polarbear
Max Output Level: -66 dBFS
- Total Posts : 1212
- Joined: 2005/04/24 16:20:47
- Location: Las Vegas
- Status: offline
88 key midi controller
Well I got lots of help and great ideas from my post asking about a new audio interface so I figured I'd ask for you guys opinions on a new keyboard too! :-)
Right now the top of my list is an M-Audio Keystation 88ES. I need 88 keys. I don't need much in the way of other controls (pitch/mod wheel and transpose is all i'd really use... everything else i'll be doing in Sonar). I'm not an actual piano player, but everything I do comes from me playing things on my MIDI keyboard... so I'm not entirely sure how I would feel with semi weighted vs something else. I believe my current keyboard is "synth action" (it's an M-Audio Ozonic). I've always been fine with how it plays. I don't actually NEED something that plays better... I just need a full 88 keys.
SO, with all that in mind... What say you guys.
http://www.bydavidrosen.com http://www.imdb.me/davidrosenWinner of Best Song of 2007 at Acidplanet.com! PC Audio Labs Rokbox OB1 - Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF - Intel Core i7 5820K @ 3.30GHz - 32GB RAM - ATI Radeon HD 7700 - Windows 7 Pro Sonar Platinum - Komplete 9 Ultimate - Spectrasonics Omnisphere - reFX Nexus2 - And the list goes on... RME BabyFace Pro - M-Audio Keystation 88es
|
cryophonik
Max Output Level: -28 dBFS
- Total Posts : 4724
- Joined: 2006/04/03 17:28:17
- Location: Elk Grove, CA
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/01 23:24:23
(permalink)
I had one of those Keystations. Picked it up off craigslist for dirt cheap, used it for a few days, then sold it for a small profit. Not a very high quality keyboard - the keybed feels very cheap. For your needs, I'd suggest a Studiologic SL-990 or, depending on your budget and needs, maybe one of their better models.
|
polarbear
Max Output Level: -66 dBFS
- Total Posts : 1212
- Joined: 2005/04/24 16:20:47
- Location: Las Vegas
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/01 23:46:41
(permalink)
Thanks for the feedback. I hadn't even heard of the Studiologic SL-990 but I'll definitely give it a look...
http://www.bydavidrosen.com http://www.imdb.me/davidrosenWinner of Best Song of 2007 at Acidplanet.com! PC Audio Labs Rokbox OB1 - Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF - Intel Core i7 5820K @ 3.30GHz - 32GB RAM - ATI Radeon HD 7700 - Windows 7 Pro Sonar Platinum - Komplete 9 Ultimate - Spectrasonics Omnisphere - reFX Nexus2 - And the list goes on... RME BabyFace Pro - M-Audio Keystation 88es
|
polarbear
Max Output Level: -66 dBFS
- Total Posts : 1212
- Joined: 2005/04/24 16:20:47
- Location: Las Vegas
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/01 23:59:20
(permalink)
Also, I'm almost thinking about sticking with my Keystation pick but possibly doing the same, getting it cheap off craigslist (I mean it's already pretty cheap at $199 for a new one... but if I can find one for less that would be great) and then just buying something more expensive down the road...
But yea, thanks for the input. Any other suggestions are welcome.
http://www.bydavidrosen.com http://www.imdb.me/davidrosenWinner of Best Song of 2007 at Acidplanet.com! PC Audio Labs Rokbox OB1 - Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF - Intel Core i7 5820K @ 3.30GHz - 32GB RAM - ATI Radeon HD 7700 - Windows 7 Pro Sonar Platinum - Komplete 9 Ultimate - Spectrasonics Omnisphere - reFX Nexus2 - And the list goes on... RME BabyFace Pro - M-Audio Keystation 88es
|
Kev999
Max Output Level: -36 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3922
- Joined: 2007/05/01 14:22:54
- Location: Victoria, Australia
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/02 01:52:09
(permalink)
cryophonik
For your needs, I'd suggest a Studiologic SL-990...
He said he doesn't need weighted keys.
SonarPlatinum∞(22.11.0.111)|Mixbus32C(4.3.19)|DigitalPerformer(9.5.1)|Reaper(5.77)FractalDesign:DefineR5|i7-6850k@4.1GHz|16GB@2666MHz-DDR4|MSI:GamingProCarbonX99a|Matrox:M9148(x2)|UAD2solo(6.5.2)|W7Ult-x64-SP1
Audient:iD22+ASP800|KRK:VXT6|+various-outboard-gear|+guitars&basses, etc.
Having fun at work lately
|
cryophonik
Max Output Level: -28 dBFS
- Total Posts : 4724
- Joined: 2006/04/03 17:28:17
- Location: Elk Grove, CA
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/03 16:22:44
(permalink)
Kev999
cryophonik
For your needs, I'd suggest a Studiologic SL-990...
He said he doesn't need weighted keys.
True, but, he didn't rule them out, either. He says he needs 88 keys, he says he's "not entirely sure how I would feel with semi weighted vs something else", and he says he doesn't "actually NEED something that plays better" than his synth action keys, but he doesn't say that weighted keys are out of the question. Most 88-key controllers are going to have weighted keys, but if the OP is not interested in them, he's free to ignore my advice. Also, I just realized that I mistook the Keystation model that the OP is considering, and I was thinking of a different M-Audio Keystation. The model I had was the Keystation Pro 88, not the 88es. So, disregard my comment about the keyboard action - the Pro 88 had weighted keys, but a very low quality keybed IMO. I have no experience with the 88es. Sorry for all the confusion - just trying to help.
|
Cactus Music
Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
- Total Posts : 8424
- Joined: 2004/02/09 21:34:04
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/03 21:53:00
(permalink)
I just bought the Roland A 49, I know it's not 88 keys, but you just stated your not a keyboard player ( like me) so Bear with me ( sorry about the pun on your handle) . The A49 has a very large octave switch key. It is super fast to change octaves therefore no need for a "none keyboard" player to have 88 keys. I like the feel of it over every other brand I tried in a large music store. Most felt like a cheap toy. The Roland feels like one of their $1,000 synths. I actually believe I'm playing better on it. Of course, I wrote a review,, Gearslutz was giving away something to people who write a review right now. http://www.gearslutz.com/...17212-roland-49-a.html
|
Cactus Music
Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
- Total Posts : 8424
- Joined: 2004/02/09 21:34:04
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/03 21:59:05
(permalink)
|
savageopera
Max Output Level: -78 dBFS
- Total Posts : 625
- Joined: 2008/04/01 23:26:15
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/03 22:29:29
(permalink)
Mr. Bear, I bought my 88es six years ago new and use it to do all my midi tracks (keys, bass, drums, horns, guitars via Musiclab RealStrat , etc.) and would recommend it very highly. For $199 it has great feel and sensitivity, and is very robust and reliable. I have beat the hell out of it recording drums and rock piano, so have no fear..... it will serve you well.......Ron
post edited by savageopera - 2014/04/03 22:50:59
Sonar Artist, HP Laptop, AMD A8700 , 1T+250g, M-Audio Fast Track Ultra ,Roland 88 Hammer action, Roland AX-1, M-audio 88es, Arturia minilabII......When I was young I wanted to become a mad scientist. I achieved everything except the "scientist" part.... http://www.soundclick.com/savageopera
|
Kev999
Max Output Level: -36 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3922
- Joined: 2007/05/01 14:22:54
- Location: Victoria, Australia
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/04 05:11:06
(permalink)
cryophonik
Kev999
cryophonik
For your needs, I'd suggest a Studiologic SL-990...
He said he doesn't need weighted keys.
True, but, he didn't rule them out, either...
...Most 88-key controllers are going to have weighted keys...
OK, but I was considering the fact that weighted key models tend to cost significantly more and nobody wants to pay extra for features they don't require. But you may be right about most 88-key controllers being weighted. I don't know.
SonarPlatinum∞(22.11.0.111)|Mixbus32C(4.3.19)|DigitalPerformer(9.5.1)|Reaper(5.77)FractalDesign:DefineR5|i7-6850k@4.1GHz|16GB@2666MHz-DDR4|MSI:GamingProCarbonX99a|Matrox:M9148(x2)|UAD2solo(6.5.2)|W7Ult-x64-SP1
Audient:iD22+ASP800|KRK:VXT6|+various-outboard-gear|+guitars&basses, etc.
Having fun at work lately
|
polarbear
Max Output Level: -66 dBFS
- Total Posts : 1212
- Joined: 2005/04/24 16:20:47
- Location: Las Vegas
- Status: offline
Re: 88 key midi controller
2014/04/07 16:13:44
(permalink)
Thanks for all the comments. been out of town for a few days.
Yea I'm almost certain the M-Audio with the semi-weighted keys is gonna be the one for me, at least for now. The Roland is nice, but at over 3 times more expensive... I think I'd make do for a while with the M-Audio and like I said, I don't need much. The reason I want the full 88 keys is for some of the more complex Kontakt expansions and other VSTs I use that have keyswitches. Just so much easier to play with the full 88 than having to go back and transpose and layer and all that stuff. And while I'm at it, I'll jump from Synth-Action to Semi-Weighted kinda "just cause." I can't imagine it's gonna really get in the way of my playing, and at the same time it's right in the middle cost wise where I don't have to spend $600+. There's actually a "barely used" one on craigslist locally that I might be able to grab for $140... Which I mean... At that price, that's kind of a no brainer. I could just get a different one down the road if it's not good enough...
http://www.bydavidrosen.com http://www.imdb.me/davidrosenWinner of Best Song of 2007 at Acidplanet.com! PC Audio Labs Rokbox OB1 - Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF - Intel Core i7 5820K @ 3.30GHz - 32GB RAM - ATI Radeon HD 7700 - Windows 7 Pro Sonar Platinum - Komplete 9 Ultimate - Spectrasonics Omnisphere - reFX Nexus2 - And the list goes on... RME BabyFace Pro - M-Audio Keystation 88es
|