KeyBoard To go with MPC1000

Dont Know where to post.. sorryy... move if needed.

OK, so basically I got this setup that's my personal just have fun setup.

I got my MPC1000 that I absolutely love! and I would like to add some sort of keyboard type midi controller too add my own synthesis and things such as horns, guitar, violin, piano! Basically a synthesizer and a universal piano style keyboard!

Can Anyone Recommend a keyboard with these components and around $500 that would work for me.

and any nice programs for recording, cuz I usually out-track a beat by using storage device and USB cord?? not pro-tools not that rich.

Thanks
Much Love
Justin McNel

I have a Novation Xiosynth 25. Works great as a Midi controller, plus it has a built in synth unit, and acts as a USB soundcard too, so really worth the money. Got one on ebay for 150 GBP (around 240 $). Plus it's not too big so fits nicely with the MPC.

http://us.novationmusic.com/us/products ... ollers/xio

I'm really pissed actually that Akai didn't include standard midi ports on their LPK25 - would be a perfect addition to an MPC1000.

http://www.akaipro.com/lpk25

Cool cool! even cheaper then I thought and yes forgot to mention not much space in my room. !! Think I might go with this,, any more awesome suggestions. or negs on the above.

Well, as EVERYTHING has at least a couple negative points, you should know those too.

One annoying thing is the labelling for the controls - they used a light grey on a grey background, so in the dark it's impossible to see.

The control knobs are a little flimsy for live gigging - I busted my volume knob, and they come off real easy so you've to be careful not to lose them if you put the synth in a backpack or something.

The biggest downer is there's only USB midi in, which is a pain cos you can't trigger any sounds from it without going through a PC first.

But other than that, for the price, it's a great piece of kit. Some nice fat sounds from it, the keyboard action is really nice - they call it synth action - it's kinda springy which I really like. And the XY pad is great too for filtering sounds on the fly.

damn only USB MIDI - I don't wanna have a computer in between, whats best board with midi mpc compatible

you should look into getting a used Korg Micro-X... it meets all your requirements and it's essentially a mini Korg Trinity for much cheaper...

.............or the Korg R3

The OP said he wants "horns, guitar, violin, piano" - the R3 is a great analogue-style synth but it doesn't do realistic piano or guitar sounds

Yeah actually, Korg Micro-X is the one. My friend has one and it's multitimbral, has loads of "real" type sounds, and again is pretty small so suits the MPC perfect.

I have an Alesis Fusion. I think it has a sound that fits with sample-based production better than Roland/Korg/Yamaha workstations. IMO Roland is too overhyped (soundwise, not reputation-wise), Yamaha is too natural, and Korg is too glossy and airy. With those brands I have to do a lot of processing to get keyboard sounds to fit in with vinyl samples. The Fusion's sounds just blend in...

Of course if you don't sample (or don't sample ALL the time), then I would suggest that you spend some time trying to figure out which brand you prefer the sound of (go spend some time at a music store), and then select a model by that manufacturer that fits your budget. For the most part, each keyboard/synth/sampler manufacturer has a 'family sound' across its product range.

For example, if you find that you like the Roland Fantom G better than the Yamaha MOTIF XS or Korg M3, then chances are that you'll like Roland's older or cheaper keyboards (for example, the XP-50) better than Yamaha's (orig. MOTIF) or Korg's (X50) older/cheaper models.

The akai miniak works nice. Cheap, $350-400 . Midi in,out,thru, presets,pads,strings,multitimbra, velocity sensitive. Its a good tool. And since your still learning you can learn on nuetral groumd before becoming a brand whore. Here is a link.. http://m.guitarcenter.com/Akai-Professional-MINIAK-Virtual-Analog-Synth-105486385-i1471879.gc#features

P.s..37 key so its small.

ghosty wrote:The akai miniak works nice. Cheap, $350-400 . Midi in,out,thru, presets,pads,strings,multitimbra, velocity sensitive. Its a good tool. And since your still learning you can learn on nuetral groumd before becoming a brand whore. Here is a link.. http://m.guitarcenter.com/Akai-Professional-MINIAK-Virtual-Analog-Synth-105486385-i1471879.gc#features

P.s..37 key so its small.

don't get the miniak... that keyboard is simply the alesis micron re-packaged with the AKAI logo and priced at an additional hundred bucks... same exact synth, just different casing. yes, people AKAI is wack like that now... and a used alesis micron can be had for $250 easily. i have a micron and love it, but it's very "different sounding" and doesn't exactly have "hip hop sounds" [whatever that means] in mind when it comes to the presets... it's a great synth regardless though.

the last post makes a good suggestion of getting both a keyboard and a sound module... and it may not be a bad idea to get the micron for $250 and then a sound module [e-mu mo phatt or korg trinity rack or whatever] to get the best of both worlds individually... by the way, i have an extra e-mu mo phatt for sale if you need it... it has great sounds and i'm only selling it because i also have the phatt rom [same rom included in the mo'phatt] in my proteus2000, so no need for doubles in my setup...

I have a few synth modules (not keyboards) and so looked into getting a cheapo midi controller recently - the problem with m-audio controllers is they're USB only - it's hard to find a midi controller with actual goddamn midi ports these days!

I got an Edirol PCR-300, going cheap, plenty of knobs and sliders, and proper goddamn midi ports so I don't need to use a computer! but if you do want to use a computer, it has USB and also serves as a midi interface for the gear that doesn't do midi-over-usb

Edit: a week later I got an R3, which works ok as a midi controller and is a nice synth, so I don't actually need the Edirol ... but I still think it's a decent midi controller

Wow! A lot of choices. lmao I am looking at the Korg Micro-X sounds intriguing, I love to sample, but I know "because I wanna travel the beat world" be able to synthesize my own shit too.

any objections.

Mucho Gracias