Advice needed on keyboard/Midi controller for Electronic Music

[markjazzbassist]

I want to start doing some downtempo electronic music and am thinking about getting a keyboard or midi controller. I have Garageband and would use that (it has keyboards and effects i can use). My price range would be $400 or less. The cheaper the better. I am into Air, Royksopp, Zero 7, ATB, etc.

Would a Midi Controller be the best choice? Which one would be good? How many keys do i need (49, 61, 88)? Anyone else do this kinda stuff?

[xafofo]

for a good keyboard/synth under 400 bucks, you'd have to go for used gear

but there are plenty of cheap controllers available. one of my friends really likes Edirol

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ler?sku=705373

it's got a pitch STICK which is much easier to use than a wheel. but of course that might not matter to you...

[xafofo]

oh forgot to answer your other questions....

i personally prefer to have a synth rather than going the controller/softsynth route.

using softsynths (VSTi, DXi, etc) takes up valuable processing power, and when you have a bunch of them going (plus effects too) you won't even be able to hear your stuff in real time... it just takes too much processing power. the good thing about this is that you can easily bounce to WAV

i prefer hardware since its much more reliable and doesn't take any processing power. the downside is that you have to record its output when you want to mix with WAVs

as far as # of keys, i would say 60 is probably a good number. not too many, not too little. of course it totally depends on what you'll be playing. if you're a pianist then you'd probably want 88 keys and also some kind of hammer action (feels more like a real piano). otherwise if you're just doing electronica, less than 60 would still be fine

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by xafofo

oh forgot to answer your other questions....

i personally prefer to have a synth rather than going the controller/softsynth route.

using softsynths (VSTi, DXi, etc) takes up valuable processing power, and when you have a bunch of them going (plus effects too) you won't even be able to hear your stuff in real time... it just takes too much processing power. the good thing about this is that you can easily bounce to WAV

i prefer hardware since its much more reliable and doesn't take any processing power. the downside is that you have to record its output when you want to mix with WAVs

as far as # of keys, i would say 60 is probably a good number. not too many, not too little. of course it totally depends on what you'll be playing. if you're a pianist then you'd probably want 88 keys and also some kind of hammer action (feels more like a real piano). otherwise if you're just doing electronica, less than 60 would still be fine

thanks. im planning on just doing this stuff in my home studio, no live, so would that make the controller/soft synth more applicable?

61 does sound like a good number for the keys. thanks for all the help so far.

[xafofo]

how fast is your computer? i have an AMD Athlon 2600+ (kinda old.. like 3-4 years old), and i find that it's just too slow to run what i want. So i prefer to rely on my Yamaha cs1x for sounds so i can use processing power on effects like EQ, compression, etc.

you should be fine with a controller/softysnth setup if your computer is decently fast. otherwise it can get really annoying to have audio dropouts if you run out of processing power

i will say that you won't go wrong getting a keyboard/synth, since it also acts as a controller that you can control softsynths with. it's also a self contained instrument that you can take to gigs, and it probably will have nicer and more sounds. of course it's more expensive...

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by xafofo

how fast is your computer? i have an AMD Athlon 2600+ (kinda old.. like 3-4 years old), and i find that it's just too slow to run what i want. So i prefer to rely on my Yamaha cs1x for sounds so i can use processing power on effects like EQ, compression, etc.

you should be fine with a controller/softysnth setup if your computer is decently fast. otherwise it can get really annoying to have audio dropouts if you run out of processing power

i will say that you won't go wrong getting a keyboard/synth, since it also acts as a controller that you can control softsynths with. it's also a self contained instrument that you can take to gigs, and it probably will have nicer and more sounds. of course it's more expensive...

ah, right on. i have a Apple iMac G5. It's 2 years old.

[keb]

I have an Edirol 61-key controller. It's okay, but it feels a little mushy. But it's an older one, and I've heard the new ones have a better feel.

I haven't used them, but I've heard that CME keyboard controllers are supposed to be great, though more expensive.

[brianrost]

Controllers usually come in 25, 49, 61 and 88 key varieties. How many keys you need will depend on how your keyboard skills are. A lot of people get by with the 25 key models...they can be had for $100...but if you want to play it two-handed like a piano you'll want 61 or 88 keys.

For your application, I'd skip buying a synth. Garageband built-ins will be fine. The G5 has plenty of juice for the application.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by brianrost

For your application, I'd skip buying a synth. Garageband built-ins will be fine. The G5 has plenty of juice for the application.

Thanks. thats what i was thinking. i appreciate all your help.

[duckyincarnate]

M-Audio makes a controller that was specifically made for Garageband. But you might also consider getting something slightly more versatile, should you eventually drift to other programs like Cubase, Live etc.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by duckyincarnate

M-Audio makes a controller that was specifically made for Garageband. But you might also consider getting something slightly more versatile, should you eventually drift to other programs like Cubase, Live etc.

do you know which controller that is?