TheSnowStorm Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Since I'm working on a music composition portfolio during my college years, I need a decent set up. One of my first goals is to get a MIDI keyboard to making composing music easy. What would be a good keyboard for somebody with decent music experince (piano/keyboarding for seven years), but who's also just starting composing music during the summer? I also must note I'm looking for a keyboard under $120.00 USD I use Anvil Studios and Noteworthy Composer to write my songs and dragging and drop notes does cramp my hands at time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannthr Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I don't think you'll find much difference between the keyboards at that price-range. Since you're in college, space might be an issue, and so you might consider one or two of the shorter MIDI keyboards. For 120USD, I'd probably start looking for cosignments at music stores or deals off of internet auction sites. Keep your eyes peeled for a solid stage piano like the Roland RD-100, which is old, but good--especially if space is not an issue for you. Noteworthy Composer... wow. Just, wow. I haven't used that since 1999. Didn't even know it was still kicking around. NWC is probably the worst program I've ever composed with in my entire life. I put up with it because it was free, is it still free? Man, that's a blast from the past. I ended up moving to Voyettra's MIDI Orchestrator Plus, which is now called Digital Orchestrator Plus, I remember that being fairly cheap (around 30 USD) so you might want to check that out. Anything but NWC, for reals. (Unless it's awesome now, which I doubt) I mean... right now I'm using SONAR, which is most decidedly out of your budget. Back then, I also started out with a Yamaha PSR series keyboard, which was total shit, but was the kind of keyboard you could get for about 120 USD (Now I'm using the CME UF8, 88 full weighted keys, USB input, nice, reliable action, lots of MIDI controllers to interface with my workstation). Look for the deals online, if you can, but if there's a deadline to get it, the Yamaha PSR series was okay with me. Some of them have, you know, fx and non-standard or extended MIDI sounds, and really, act like a kind of sound module, which could be useful for you to get into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSnowStorm Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 For 120USD, I'd probably start looking for cosignments at music stores or deals off of internet auction sites. Keep your eyes peeled for a solid stage piano like the Roland RD-100, which is old, but good--especially if space is not an issue for you. RD-100 ain't bad. There's like an empty room in my house that I can store it. Noteworthy Composer... wow. Just, wow. I haven't used that since 1999. Didn't even know it was still kicking around. NWC is probably the worst program I've ever composed with in my entire life. I put up with it because it was free, is it still free? Man, that's a blast from the past. It's that bad and it's that old, huh? In 1999, I never even heard of NWC, nevermind MIDI! Yeah, it's still around and kickin' and free. . .for the trail verison (which is more like a lifetime). That got some bullshit "30-day free trail" which doesn't really expire. I ended up moving to Voyettra's MIDI Orchestrator Plus, which is now called Digital Orchestrator Plus, I remember that being fairly cheap (around 30 USD) so you might want to check that out. Anything but NWC, for reals. (Unless it's awesome now, which I doubt) Yeah, Digital Orchestrator Plus is cool. I might check it out. NWC . . . I don't really use it for composing (it's confusing as hell to compose with) more so for priting sheet music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoozer Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I also must note I'm looking for a keyboard under $120.00 USD. How the hell do you people come up with budgets like that. Save up, you'll see your options expand like crazy. Also, $120 is probably not going to get you an RD-100, unless someone really needs a little cash really really fast. Thing is, most of the other options will suck, too. If you've been playing a real piano, anything with less than 61 keys is going to feel cramped. Does it have to make sound by itself? This does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverCoat Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 For under $120 you can find an old velocity sensitive keyboard on Ebay. I also recommend thrift stores or flea markets if you have any near your house. I also found a keyboard in a dumpster once [Yamaha SY-22] so look there too if you want Thing is most of these are synths or playing keyboards so they don't have all the control knobs or USB support of modern midi controllers, but that's why you pay more for the new ones. Still, getting an Ensoniq ESQ1 at a garage sale for $40... you can't beat that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.