Looking for a MIDI Keyboard

[Penth]

Does anyone here have a MIDI keyboard that they would highly recommend in the <$300 price range, preferrably even less than $200. I was looking at this. M-Audio (US71010) KeyStation 61es
I don't really know enough about it to make a good choice on my own though.

 

[vcarpio2]

Hi. I am also looking to buying the Keystation 88es for my daughter in college. She has a laptop computer (Compaq Semptron 512 MB).

Do you know if the Keystation comes with software so she can use it to play the piano out of the box? She only intends to use it as a digital piano -- not to mix, etc. Thanks!

 

[MobiusPizza]

I have a Evolution MK-316C
Have many assignable controls; pitch + modulation sliders; USB/MIDI compatible (I usually use USB to connect to Windows cause that way a power adaptor is not required, USB provides the power) if you don't plan to connect it to computer, there's a MIDI socket; MAc/Windows compatible, Driver not required for Windows, Octave up/down control, transpose button, bank, channel, memory functions

To be honest I don't know much about the features. I am a noobie music writer. But the assignable controls are very handy for MIDI programs which supports them

 

[vcarpio2]

Thanks, AnnihilatorX. Just looked at their website, looks like Evolution makes good keyboards -- plenty of controls.

Did the Evolution come with software that let you play it as a piano?

 

[MobiusPizza]

It does come with much software but to be honest I never use them
Cause I have a copy of fruity loops :/

Does their website elaborate on anything?

 

[MobiusPizza]

Oh by the way vcarpio sorry I missed what you said before
The keyboard I use does not have a built in audio
I.e. the piano I use is just an input device

If you are looking at piano that sounds with built-in speakers you are looking at those Casio keyboard pianos
It would be a hassle if she want to just play it but need a laptop to function as a speaker wouldn't it?

I don't know though would the keyboard pianos w/ speaker can link to PC with USB so that the music can be recorded with MIDI program.
This one I think you need to research on it

 

[vcarpio2]

Thanks a lot for the info, AnnihilatorX!

The website didn't say much about the software other than being a sequencing software.

Also, yes, the keyboard I'm looking at (M-Audio Keystation 88es) does not have speakers. She would need her laptop to hear sound. But that's OK. She writes piano music. She's in college now, so I don't want her to stop writing music because she does not have access to a piano. She'd most likely be wearing headphones all the time recording her melodies.

I think I can assume that USB keyboards are usable in WinXP out of the box as a digital piano -- but I just want to be sure. That is, can I start using it as a piano? But the salesperson I spoke to at Sam Ash in NYC said I might need to buy expensive software (Kontakt, Bosendorfer @ $300+) so that it would sound nice. Not sure if he just wants me to buy more stuff.

 

[MobiusPizza]

Originally posted by: vcarpio2
Thanks a lot for the info, AnnihilatorX!

The website didn't say much about the software other than being a sequencing software.

Also, yes, the keyboard I'm looking at (M-Audio Keystation 88es) does not have speakers. She would need her laptop to hear sound. But that's OK. She writes piano music. She's in college now, so I don't want her to stop writing music because she does not have access to a piano. She'd most likely be wearing headphones all the time recording her melodies.

I think I can assume that USB keyboards are usable in WinXP out of the box as a digital piano -- but I just want to be sure. That is, can I start using it as a piano? But the salesperson I spoke to at Sam Ash in NYC said I might need to buy expensive software (Kontakt, Bosendorfer @ $300+) so that it would sound nice. Not sure if he just wants me to buy more stuff.

Digital Piano which requires software to sythesize the sound may not produce as good of sound as an audio-chip included digital piano. That's why the salesman said you might need expensive software which supports all sorts of effect like ambience, reverb to sound as if it's from a real piano. Otherwise it just sounds like MIDI, which isn't too good

I forgot to mention an important factor is that ASIO is not supported by laptops. ASIO allows the interface between the MIDI device and the sound device to have a very small latency. around 2ms is possible with ASIO. Without ASIO, there are delays of which a note is pressed on the keyboard and a note is registered on the computer...

I would rather disregard usiing it to record music piece with the computer.

What I suggest your daughter do is to write the music by conventional method, by hand; Then transcript the music either by conventional computer keyboard or a keyboard piano from her handwritten score with a music writing software such as Sibelius instead of the record-on-the-fly method which would be better done with ASIO compatible sound card on a desktop. In this case you better by her a piano that have built-in speaker so that they sound nice to not hinder the music wirting experience.

 

[vcarpio2]

Originally posted by: AnnihilatorX
I would rather disregard usiing it to record music piece with the computer.

Thank you so much, AnnihilatorX, for the valuable info.

We were also looking at the Casio Privias at BestBuy and Sam's Club. I think that's the better way to go. BestBuy has no-interest for the first couple months.

I appreciate your info regarding ASIO. I have not heard of it but I've heard of "latency" while surfing the Net. Didn't know it was a big deal. But now it sounds like it's a nuisance if one wants to "just play" because of the realtime nature -- if one wants to mix or sequence music, it probably won't matter.

I was so excited about the Keystation 88es I might have wasted time and money on it. You might have just saved me of $$$. Thanks!

 

[MobiusPizza]

Anytime
I write songs as well though I suck at musical theory. I can write them in my head pretty easily but because of my bad music theory knowledge I've never be able to write a song down as musical scores :/

btw your daughter's college doesn't have a piano in music room? That's weird to me unless the college is a specialist college in a subject.
Few years ago when I was still in college I had no choice but to write song with pianos in my high school
But fortunately pianos are like everywhere in my school.

 

[vcarpio2]

Hmmm about pianos in college. Don't know yet if any piano is accessible to any student. She's in engineering. But she's been in college only a week. I've asked her to ask around. That would be nice. Even get in on the band scene later as a hobby. But so far, she's still adjusting to college life, a little behind already on the reading.

I've seen her writing down notes on music sheets before as an experiment. Don't know how far she went though. I think she still prefers recording them on our digital piano at home (Yamaha YDP101) which I then download into MP3 files for me to listen to. Some friends of mine bought her collection for encouragement and appreciation. Just in case, I copyright them with the Library of Congress.

I tried a copy of Cakewalk before. I downloaded a song of hers as MIDI into Cakewalk and printed it out as music sheet. Looks pretty cool. But I'm an amateur piano player playing EZ-Play songs so I don't know how good it is.

 

[corkyg]

As a retire semi-pro keyboardist, I have worked with MIDI keyboards and files etc., since about 1982. I would only seriously look at three brands - Yamaha,Roland, and Korg.

Casio's are low end consumer machines. Anything else is a knockoff. You pays yer money and takes yer choice.

One of your best bets is to go to a local music store that handles used equipment. You can get a good buy and also try it out on premises to get good value.

If you are not a musician, then the Walmart consumer board with everything automatic is probably the best way to go. I strongly endorse Cakewalk as MIDI ware.

 

[watdahel]

Hello there.

I heard about this latency problem when connecting to the soundcard but what if you connect to usb? Is there still latency and do you still need the asio drivers?

 

[corkyg]

Never had a latency problem. I last used the Roland RAP-10 sound card which had a solid MIDI interface. When Win98 came along, I just walked away from all that.

Other choices at that time were the Voyetra MIDI cards. They were acquired by Turtle Beach - and then they walked away from pure MIDI work and moved into the gaming sound world.

Can't help you with USB in that area - it had not been invented yet.

The old MIDI interface was phsyically the same as a joystick port.

 

[superfly27]

I read the Casio Privia are "OK". But, although they are weighted keys, apparently they are not FULLY weighted.
Kind of sucks. I haven't bought an 88 key model yet, still learning with a cheap Casio.
But, I read Kurzweil and Yamaha are good. (I might end up saving for a Kurzweil next year.)

 

[piasabird]

Creative Prodikeys DM - keyboard, midi keyboard

http://www.creative.com/products/welcome.asp?category=8&

Do not really know if these are any good, but they look like they would be fun to play with.

Some versions come with a sound card. The soundcard quality may be important if you plan on importing special effects or musical insturments.

http://www.prodikeys.com/

A product with its own website.

 

[corkyg]

I haven't bought an 88 key model yet, still learning with a cheap Casio.
But, I read Kurzweil and Yamaha are good. (I might end up saving for a Kurzweil next year.)

:thumbsup: Kurzweil = the top of the synth line.
PC1X

 

[kitkat22]

I would also recommend anything from Korg, Roland, and Kruzweil. Casio is only good for making watches. Make sure you get at least semi-wieghted keys and check for speakers on the keyboard. Playing sound through computer speakers will have some delay and depending on the speakers may not sound so great.

 

[corkyg]

Well stated, pianoman.

I would had that key weighting is for feel more closely related to an acoustic piano - that is not so important to old organ players.

I would add that velocity is just as important to a pianist - i.e., that is the feature that allows the loudness to vary with how hard the key is truck.

 

[LED]

Just as corkyg and cscpianoman stated...retired Musician here as well and hooked up an old Korg DW-8000 and compared it vs a newer Casio that a Youngster had and it was like the Majors vs the Minors and I mean Leagues not Keyes