[production bible 2] MIDI Controllers
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:12 pm
If you want to add a model plz give its name, pros, cons & average price (new).
Thanks everybody!
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KEYBOARDS
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AKAI MPK49 £280 new
49-key, semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch and full-sized keys
8 360 degree rotary dials each with 3 banks = 24 total
12 MPC style pads, velocity and pressure sensitive, 4 banks = 48 total
8 sliders each with 3 controller banks = 24 total
note repeat and arpeggiator
8 assignable switches with 3 banks each = 24 total
MMC/MIDI Start Stop transport buttons
USB powered.
great all in one midi controller/keyboard although you do pay a bit, typical price is around £280 new. Also as someone who has owned an MPC I can testify that the drum pads do note respond like an MPC, although they are the closest out of all the keyboard controllers I looked at, apart from that I can't fault it.
Evolution MK-449C
Pros: 9 faders, 8 knobs, 10 assignable buttons, pitch and mod wheel add up to 29 controls, works as a charm, cheap.
Cons: Configuring it can be annoying as fuck.(I mean the configuring of presets and other stuff)
Evolution MK-425C
It the same as MK-449C, but without the faders and with only 2 octaves. I'd say that it is an awesome starter controller. Keys are a bit plastic ish and light, but it is good for it's price.
Korg K24 ~ £40
Pro's: well it's Bus powered + Plenty of octaves (5 up and down if i remember rightly),
Con's : none, it does exactly everything you expect from a basic midi controller, more expensive ones seem to have no better functions other than more of the same...unless you want weighted keys.
Korg Nano Series all usb
$59.99 nanopad - 12 pad drum controls + x/y pad
$59.99 nanokontrol - 9 knobs 9 faders 18 switches
$49.99 nanokey - 25 key midi keyboard, pitch and podulation controls adjustable velocity curves
suited for portable rigs and saving space + low cost
M-Audio Axiom £150-£170
Pros: The keys are FANTASTIC. Aftertouch is great.
Pitchbend and mod feel very nice.
Having transport controls was enough to convince me to sell my UC33e to buy this.
The tap pads also were a strong selling point.
Cons: The knobs are straight useless. You can't go from 0-127 in one turn. They're loud, as well.
All of the output from the keyboard seems random, and alot of people have trouble setting them up.
M-Audio Keystation 61es ~ £115 / €135
It has got one volume fader and 5 octaves. It's keys are much better than the MK-425C ones
M-Audio MidAir25 Around 200 in all currency. I got it for 70 in a deal though, wouldn't say its worth 200 new but cheap 2nd hand, bargin.
Pros/: 8 Assignable knobs. Mod wheel, sustain button & jack for sustain peddle, pitch shift, assignable slider too. (note: I haven't used all the functions of it, you can go into "select mode" but I don't know how to use it, so if someone did, it might be of use) its wireless too so you can go sit across the room / in another room and play , might be good for live work if you want a little controller quite far away from the laptop or something.
Cons: Only 2 Octaves, plastic-feel to the keys, drivers were a trouble to get working, only midi out.
M-Audio Oxygen
Possibly one of the most classic portable midi keyboards in existence.
I've had my Oxygen 8 for years, and it's still going strong.
Well worth the 80 buff I spent on it
Novation Remote/SL
Novation Remote Zero Price seen em go for £150 -£199 i paid 120 from ebay
Pro's: Infinate and 270 degree assignable knobs, drum pads and faders and toggle/gate buttons. Good for controlling everything i use in reaktor for live gigs (automap assignment function for big named applications) automap software for creating your own midi maps on screen which is useful for when you make your own synths in something like reaktor. it's also Bus powered.
Cons: faders a bit small, and bit plastic...needs a bit more length on the fade.
Novation X-Station
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OTHERS
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Behringer BCR2000 (knobs controller) ~ 150 EUR
Pros : user friendly, cheap, 32 user presets (assign 24 knobs per instrument for up to 32 instruments)
Cons : have to do more than 1 rotation to go from 0 to 100%, cheap built
Behringer BCF2000 (faders controller) ~ 180 EUR
Same as BCR2000 but with 8 faders instead.
Evolution UC-33 (knobs & faders) ~ £140
Pros : easy way to use, cheap, easy portable.
Cons : If you're a goof itll break quite soon. In other words. With lots of traveling the thing gets paranoid after some bumps[/quote]
Thanks everybody!
________________________________
KEYBOARDS
________________________________
AKAI MPK49 £280 new
49-key, semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch and full-sized keys
8 360 degree rotary dials each with 3 banks = 24 total
12 MPC style pads, velocity and pressure sensitive, 4 banks = 48 total
8 sliders each with 3 controller banks = 24 total
note repeat and arpeggiator
8 assignable switches with 3 banks each = 24 total
MMC/MIDI Start Stop transport buttons
USB powered.
great all in one midi controller/keyboard although you do pay a bit, typical price is around £280 new. Also as someone who has owned an MPC I can testify that the drum pads do note respond like an MPC, although they are the closest out of all the keyboard controllers I looked at, apart from that I can't fault it.
Evolution MK-449C
Pros: 9 faders, 8 knobs, 10 assignable buttons, pitch and mod wheel add up to 29 controls, works as a charm, cheap.
Cons: Configuring it can be annoying as fuck.(I mean the configuring of presets and other stuff)
Evolution MK-425C
It the same as MK-449C, but without the faders and with only 2 octaves. I'd say that it is an awesome starter controller. Keys are a bit plastic ish and light, but it is good for it's price.
Korg K24 ~ £40
Pro's: well it's Bus powered + Plenty of octaves (5 up and down if i remember rightly),
Con's : none, it does exactly everything you expect from a basic midi controller, more expensive ones seem to have no better functions other than more of the same...unless you want weighted keys.
Korg Nano Series all usb
$59.99 nanopad - 12 pad drum controls + x/y pad
$59.99 nanokontrol - 9 knobs 9 faders 18 switches
$49.99 nanokey - 25 key midi keyboard, pitch and podulation controls adjustable velocity curves
suited for portable rigs and saving space + low cost
M-Audio Axiom £150-£170
Pros: The keys are FANTASTIC. Aftertouch is great.
Pitchbend and mod feel very nice.
Having transport controls was enough to convince me to sell my UC33e to buy this.
The tap pads also were a strong selling point.
Cons: The knobs are straight useless. You can't go from 0-127 in one turn. They're loud, as well.
All of the output from the keyboard seems random, and alot of people have trouble setting them up.
M-Audio Keystation 61es ~ £115 / €135
It has got one volume fader and 5 octaves. It's keys are much better than the MK-425C ones
M-Audio MidAir25 Around 200 in all currency. I got it for 70 in a deal though, wouldn't say its worth 200 new but cheap 2nd hand, bargin.
Pros/: 8 Assignable knobs. Mod wheel, sustain button & jack for sustain peddle, pitch shift, assignable slider too. (note: I haven't used all the functions of it, you can go into "select mode" but I don't know how to use it, so if someone did, it might be of use) its wireless too so you can go sit across the room / in another room and play , might be good for live work if you want a little controller quite far away from the laptop or something.
Cons: Only 2 Octaves, plastic-feel to the keys, drivers were a trouble to get working, only midi out.
M-Audio Oxygen
Possibly one of the most classic portable midi keyboards in existence.
I've had my Oxygen 8 for years, and it's still going strong.
Well worth the 80 buff I spent on it
Novation Remote/SL
Novation Remote Zero Price seen em go for £150 -£199 i paid 120 from ebay
Pro's: Infinate and 270 degree assignable knobs, drum pads and faders and toggle/gate buttons. Good for controlling everything i use in reaktor for live gigs (automap assignment function for big named applications) automap software for creating your own midi maps on screen which is useful for when you make your own synths in something like reaktor. it's also Bus powered.
Cons: faders a bit small, and bit plastic...needs a bit more length on the fade.
Novation X-Station
________________________________
OTHERS
________________________________
Behringer BCR2000 (knobs controller) ~ 150 EUR
Pros : user friendly, cheap, 32 user presets (assign 24 knobs per instrument for up to 32 instruments)
Cons : have to do more than 1 rotation to go from 0 to 100%, cheap built
Behringer BCF2000 (faders controller) ~ 180 EUR
Same as BCR2000 but with 8 faders instead.
Evolution UC-33 (knobs & faders) ~ £140
Pros : easy way to use, cheap, easy portable.
Cons : If you're a goof itll break quite soon. In other words. With lots of traveling the thing gets paranoid after some bumps[/quote]
but i agree with everything the manufacturer said
