It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
So ... buy a 49-key controller (perhaps used so you can flip it not lose £££s), get started and then see. You might want to make the space for an 88-key piano-weighted keyboard/controller (I did) but you may find for general keys/synth playing you'll be happy with 49 or 61.
I've got a Kawai DP these days, and that's perfect for just switching on and playing whenever the mood takes me - no need to plug anything in. That's got no aftertouch though, and the weighting makes it slow to play for my weak fingers, so for other stuff I use a synth keyboard.
"You don't know what you've got till the whole thing's gone. The days are dark and the road is long."
However for using as a Midi keyboard for virtual instruments, I'd say a 49 key would be fine (that's what I use for that purpose rather than my piano, a Yamaha MX49) but if you have space and budget for the 61 key size then I'd say go for it as you won't then be left wanting the extra keys at some point.
I'd say most of the midi inputting I've done via keyboard has never needed more than 49 keys unless it's one of my Piano accompanied type songs, if you're using it to play in bass parts or drums or anything like that (which is what I do) you're likely to just be using one hand and doing a bit at a time so you can always piece it together with the octave switches if needs be.
For learning piano playing, I'd say it's a bit more of a woolly area as it depends what you are hoping to achieve in that respect really. But if you're going for the 61 key then I'd say that's probably a good move to cover that base really.
FWIW I've done weddings as a paid pianist with my 49 key non-weighted slightly-smaller-keys-than-a-proper-one keyboard and it was perfectly fine (as I was playing modern pieces which use less range than classical), so the main thing is learning your muscle memory and stuff and fine tuning your pianist's techniques can come later really I guess.
This is a super helpful post, brilliant insight there.
"You don't know what you've got till the whole thing's gone. The days are dark and the road is long."
73/76 is the sweet spot I reckon.
If you're planning on using garageband via an ipad/iphone, then the M-audio keystation is the place to go and the mk3 is a nice simple keyboad. Keybed is ok.
"You don't know what you've got till the whole thing's gone. The days are dark and the road is long."