Keyboard recommend

Joza

I want to get into recordng sme of my stuff. I have guitar, bass, computer, and Reason software. I'm thinking of a good keyboard, and some type of input for all these instruments into the PC.

My influences are fairly diverse, but I like a lot of Aphex Twin, Biosphere, Infected Mushroom, Jonas Hellborg, Tangerine Dream, Nine Inch Nails....many many more.

So any recommendations on a keyboard? A decent one for good quality recording and plenty of customisable effects, but not top of the range.

af_thefragile

If you want a MIDI keyboard, Novation does some pretty good ones.
AKAI and Korg do good ones too.
This is what i use:
http://www.novationmusic.com/products/midi_control/remote_sl_compact/

Its really versatile.

studiorat

http://www.novationmusic.com/products/audio_interfaces/xstation/

with audio interface...

Joza

Cheers guys for the input. Whats the price range on those?

I'm kinda new to the keyboard, so could perhaps explain the types etc. since you mentioned MIDI, altho I presume that just means I can use it with my computer right?

studiorat

Joza wrote: »

Cheers guys for the input. Whats the price range on those?

I'm kinda new to the keyboard, so could perhaps explain the types etc. since you mentioned MIDI, altho I presume that just means I can use it with my computer right?

Price range? Haven't a clue...

Midi allows you to connect to other Musican Instrument Digital Interfaces. Not necessarily a computer, unless your computer has a midi interface, doubtful...

MIDI is just a connection type and a command language for keyboards and the like to talk to each other, kinda like USB or Firewire in simplest terms.

jimi_t

When the lads talk about 'MIDI' keyboards, they're generally referring to 'master' keyboards which make no noise themselves but which are designed specifically to interface with a computer to control software synthesisers and the like. They generally feature a range of assignable faders and knobs and come with a built-in USB connection to save you buying a MIDI to USB adapter

(i.e. Nearly all keyboards prodcued nowadays have MIDI - a serial connection designed for sequencing gear off of computers and daisychaining gear so everythings in times etc... In the last 10 years or so, the majority of home recording is done using 'master' MIDI keyboards which make no noise by themselves but serve as very usefull (and cheap) interfaces to interact with all the lurvely software out there.)

So say if you bought a cheapass Behringer or M-AUDIO Midi keyboard and hooked it up to your computer, you can then configure the various knobs and dials to correspond with the controllable parameters in reason. It wouldn't make ANY noise on its own, but combined with your computer you've an infinetly customisable and expandable music machine.

Now some of them come with built-in audio interfaces as well, but these are uniformly pants in terms of quality (M-Audio Ozone series, I'm looking at you).

You being the general 'from a guitar/bass background and wanting to experiment with as cheap an outlay as possible' type of punter, I'd probably recommend the

http://www.thomann.de/ie/line6_toneport_gx.htm

It's one of those no bells and whistles/does exactly what it says on the tin dealies and would serve you nicely while you get to grips with the fundamentals (there's no mic/XLR input though, but for that price you can't really complain). And then as your reason controller maybe (depending how many keys you want) something like

http://www.thomann.de/ie/edirol_pcr300.htm

Which would last you for years and years.

So g'way off and research - google stuff like 'MIDI Home Recording Guide' or whatever - and if you need opinions on specific gear feel free to ask, but do the grunt work first for all of our sakes