What's a good keyboard to go with...

That depends on what kind of music you want to make. Here are my thoughts: Assuming you're into the rap/hip hop thing, you'd be well served by E-MU's Mo'Phatt rackmount module or a used MP-7 Command Station. If you're into electronic/drum n' bass stuff, check out E-MU's XL-1 Turbo module or a used XL-7 Command Station. These are BY FAR the best value in terms of out of the box professional sound quality and features for the money. Get yourself one of these units and you wll not be dissappointed. You can do some seriously sick sonic tweeking with the Proteus synth engines. Very powerful and user friendly! I own an XL-7 and love it. If you're on an even tighter budget, pick up one of those little Roland SH-32's. One of the best $250 I've ever spent.

http://www.novamusik.com/search.aspx?ty ... keyword=60
http://www.novamusik.com/search.aspx?ty ... keyword=26

don't forget a decent controller

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TMK49/

shadeed wrote:If you are on a budget, don't buy no Triton or no $1000 keyboard or nothing like that! Buy yourself a sound module, that way you get all the sounds of a keyboard and you can play them on the MPC pads using MIDI. With sound modules, they already come with a gang of sounds and then you can always expand using those expansion cards that they offer.

If you eventually plan on expanding into computer based recording, then a simple keyboard w/ MIDI can be used as a controller. Follow that advice and save yourself about 800 bucks!

trying to play keys on the MP is not the way to go......the Pads are for dums and possibly bass....the only way I would play something on the MP like keys was if the samples was actually in the MP.....then I can place them where I want them.....

personally, its all a toss up. I mean, they are all good. But there are some rules i would follow for my self

1. dont let the drums be the main reason or top sound priority to pick a keyboard (this is why we have the mpc to sample drums): however, if you are equally stuck, this is a good over the top deciding factor. I mean if everything else is equal, but you like the drums of the motif better, go for the motif. However, i dont think MPC users should worry about the drum sounds first. That should be last on thier list-this is assuming your main reason in purchasing your keyboard is for keyboard and synth sounds;

2. prioratize the sounds you like to use most. I mean, to me, i care most about bass sounds, samples, strings, synths, piano, ethnic, acoutic-in that order. I mean really i never make a track with the keyboards guitar sounds, i just dont like the way it sounds. So thats last on my list. I sample alot, so i would more likely use the sampler, decide if you like the sampler over the mpc-if you know you will still use the mpc sampler, dont prioratize the sampler on the keyboard.

3.Interface: forget about what keyboard you want, first decide if you want a rack, or an actual keyboard. If you want a rack, then decide what interface you like better.

4.If anybody can think of something else

merry mpcmass