Thinking about buying a Midi Keyboard...

SlopeSoarer

I fancy having a mess about with a Midi Keyboard, I have no hands on experience and have read a few articles and that's about all I know.

There are a couple which keep catching my eye the Arturia Minilab and Akai MPK Mini both have 25 key. The size appeals as I could keep it around the desk but part of me says... more keys!?

Would I end up having to start spending plenty on samples, plugins, etc or do the devices come with enough to get you going?

If I went secondhand is software transferable? 

I have Windows and Android devices when thinking of connectivity.

Any thoughts would be helpful and hopefully may help me avoiding mistakes:-)

midiman1962

A large subject- a controller keyboard will probably come with a basic daw and some plugins to get you going.
An example here https://www.andertons.co.uk/keyboards-pianos/midi-keyboards-controllers/m-audio-oxygen-49-mkv-MIDI-controller 
If you buy secondhand then the downloads have usually been redeemed.
if you already have a daw there are plenty of free plugins out there once you start looking.
or very cheap try 
https://www.pluginboutique.com/

SlopeSoarer

Thanks @midiman1962 ;

Funkfingers

A trained pianist is unlikely to be happy with anything less than 88 hammer action, weighted keys. 

An organist would want drawbars.

An advanced synthesist would expect aftertouch-sensitive keys and as many real time variable controls as possible.

An EDM/Beats artiste would need trigger pads. 

MIDI Controller keyboards exist with the majority of these features but they are not cheap. (IMO, aftertouch and a proper piano key action are mutually exclusive.)

The one that most appeals to me is the make/model that frequently appears in the product demonstration videos for Spectrasonics Inc.. Unfortunately, they tape over the name so as not to appear to endorse one brand over any other.

Bod

If you're just after something for a bit of noodling, then the NI Komplete Kontrol M32 is worth a look. It's pretty compact (Kompact?) and comes with a selection of software instruments.  No drum pads though. 

SlopeSoarer

Cheers @Bod for the suggestion, it seems to be well reviewed. I'm not sure how much I really need to get going. I might take to it, I might not, so it is really about dipping my toes in. If I take to it I can always spend more:-)

blobb

you can run vst's in a wrapper, you don't necessarily need to run them from within a DAW. Plenty of free vst synths out there. U-He stuff is pretty good.

personalnadir

I have an Arturia Keystep 37, which I like. One thing I was mindful off was that I wanted actual midi out as well as midi over USB. If you want to get into hardware instruments you may want a midi trs or 5-din jack

prowla

I’ve got a couple of cheap keyboards with MIDI out, which are OK, except you have to remember how to set them to MIDI.
I’ve got a 2 octave one which is nigh on impossible to use without a PC, and I’ve got a couple of proper 88 key ones with weighting but they are blooming heavy!

hollywoodrox

personalnadir said:

I have an Arturia Keystep 37, which I like. One thing I was mindful off was that I wanted actual midi out as well as midi over USB. If you want to get into hardware instruments you may want a midi trs or 5-din jack

I’m about to get one of these . It has loads of out /inputs can run from an iPad ,has an arpeggiator and sequencer which is what I wanted specifically . It will be awesome for basic back up duty , simple basslines riffs etc . And can serve as a practical keys sketch pad for saving ideas to input to GarageBand /logic at a later date.

will be fun to use with guitar etc and it will fit in the limited space I have available.

it has clock sync switches to use the arp/seq with a daw I’m hoping it will be simple to do in GarageBand / logic it involves setting the switch on the unit and enabling a setting in the software .

I love 80s stuff and I’ve got some super DX 7 FM stuff on the iPad and Mac 

pintspiller

Depends on what you want to do. I got an M-Audio Keystation  Mini for peanuts in Maplins years ago and got around to recording during initial Lockdown. I used LABS Soft Piano and Model V and Model F organs. All free. Was able to claim Addictive Keys for free with a Focusrite I got used too!

eoinzy

-

hollywoodrox

Mine is the regular keystep not the 37 ,it arrives on Friday 

menamestom

Funkfingers said:

An organist would want drawbars.

True, also waterfall keys if possible.

I used to have a Nord Electro, the waterfall keys were great.  Save you catching you hands on those quick organ glissando's.

Drawbars were handy but even more critical IMO is a decent Leslie sim with Slow/Fast/Brake.

Definitely no hammer action keys!

SlopeSoarer

Well I ended up buying a digital piano, it is a used Casio CDP-120. I was thinking of getting a cheap midi controller as I didn't think I'd get a digital piano for what I wanted to spend £100 or less... anyway I did. I spotted it on Shpock for £75, there was to be no quibble on price and the lady said it was in good condition no issues. She asked if I was going to sell it on (she is obviously aware of bedroom dealers) which is/was a no. When I got there she point blank refused to take a penny more than £40.

I felt very humbled by her kindness.

The piano is great for my/our (wife to) needs, just need to get some piano lessons going. If you have used any online ones, what is your personal experience/thoughts? Do any do guitar as well (other than Yousician)?

CDP-120 For some reason I'm not able to post an image like I've done many times before.

horse

SlopeSoarer said:

Well I ended up buying a digital piano, it is a used Casio CDP-120. I was thinking of getting a cheap midi controller as I didn't think I'd get a digital piano for what I wanted to spend £100 or less... anyway I did. I spotted it on Shpock for £75, there was to be no quibble on price and the lady said it was in good condition no issues. She asked if I was going to sell it on (she is obviously aware of bedroom dealers) which is/was a no. When I got there she point blank refused to take a penny more than £40.

I felt very humbled by her kindness.

The piano is great for my/our (wife to) needs, just need to get some piano lessons going. If you have used any online ones, what is your personal experience/thoughts? Do any do guitar as well (other than Yousician)?

CDP-120 For some reason I'm not able to post an image like I've done many times before.

That sounds a real bargain - congrats