Need a MIDI/USB/ Keyboard

Warzinak

Hello im desperate for a midi keyboard to plug into my computer...
cant find any good deals on one tho

Torby

well what have you found so far, its difficult to advise without knowing what you have already looked at, priced then dismissed?

Do you have a budget in mind, are you pro, semi pro or beginner (possibly the latter I suppose or you would be on the musician forums instead)

Warzinak

Well ive looked into it, but they seem very expensive...i would prefer something with the knobs and sliders and stuff...61 key...but havent found any good deals...just full price keyboards...unless second hand but im worried about buying something used as it might break. i was just wondering if anyone has seen any good deals
i guess my budget is 200-400 pounds..and yes i am a beginner
thank you for your response btw

Torby

sorry I should have asked, do you need onboard sounds (built in tone generator) or is it a midi master keyboard with built in USB interface...

Torby

here you go, well in budget and loads of knobs and sliders plus some good free software to boot!

http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/m-audio-oxygen-61-3rd-generation-61-note-usb-midi-keyboard--67743

Warzinak

Torby wrote: »

sorry I should have asked, do you need onboard sounds (built in tone generator) or is it a midi master keyboard with built in USB interface...

i dont really understand...i only intend to play it thru Logic on my macbook..
so i think i dont need onboard sounds.
that oxygen is a great price...why is it so much cheaper then other midi keyboards that i have seen for 300-400?
it seems to have alot of great features

Torby

at the end of the day, its only an input device, like a mouse or pc keyboard, so midi is basically "on-off" messages, and through USB if you're using standard types of music software you'll find that a lot of knobs and sliders are "pre mapped" to specific functions but can be remapped. A lot of the cost in master keyboards come from when you want to have a keyboard thats weighted like an expensive piano but its a feature thats not really necessary, with velocity sensitivity and aftertouch you can get the same electronic response...it's just it feels like a plastic keyboard....not like the old ivory keys on an antique piano...that require strong fingers to play....lol...for most home studios using midi and Pro Tools . Cubase etc....plastic keys do the job....now if you were a "real" piano player and wanted to gig and you wanted a master keyboard with weighted keys to trigger all your gear....thats a different story...



remember...if you can access VST instruments in your macbook or on board sounds you're fine....but if you haven't that facility and you want to playback through midi/usb...you need something external to make those sounds. I'm not a mac user but I think garage band has virtual instruments available

Warzinak

my girlfriend and i (which we are buying the keyboard for) really appreciate your help!...its really kind of you, we thought we needed to spend alot of money to get a good keyboard...we dismissed the oxygen because we figured for that price its not going to be that good...but if you say price depends on the weight of the keys then we dont really need to get a proper feeling one...plastic is def fine for us
we were thinking of getting the Novation SL mk2....or a Cakewalk a800pro...
but then we heard that we also need to buy a audio interface...is that really necessary? that seems like another 200 pounds just to be able to record?

baxie

Both the keyboards you mention can be powered by plugging them into your computers USB socket.

I have an EMU Xboard49 and an Evolution 49 key midi keyboard, and I have foung them to both the very good keyboards, and the are fairly inexpensive as well.

Warzinak

thx alot for responses, ive got a midi keyboard finaly..its only a 25 key..but i got such a great deal!!!
Novation xiosynth....so its a synth/midi/audio interface!!! in one
retails at about 280....i paid 40 pounds!!!
abit used but works perfectly
hail gumtree
cant even get a oxygen 25 key for that price...and i got a mini synth...
woooooooooo
gumtree is my friend