Good midi keyboard recommendation? Need2 Change VST w/ pedal & non-distorted sounds?

[crewxp]

I currently have a Yamaha YPT-400 Keyboard and I wanted to upgrade my midi capabilities. I want to do more with it, and sometimes when I press 5 keys at once, my VST gets distorted. (left hand stops even though Im holding the note. Not sure if that's keyboard related)

Anywho

I would like to be able to switch my VST's and also VST's different samples with my keyboard or a (pedal maybe?) I'm not sure if my current keyboard has that capability.

I've always wanted a good piano too. So I was thinking, is the Yamaha YPG-635 or (DGX-620) a good choice? Does anyone have any experience with it?

Or if you don't, do you know of a good midi controller that has that capabilties. Any brands in particular to look at?


Thanks a lot!!

 

[Mourndark]

Hi there. Your VST distorting will be a computer problem, not a board problem. Even the cheapest keyboards will be happy throwing out piles of midi messages without a blink - the effort is decoding them to produce sounds, and VSTs can be big system hogs. What spec is your computer, and what VSTs are you running?

 

[crewxp]

Thanks Mourndark! Ill look into my settings a little more. I have a good setup, so I dont think its the actual COMPUTER hardware, may be my configuration or my ASIO Setup (which is a TonePort UX2 handing it, since I have a crappy built in sound card that has horrible latency)

I Just want to use my keyboard to send the actual midi notes. But I would like to be able to change the VST and VST parameters from my keyboard instead of having to stop, go to my computer and change the VST instrument. After reading the manual, I THINK my keyboard may support what I want to do.

Do you think you or someone else could try to help me out (or point me in the right direction?)

I researched and found that what I want to do is probably called Quick Controls in Cubase. I click Learn, press the keyboard button I want to use to do my function...

http://www.crewxp.com/ewql1.JPG

then I go to the Quick Controls box and select what I want it to do. (Confused on this part). Im using the EWQL Orchestra VST to control some Double Bass and a Violin. Quick Controls lists numbers 0-511 in the EWQL category. I have no idea how to find what number does what I want it to do. All I really want to do is switch from one MIDI VST Instrument to another.

Anywho, my EWQL VST looks like this:

http://www.crewxp.com/ewql2.JPG

In the EWQL Quick Control folder (not even sure if what I need is in here), I found that 0 is Volume, 1 is Pan, 2 is tuning, etc. But the setting to switch Instruments may not be EWQL related, but Cunbase?

My VST Manual:
http://www.crewxp.com/ewql0.JPG
My Keyboard Manual:
Thanks for the replies, heading to bed, I will read your (Tweak)'s guide when Im at work tomorrow and post back tomorrow. Just wanted to provide a bit more info in the mean time in case someone knows the answer.

I would like to be able to change the VST and VST parameters from my keyboard instead of having to stop, go to my computer and change the VST instrument. After reading the manual, I THINK my keyboard may support what I want to do.

Do you think you or someone else could try to help me out (or point me in the right direction?)

I researched and found that what I want to do is probably called Quick Controls in Cubase. I click Learn, press the keyboard button I want to use to do my function...(Im using EWQL as a test, but I would like to be able to switch from EWQL instrument to Alicia Keys to The Grand with a press if possible)

http://www.crewxp.com/ewql1.JPG

then I go to the Quick Controls box and select what I want it to do. (Confused on this part). Im using the EWQL Orchestra VST to control some Double Bass and a Violin. Quick Controls lists numbers 0-511 in the EWQL category. I have no idea how to find what number does what I want it to do. All I really want to do is switch from one MIDI VST Instrument to another.

Anywho, my EWQL VST looks like this:

http://www.crewxp.com/ewql2.JPG

In the EWQL Quick Control folder (not even sure if what I need is in here), I found that 0 is Volume, 1 is Pan, 2 is tuning, etc. But the setting to switch Instruments may not be EWQL related, but Cunbase?

My VST Manual:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/atta...ng-vi-suggestions-.complete.guide..ewqlso.pdf
My Keyboard Manual:
http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/Documents/psre413_es_om_a0.pdf


I know its a lot of info, I'm just trying to explain it, but this might be a simple know how for most of you guys. Once I can get this down and the skipping problem fixed, I can actually start recording my ideas on computer rather than my iPhone's Voice recorder!! Cant wait!


I know its a lot of info, I'm just trying to explain it, but this might be a simple know how for most of you guys. Once I can get this down and the skipping problem fixed, I can actually start recording my ideas on computer rather than my iPhone's Voice recorder!! Cant wait!

 

[Burn4Him]

With that keyboard, your best bet is probably 1st getting a audio interface m-audio fast track or presonus fire box, something like that. and 2nd, hooking up two midi controllers, just use the keyboard for the keys and get a separate one for any other controls you may need. korgs nano series works very well! I work as a worship musician for churches and depending on how far i have to go sometimes i cannot bring my main keyboard (yamaha s90es) so i use midi through what ever they may have and i also use a korg nanoKontrol to control my patches.

Idk if this helps but it would be an easier way.

but you should definitely get an audio interface, that should easily fix the distortion problem you having.

 

[crewxp]

The main problem with getting some of the interfaces that are popular is that most are PCI. My motherboard is pretty new and doesnt support it anymore. I read that Fast Track is pretty good, but then another user also commented to me that my UX2 is almost the same thing, but just aimed towards mics rather than instruments.

What's a good line of midi keyboards? my budget is about $400, as im just starting out. Ive been looking at the m-audio keystation pro (bc it has volume knobs/sliders and is 88key), CME Keyboards (UF series), Novation (no clue), Fatar (no clue either), and M-audio Axiom keyboards. Haven't looked into Roland and Korg but those have been recommended. Really need a 88 key though.

 

[Burn4Him]

the keystation pro is great for the price range however the keys kinda stick a bit. the CMEs and novations are probably too expencve
Fatar feels good but less controls, the axioms dot come in 88 keys.

so your options are the fatar, that has less controls but feels better or the keystation pro that feels awkward but has a ton of options.

 

[Mourndark]

Nobody makes decent 88 key controllers any more - I spent a lot of time about 9 months ago looking before I gave up. Most controllers, as I'm sure you've realised are not aimed at people who've used 88 before, and once you have, you never want to go back.

Of the ones I've tried, the Fatar feel the nicest, followed by CME, then M-audio. Didn't try the Novations. The CMEs are on paper the best combination of action and knobbiness, but they have a very bad reputation on reliability, both electrical and mechanical. Unless you want to try your luck with CME, you'll have to choose whether to compromise the action or number of controls - unless you want to go searching for a second hand Roland A-series!

 

[Burn4Him]

ooo i forgot about the roland a90, thats probably the best midi controller i have ever used.

 

[crewxp]

hey. I've finally decided. I took a trip down to the only place within 200 miles of me that had pianos on demo... Best Buy. I tried out what a hammer-action keyboard feels like. I dont think Ill be able to play fast violin parts that I usually think of with a keyboard like that. My hand was tired just after 10 minutes of playing. Not used to it. My YPT-400 isnt even semi-weighted.


Anyways, that knocks a few models ive been looking at out. I had initially planned on buying a controller last weekend, but its hard!! Im dedicating tomorrow to finding a keyboard and just buying it. If i dont like it, i can always return it.

I'll post back tomorrow once I get a chance to look at specific models during my lunch break, but in the mean time. Do you know of any good semi-weighted or less keyboards with 61 keys or more (found out that I can just buy a mixer/controller seperately to control my midi).

I looked up the a90 but it seems to be hammer action

 

[Burn4Him]

Try an axiom

 

[crewxp]

Doing what you said. I think im going to go Axiom. Do you know if its possible to make one low key play its note PLUS the note an octave lower? All with only pressing one? If so, I dont have to buy two!

I think I've finally narrowed it down.

I'm going to get two. Probably a 81se (for the full 88 keys), and also a Axiom 61 (unsure the difference b/w pro and regular). The Axiom along with the 88se because it looks highly configurable and has after-touch! I think thats probably something essential, right?

If not that, I'm looking into CME's UF70 or UF7 and CME's VX-7 (havent read anything at all about this. But its a midi controller, not hammer, has knobs, and 70 something keys is perfect for me)

How do my decisions look? The only thing im unsure of is pro vs regular axiom, and what VX-7's features are.

 

[Burn4Him]

the Axiom Pro uses 'Hypercontrol' technology. that means that it works without any programming with most daws.

i think there is a way to make one note make two, but it depends what program your using.

i think your decisions are good tho.

 

[Mourndark]

Something with a 7 in the name usually means 76 keys. The VX-7 is pretty much the same as the UF7, except that the faders and knobs are motorised. I think this only works with setups that are stored on the board, so it probably won't be much use with software.

Playing two notes with one key is something you should be able to set up in your DAW rather than the controller, although the CMEs do support it on the board as well.

 

[crewxp]

Thanks Mourndark! Exactly what I wanted to hear! What is a setting like that called in my DAW (cubase), or a keyboard if it has it, do you know?

Thx

 

[Mourndark]

If it's on the keyboard it'll be called "Multi", "Performance", "Layer" or something similar. In software, you'll probably have to set it up in your VSTi rather than in the DAW - it'll probably be called "Layer". If there's not an obvious setting, there are a number of other ways to do it, but they are a bit more complex.

 

[crewxp]

hey. I actually found those settings in cubase! Thanks! Thats going to be extremely helpful when it arrives.

Okay I ended up ordering a Keystation 88 pro (for weighted keys), and a Axiom 61 Pro. The keystation 88 pro had a problem so theyre going to offer me a MPK88, CME VX70, or a VMK-188plus

Which of those 3 weighted keyboards do you think would be best for me?

 

[crewxp]

Mourndark, just curious. do u know of any keyboards off the top of your head that has that layer function built in?