Dear Lazyweb

[solarbird]

Hey, Lazyweb! What do I need to know about cheap midi keyboards? (As in, midi keyboards to be used with a digital audio workstation, not home keyboards that happen to have midi in/out pairs.) I am strongly considering one for studio work because I can't afford, you know, an orchestra. I'm seeing things like Miditech used for <$100, is this any good?

eta: to clarify, I don't know anything about these, other than they exist. So what I need to know really starts with the list of things I need to know. ^_^

eta2: I think I want semi-weighted keys. I have a piano background and don't like standard low-end synth/keyboard keys. But am I wrong?

Comments

[emrecom.livejournal.com]

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.family&ID=USBkeyboardcontrollers

[loopback.livejournal.com]

the king hell audio nerd at work has one of the Oxygen midi keyboards (the Oxygen8, I think) at his desk, for whatever that's worth.

[meesto.livejournal.com]

How many octaves do you need? Do you want aftertouch (additional midi control that comes from varying pressure on the key after you strike it)? Full-size keys?

BH Photo - M-Audio Key-Rig-49 Midi Controller (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/480463-REG/M_Audio_9900_52239_10_KeyRig_49_MIDI_Controller.html)

Very basic controller. I don't think it has after-touch, but it is velocity sensitive (meaning the faster you hit the keys should tell your midi recording software to make the notes louder). It supports USB and has a sustain pedal input so you can add one if you want.

I use a 61-key keyboard and there are times I wish I could play have access to all 88 keys on a proper piano keyboard, but those times are rare. The octave switching button does what I need it to and this keyboard offers this as well.

The keys look full-sized and for $99 it fits your criteria.

[maellenkleth]

weighted keys are really essential here, but we come at this from a mechanical-keyboard background and that might not be so important to you.

I'll ask around tomorrow; today I am too out of it to want to leave the house. :(

/Elane/

[alinsa.livejournal.com]

Pretty much echoing what other people say. Your choices are pretty much... do you want full sized keys? Weighted? Velocity sensitive? Aftertouch? How many octaves do you need? Control surfaces (sliders and dials and other such fun)? Linux compatability?

Most controllers these days are designed primarilly to be used via midi-over-USB (and require a driver to work), though most also have a traditional MIDI output as well if you want to do things the old fashioned way. Most require the USB for any sort of programability, though, I think.

I have a Korg Kontrol49 that I'm pretty fond of, though at ~$300 (new) it's out of your desired price range by a good bit. It was, though, the cheapest I could find that had a good number of the right kind of controls on it (for me, anyhow).

[unexpected-finn.livejournal.com]

If you're planning to replicate piano or harpsichord, weighted keys are useful but not essential (you can fake it in software); for serious organ composition like I do (and should share some of the original stuff with you sometime), the weighted keys are essential, and aftertouch become useful. Well, it's essential too if you are accustomed to mechanical tracker keyboards.

ysmv, of course.

Maria.

[doragoon.livejournal.com]

i don't know very much about this. but i'd look into a keyboard and midi controler as seperate units. you might be able to find something with more of the features you want without having to sacrifice the playability of the keyboard. plus each one could be upgraded independantly as you discover more about what you need and what you can do without.