which usb midi controller

musicegbdf

OK just starting with computer music stuff. I have an audio input for live (focusrite 2 i 2 Scarlett) , but think I need a midi controller to really make life easier. I am using Abelton live at the moment on PC , but might be upgrading to a Mac book in the future .
Budget up to around £100. I am not a keyboard player , so will only be using to create midi tracks. Would be useful to have pots as well to make the adjustments to things like parameters

Any ideas...

ecc83

What a pity you did not go for the 2i4! That has MIDI ports, Few if any MIDI controllers at this price level are also MIDI interfaces.

Controllers come in two basic flavours...Keyboards or pads, which do you need? For a keyboard type...

http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/roland-a-49-usb-midi-controller-keyboard--101536

But there are plenty more above and below that money.

Dave.

musicegbdf

Thks Dave. sorry for my ignorance . Is a pad controller for drums ? I was thinking of a keyboard controller so I can use the virtual instruments on the DAW. It is possible with the lap top keys , but is a bit of a faff. I would also like to be able to control the rotart controls on the daw with the controller as fiddling with a mouse is also a bit of a fiddle.

As a non keyboard player what do you think is the minimum number of keys I should go for ?

ecc83

musicegbdf said:

Thks Dave. sorry for my ignorance . Is a pad controller for drums ? I was thinking of a keyboard controller so I can use the virtual instruments on the DAW. It is possible with the lap top keys , but is a bit of a faff. I would also like to be able to control the rotart controls on the daw with the controller as fiddling with a mouse is also a bit of a fiddle.

As a non keyboard player what do you think is the minimum number of keys I should go for ?

I am not ANY kind of player (well, bit o bass!) but we have a 49 key Evolution Ekeys49 and that has served son well. It IS a controller, but not as we know it Jim! It has no knobs but then I only bought it as a keyboard.

With regard to an actual "twiddly" controller for MIDI. I have read that unless you buy a pretty well specc'ed device and spend a lot of time learning it, MIDI controllers promise more than they deliver compared to keyboard and mouse (e.g. Have you invested time in learning keyboard shortcuts for MIDI in your DAW? I haven't but those that have say they really move you along.)

So, IMV!HO, yes, you need keys, 49 of them I would say...A controller? Meh??

Dave.

musicegbdf

Many thks , interesting comment , thks. Yes I have started learning the keyboard shortcuts , and spent Sunday watching a 3 hour tutorial on Ableton Live (came free with the focusrite)
 Have been playing with Ableton , but the cut down version is already showing limitations .
Though , I also have a hardware DAW (Yamaha AW1600) which I have left a bit neglected so I might be able to use the combination . In simple terms the AW1600 is great for hands on mixing /editing/Live recording but lacks the ability for Midi samples and looping. The Ableton is the opposite, so I can create loops/beats in ableton and export the wave files into the AW1600. Anyway that is the plan !

What I did notice with Ableton is the mouse was a little tricky , but to be fair have been using a laptop trackpad. Might try a real mouse (have one lying around) and maybe you are right I might be better spending money on either upgrading ableton or buying reaper (see there is a 60 day free trial).

Given me some alternative ideas , thks

Tempted to try reaper as well.