Doesn't Anyone Make a Non-USB/DAW Truly AC Powered Midi Controller Anymore

[vinsynth]

Hi
I am a guitarist firstly and then a key-lover (it should be the reverse but I will take what I can get). I came to keys in the early 80's with a love for the synthesizer. I have fair chops and love playing keys. BUT I DESPISE (sorry, not wanting to offend anyone) soft-synths, virtual this and virtual that. I am trying to find a TRUE, OLD SCHOOL MIDI CONTROLLER that plugs into a wall and a rack synth...but MY GOD...does anyone make one (at a reasonable price) anymore??? Any advice is welcomed...(I cannot even find a used one.) Thanks.

 

[happyrat1]

My Alesis QX49 has both REAL MIDI Ports and an AC Adapter Input.

Discontinued but you can still find a few inexpensive ones and a whole lot more expensive ones.

If you wanna drop lotsa coin on one take a look at Akai and Studiologic controllers.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

The new model Alesis VI49 and VI61 sell for cheap and also include a real MIDI port and an optional AC Adapter Input!!!

https://www.amazon.com/Alesis-VI49-Advanced-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IWVWUWA/

https://www.amazon.com/Alesis-VI61-Advanced-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IWW5H24/

Problem solved!!!

(unless you're looking for an 88)

There's also the Arturia Keylab, which sells in 49, 61 and 88 versions for slightly more money.

https://www.amazon.com/Arturia-KeyLab-Keyboard-Controller-Software/dp/B00DJ5UHDI/

Gary

 

[Eric Barker]

I have an Arturia Keylab 88, and I love it. Curiously, you can power it two different ways: It has an AC port (which can feed off any 5-10V power supply), but also the USB port can be used as a wall charger too, which is even cheaper and easier since pretty much everyone has a USB cable with a wall converter sitting around. Then you're free to use the MIDI ports for midi.

I'm surprised to see this, pretty much all of the major controllers I see still have MIDI ports, so I'm not sure what the issue is.

 

[Fred Coulter]

There's this little Japanese company called Roland. (You might have heard of them?) Their controllers also have power inputs and real MIDI in/out ports. Here's a link to the 61 note version.

If you're going to complain about something, how about the lack of polyphonic aftertouch.

 

[Eric Barker]

Considering he's using racks (few of which would support poly AT), I doubt that's a large concern. In any case, if I were needing Poly AT these days, I'd go full-on Seaboard.

 

[Fred Coulter]

Considering he's using racks (few of which would support poly AT), I doubt that's a large concern. In any case, if I were needing Poly AT these days, I'd go full-on Seaboard.

Chicken and egg. As long as controller's are difficult to get, people won't be making racks that support polyphonic aftertouch. As long as racks don't support polyphonic aftertouch, then controllers won't support it.

As for the Seaboard, I think it's different enough from a normal keyboard to make most of my technique irrelevant. I've been playing for way too long to switch now. (And if I was going to go to a completely different technique, I'd probably go to the Stick rather than another keyboardish thing. But that's me.) For a younger player, though, it might be a great thing. Although it would be difficult to find a teacher.

 

[happyrat1]

BTW, as a side note, it's considered to be horrible Netiquette to post messages or long titles in ALL CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gary

 

[Becky]

Relevant:

 

[Eric Barker]

As for the Seaboard, I think it's different enough from a normal keyboard to make most of my technique irrelevant. I've been playing for way too long to switch now. (And if I was going to go to a completely different technique, I'd probably go to the Stick rather than another keyboardish thing. But that's me.) For a younger player, though, it might be a great thing. Although it would be difficult to find a teacher.

I'll admit, it looks a little intimidating too, but seeing as though it'd mostly be used as a lead instrument, I think I could get a handle on it pretty quickly, but I've never tried one as I'm not sure there's one in my state (Hawaii). I'm a 30 year veteran too, but I find I'm still learning new things, and it looks right up my alley.

As for the Chapman Stick, as amazing as it is, especially for guitarists/bassists, it's sort of the opposite of the Seaboard, trading nuance for complexity and versatility. It basically becomes a "keyboard style instrument for string players", which I think is incredibly interesting, but even in the best case scenarios like Tony Levin, Trey Gunn, and Sean Malone, they're using them more for multi-part arpeggios and rhythmic material, not for the kind of pitch and timbre nuance that a Seaboard or lead guitar offers. This is already something keyboards win at, so as much as I'd love to play with a Stick player, it doesn't seem like it would expand my palette that much. The area keyboards fall short is in organic nuance, where the Seaboard fills in the gaps. Obviously these are wild generalizations, but they speak to the overall strengths/weaknesses of the instruments.

 

[vinsynth]

I have an Arturia Keylab 88, and I love it. Curiously, you can power it two different ways: It has an AC port (which can feed off any 5-10V power supply), but also the USB port can be used as a wall charger too, which is even cheaper and easier since pretty much everyone has a USB cable with a wall converter sitting around. Then you're free to use the MIDI ports for midi.

I'm surprised to see this, pretty much all of the major controllers I see still have MIDI ports, so I'm not sure what the issue is.

They have midi ports via USB...I do not want a computer in the rig. Thanks for your info.

 

[vinsynth]

The new model Alesis VI49 and VI61 sell for cheap and also include a real MIDI port and an optional AC Adapter Input!!!

https://www.amazon.com/Alesis-VI49-Advanced-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IWVWUWA/

https://www.amazon.com/Alesis-VI61-Advanced-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IWW5H24/

Problem solved!!!

(unless you're looking for an 88)

There's also the Arturia Keylab, which sells in 49, 61 and 88 versions for slightly more money.

https://www.amazon.com/Arturia-KeyLab-Keyboard-Controller-Software/dp/B00DJ5UHDI/

Gary

Thank You...Happyrat1

 

[Eric Barker]

They have midi ports via USB...I do not want a computer in the rig. Thanks for your info.

No, not via USB. They have conventional MIDI IN/OUT ports. MIDI. NOT USB. Trust me, I own one, and I use the conventional MIDI ports all the time. I just checked and all sizes of KeyLab (25/49/61/88) have both MIDI and USB ports. No computer necessary.

Take a look, those big round black jacks are MIDI IN and MIDI OUT: