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Topic: Best Simple Keyboard? (Read 4993 times) previous topic - next topic

Best Simple Keyboard?

Can someone recommend a lo cost, simple midi keyboard for a NWC beginner? I'm not a keyboard player, and need it only for composing, not performing. No sampled sounds needed. My PC has a USB port. Inexpensive would be good. Please advise, Thanx!

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #2 –
Marsu

Thank you for introducing me to this amazing bit of free software! This confirms my conviction that it won't take much or cost much to have the same thing in the shape of a piano keyboard, i.e. white and black keys that do what my computer keys are doing with virtual piano. I would still like that simple piece of hardware... any idea who makes one?

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #3 –
Check out your local music store, Casio and others make inexpensive keyboards with midi in/out ports. There are also dedicated midi controller keyboards available (i.e. no built-in synthesiser), but ironically they can be more expensive than a complete synth. I suppose it's a demand issue, and how many units are produced in a run, etc.

In any event, you should be able to find a keyboard for well under $100 if you shop around. Even less if you get lucky and find a used one at a yard sale, etc.

Good luck,
Fred

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #4 –
If you have a sound blaster card (live series)the blaster key would bE a good choice for your purposes. It sells for $99 or less.

It uses the sound blaster card's sound fonts and will let you play with or without recording the notes into your composition. I find that helpful when trying to find just the right notes for my compositions.

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #5 –
Thank you all!

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #6 –
Don't forget to check your local Goodwill store (if in USA).

I am not kidding! Around this season, some keyboard manufacturers produce relatively inexpensive MIDI keyboards. They may not be general-MIDI complaint, but that's not what you need, anyway. They are put on sale, for Christmas. After a while, some of them show up in mint condition at the used merchandise places. Our local Goodwill has one.

However, you would still need a way to get the MIDI into your computer. That usually requires a separate interface (hardware plus driver) that is not cheap. Not the kind of thing you would find at Goodwill.

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #7 –
Thanks for the tip Joe. The problem is time to find it that way! Speaking of interface, if the keyboard says it has standard midi in/out, will it work with my PC (USB port) and NWC? I'm assuming it will, but if I buy mail-order it could be a drag if I'm wrong!

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #8 –
Yes! My computer does have this joystick port, and I found the cable you're talking about for $19 on the web from a discount place called "cables 'n more" (http://www.cablesnmor.com/goto/midi-cable.html)

Found what looks like a good starter keyboard on the web also, from Amazon.com of all places. The Yamaha PSR160 for $89 incl. shipping. (+ 12 bucks for the power supply cord)

I'll let you all know how it works out!

Thank you again for all your help!

DM

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #9 –
Make sure the selected keyboard is General Midi compatible.
Some have their own patch list which may render them less than useful for MIDI use.

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #10 –
You learn something new every day! My computer (a laptop) does not have a joystick port, or a joystick.

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #11 –
I don't know about USB, but I have the feeling that the standard MIDI will NOT directly connect to the USB or any other port on your computer. Perhaps there are some computers with a special-purpose MIDI port built-in??? Does anyone know better?

I connect my keyboard to the parallel (printer) port on my non-USB laptop via a small piece of hardware (with accompanying software driver) called "Mididock." There are also other products that do this kind of job. My technology is several years old, so I'm not familiar with the latest products. But I recall that my interface, which was a basic, low-end (but good) device, cost somewhere between US$50 and US$100 at the time.

Once the interface is installed and working, it is transparent. The keyboard directly works with NWC, in the way you would probably expect. However, my model keyboard, also low-end, does not permit the software to specify which "instrument" is being synthesized. It always gives piano, unless another "instrument" is chosen at the keyboard console itself. To put this another way, I cannot simultaneously play several tracks with different "instruments" through my keyboard.

Also, the low-end keyboard is not sensitive to dynamic key touch. That is, a note plays the same regardless of whether the key is touched gently or struck hard.

Just thought you should know that there are reasons why inexpensive keyboards are cheaper than the professional models! Nevertheless, my keyboard uses digital samples from a real piano, so it sounds pretty good.
 

Re: Best Simple Keyboard?

Reply #12 –
"Standard midi out" means that the keyboard has the 5-pin DIN connectors for midi input and output. While midi uses a serial protocol, it will *not* just plug into a serial, parallel, USB or firewire port on your computer.

As Joe has pointed out, midi<->serial and midi<->parallel interfaces are available, and probably USB also.

However, most people (myself included) use the joystick port on the computer's soundcard; on most soundcards, there is a driver available (usually called "MPU-401 midi in/out" or "External midi in/out"). If your soundcard (or computer with onboard sound) supports this, all you need is an inexpensive cable that plugs into the joystick port and gives you the two midi connectors in a "Y" cable configuration. They'll usually even have a joystick cable so you can still use the joystick at the same time.

Cheers,
Fred