Need 61 Key Keyboard for use with the Hammond B3-X App

[PianoGuy@58]

Hello Fellow Keyboard Players. I’m looking for a 61 key preferably keyboard to connect my iPad to for use with the Hammond B3-X App.
It needs to have the USB B connection of course and I would like it to have plastic keys more like a real Hammond Organ.
What do I need to do this? My main KB is a Yamaha MX-88. I’d like to have the 61 keyboard just for use with the Hammond App.
Any help or guidance concerning this issue will be greatly appreciated. Are any of you guys using this setup on any of your rigs? Thank you guys so much! Tim In Tennessee

 

[happyrat1]

One of these might be better than a simple controller. It does have waterfall keys like a Hammond.

https://www.studiologic-music.com/products/numa_organ2/

In a pinch. It would also be possible to disable the onboard voice engine and MIDI it up to a virtual instrument as well.

Gary

 

[delaware dave]

I use an M-Audio Code 61. It doesnt have a waterfall keybed but has a nice feeling SW keybed. I can easily do palm glisses, no issue. I bought it to control VB3-ii. It was a good choice, 9 sliders that has 4 banks to control upper, lower and pedal drawbars, pads to control percussion controls and vibrato chorus speeds and upper/lower activation, and can also control the leslie speeds fast, slow and stop. has knobs for dialing in keyclick, distortion and leakage. also has an expression pedal input, a sustain input, traditional midi in/out and usb midi. it's feature rich. 11 pounds. Have a look at this one.....

Link

 

[PianoGuy@58]

I use an M-Audio Code 61. It doesnt have a waterfall keybed but has a nice feeling SW keybed. I can easily do palm glisses, no issue. I bought it to control VB3-ii. It was a good choice, 9 sliders that has 4 banks to control upper, lower and pedal drawbars, pads to control percussion controls and vibrato chorus speeds and upper/lower activation, and can also control the leslie speeds fast, slow and stop. has knobs for dialing in keyclick, distortion and leakage. also has an expression pedal input, a sustain input, traditional midi in/out and usb midi. it's feature rich. 11 pounds. Have a look at this one.....

Link

Delaware Dave! Can I use the m-audio to connect my iPad via usb and use the Hammond B3X-x app and power it thru a keyboard amp?

 

[PianoGuy@58]

I use an M-Audio Code 61. It doesnt have a waterfall keybed but has a nice feeling SW keybed. I can easily do palm glisses, no issue. I bought it to control VB3-ii. It was a good choice, 9 sliders that has 4 banks to control upper, lower and pedal drawbars, pads to control percussion controls and vibrato chorus speeds and upper/lower activation, and can also control the leslie speeds fast, slow and stop. has knobs for dialing in keyclick, distortion and leakage. also has an expression pedal input, a sustain input, traditional midi in/out and usb midi. it's feature rich. 11 pounds. Have a look at this one.....

Link

Hey delaware dave! Can I use the M-Audio to connect my iPad via usb to it and use the Hammond B3X-x app and power it thru a keyboard amp? Or does it require another power source for amplication?
Thanks

 

[delaware dave]

Hey delaware dave! Can I use the M-Audio to connect my iPad via usb to it and use the Hammond B3X-x app and power it thru a keyboard amp? Or does it require another power source for amplication?
Thanks

if the power source that you are talking about is about powering the m audio keyboard itself, it can be powered either through a typical usb connection or via an optional power cord. i use the optional power cord, for me its more convenient to go that route when playing live. when i use it with my computer i power it via its usb port. so it can be powered either way. it's feature rich especially considering its inexpensive price.

 

[Biggles]

Is the Code 61 still available new?

There is only the Keystation and Oxygen ranges available here in the UK.

 

[delaware dave]

They are discontinued by M-Audio (still supported however) and I find them available at retailers both new and used all the time. I went the Code model because of the features; many of the new M-audio keyboards lack features like power cord (typically now USB only powered); expression pedal input; legacy MIDI In/Out as well as USB MIDI; surface area, meaning somewhere to place midi modules on the keyboard itself. If you look around there are several new and used; they come in two colors, black and white, otherwise no functional differences between the black and white. Here is a new one for sale (the packaging has wear due to incorrect storage).

Link

 

[PianoGuy@58]

if the power source that you are talking about is about powering the m audio keyboard itself, it can be powered either through a typical usb connection or via an optional power cord. i use the optional power cord, for me its more convenient to go that route when playing live. when i use it with my computer i power it via its usb port. so it can be powered either way. it's feature rich especially considering its inexpensive price.

I’m talking about can you,connect it to an amp or PA just like a regular keyboard and play live or does it only work with headphones for things like DAW? Sorry I didn’t word that correctly. I have a Yamaha MX88 and I run it thru a keyboard amp. I want to do the same with the M-Audio (if capable) and use it for Organ only.
If this doesn’t work what is the cheapest route I can go to be able to do this? Thanks for all your help man!
Greatly appreciated!

 

[PianoGuy@58]

One of these might be better than a simple controller. It does have waterfall keys like a Hammond.

https://www.studiologic-music.com/products/numa_organ2/

In a pinch. It would also be possible to disable the onboard voice engine and MIDI it up to a virtual instrument as well.

Gary

Hello Happyrat1! Looked up the numa organ! Incredible reviews! How do you like yours and what do you play it through?

 

[delaware dave]

I’m talking about can you,connect it to an amp or PA just like a regular keyboard and play live or does it only work with headphones for things like DAW? Sorry I didn’t word that correctly. I have a Yamaha MX88 and I run it thru a keyboard amp. I want to do the same with the M-Audio (if capable) and use it for Organ only.
If this doesn’t work what is the cheapest route I can go to be able to do this? Thanks for all your help man!
Greatly appreciated!

it's a midi controller only, it has no internal sounds. so it doesnt have audio outputs since it has no internal sounds to output.

Your previous post is confusing since in your opening post you said this: ".. I’m looking for a 61 key preferably keyboard to connect my iPad to for use with the Hammond B3-X App...". the B3-x app is the sound source and that is what has to eventually connect to a keyboard amp. all the midi controller is doing is controlling and triggering the app, the sound comes from the app, not the keyboard. It's certainly possible to connect a keyboard to the app and also have that keyboard produce its own sounds in addition to acting as a controller. i do that with my PC3, it produces its own internal sounds as well as acting as a controller to control midi modules. the code 61 is strictly a controller; i intrepreted, perhaps mistakeningly, that you were simply looking for a controller to control B3x. A used kurzweil PC361 would make a great controller to control B3x in addition to also supplying its own internal sounds which can be attached to a keyboard amp through its stereo outputs. Expect to pay 5x the cost of a Code 61 for one of them.

 

[PianoGuy@58]

it's a midi controller only, it has no internal sounds. so it doesnt have audio outputs since it has no internal sounds to output.

Your previous post is confusing since in your opening post you said this: ".. I’m looking for a 61 key preferably keyboard to connect my iPad to for use with the Hammond B3-X App...". the B3-x app is the sound source and that is what has to eventually connect to a keyboard amp. all the midi controller is doing is controlling and triggering the app, the sound comes from the app, not the keyboard. It's certainly possible to connect a keyboard to the app and also have that keyboard produce its own sounds in addition to acting as a controller. i do that with my PC3, it produces its own internal sounds as well as acting as a controller to control midi modules. the code 61 is strictly a controller; i intrepreted, perhaps mistakeningly, that you were simply looking for a controller to control B3x. A used kurzweil PC361 would make a great controller to control B3x in addition to also supplying its own internal sounds which can be attached to a keyboard amp through its stereo outputs. Expect to pay 5x the cost of a Code 61 for one of them.

Thank you so much for all the helpful info. Sorry about the confusion! I think I got it now thanks to you!

 

[happyrat1]

Hello Happyrat1! Looked up the numa organ! Incredible reviews! How do you like yours and what do you play it through?

I don't personally own one, but I based my suggestion on reviews and general scuttlebutt heard around the forums.

For my own organ sounds, I use a Ferrofish B4000+ Hammond Emulation Module played thru a Juno DS88.

Gary

 

[Biggles]

I did try an M Audio MIDI keyboard controller in a local store.

I connected my iPad up to it to use the Galileo2 organ app that I had.

Problem was that my iPad would not power the M Audio, connected my Apple power supply to the camera adaptor and that to would not power the M Audio.

Tried it with a Roland and it would not power that either.

Hence you may well have to buy a dedicated power supply to the keyboard or connect it via a powered USB hub as per Dave’s advice.

 

[delaware dave]

that's why I went with the code series, it has an optional power supply. not all of the m-audio keyboards provide the optional power supply forcing you to rely on usb power. my computer does power it through its usb port, but when i play live i use the power supply adapter to avoid the potential issue you just hit.