Keys for a Keyboard

[Grindonthemind]

I'd rather have non weighted keys for laying down drum tracks. Even on a nice non weighted keyboard, you still have to smack the key pretty hard to get that velocity up to 127. When you're programming lots of different loops and adding different repetitive drum elements it might get fatiguing having to bang away on weighted keys for hours on end.

I've played piano for many years and the non-weighted keys don't mess me up when I go back to the real thing. Just an opinion.

[vivid435]

if if buy a real piano with midi capabilities.... i will be able to control a synth in logic... like play the synth using the piano keys? just checking...

[Yoozer]

Anything with a MIDI output can be used as a MIDI controller. It doesn't matter what it is; a 1 in/1 out MIDI USB cable only costs $30 or so. No computer recognizes what kind of MIDI device is on the other end - what they recognize is that MIDI USB interface. (this is why Logic will never know whether it's a new Motif XF or an ancient JX3P on the other end; all it talks to is the interface).

What real piano are you talking about? I don't know if Yamaha's SilentPiano has a MIDI out. It would be a sensible thing to do, given the fact that there's already a scanning mechanism in place to control the internal sound module - but sensible is not always in their dictionary

(also, the specs stay pretty quiet on this)

[mcballs]

Originally Posted by Grindonthemind

I'd rather have non weighted keys for laying down drum tracks. Even on a nice non weighted keyboard, you still have to smack the key pretty hard to get that velocity up to 127. When you're programming lots of different loops and adding different repetitive drum elements it might get fatiguing having to bang away on weighted keys for hours on end.

I've played piano for many years and the non-weighted keys don't mess me up when I go back to the real thing. Just an opinion.

Thanks man, that's exactly the kind of opinion I was looking for - using weighted keys for general purpose midi work, including drums.

What I may do is pickup an MKP49 for general midi control which should rock for drums especially with the pads, and then still get a Kronos X (or something like that) with the weighted keys. Or maybe just get the one without the weighted keys and save a bunch of cash.

[Rakrum]

if you're mainly worried about drums and percussion, look at the MPK88 or heck, stay away from AKAI keys (because they're wretched, like stiff springs, so not synth-y and not hammer-y) get what keys you like, and get a korg PadKontrol for percussion (and then if you really feel the need for synth keys, get a $50 basic 4 octave keyboard to keep nearby)