Confused about keyboard choices for MIDI/GB??

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Level 1

42 points

Confused about keyboard choices for MIDI/GB??

I'm a guitar player (well, in a very loose sense i can be called a player) and want to learn to play some keyboard while playing around with garage band. i want to do the hammond B3 sound, more than a piano sound. i'm hoping to get some advice here about a MIDI keyboard. i'm considering either a casio WK series, an Maudio 61 or 88, or maybe even something like a novation or roland A37.

as i understand it, a "standalone" like the casio would allow me to easily take the keyboard over to a friend's house for a jam session, while the MIDI controller style would need to have a computer, speakers, etc. transported along with it. correct? this may be a big advantage for the casio.

I see a lot of comments about the feel of the keys on different keyboards, and a number of criticisms of the casio feel in particular. but, how much difference is this really going to make to a rookie? there are some $150 guitars out there that are pretty nice, and while an $800 guitar is certainly nicer, i sound equally bad on both. is the feel/quality of the keys going to be a limiting factor? are the "pros" going to be the ones who really benefit from investing in higher quality boards like the roland?

I appreciate any information and advice.

Posted on Sep 28, 2005 6:50 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 28, 2005 9:46 AM in response to D. T. Milton

I am not a keyboard guy, but a guitar player. My main keyboard interest is also B3. I have the Keystation 49e, which is just fine for my needs. I have no need to take it anywhere and jam, though. As for feel of the keys, many keyboard players like a weighted key, like on a piano. The Hammond B3 doesn't have weighted key, so the 49e is reasonably close to what an organ feels like to play.

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Answer 2

Schneb

Level 5

4,957 points

Sep 28, 2005 12:17 PM in response to D. T. Milton

Piano "feel" will not be much of an issue for you. Personally, I would get two keyboards. One for the road, and a 49e for GB. I say this because I know that GB will work flawlessly with the 49e.

You also may want to check this out.

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Answer 3

D. T. Milton Author

Level 1

42 points

Sep 29, 2005 8:06 AM in response to Schneb

thanks for the input. working flawlessly with the G4 is a big consideration. it looks like "waterfall' keys would be nice, but probably not going to find those on a less expensive board. thinking about a 2nd board is an interesting option, also.

since i want to use this like a B3, wouldn't it be advantageous to have a keyboard that has some sliders on it that can be assigned drawbars? or is that a non-issue?

thanks again!

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Answer 4

Schneb

Level 5

4,957 points

Sep 29, 2005 10:27 AM in response to D. T. Milton

Possibly... take a look at what they offer. It would be neat if they made a MIDI keyboard that looked and felt like a Hammond with drawbar sliders.

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Answer 5

Sep 29, 2005 11:16 PM in response to D. T. Milton

Many MIDI controller keyboards with USB or FireWire have nine sliders that you can use to control the 9 drawbars on a third-party Audio Unit synth that mimics a Hammond B3.

I use the M-Audio Ozonic, which is not only a USB controller but also an audio interface. It has tons of knobs and sliders but only three octaves of keys, which is the only thing about it that is kinda lame. A real Hammond has two five-octave keyboards, of course.

And I use it with the Linplug daOrgan, which is a great AU instrument that mimics all the functions of a Hammond B3 with Leslie, and gives you drawbars. daOrgan is only US$49, and you can download a free demo from http://www.linplug.com/Download/download.htm

The other big favorite is the Native Instruments B4, which costs US$165.

You can use either of these from within GarageBand.

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Answer 6

D. T. Milton Author

Level 1

42 points

Sep 30, 2005 7:17 PM in response to Wheat Williams

WW that sounds like a good suggestion. i saw da organ based on schneb's advice and i figured that would be the way to go for the software piece.

since i hope to learn something about keyboard playing, as well as playing around with GB, i'm thinking that 37 keys may not be enough. are you familiar enough with the M-Audio MK-461C to recommend it as a 61 key alternative? it looks similar to the ozonic as far as the drawbars, but no audio interface.

i'm open to any other suggestions. i read some reviews at harmony central but didn't learn much as far as choosing one keyboard over the other.

thanks again!

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Answer 7

Sep 30, 2005 10:10 PM in response to D. T. Milton

Yes, 37 keys is not enough if you want to learn to play organ properly. If the Ozonic had 61 keys as well as everything it already has, it would in my opinion be the perfect controller and audio interface for the bedroom studio.

I'm a singer with some guitar ability who can find the chords on a keyboard one-handed; I never developed much facility with two-handed playing despite a couple of years of class piano in music college.

I got the Ozonic because I need something affordable and compact and I liked the idea of having the audio interface and the controller keyboard in one unit with FireWire.

D. T., I think you are right. Look into 5-octave, 61-key controllers. You can play the vast majority of everything you'll need on a keyboard that size.

By the way, up until the time of Mozart, Beethoven, and possibly Chopin, pianos had only five octaves. So you can play most classical music on such a keyboard as well.

And today, most organs, whether Hammond or real cathedral pipe organs, use 5-octave manuals.

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