Keyboard controller question (Garritan Personal Orchestra 4)

Garritan suggests an 88 key controller... I am not convinced of the need for one but I can see where good action and aftertouch would be helpful but not being a keyboard player or much of a midi guy... I don't know. I looked and the two 88s that look good to me are both around 1k bucks. I am not about to rush out and buy something like that but I would like to get some input, especially from anyone who is using a keyboard with GPO4. I am not going to be scoring any full orchestral pieces... maybe an ensemble so I am not sure of my needs for keys and of my needs for level of action, from reading the manual I can see that the mod wheel is important and will be used a lot.
I will probably be laying down one instrument at a time because, while I canplay keys a little,,, that is all, a little, chords and I can run a scale with one hand but I am really rusty on it.
 
The GPO4 sounds are really excellent.
 
Any suggestions?
 
Thanks,
 
Julien

I have studied piano in the past but not a lt. I do play with two hands most of the time. No live use though.
 
Thanks for the input. I may go with the Roland 800-Pro. It is what I have been looking at for a whie, I just wondered what the reasoning is that Garritan recommends an 88 key keyboard, like I said, I cannot see why I would need it.
 
Thanks!
 
Julien

Thanks Sy

It is what I wanted anyway. Perhaps if I find I use it a LOT I will go for a high end CME or a Studiologic. For now there are so many other things I want and need. My mics are OK but I would really like to try a Fathead and a Kel HM-7U.... and I'd REALLY love to have a Shure KSM 44A but man.. there goes another grand... this hobby can be as bad a money pit as a boat.

Thanks again,

Julien

Thanks RBH, that makes sense.
GPO4 uses a full 12 keys for keyswitching. (I don't know if that number decreases with the use ofa sustain pedal... but Im guessing not). I am very excited about using GPO4, I was trained in classical music in HS and clooege until I switched my major to party and blues... I used to sight read and was in a chamber chorus of 12 singers for a while.. it was great. We did a lot of Brahams flok songs and one of our conductors liked Norman Dello Joio so we did a some of his compositions, they were complex but much fun. I have always had a bit of an orchestra in my head. When I was a senir in HS I was the assistant director for the Jr choir, I learned a lot in those days. I need to practice sight reading some, I bet it woul ome right back... and I used t be alble to play piano much better. I once could play Martha My Dear pretty well, along with some other Beatle songs. I need to get it back!
 
Thanks for the input.
 
Julien