Need help with choosing a keyboard

[ufo2222]

Hello, there, long time lurker on the forums, and i really enjoy the ocremix community, so i decided to ask here about this.

I need a keyboard, to use for my mixes, and i don't know which one would be the best for my needs. I need one with Midi, not to expensive, but still good in terms of features.

Sorry if i'm too vague.

[Esperado]

Hello, there, long time lurker on the forums, and i really enjoy the ocremix community, so i decided to ask here about this.

I need a keyboard, to use for my mixes, and i don't know which one would be the best for my needs. I need one with Midi, not to expensive, but still good in terms of features.

Sorry if i'm too vague.

Welcome!

well. the first question i would have is, how many keys do you think you need? do you intend to learn how to play piano? if so youd probably want 61-88 keys. If you just want something thats better than clicking in midi notes on the piano roll, 25, 36, or even 49 key keyboards would be good options. that said, theres quite a variety even within those.

My personal recommendation, while a bit strange, is to pick up the akai synthstation 25, and solely because its DIRT CHEAP. something like 19$ and you get a fairly compact 25 key keyboard with pitch and mod wheels. plus if you have an old ipod or iphone youll have a cheap synth interface for all your ios synth apps. neat stuff.

if you think you want better quality keys and more features though, theres numerous compact keyboard options with all sorts of neat perks or software bundles. the novation launchkey mini is great for ableton users, or the arturia minilab is quite nice, and comes with some nice bundled arturia synth sounds. Other options to look into would be the mpk mini, or the mpk 25 if you can find one used for cheap. if youre willing to spend around 99$ you have a plethora of options. it really comes down to your workflow, or your interest. do you want to use knobs? do you think youll integrate faders into your workflow? do you use ableton? do you want to learn controllerism? etc.

one point i want to make here from personal experience, is that often newbies tend to get carried away on the gear aspect, when it really comes down to the music and not the gear so much, at least in the beginning. I spent probably 400 dollars buying random midi crap thinking id use it, when i never did. thats 400 that could have been spent on mics for an album project or something i WOULD use later on. so keep that in mind. do you really need a keyboard with leds and faders? or would just some basic functions do for now until you really want to get into it.?

maybe info overload, but maybe it helps!

[Hypnotikid]

I need one too lol

I have a Yamaha Psr 260, it works like a dream but extremely difficult to near impossible to find support for it. It was an expensive model but I think the model itself became extinct. I had a midi input plug that went with it but I lost it x_x

But If I were to pick one, I would pick a yamaha. They can be expensive, but very easy to learn and creating samples from it is very easy. Models now most likely will have the standard keyboard, more synths, more samples, touch-pads, recorders, FX, and midi input support.

Look on newegg, or amazon to help you on your quest for the best keyboard. I wouldn't spend more then $250 on it, seeing as you can find sources online to help aid your mixes.

EDIT: But yeah as stated before from the person above me, go cheap for composition look for Midi import (usb or ps/2) plug-in that would be a must. Standard keyboards that are like 50 or 30 dollars usually just come with a piano and no / little input functionality.

Maybe someone else can help you out as well. (=

Edited September 29, 2013 by underworld_imp

[ufo2222]

Well, i know how to play the piano, so i dont need one with a lot of keys, but im looking for something more than a simple midi keyboard, i use linux multimedia studio, so yeah.

[timaeus222]

I have the KORG Microkey 37-key, which is 3 octaves. The keys are a bit smaller than a regular piano, but it's compact, I like it, and I can still hash out lots of ideas on it.