BenC
Joined: 24/06/09
Posts: 50
Loc: Reykjavik
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Good USB / Midi Controller Keyboard
#834681 - 20/05/10 09:36 AM
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Hi  i currently use an old USB /midi M-Audio Keystation 49e as a basic contoller for
Logic plugins. It does it's job... but the key action is pretty lame and it's doesn't do
much else other than pitch bend and modulation..... so i'm looking for another 49 key USB
controller keyboard, but with a nice playing action, as similar to a real piano as
possible, but that also enables me to control more plugin features in a 'hands-on' way -so
i think something like the Novation Nocturn 49 or Novation 49 SL Mk2 maybe? But can anyone recommend
anything else suitable? or say if these Novations are any good? or should i just go and
buy a proper synth and stop messing around with plugins?!  thanks all
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Bob Moose
Joined: 17/01/08
Posts: 885
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Re: Good USB / Midi Controller Keyboard
[Re: BenC]
#834701 - 20/05/10 11:11 AM
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Hello,
I have the first version of the Novation Remote 25. This is a very good
control surface, especially because it has lots of different physical interfaces: sliders,
potentiometers, encoders, buttons, joystick, trackpad, keyboard, switch pedal and
expression pedal. This makes it very versatile. As far as I know there is no equivalent
product today.
But I would not say the action is similar to the one of a piano.
Only a few 88-key stage pianos have this kind of action.
A few 88-key controllers
have some assignable sliders or buttons, but I don't know about their action: Fatar
VMK-188 Plus, Akai MPK 88, CME UF80, CME VX8, etc.
-j
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Matt_Moose
Joined: 09/10/06
Posts: 341
Loc: Cheshire
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Re: Good USB / Midi Controller Keyboard
[Re: BenC]
#834710 - 20/05/10 11:41 AM
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Other than what Bob said about it being 88key controllers that are most piano like, I'll
make my usual suggestion of an M-audio Axiom 49 or 61. That has full depth keys - ie
front faced, like a piano, not open like a synth. Action is OK, and there are
about a dozen touch/velocity curves, so it's tweakable to your playing style. It's got 9
sliders, 8knobs and - well, you can google and find out the rest I take it gigging with me as it's light and portable. I find I don't fluff too many
piano parts - unlike I did when a had a synth-keyed CME UF6, which had a nice feel, but
obviously didn't work for me.
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Guy7
member
Joined: 23/12/03
Posts: 533
Loc: Leicestershire
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Re: Good USB / Midi Controller Keyboard
[Re: BenC]
#835185 - 22/05/10 09:58 PM
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Quote BenC:
Hi
so
i'm looking for another 49 key USB controller keyboard, but with a nice playing action, as
similar to a real piano as possible
What you are looking for doesn't exist.
There are numerous
controller keyboards on the market at the moment. I would put the likes of Novation near
the top of the list. CME did a fairly decent 88 note controller (I have never tried them
but they got fairly good reviews on SOS)
However, if you are looking for a
controller which truely feels like a piano, you are going to have to go retro IMHO.
Roland A80/90, Yamaha KX88 or my favourite the Kurzweil Midiboard.
Like most
things, it all comes down to budget. I sold my Midiboard a few years ago for around
£300. When new in the 80's, these cost in excess of £4000.
Edit.. Non of
these are USB of course
--------------------
And Bagpuss, once he was asleep, was just a saggy old cloth cat.
Edited by Guy7 (22/05/10 10:00 PM)
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Martin Walker
Watcher Of The Skies
Joined: 28/02/01
Posts: 16381
Loc: Cornwall, UK
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Re: Good USB / Midi Controller Keyboard
[Re: BenC]
#835422 - 24/05/10 10:15 AM
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I suspect Guy is right - only the 88-key versions generally offer the ‘hammer action’
of a piano keyboard rather than the ‘soft plastic switch’ of a synth-action
keyboard. I ended up using two keyboards. I have a 2-octave ‘editing’
keyboard with synth action and knobs directly above my PC keyboard for sound design work
when I’m constantly switching back and forth between computer and music keyboards, and
then an 88-key master keyboard off to the side for heavy duty playing sessions. Martin
-------------------- YewTreeMagic
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BenC
Joined: 24/06/09
Posts: 50
Loc: Reykjavik
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Re: Good USB / Midi Controller Keyboard
[Re: Martin Walker]
#838761 - 08/06/10 12:31 PM
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thanks all -you're obviously all right! so now it's just a case of sorting out a decent 49
key usb controller with knobs on to start with -from playing with a few, i like the
M-Audio Oxygen 49 and the Novation 49 SL Mk2 and would be happy with either (though i
prefer the Novation's key action) -though does anyone have an opinion on which has the
better automapping software?? i am sure they are probably both up to the job, but any
input/insights would be useful. thanks
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Matt_Moose
Joined: 09/10/06
Posts: 341
Loc: Cheshire
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Re: Good USB / Midi Controller Keyboard
[Re: BenC]
#839079 - 09/06/10 06:33 PM
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Most come with some preset mappings for popular things, but murphy's law will dictate not
your specific flavour. I'd most DAWs/VSTs have MIDI learn, and you'll want to adapt
presets to your style of working. So I'd be inclined to forget all that and just go with
the touch and hardware you prefer.
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