LetoII

Thanks guys. Funny coincidence Overcoat, I live in Seattle too. My emphasis is actually more on learning the instrument than applying it to remix right now... I just figured I'd be crazy to buy a keyboard without midi. Thus I am more interested in something that has its own speakers, sounds reasonably like a piano, etc. as opposed to a midi controller. With that said, if I read what you're saying right it sounds like in the beginning there won't be much difference for me between a good keyboard and a mediocre one. For starting out maybe I should buy something that is cheap, but that is a reputable brand, and has gotten good reviews. If it's not too expensive I won't feel guilty about upgrading down the road when I develop more discriminating tastes... Zircon, I will look up the M-Audio, but when you say it doesn't have any built-in sounds, that means it doesn't have any voices, doesn't have speakers, can't generate any sound on its own, right? I am not really cognizant of the advantages here -- am I going to save a lot of money and be able to buy something that's better quality if I buy a controller instead of a full-fledged synth/digital piano?

Hey guys, Long time lurker, been listening to the remixes on Overclocked for years. Never registered on the forums until now but I had a question and I figured with the number of talented musicians in this community I could get some good info here. The question's simple -- I've decided to take some lessons and start learning how to play the piano, but my apartment isn't big enough to house a real piano. So, I need to get a keyboard/digital piano to get started with. I'm wondering what the community here would recommend as far as something that's affordable, and decent at emulating a real piano (has things like good pressure sensitive keys). I am a software programmer so it's a huge bonus if I can interface with my computer and use software like Reason... but I doubt I need to tell this community that... I'm pretty much a total beginner at this, btw -- I can read sheet music, and used to practice songs that I liked on a cheap Casio when I was young but my parents wouldn't get me lessons, so that's all I know. So, if you guys want to recommend any instructional material or resources, I'm all ears. Thanks! Leto