Good midi controller?

Frankiestylee

Hey, can anybody recommend a keyboard midi controller with nice action/response on the keys? I have a creative Emu keyboard... and it just doesn't seem to be responsive enough, or rather, I have to press the keys down too much before they register a sound. It's kinda cramping my dreams of using my laptop as a live synth thang.
I know there's probably nothing out there comparable to a good piano, but, I dunno. Any advice would be well appreciated.

Paulj

hi, i'm by no means an expert on this sort of thing but i picked up an m-audio oxygen 49 for 150e in Waltons a few weeks ago and am quite happy with it.... having said that i dont know how it compares to other brands/models. i know it has velocity sensitive keys and allows you to use a set of 12 preconfigured velocity response curves.

cornbb

I got my paws on an M-audio axiom recently. It has "semi-weighted" keys which are nowhere near as good as real piano keys but are definitely an improvement on the last keyboard I had, which had horrible springy keys that you needed to hammer pretty hard to get a good high velocity. Semi weighted keys are a bit more solid and look better too. Its possible to get hammer-action keyboards that mimic the action of a piano pretty accurately but these are v. expensive. As Paulj says, preset velocity curves are very handy in this regard too.

frobisher

It's hard to tell from what you describe, but if there is a genuine lapse between the playing and the sound it might be a small latency issue. But then again that's a bigger problem than a dodgy action and you may have noticed. I have an axiom which I like alot although if I'm really honest some of the keys needed to broke in abit more than others.

mloc

thinking of getting a yamaha p70 myself, full size hammer action 88 key job, lacking in a lot of midifunctionality however. I have a korg PadKontrol on the way to sort that out tho!

Frankiestylee

I'll have a look into velocity curves. It's as if the keys have to go down a certain amount before any noise is registered. Don't think it's a latency issue as if I hit the keys hard and fast enough there is an instant response.

QuadLeo

I'd definately recommend an M-Audio Axiom. There's 3 versions 25, 49 & 61key. Semi weighted so it feels natural and responsive to play. Got rotary, drum pads and transport controllers and the bigger ones have fader controls too. Works with everything through midi and usb. They're a reasonable price for what you get too.

Frankiestylee

Might look at a 25key version of the m-audio one.

Does anywhere in town sell all this stuff? I've never really messed with anything in music shops other then guitars etc, can't think of anywhere with a load of midi keyboards

I'd like to have a go before I buy one, just incase I end up with the same problem. The Creative one is a good aul yoke, loads of controls and stuff, it's just the keys that are freaking me out.

QuadLeo

I think Music Maker have m-audio stuff upstairs. Not sure about the axiom, of course if they don't have it they'll say they can get it in for you (the usuall bull****). But in fairness the axiom is a great piece of kit, I use it with reason, xpand, hybrid, sampletank and loads of other stuff. I'd definately recommend it.

jimi_t

Frankiestylee wrote:

Hey, can anybody recommend a keyboard midi controller with nice action/response on the keys? I have a creative Emu keyboard... and it just doesn't seem to be responsive enough, or rather, I have to press the keys down too much before they register a sound. It's kinda cramping my dreams of using my laptop as a live synth thang.
I know there's probably nothing out there comparable to a good piano, but, I dunno. Any advice would be well appreciated.

Well there is - search for "stage pianos", I know that musicmaker stock the m-audio ones and there's a few decent (but cheap) casio ones inside in Waltons.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/maudio_prokeys_88.htm