Midi Controller Options? NI' is on sale til Dec 7

[TimWalter]

Ok, just got NI Komplete 10, and still figuring out how to turn it on (metaphorically speaking ) lol.

The only midi controller I currenlty have is my P-85 keyboard which has midi outs, but no tone wheels or other controls. I have stuck my toe into recording with virtual instruments already, but I am far far way from a Matt Hirt or a John Mazz, etc.

That said, I see that NI's midi controller is on sale till Dec 7 for $100 off.

The cheapest (smallest) one is $399 after the discount.

I really want to get better over time and eventually do cues like orchestral or other cues with 100% virtual instruments. My question is should I invest in the NI controller, or get a cheaper one that doesnt have all the NI bells and whistles or just stick with what I have for now? I solicit your thoughts.
Tim

[garywhite]

Hi Tim,

Anything that has a few controller knobs is useful. I think the NI controllers also show the key grouping for their libraries?. I'm using an old Roland 76 key controller with one midi volume slider, pitch bend and modulation, plus an expression pedal. This set-up usually covers most things needed for my virtual instruments (Komplete 9 full version).. I'd like a few more knobs to assign, but I can't live with less than 76 keys - and it's a lot of bucks for the big NI controllers. Also, I find that I end up re-drawing a lot of controller info in my sequence page, especially for orchestral stuff, but it's good to be able to get something close on the fly first.
I think the NI keyboards are pretty good build quality, too. Happy shopping!

Gary

[Paulie]

It all depends on the feel and the extra keys you need. I use this $69 keyboard, have used it for several years and for all of my Taxi stuff this year:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XIA0J0

I sometimes wish I had a full 88 keys, it would make my desk a little more crowded (but I could fit one if I tried). I can say with certainty NOT to buy the Alesis QX49 based in my recent experience with one. Horrible lack of sensitivity, completely unplayable.

If you are originally a keyboard player you will probably want something with weighted keys, otherwise a standard synth key feel will do the trick. Pitch bend and modulation wheel are nice to have to add realism to samples or to add effects to tension stuff. Extra assignable buttons are also nice to have, but not crucial.

[Len911]

They seem to be integrating more and more daw tasks into the midi controller. I can understand if your controller is at a distance or an awkward position from your computer. But then it becomes that you have your daw software, and then software to setup the midi controller to control the daw??

Personally I would rather have a midi controller with keys, pads, joystick, mod wheels, a few buttons, breath controller, pedals, xy pad and more hardware midi type controls than daw controls. It's easy for me to mouse click or use computer keyboard shortcuts for most daw type controls. I would rather select my vst instruments from the daw, not the midi controller. Again, it probably has more to do with ergonomics,lol!

[mojobone]

What, no ribbon controller? Since my control surface got basically obsoleted from Macdom, I can see as how transport controls on a keyboard might come in real handy, as do mod and pitchwheels. I consider a dedicated wind controller superior to breath control, since I'm a semi-converted sax player, but really, the big struggle with virtual instruments for I think, most of us is in achieving a convincing vibrato. (I've heard that breath control is great for mapping to bow pressure when doing virtual strings/sections) Generally, in Native Instruments, I'm finding you don't need a full 88; they mostly locate the keyswitches where a 61 key axe can reach everything necessary, and any good controller should be quick to transpose/key shift. Still, it's nice to have a fully weighted 88 key graded action for the piano and electromechanical piano sounds, but growing up with Hammonds, I'm okay with a nice semi-weighted synth action as long as it's solid, no wiggle and it feels like felt, rather than cement at the bottom of a keystroke.

I'm not clear on how well NI's new controllers are integrated with the software, and I only just picked up Kontakt recently. Maybe you could download the manual to see just how much more helpful it might be than any decent-for-the-money controller?

BTW, the one Paulie mentioned has been replaced: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Keystation49

[Sunset]

Tim,

I have and use the Kontrol S49 and do like it.. integrates very well with K10( surprise) and has cool and useful features (lights,arpeggiator,scales ,etc) .. The new Komplete Kontrol software portion is nice and getting better for 3rd party plugs too... the Ribbon control( instead of a wheel. you run your finger up the ribbon)is pretty cool and easy and expressive to use..

It's certainly useful for most style.. only thing it doesnt have are drum pads.

give me a shout if you need more specifics.. Good Luck

John

[elser]

I use 2 keyboards, a 25 key m-Audio Ozone, which has been discontinued, and an m-Audio es-88 which has 88 keys. They are both affordable. I think a pitch wheel is essential. There are so many instruments that require the ability to bend pitch to sound authentic. And the Ozone has knobs that can be used for midi control which is very cool for automation. I do most of my composing on the little keyboard, but for anything that needs to sound like a piano or organ, or that requires the lower notes for key switching I use the big keyboard. If I were shopping I would definitely be looking at one of those NI keyboards. They look very powerful.

[elser]

One more thing, if you're thinking of getting into orchestral music you're definitely going to want to get a keyboard that is capable of key switching, which means having a low register. That's how you switch between different articulations, Arco, Staccato, Pizzicato, etc.

[mojobone]

Cinesamples and some other libraries place keyswitches at the top of the range rather than at the bottom, and the better controllers let you map any key to any MIDI note, so there are fairly easy workarounds for shorter keyboards, plus some DAWs can remap MIDI on input; if your DAW can't, I'm pretty sure there's a Tobybear VST that can.

[Len911]

If you aren't a piano player, I'm not sure a midi keyboard controller is necessarily useful except for maybe the pitch wheel, mod wheel, joystick, ribbon controller, or xy pad for drawing in modulation data.

You can always just enter a key switch with a mouse in either the daw's score editor or the graphic editor.

Then there's the articulation symbols in the score editor, which are basically preset midi calculations.