Excuse my lack of knowledge in this area. An External MIDI controller .. what is it? I plug it into my MIDI port on my PC and it controls the software (eg. Reason)? A MIDI keyboard, is this an actual keyboard that makes sounds, or looks like one but is simply a controller and the device it's controlling makes the sound? See my lack of knowledge in this area, could somone elaborate on this for me?

much appreciated.

A midi controller does not make a sound. It just sends a signal to your application like Reason, Fruity loops and all other.

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Any recommendations for a decent MIDI controller? I've seen a few on the net in the $250 area. I haven't looked much further, but that's definately do'able, could go higher, depends on what I get.

Suggestions please.

I have a Roland PC-70 which i got from Long&Mcquade for about $250.

I've got the PC-70 aswell. $250 from Cosmo Music. It looks beautiful,, and it does the job very nicely.