Midi keyboard suggestion for a beginner to edm production

[Srilekh]

Hey guys,
As the title says, im looking for a good Midi keyboard but i have NO prior experience with one nor do i know how to play a piano (i am a guitarist) and I have no clue how to start as a music producer. My heart and soul has always been to make edm. I did realized by researching that i need to start off with: a good laptop, a good DAW and of course a midi controller/keyboard. I am on a tight budget. Here in India my budget is around 10000 to 12000 ( around $205). I really confused weather i need 25 or 49 keys, fetures like faders and knobs etc. I recently got interested in this samson graphite 49 midi keyboard; is it a good one or are there better ones for cheaper?
I really need help guys, as a noob to music production i am really confused!! Please help me!

 

[happyrat1]

I'd recommend 49 keys and you won't find much decent for less money. I have no experience with the Samson but some of the reviews I've seen on the web are mixed about things like build quality, design features, lack of a power adapter and poor documentation.

I can, however, speak from experience about the M-Audio Oxygen 49 which sells for about the same money and while mine is ok for screwing around on the laptop while I'm watching TV in the living room, I'd never try and compose anything serious on it. The keyboard on the Oxygen is pretty much crap and skips notes like nobody's business even with velocity sensitivity turned off.

The Novation Launchkey 49 also sells around that price mark and seems to have much better reviews.

http://www.amazon.ca/Novation-Launchkey-Keyboard-Controller-Synth-weighted/dp/B00B9QONQQ

http://www.rajmusical.com/novation-launchkey-49-keyboard-controller.html

Novation also has a long history in producing MIDI controllers and generally have a good reputation.

Gary

EDIT >>> The 61 key version would probably be the best one to get but that would blow your budget to hell.

http://www.rajmusical.com/novation-launchkey-61-keyboard-controller.html

 

[Srilekh]

LoL...a lot of 61 key midi keyboards in india are shit expensive. Hell almost all midi keyboards here are expensive in this country (im a Canadian and i regret moving here!) funny that u mention that the M-Audio Oxygen 49 is crap for composing. some of my friends told me it is good but they never told me any details about it. About the graphite 49, it really got my attention cause of the features and on youtube most reviewers gave it a good score however they told that u will likely get a or a lot of defects in the product. BTW how is Alesis?? cause im looking at the Alesis QX49 rite now..

 

[happyrat1]

Namaste dude.

The QX49 has some pretty nasty reviews going for it on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.ca/Alesis-QX49-Ad...F8&qid=1401181721&sr=8-1&keywords=alesis+qx49

The only decent feature I like about it though is that it has bona fide MIDI output as well as USB meaning you can use it without a computer to control a hardware rack module. Very nice feature that usually costs you a few hundred bux more.

Then again it sounds like it suffers from the same problem as my oxygen. Notes either skip entirely or else they sustain and don't turn off until you hit the same note again.

Entirely random and entirely aggravating when you're in the middle of your fifth take

So far the Novations look like the best built ones out of the bunch in that price range.

Otherwise if you really want a decent controller be prepared to spend $400 and up for it.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

Btw, Akai controllers are pretty well rated too, but way over your stated budget.

 

[Srilekh]

wow...is just me or am i selecting the worst midi keyboards by luck!!?? well funny thing is i read good reviews on some places then horrible in some other sites. well the QX49 is not on my list. kudos about Akai controllers ( theres only one on the site i buy from and that costs around 40000 rupees-$680...) i guess looking at whts avalible here i think i have 4 options-
1) samson carbon 49 (cheapest and it has some good reviews)
2) samson graphite 49 (crazy amount features,cd with many pluggins and i can get it at a discounted price; theres a offer on this one)
3) Behringer U-CONTROL UMX490 (dont know much about this one, but its some good reviews on amazon)
4) Novation Launchkey 49 (most expensive and very diifcult to get here)

the thing is dude i just need a decent midi keyboard which has good/USEFUL features, cheap and reliable for making some edm man!! this is my first one so im okay if i get a decent but not great one.

 

[happyrat1]

Cheap <> Reliable

I think I found your problem there

Gary

 

[Srilekh]

yeah.. well screw reliability for a cheap price lol. But to end this all wht last advice would u give me and in your opinion which one of the four (stated above) would be ok for a guy like me? my take would be start with a samson (graphite or the cheap carbon) THEN in a year and a half or so get an awesome Novation midi keyboard or even akai. start simple then get pro equipment (maybe even get a mac !!) I know i am really giving u a hard time but i need to be sure and confidant to make my first mini studio. So please just help one last time! thanks in advanced
from the indo-Canadian - Srilekh

 

[happyrat1]

I can't make your decision for you. If it were me, I'd get the Novation instead of blowing $200 on some piece of crap that won't perform like it's supposed to and then have to unload it on some poor sucker when I finally come to my senses and buy the good one later on anyway.

I mean look at this from a guitar perspective. If you were starting out with guitar today would you tell a kid to make his fingers bleed with a $50 Walmart guitar or would you tell him to invest $300 or $400 and get something decent that won't drive him away from the instrument for life?

It's your call

Gary

 

[Srilekh]

XD...ut rite! Then novation it it will be. Although it would be nice i could try csome of them before buying. But anyways, Gary thanks so much dude, i think u must have a hell lot of experience with all this now i gotta go order that and start making some edm!!!
btw hows Canada?? been 4 years since i was there...miss the snow
anyways thanks again gary

 

[happyrat1]

Winter 2013-2014 was the winter from Hell! The polar vortex did a number on us from October right thru April. January and February were two solid months of -20C overnights and mornings and Mississauga saw close to two meters of snow It was like living in Winterpeg.

Believe me, you spent your winter in the right climate this year. Pipes were freezing everywhere, the ice storm in December knocked out power for two weeks in half of Toronto over Xmas-New Year's Week and frost heaves have totally destroyed my driveway and my front walkway.

According to the experts, next winter may be more of the same. Thanks Global Warming

It really was a typical Montreal style winter here in the GTA this year and it was brutal in Montreal too according to my cousins.

The only people who had it nice this winter are those good for nothing hippies on the left coast

My advice is to collect your pension in Pondicherry and laugh at us poor morons as we battle the elements 6 months of the year. Expensive music gear and cholera are a small price to pay for staying warm year round

Gary

 

[Srilekh]

wow....thats COLD (n brutal)! Dude here its 40 to 41 degrees always, add the frequent power cuts (without AC its practically like a everyday sauna!) and the extra humidity (cause pondicherry is a coastal city) and u have a burning hell! So just so u knowl we arnt lucky, we're poor morons also LMAO!!
anyways thanks for the help dude!