpful.As far as I know the only difference between Axiom and Oxygen is the drum pads which can be played with oxygene too using the black and the white keys.

 

 

At present I am getting less time to make music.Is it possible that if I buy a controller today, it gets outdated the next year and I feel that I spent something worth nothing.

 

 

All the guidance is helpful and very appreciable

 

Thanks

[Towelie]

No its not necessary but cooler than doing everything with mouse, ofcourse being able to play keys would be a big plus (why oh why did i stop piano lessons when i was 12) .. I got axiom 25 sometime ago, its nice but has some flaws.

[acidkills]

If u wanna play your melodies its necessary, if u wanna just sequence some minimalistic sounds its not..

further, if u wanna create your own sounds then its a must since vsts have a lot of knobs and your hand will suffer a lot..

It speeds up the process although u can use standard computer keyboard and a joystick too.. But with controller its closer to a real feeling, like having a real synth, lots of them..

Mozart didnt have any knobs to turn.. So in one way it was easier for him and more natural.. But for such creation of music through scores u gotta have a lot of knowledge..

 

If I would buy all in one controller it would be axiom 49.. But my choice is synth and controller separately.. To have more options open..

[Bioshift]

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage...oduct_Id=157024

 

If You Want To Get A Gaming Controller The Above Would Be Very Nice.

 

 

Also: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_quer...mp;search_type=

 

Various Youtube Vids Here Of Different Controllers.

 

 

 

BTW Sorry For The Caps, Its A Habit I Have Fallen Into.

 

[Aeros]

You know what would be an even cooler habit...if you also put a period at the end of each word, that way each one will be a new sentance! Like. This. It. Would. Be. Wild. !.

[Mike A]

You know what would be an even cooler habit...if you also put a period at the end of each word, that way each one will be a new sentance! Like. This. It. Would. Be. Wild. !.

WrItInG. LiKe. ThIs. WoUlD. bE. eVeN. BeTtEr.

[acidkills]

I use this..

 

 

But mostly for games since I got analog control as on that gamepad on my midi controller.. But if I really wanna go wild and use two of analog controls for controling 4 parametars at the same time than this gamepad is here combined with mi-joy vst for enabling the use of gamepad as midi controller, assigning to any control..

 

Here u can see on the far right of controller, same analog "mushroom" as on gamepad..

[TechNology]

Hey guys..what about Novation’s ReMOTE 37SL?

[XpandoZ]

Wow, I was just thinking about buying a controller and I see this topic EmeraldChaos kinda nails it.. I had my eye on the axiom49 at first but it didn't "feel" right.. I don't like the rattling of those knobs either. Fortunately there was an Akai MPK49 standing next to it and I immediately loved it. Definitely recommended (if a little extra spending doesn't bother you :<)

 

Edit: lol that post was useless I think it's important to add that I've played around without a midi controller for a long time and that I sometimes feel that I really need one! When I get an idea in my head and I'm too slow to insert it in a note editor for example :< Somebody mentioned that you can jam along to your beat or whatever, that's very useful too cause it makes you develop your ideas faster. So yeah.. I can't really say it's a must for musicproducing but it'll definitely change the way you make your music (in a good way!)

[alleycat]

Most programs (as far as I know) allow you to use the normal computer keyboard as a piano-style keyboard to key notes in and even record live riffs... And you can modulate effects using automations input with the mouse. I used Renoise for years before finally getting a MIDI controller.

 

BUT, its a LOT easier to have a separate keyboard with sliders and knobs. Keys are bigger and generally feel mroe like an instrument, and the KNOBS... Try putting in a whole track's worth of automations and you'll understand why its so much easier and faster to just twist a knob instead of clicking in everything.

 

For live performance a midi controller of some kind is basically essential. I mean, theoretically you COULD get by wihtout one, but again, its just so much easier when its all right there in front of you without having to pull up certain windows, fuss with a mouse, or whatnot. You just can't mess around with a normal computer interface quick enough to be able to pull off a good sounding live set. And again, those knobs are the greatest.

[Amygdala]

At present I am getting less time to make music.Is it possible that if I buy a controller today, it gets outdated the next year and I feel that I spent something worth nothing.

I think this is the least of your worries - if you find a good one that doesn't break (steer clear of novation...), then you should be sorted. The keyboard I use is from '96. It works great. The only problem is all the nice features that may or may not come in the next years - but being a conservative old fart, I wouldn't take the time to learn them anyway, since my old PC200 mkII does just what I need.

 

- A

[electromonk]

Thank you for your replies.I feel much more clear headed now on what to buy.Thanks for guidance from everyone.

 

 

 

Peace

[Veracohr]

Now that I know midi controller is a must I am a bit confused in between buying M-Audio oxygen or M-audio Axiom and also will 25 keys would be better or 49 keys.If you can guide me in this situaltion too that will be very helpful.As far as I know the only difference between Axiom and Oxygen is the drum pads which can be played with oxygene too using the black and the white keys.

I've never had trigger pads, and never felt the loss. More keys is better, in my opinion. In fact, my suggestion would be to get a better controller, say a typical 5 octaves, if it's to be your main controller. Something with better build quality and action than those two. More keys and control are essential for quality performance-based tracks. It doesn't matter if you're not going to play live, if you have the opportunity to go all out just jamming on a sound, your music will benefit as your experience playing builds up. You can't really do that with a two-octave keyboard.

 

If you can afford it, get a quality controller, or some kind of synth.

[needle ninja]

I've never had trigger pads, and never felt the loss. More keys is better, in my opinion. In fact, my suggestion would be to get a better controller, say a typical 5 octaves, if it's to be your main controller. Something with better build quality and action than those two. More keys and control are essential for quality performance-based tracks. It doesn't matter if you're not going to play live, if you have the opportunity to go all out just jamming on a sound, your music will benefit as your experience playing builds up. You can't really do that with a two-octave keyboard.

 

If you can afford it, get a quality controller, or some kind of synth.

+1

Its a good idea to learn how to play a keyboard.

[alleycat]

And half, maybe more, of learning to play keys is having keys to play...

 

If you're gonna be workign lke w/ Ableton, the trigger pads come in handy for switching loops over. My own MIDI controller has 16 trigger pads as well as faders, knobs, keys and a joystick. (Korg microKONTROL, damn keys are so small is the only problem)

[Mike A]

I'd say get a 49 key (4 octave) one. I have a 5-oct and it's too big. I almost NEVER use the highest octave, and I dont think it justifies the extra weight, size and non-portability. I'll have live gigs in the near future and just thinking about moving this beast around...