What's your fave cheap MIDI keyboard controller

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:49 am

... to run VSTi's?

Specifically, I wanna try "Mr. Sax" in Kontact, but wanna do it with a keyboard, not a breath controller.

(I know, coulda been a Gear thread, but seems more appropriate here.)

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:18 pm

Seems like many of you agree with me that MIDI and VSTi's mebbe ain't that cool.

But, I can't find a sax- player and I need me some, so I thought to try this ...

Anyone?

desdinova · Post by **desdinova** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:53 am

Even if you don't want to use a dedicated breath controller, you might want to look at a keyboard that has a breath controller (just mouthpiece) input. It really makes a huge difference. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are the Yamaha DX/KXes and some of the CME keyboards.

CraigS63 · Post by **CraigS63** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:26 am

vvv -
I have a Yamaha DX27 and breath controller just sitting in a box (I should ebay it but don't want to mess with postage/shipping/etc.). Everything still works I think, but the keyboard doesn't do 'velocity senstive' if that's important.

desdinova · Post by **desdinova** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:12 am

If he's not interested, I might be :3
PM'd

Jay Reynolds · Post by **Jay Reynolds** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:42 am

Or you could have someone play analog sax on it.
pm'ed

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:56 am

Thanx, CraigS36; that's a little more involved than I wanna get.

Go for it!, desdinova.

Babaluma · Post by **Babaluma** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:41 am

all the modern ones i've tried have a horrible action. last year i bought a used korg wavestation ex. 5 octaves, lovely action with aftertouch (don't know why so many new controllers don't seem to feature aftertouch), and an amazing synth thrown in to boot! $120!

acjetnut · Post by **acjetnut** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:36 pm

My old Roland synth works for me - I hear Yamaha's have great feeling action.

Stevil · Post by **Stevil** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:02 pm

i went with a novation xstation for controlling my laptop soft synths.
for me it was all about having the soundcard built in & it's a standalone synth as well, in addition to a buncha knobs & sliders.

i liked the akai controller but that would require another converter.
for my desktop PC i use my old roland D20.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:32 pm

I have a first edition Oxygen 8 for simple stuff and portability. I still love it. I also have a newer Oxygen 49 sitting right behind this Apple keyboard for 75% of the soft synths in the G5. And then there is the Kurzweil SP76. It was free, left at my house as payment for a session five years back. It is the default "I need better action" controller, used mostly for NI's Akoustik and Elektrik Pianos. It also has half decent sounds inside of it, but I usually just jump right to the VIs.

Jeff

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What's your fave cheap MIDI keyboard controller

What's your fave cheap MIDI keyboard controller

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