Recommend a midi keyboard

Tahoebrian5

Tahoebrian5

Fractal Fanatic
I'm looking to get a medium to smallish size midi keyboard for use with FL Studio for recording writing (no live use planned). The Alesis stuff looks good as far as features but I don't want to get something that is low quality. It would be nice to have some velocity sensitive pads built in for tapping in beats, and some mappable sliders. Hoping to stay below $250. Anyone have a favorite?
 
THanks, I’ll check MAudio out.

Mostly will be playing synth stuff, I’m no pianist so ultra high quality weight key action is not needed, but I would like dependable and well calibrated velocity
 
Novation has the better auto-mapping software in my experience. I've used both Novation and M-Audio over the years and settled on an Impulse as my main controller.
 
The M-Audio Oxygen 49 keys is $169 and the 61 keys is $229. It has everything you need, sliders, knobs and velocity sensitive pads and you can control your DAW with them. It has normal sized keys and doesn't feel cheap when playing. There's a lot of MIDI keyboards with mini keys and feel like they're on a plastic hinge and horrible to play.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/m-audio-oxygen-49-mkiv

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/m-audio-oxygen-61-mkiv

You can find M-Audio Oxygen MIDI keyboards used for about half price. I buy a lot of used gear from Guitar Center and buy the extended warranties, so if it breaks you get your $ back minus the price of the warranty.
 
iaresee said:
Novation has the better auto-mapping software in my experience. I've used both Novation and M-Audio over the years and settled on an Impulse as my main controller.
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Have you played a Novation Launchkey? They're in the same price range as the M-Audio Oxygen but no local stores have them, so I've been too afraid to buy one w/o trying one.
 
GotMetalBoy said:
Have you played a Novation Launchkey? They're in the same price range as the M-Audio Oxygen but no local stores have them, so I've been too afraid to buy one w/o trying one.
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No, I don't use Ableton and the LaunchKey is squarely aimed at Ableton users.
 
I bought a Behringer UMX-610 and it has survived both my drum programming abuse and Mrs. Bonkers's attempt at learning keys for 6 years.

Works well with most DAWs I bounce between, including FL Studio.
 
Hate Novation automap, screwed my whole system up, and never worked well with studio one. The only controllers I would look at depending on needs and requirements, features etc. The following are the only controllers I am interested in ( I am currently upgrading)

Nektar Impact Lx+ for a cheaper controller
Nektar Panorama T series more $ more features etc updated key bed, Daw integration
Arturia key lab essential for a cheaper controller
Arturia Key Lab Mkii more $ higher build more features, daw integration, Bundled with their Analog Lab and V piano software
Studiologic studio73 no knobs sliders etc, great key bed

I'm going back and forth between the Panorama and KeyLab MkII, leaning towards Panorama after talking with them.

Cheers
Anthony
 
Anthony76 said:
.....Arturia Key Lab Mkii more $ higher build more features, ....I'm going back and forth between the Panorama and KeyLab MkII, leaning towards Panorama after talking with them...
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I have the KeyLab MkII 61 and have had nothing but issues with mapping and integration in respect to the sliders, encoders, buttons and transport controls in Studio One 4 Pro. It has a Studio One setting, but it only works in User Mode after individually mapping functions using their midi control software, and even then, it only partially works.

As a keyboard I love it though. It plays and feels great. Works great with all the drums and instruments I have thrown at it too. The velocity pads work as they should, ...it just doesn’t play well with Studio One 4 Pro controls is all.. I use a FaderPort to get that job done instead.

The Analog Lab software is insane. The Piano V software is ..ummm ..“okay”, but I use a digital piano or a NI option, instead. But that Analog Lab is just great. The sliders and encoders etc., all work flawlessly with it.

..meh.. y’know ..it’s knew-stuff and most-likely just needs a little breaking-in ..I figure a little time will take care of the daw integration issues. Being a new-to-market keyboard and the latest and greatest Studio One, I figure everything will get ironed out eventually with firmware and software upgrades.

It works as it should for every application except daw control in that particular daw. And that’s good enough for me.
 
Mark-B said:
I have the KeyLab MkII 61 and have had nothing but issues with mapping and integration in respect to the sliders, encoders, buttons and transport controls in Studio One 4 Pro. It has a Studio One setting, but it only works in User Mode after individually mapping functions using their midi control software, and even then, it only partially works.

As a keyboard I love it though. It plays and feels great. Works great with all the drums and instruments I have thrown at it too. The velocity pads work as they should, ...it just doesn’t play well with Studio One 4 Pro controls is all.. I use a FaderPort to get that job done instead.

The Analog Lab software is insane. The Piano V software is ..ummm ..“okay”, but I use a digital piano or a NI option, instead. But that Analog Lab is just great. The sliders and encoders etc., all work flawlessly with it.

..meh.. y’know ..it’s knew-stuff and most-likely just needs a little breaking-in ..I figure a little time will take care of the daw integration issues. Being a new-to-market keyboard and the latest and greatest Studio One, I figure everything will get ironed out eventually with firmware and software upgrades.

It works as it should for every application except daw control in that particular daw. And that’s good enough for me.
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Apologies for going a little OT from the OP.

Yeah the Key Lab only supports Studio One transport, and mixer fader/pan via its MCU. The one I tried worked fine for that once studio one was selected as the daw in the key lab MkII. Everything else has to be manually mapped, Arturia support confirmed this.

Thats why I am most likely going for the Nektar Panorama T6. They have the same control of Studio One Via MCU, but also have Analog Lab, Serum etc pre mapped (list on the web site), and after talking with Tim from Nektar, who was amazingly quick with his replies, they are going to support deeper integration with Studio One in the near future.

Cheers
Anthony
 
Sonofiam said:
Hard to beat M-Audio for MIDI controllers. As far as the model, it all depends on how many parameters or functions you want to be able to control on the actual keyboard.
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I have one of theirs. Oxygen 49.

Works with no drama.

Has 8 little square pads for tapping percussion stuff in.

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