Throw me cheap options for VGM creation

[johnny_chronic]

I am interested in creating some of my own music. I am really into using original samples for nostalgia. I will have some of my own stuff in there ranging from many different sounds and instruments.

I already have FL Studio 8 and sound editting software but other ideas are a bonus.

What type of hardware should I buy? I was hoping to find a keyboard that usb or midi to my pc and could d/l programmable samples.

What other stuff would I need?

Be specific. I in need of brand names and models.

And in the US we are dumber than politics and thus landed in a recession... I am affected by it... so I can't go expensive but I am listening to whatever you can throw.

Thanks!

[Yoozer]

I already have FL Studio 8 and sound editting software but other ideas are a bonus.

Then go hunt down the free plugins (Kore Player, Proteus X, Yellowtools, etc.), but really, with that you should already have enough power.

What type of hardware should I buy? I was hoping to find a keyboard that usb or midi to my pc

This is a good idea.

and could d/l programmable samples.

There's only one of those left, which is a Korg Microsampler. It's not terribly useful if you already have a software sampler and don't exactly know what to do with that (hey, you started this topic).

Forget terms like "downloading", though - you put your sounds on a flash memory card, or floppy, or you transfer 'm via SCSI. The few that have USB options simply make your computer think it's a card reader.

"Studio" hardware samplers died with a whimper around 2000. The rack versions are replaced by software samplers; keyboard versions were never plentiful. When you see an Akai MPC - that's a phrase sampler, which works by the philosophy of putting one sound (usually percussion) on one pad. The method of programming of these is simply not suited towards realistic instruments.

What other stuff would I need?

Be specific. I in need of brand names and models.

Since you aren't specific about your budget I can't be specific about advice; however, M-Audio has cheap soundcards and controller keyboards.

Do you have a laptop or a desktop? This matters for your soundcard.

[Rozovian]

What type of hardware should I buy? I was hoping to find a keyboard that usb or midi to my pc and could d/l programmable samples.

What other stuff would I need?

Be specific. I in need of brand names and models.

If you pick up a midi keyboard, the only thing it'll do is send midi data to your computer (by whatever cable applicable (usb or midi)). Dunno for sure but I guess most modern keyboards would come with an option of plugging it into the computer and controlling your computer instruments with it.

What do you mean by downloadable samples? The kinds that go into the keyboard or the kinds that go into the DAW (in your case FL)? Not gonna tell you what to get but unless you're gonna do live performances with the keyboard and need new samples for that, you're probably much better off with soundfonts and other software samplers.

Until you can clarify your needs some more, this is all I can tell you.