Hi guys,
 
I am new to the world of external midi-keyboards and I have one question:
I have a 49 key usb-midi-keyboard. How do I set the range of it in X3?
Like: I want the keyboard e.g. to cover only the lowest 49 Keys of the complete pianoscale? Where can I set that?
 
Love,
Inja.

Many 49 key keyboards have a way to change the keyboard range built into the keyboard. It can be done in SONAR but the keyboard is the first place I would look for this feature.

Ah - so it comes down to rtfm, right? ;-)
(read the f***g manual)
I will do that as soon as it arrives from amazone. Thanks for the hint - I thought it would be regulated inside X3 and didn't find the options.
 
I am beginning to feel a little unsure now about the size. Do you guys have any experience with 49 vs 61 vs 88 keys?
I will not be playing concertos. It is more to play some easy harmonies and stuff.
Should I have bought a 61 or even 88? Or is 49 usually enough?
 
Love,
Inja.
 

It depends on the keyboard. Mine was pretty obvious, it has two buttons on it for octave up/down. No RTFM necessary. 49 works for me but I am not a keyboard player. Then there is the size issue.

Yes, found it in the online manual. There is a transpose key, which will transpose the keyboard up and down. Great, seems easy.
@scook: So for normal stuff, like playing in some strings or other virtual instruments 49 should suffice? Even on a keyboard the normal chords will usually not spread more than 4 octaves, right?
Yes, size always is an issue, but I would of course always prefer functionality.
 
Any more opinions?

I actually like 49 keys...
 
25 keys is only for travel, bass lines and melodies
37 keys is barely two hands, but restricted
49 keys gives decent range while giving space on a desk.. the perfect all rounder imo
61 keys is most common, but its long and once on a desk, leaves little room for other stuff (like drum machines etc)
76 keys is perfect for piano, but rare as a controller
88 keys is just way too large and a good weighted one is the same price as a stage piano
 
and I have all except 88..lol

There is also a midi transpose in the track inspector for a midi track in Sonar.  I am away from my computer at the moment, but I believe there is a slider, and also + and - keys.
 
Bob Bone
 

I have a 61-note controller for leads, and a 76-note controller for piano sounds, where the extra notes come in handy.
 
I RARELY use either the upper or lower octaves of a standard 88-note piano.  More so in the past - I learned to play WAY more minimally, to leave more space for other instruments, vocals, and bass.
 
Bob Bone
 
 

Most simple paces from  J.S. Bach "fit" into 49 keys and 49 keys "fit" into airplane hand luggage (in company I use). I do not know any other arguments to have this size...

Almost all midi keyboards have octave up and octave down buttons to shift the keyboard's range.  No need to venture into fiddling with your software.