Recommendations for USB MIDI Keys for a Guitarist

GDPunkRock

New member
Hi all,

I'm a guitarist(play mostly rock/alt stuff) and I'm looking to venture into MIDI terrain. I intend to use mostly free VSTis(DSK,etc) as my soft synths and am currently looking for a suitable USB MIDI keyboard controller for my purpose. I'm hoping to get myself something small( maybe 37keys - if possible I'll play it on my table infront of my laptop ) and will use it to play mainly drums, perhaps some bass and some synth-y stuff as melody in my music. I might also be interested in trying to play it as a piano, so I'm not certain if 37 keys would fit my needs.
I've come across the Korg Nano series(Keys & Pad) and also the micro, and I'm wondering if I should just seal the deal withe micro keys. Can drums be comfortably played on keys and vice versa (melodies on a pad) ?

Thanks!
 
well,really what I think I need is advice on the most affordable solution for my needs - Should I just get a Nano Pad(since mostly I'm after a way to sequence drums) or should I get something with 37 keys,so I can still play a bit of piano-y bits and still manage to do drums?

~how come can't edit posts~
 
Deciding among drumpad controllers or keyboard controllers or both in the case of MPK mini, is a matter of preference and budget.

A keyboard controller would be suitable for triggering VST instruments including software drum samplers and synthesizers through a MIDI host application. It requires trivial effort to map the keys to trigger sounds.

Regards.
 
I would go with the microKEY or nanoKEY if you want to do any piano stuff at all, as it's still easy to drum on that. On the other hand playing a melody on the nanoPAD would be challenging.

If anything I end up manually composing drums with my mouse nowadays rather than play it on a keyboard.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

carbo, how hard/comfortable is it drumming on keys? i'm assuming you have personal experience here :|

cos i actually experimented with my laptop keyboard and ezdrummer, and found it quite a bother that 1) the keys were small, 2) the individual drums were very far apart from each other (snare and crash like 8keys away). im not sure if this is something i'll have to get used to in terms of midi drumming :)
 
Typical MIDI drum layout should be something like kicks, snares, toms/hihats, crashes/rides. Yes there will be quite a few variations like flams on the snare and open/close hats so the first crash will be quite a few keys away, but I think it's laid out quite logically.

I will test some simple beats by playing on keyboard, but when it's time to lay down the track I will use the MIDI note editor in whatever DAW to draw in the notes manually. I find the slight latency and of course my lack of keyboard drumming skill gets in the way, especially for more complex beats and rolls.

But if you can do like this guy then no problem...
 
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haha i actually saw that first video just yesterday...man, i guess the best possible solution regarding drum positions on your keys would be to manually assign the notes yourself...that way you cant complain...

ok, since i've decided on getting a keyboard...any best recommendation on number of keys? i want workspace, yet i dont wanna run out of keys...i hope 37 is enough, as i really got my eye on the micro key(is this the most affordable piece in this range of controllers?)..
 
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I have a nanoKEY, found the range to be too limited, the buttons not nice to play... but it can't be beat for convenience. Can just throw it in my bag with my laptop, sit down anywhere drink kopi and make music. lol

microKEY's 37 keys should be enough. It's built like a tiny digital piano compared to the nano stuff which probably appeals more to electronic musicians. There's octave +/- buttons if you need extended range on the fly, pretty standard feature. Really depends on what you wanna play and how you play it.

Can also check out Akai, LPK25 is a nanoKEY competitor with slightly more realistic keyboard instead of the little buttons on the Korg. They also have other models with more features http://www.akaipro.com/mpk
 
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haha, but in reality where got people drink kopi and make music one :P

anyways, may i know which version of the nanokeys you got? i hear the 1 was rather plastic-y and the 2 has a great improvement in terms of feel, wonder if u've tried the 2nd generation ones .
im also so tempted to just snag up the akai lp8d...it looks so cute and meant for drummingg!! but anyways, the akai i think is much more expensive than the nano keys, accordign to sinamex pricings... is it actually worth it?

edit: oh wait before i forget...arent the nano keys(being flatter) easier to drum on compared to piano keys? piano keys take my effort to press down, so arent u losing speed when you have to press down more. cos i dont think this whole thing is part of being "velocity"...
 
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akai lpk mini, got pad for finger drumming, keys for softsynth and knobs for parameters assignment, small in size and portable.

if wanna finger drumming, using pads for it will always be easier than keyboard keys. The tactile feel and size of the pad is much suitable to banging.
 
On a weighted full-sized keyboard maybe, but really I don't see these mini unweighted keys being an issue.

I have the first gen nano, have not tried the 2nd gen yet.
 
yeah,i can't help but feel that 25 keys is quite limited too...regarding convenience/portability, not really my top priority...i'm mostly a table warrior so as long as it can fit on my work table along with my laptop/ other eq. i'm happy le...

also the things with, the lpk mini-like stuff (with both keys and pads) , if im not wrong it's more for dj's/mixing business right? cos for instruments like drums, i dont suppose drumming at a right angle is that fun,when the pads are positioned up there above ur keys?_?

now,thinking of getting a cheap 49key sua... at most up and down 2 octaves?
 
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the limitation is only limited by your very own workflow, aka what do you wanna do and how do you wanna achieved that.

It takes more than just pads and knobs to be doing dj-ing. The mpk mini is just another keyboard based midi controller with trigger pads and knobs to assign your softsynth/daw parameters(no difference to the korg nanos one).

Since space if no issue, then get the 49 keys then. The few choices prolly be available locally are novation, akai mpk 49, m audio, , yamaha etc.

Hehe, since space no issue, howcome in the first place wanna look at the nano series?? Those thingy selling point are small and portable, other than that, its much stripped down midi controller. That said, its still really useful depending on individual workflow.

oh yeah, the mpk mini is this one below, no right angle pads at all

akai-mpk-mini-compare-460-100-460-70.jpg
 
ohhhh,i mean like right angled pads, as in, isnt the pad side of the controller elevated abit? not really sure from the akai website photos. like, i'd prefer drumming on a flat 90 degree surface i suppose ...

and ya, dunno why i looked at the nano's...it just felt right then, especially the pads, like i could be drumming with that plastic bar on my lap or on my bed when i got lazy! but the keys really cmi from what i've seen on forums/feedback... as good as laptop keys only resized(btw the 2 series is the same feel, only like a MACBOOK keys instead lol!) :P

i think i'll get a cheap 49 or something...cos i mainly want this midi controller to do traditional instrumental work(some piano melodies, abit of synth orchaestra stuff, and drumming). what would be the most reliable brand we have here in sg?

i'm notttt a dj!
 
ahh ok, i get what you mean liao.

its actually not much of a elevated angle. Just drop by sinamex to take a look at that thing and their other midi controller
www.sinamex.com

Yes, the nano first gen key is very much cannot make it, i destroy mine 1 week into using the thing when it was first release locally 3 years back. The mechanism holding the key is just a tiny clip beneath it which seriously make me think what the phuck was korg thinking with such lousy design.

Anyway, are you looking at having individual pads style controller and keyboard controller or combo of keyboard and pads/fader/knobs style midi controller.

Again, the knobs and fader has nothing to with just dj-ing alone. It is there for a reason, which might not be within your current workflow but definitely useful when you know more about using midi controller with daw software.

Reliability is subjective, are you taking about drivers update issue, hardware reliability issue or real life abuse while having gigs 4 nights per week kinda?
 
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Anyway, are you looking at having individual pads style controller and keyboard controller or combo of keyboard and pads/fader/knobs style midi controller.
Reliability is subjective, are you taking about drivers update issue, hardware reliability issue or real life abuse while having gigs 4 nights per week kinda?
that's the problem - i cant decide if i want a pad style or keyboard controller or god forbid,both!
i actually intended to get just a korg nano key just for the fun of keying in some stuff with my soft synths in Reaper, but who knew, that there's so much more to midi controllers than just that piece of plastic! :|
then at the same time, i dont wanna get anything too pricey cos, i'm just a hobbiyist and dont have the budget for a full workstation.
so bottom line, i think... what's the most suitable type of controller for me if im gonna use it for mainly rock virtual instruments that will not break my piggie bank?

also about the reliability thing, what i mean is in terms of how long the product can still work after purchase. both hardware and software functionality.
 
The reliability is pretty much a variable factor, some folks protect their gear, handle it with care, it can prolly last a long time. Software wise, a midi controller is an empty canvas, it doesnt have any software other then drivers(if necessary or if midi class compliant controller, it doesnt need drivers at all)

Imho, forget about the nanokeys, if really wanna those small size one, the korg microkey or alesis one be much better for playing. Even though its mini size key, its still much better in term of touch then those flat keyboard style keys. Varing pressure/velocity control on those flat keys doesnt feel natural compare to actual keys(even though smaller in size).

Price wise, those kinda midi controller you are looking at, the prices actually quite reasonable in comparison to other form of controller. The important thing now, imho is to decide on what you wanna.

If price is a limiting factor, then just get a 25/37keys one and start from there.
 
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Here's Shaun Khiu of Sixx doing some beats an Akai MPK mini.


Since you really don't know what will or will not work for you yet, the combined keyboard + pads might be worth trying.
 
Here's Shaun Khiu of Sixx doing some beats an Akai MPK mini.


Since you really don't know what will or will not work for you yet, the combined keyboard + pads might be worth trying.
lol cool. i wish there was a 37keys combo with pads...that i'll get right away. i think right now i'll still stick with keys. i prefer keys over pads( for what im doing right now) if i were to choose specifically between the 2, but who knows, i might get a nanopad during cm sales later on :) after all you can do stuff that you can do on a pad(drums,sample triggering) on a keyboard as well, but you cant say the same vice versa

the size of a 49-er seems right for at least basic piano parts, so i'll try my best to get one. maybe the alesis q49. but there are feedbacks online that the velocity sensitivity from key to key differs. not sure if its their defective product or its the q49 product fault...

another nice one i have my eye on is this one
http://www.luthermusic.com/category/controllers/miditech-midistart-pro-49
same price as the q49, but there're no reviews,stuff,more info on it at all.
only got this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIB1aq_kWLg&feature=related
which is not even the exact model i think

what do you guys think
 
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