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MIDI Keyboard - Recommendation Needed
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| rawssssss |
Waddup guys! I'm getting a MIDI keyboard for Christmas, so I need some experienced advice.
I need a keyboard for about £150 - for producing/jamming, as opposed to live shows. I have a laptop which runs Windows 7 with FL Studio, but no MIDI port, only a USB port. The best one I've found for my money so far is the following:
http://www.gear4music.com/Keyboards...DI-Keyboard/C00
I can get it cheaper from other sources on the net.
The research I've done so far points me to this keyboard, but there's a little too much jargon on there as I'm a beginner when it comes to mixing hardware. I understand most of it - but is there anything I should know? Should I get this keyboard, or another? Please respond!
Thanks a bunch,
N3XUS |
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| J.L. |
I'd just get an m-audio keyrig for about 1/3 of the price and use your money to buy other synths/plugins/fx/monitors/headphones/etc...
Of course the Oxygen is always nicer, but it is unecessary. You will probably not get around to using all the features unless you actually need all that. Oxygen doesn't support FL for its directlink function last time I checked. Ask yourself, do you need all of that?
Once you know you will need all those assignable knobs and features, then sell your keyrig and buy the oxygen. You will lose out slightly, but it is much better than buying something expensive and figuring out that you actually don't need all of it and having it sit there not being used to its potential. |
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| rawssssss |
| quote: | Originally posted by J.L.
I'd just get an m-audio keyrig for about 1/3 of the price and use your money to buy other synths/plugins/fx/monitors/headphones/etc...
Of course the Oxygen is always nicer, but it is unecessary. You will probably not get around to using all the features unless you actually need all that. Oxygen doesn't support FL for its directlink function last time I checked. Ask yourself, do you need all of that?
Once you know you will need all those assignable knobs and features, then sell your keyrig and buy the oxygen. You will lose out slightly, but it is much better than buying something expensive and figuring out that you actually don't need all of it and having it sit there not being used to its potential. |
I'd hope that I'd grow into the features as I learn more and improve.
When you say it isn't FL directlinked, does that mean I can't use it directly with FL? 'cause I kinda need that. |
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| J.L. |
it works in FL... it's just the oxygen is designed to automatically have their controls automatically map to functions in a DAW... you can still assign them manually, but that kinda defeats the purpose of "direct-link" which is a feature that's designed to make life easier.
I think the most important thing in a keyboard are simply the keys. Do you like the weight of it when you press them. Are they sensitive to the touch and do they weigh properly the way you like them?
All the other extra drumpad/MIDI controls are simply things you can easily purchase after you learn more about producing and figure out whether you need them or not.
In other words, don't buy a solution looking for a problem. Buy a solution WHEN you have a problem. You will quickly find that buying gear sucks up a lot of money. Making smart purchases that fit how you work and what you need is probably the smartest thing to do.
The only real things IMO you really need to put money down for is always:
1) An audio interface
2) Studio monitors
How much you spend on them really depends on how serious you are, and how well you are able to use everything to its potential
For ex.
I started out by buying an M-audio Keyrig. I soon realized I needed some knobs to turn stuff with, and as well as wanted to get into controller DJing so I bought the traktor s4. Realized I wanted a drumpad for producing and wanted to do some finger drumming on top of my mixing beats so I got a maschine. Then I realized I needed some realistic orchestral samples that fit my style, so I bought the VSL symphonic library.... etc...
If I started by listening to people's advice of "what is the best synth" I would have dropped 2,500$ on some hardware that I hardly use because I don't want to feel like I need to rely on this $2,500 synth that sits on my desk because I spent a bunch of money on it. Instead, I got a whole package of softsynths and samplers for very different styles and genres |
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