i wonder how many of you use midi controller keyboards?
can anyone tell me what would be the best controller regarding it\s keys feel.
i am looking for that, to control the soft synth i have.

I would recommend the CME UF series - I have just bought the UF 8 and it has so many assignable controllers that it takes some beating in terms of price and assignability -the only downside is that it has only 1 memory mode and patch, but apart from that, action is great and I am very pleased overall

Hi Insider,

please can you report also your overall impression about the keybed ?

I think that it's not so difficult to find master keyboard with decent specs, what's hard is to find a cheap one with good action.

Thanks and bye.

Hi Booby

The action is similar to a Yamaha P120 and responds quickly. The depth of the action is perhaps slightly shallower but the weighting is firm (which I like) and with the 4 different velocity curves I can usually find 2 settings (default and option 3) that suit my technique depending on which instrument I am playing via midi.

Before I bought this I owned a Peavey DPM C8, which in my opinion was the best controller out there and way ahead of it's time (it was an early 90s model and had loads of features.) Sadly they are no longer made. I saw the CME UF8 in the store where I tend to buy all of my gear, did a Czerny finger exercise on it and was very surprised at how quickly it responded and bought 1 within a couple of days, although from a different store as my regular had no stock.

Hope this helps

The CMEs (all of them) don't have memories (registrations) so -whatever modifications you do- are lost as soon as you turn the power off.
Speaking strictly of features, it's difficult to beat Oberheim: the MC 2000 and the MC 3000 both have 88 notes with weighed action; the 2000 has 256 memory locations, four sliders for real time control and can transmit on eight zones at a time. The MC 3000 has 1024 memory locations, 8 midi outs and can transmit on 8 zones + 8 aux; furthermore, has a graphic editor to modify dynamic and aftertouch curves and eight sliders to control in real time external parameters.


[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 09-30-2005).]

Hi Dreamer

FYI actually the UF8 has 1 registration - once you make changes to the factory default settings, these will be recalled when you power on again, and with so many sliders and knobs that can be reassigned, it is still pretty flexible. I currently have assigned 6 sliders to access Filter and Resonance on XG and Filter Resonance Expression and Filter Envelope on my Novation Supernova - I still have another 11 available knobs and sliders. . . .

I have also just this second checked costs in the UK and the Oberheim is 50% more expensive.

Insider,
thank you for your reply; I am still left with the impression that the CMEs were designed to be more a computer peripheral, like many of today's midi controllers.

I use two controllers -

1) An old M-8000 Kawai 88 note wooden key job - Its very nice and has served me well.

2) I recently added a Korg KONTROL49 for controlling some of the analog-ish modules and softsynths.

I like them both, and the Korg has been very easy to integrate into the rig.

i was thinking more like lower costs controller.
what about m-audio controlers?
is there a big difference beetwen keystation series and radium series?
i played a little bit the 61keystation controler, and i really didn t like it att all. anyway, the radium series should be better. does anyone know?

What is the best 61 note controller....that has a great synth keybed feel and many switches etc ?

A good question. I currently have 2 kbs which- between them- more or less work for me: M-Audio's Evo 461C, and a Yamaha P-120. The 461C has more faders/controllers etc. than I'll probably ever want, but the action is just awful, it feels like a little plastic toy. The P-120 has (for my money at least) a fine hammer feel. So, running virtual instruments through Sonar/Kontakt, I use the Yamaha for anything percussive, including of course pianos & organs, and the M-Audio for emulating voices such as violins, trumpets, or e-guitars, where I want to bend/slide notes and don't require a resistive touch response.

This works ok for my little home studio. For a single, roadworthy, "do-all" controller, I would look at the Roland A-37 (because Frank L. swears by it) and I'd like to try some of the Edirol boards, if I could find any locally.

Michael

Anyone try the Roland A37
http://www.zzounds.com/item--ROLA37

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 10-04-2005).]

Yes, the Roland A37 works for me and has for years without a hitch. Keybed feels ok, etc.

If you want more without voices/instruments included look at oberheim/viscount.

If you want more and don't mind paying for voices/instruments then some of the workstations will work, e.g., Kurzweil, Roland, Yamaha, etc.

[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 10-04-2005).]

... good example .. you convince me !

:-)

Cheers


[This message has been edited by Booby (edited 10-04-2005).]

Are there any other 76 key controllers other than Roland A-37 and the CME UF 7?

Possibly the Novation X-Station 61. I use the 49-note version and it's the handiest keyboard I currently own. The X-Station is a VA synth with built-in effects, and a MIDI/USB controller and audio interface. I like the fact that the knobs have real-world functions/names instead of generic designations like "S1". And the keybed feel is outstanding. A laptop and an X-Station is a complete portable studio.

Don't forget the Novation ReMOTE 61 which is the same as the X-Station 61 without the VA Synth or sound card features. (ie get that if all you need is the controller function.)