Keyboard/synth that can play a sample as a note?

[georgeqh]

Hi, was wondering if anyone could advise me as I don't know much about the world of keyboards.
At the moment we're using an Akai MPX to play samples live, but what we really need to to be able to play the samples as different notes. The Akai can be triggered by a midi keyboard but this doesn't let you play one sample as different notes, just different sample per keyboard key.

Does anyone know of a keyboard or synth that can play samples across the scale that we have loaded into it, rather than preset sounds already on it? Is this possible with a single bit of kit or does it require a keyboard and a separate sample bank?

I realise that it would be easiest to do this using a laptop but I don't want to go down that route with laptops in a live set up etc.

Thanks

George

edit: I don't need to be able to record the samples directly onto it. We're doing that and editing on a computer, I just want to be able to then load onto sd card or whatever and play with a keyboard.

 

[happyrat1]

Your cheapest sampling option offering a tempered musical scale for samples is probably the Casio XW-G1.

http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/forum/9-xw-g1-specific/

Otherwise more expensive options include the Kurzweil PC3K series and the Vintage Korg Triton and TR-61 series with the sampler options installed.

There are many other options out there for expensive sampler keyboards these days but the Casio would be your most economical choice.

Gary

 

[georgeqh]

Ok, thanks very much for the information. I will look into getting on of those.

cheers

George

 

[georgeqh]

Hi, Just looked at a thing on ebay called a Korg Microsampler.

Any idea if this can do what I'm after? The bloke selling it reckons you can load samples onto it via a usb and then play them across the keyboard.

Can't put a link to the ebay page as I haven't been on the forum long enough :/

 

[happyrat1]

I remember when this thing came out and sort of dismissed it as a DeeJay's Toy but here's a thorough review on the beast.

http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/korg-microsampler

It seems to be able to accomplish what you need to do with the resampler feature but I disavow any real knowledge of what it's actually capable of in a studio or on stage.

Gary

 

[georgeqh]

thanks for the info Gary,

cheers

George

 

[georgeqh]

Hi, just reading up on this on the casio forum that you linked to above.

It looks like there are only 10 tone slots available to load user samples into, although each slot can hold 5 samples. Any idea what this means in practical terms?
And how quick/easy is it to load samples from sd card into the slots on the fly/mid gig. Are they loaded up ready to go or do they need parameters specified/assigned etc before being used via the keyboard?

thanks

George

 

[happyrat1]

You'll have to ask those questions over at Casiomusicforums.com

Myself I own an XW-P1, the non sampling version.

Gary

 

[georgeqh]

Hi Gary,

Looks like the XW-G1 isn't that easy to get hold of in England. Just missed out on one on ebay, but not many around.

Out of interest which bit of kit would be the next step up in price range for what I want to do?

Might as well keep an eye out in case something pops up for a reasonable price.

thanks

George

 

[happyrat1]

A Korg TR61 can handle sampling with the optional sampler board and expansion RAMinstalled. Those can be had these days for around $450 used.

Otherwise I'm not really too much into samplers these days and really can't suggest anything off the top of my head.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

Actually if you're looking to do sampling for cheap, there's any number of sampling keyboards available on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/sampling-keyboard

They vary greatly in capacity and price and there's always a tradeoff in features for price so you'll just have to do your own research.

Gary

 

[georgeqh]

After hours of searching I stumbled into this...http://www.samplerbox.org/

DIY raspberry pi project might just be exactly what I'm after!

 

[happyrat1]

Looks great.

I might take a stab at building one myself

Gary

 

[Maarkr]

i have a Korg microsampler... it is rather limited in the sample size it can use. Some sounds do not sound very good when pitched beyond +-3 st. it is a fun device if you get one and play around with it. It is a small scale keyboard.