At 7/19/06 08:04 PM, xtoastx0 wrote:
Don’t bother reading this if you don’t plan to help in any way...thanks.=)
Haha, if only people actually did this all the time. Imagine how much flaming and spam would be eliminated.
Anyway, you can get some bare-bones controllers for under $100. I would recommend getting one with 49 keys so you have a little room to move around on. I've got a portable 25 key controller I take with me places if I have a project I need to work on and man, is it limiting.
Since you aren't a pianist (or are you?), you could easily get by with synth action keys. Most untrained pianists prefer this as it's lighter, but most of the trained pianists I know swear by a keyboard with weighted keys (like a piano). If you have a moderate sized budget and want a full keyboard with weighted keys, go with the Casio PX-110/310. It has some of the best action I've ever felt on a keyboard.
Some things to look for are:
USB connection- this is very handy. It saves you the 50 bucks on a midi cable you would most likely need otherwise. Just get a USB cable and you're good to go (most keyboard controllers include one).
Bundled Software- People often over look the bundled software, but it can be worth it. I got an Alesis Photon 25 keyboard ($120) that came with Cubase LE. A few months later I upgraded Cubase LE to SX3 and saved $100. That almost paid for the keyboard! Bundled software alone can be enough to buy a controller, if there is a good enough package.