Thank you so much for the suggestions.I will continue looking for a roland, but they are on the high end of what i want to spend. So M Audio ... can you control Sonar 8 with That? Also I'm wondering... there is USB 1 and the faster USB 2. I know, they are backwards compatible. My laptop has USB 2 ports. Which one of the controllers is designed specifically for usb2?
There is also a Novation Impulse 49 controller for sale on my local craigs list.It looks like a very nice unit.How are those?
Like i said, 'm not really a keyboard player and I would use the controller just to play some pretty simple comping patterns and easy melodies. So maybe even a 49 might be enough. What do you guys think?
 

Roxy
Thank you so much for the suggestions.I will continue looking for a roland, but they are on the high end of what i want to spend. So M Audio ... can you control Sonar 8 with That? Also I'm wondering... there is USB 1 and the faster USB 2. I know, they are backwards compatible. My laptop has USB 2 ports. Which one of the controllers is designed specifically for usb2?
There is also a Novation Impulse 49 controller for sale on my local craigs list.It looks like a very nice unit.How are those?
Like i said, 'm not really a keyboard player and I would use the controller just to play some pretty simple comping patterns and easy melodies. So maybe even a 49 might be enough. What do you guys think?

 
You would be able to control SONAR with an M-Audio controller but you may have to set it up manually, but since Cakewalk used to be owned by Roland, the A-Pros are easily recognized by SONAR.
 
Your USB 2.0 ports will be fine. Pretty much all the keyboard controllers out there are designed for USB 2.0.
 
You can check out the controller on your craigslist but only if it looks like a really good deal. Try testing it out first and make sure it's not doing anything weird.

A 49-key would be fine for what you want to do. If you wanna go with an M-Audio, try this:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Keystation49 for $99. Don't give them too much money. But, I will suggest getting something with a screen. This one from Roland http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/A300Pro is smaller but has a lot more features for $219 and would probably last longer than an M-Audio product.

As I had indicated above, I would not generally bring an M-Audio controller out on a gig, because I don't believe they would hold up well to the stresses, meaning it may break from gigging with it.
 
Mine has held up with no issues though, in my studio.  a 49-key keyboard is fine for doing chords and single-note bass notes, but I find a 61-note keyboard is just more usable.
 
Anyways, good luck - hope you find something that works for you.
 
Bob Bone
 

The Roland controllers really do look good. Especially since they are designed to go with Sonar. I have Sonar 6 does that keyboard work with that or do I need a newer version? I also like the fact that the Roland controller has a joystick instead of the two wheels. I don't play keyboards well but i do know how to play some pentatonic lines . Bad imitations of Jan Hammer and George Duke ....as long as I have that joystick it sort of sounds like i know what I'm doing.
I'm now thinking the 49 would be enough.http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/A500Pro
The keyboard player in my band is my best friend. He is really great and he would help me out with any difficult parts that might require a full range keyboard . So chords and simple melodies... I play bass so I probably won't do a whole lot of bass playing on that keyboard.
I think I'm set now for what I'm going to get. It'll be a Roland
Thanks again for helping me make that choice!

I can tell you not to get a Akai. I have the MPK49 and it does not play well with Sonar.