MIDI controller/synth combo?

swiftd · 28th April 2006

Hey guys, I'm looking at upgrading to a bigger MIDI controller with more sliders and knobs and so forth, mine has none at the moment. I'm thinking of something like the M-Audio MK-449C or the Korg KONTROL49, but I was wondering if anyone knew of other products that were proper MIDI controllers but were also a proper Synthesizer in their own right, ie I could also play it without soft synths and a computer? Like the Korg microKORG?

Thanks for listening!

manning1 · 28th April 2006

i dont know exactly your needs but over the years there have been loads of
midi keyboards that have various synth sounds on board.
various on line retailers have lists of gear of this nature.
like music123.com and zzounds.com and sweetwater and lots of others.
then there is the used market. lots of stuff there.
you might want to spend some time googling for something like midi keyboard controller with built in synth sounds/knobs/sliders in the search box.
i seem to remember useing a roland many moons ago with all sorts of controls on it. maybe also visit lots of synth sites on the net. but if knobs and sliders are your thing i would also look around the use market.

aussie_techie · 28th April 2006

any modern keyboard can be used as a controller and many have plenty of knobs on them, many of the rolands even have a light controler

MitchG · 28th April 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by swiftd

I was wondering if anyone knew of other products that were proper MIDI controllers but were also a proper Synthesizer in their own right, ie I could also play it without soft synths and a computer?

The Novation X-Station series comes to mind; there are 25-, 49-, and 61-key versions.

Mitch
-----
Mitch Gallagher
Editorial Director
Sweetwater

synthax · 28th April 2006

http://audioen.terratec.net/modules....ticle&artid=88

Sounds like this is what you are looking for...

Tohtruck · 29th April 2006

I agree with Mitch, Novation X-Station sounds right up your alley. It is a bit on the expensive side in my opinion tho. But you do get alot for what you pay for. It acts as a midi controller (has MIDI in, out, thru) and USB connection so you can use either one to input midi data. The synth part of the X-Station is based on the K-Station synthesizer and the stereo out of the hardware synth travels through the standard stereo outs as well as the USB output so you can input the synth directly into your computer. On top of all this it also acts as a pretty good audio interface: ASIO drivers, pre-amped XLR inputs (they also double as 1/4" inputs) with phantom power as well as onboard DSP effects (with different settings so you can record the input with effects, bypass, or just monitor the input w/o recording the signal with effects). A buncha sliders buttons n knobs that control the synth and also output midi. Also has transport controls pitch/mod joystick, X-Y touchpad (personally I really have no use for this but its a nice novelty), semi-weighted keys. It's pretty much an all-in-one solution. Y'know actually the price ain't too bad for this thing. I paid close to 6 hunny for this (49-key) cause I got it off eBay brand new.

gsilbers · 29th April 2006

basically most synths are also midi controller. the micro korg is a bit small and wimpsy for me but the sounds are good. there are tons of synth on the used market (ebay)
a lot of people get the roland jp 8080, or jp 8000... forget the model number but it has tons of knobs and sliders.

28th April 2006	#1
swiftd Gear interested Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 3 Thread Starter	MIDI controller/synth combo? Hey guys, I'm looking at upgrading to a bigger MIDI controller with more sliders and knobs and so forth, mine has none at the moment. I'm thinking of something like the M-Audio MK-449C or the Korg KONTROL49, but I was wondering if anyone knew of other products that were proper MIDI controllers but were also a proper Synthesizer in their own right, ie I could also play it without soft synths and a computer? Like the Korg microKORG? Thanks for listening!

28th April 2006	#2
manning1 Lives for gear Joined: May 2004 Location: canada Posts: 3,998	i dont know exactly your needs but over the years there have been loads of midi keyboards that have various synth sounds on board. various on line retailers have lists of gear of this nature. like music123.com and zzounds.com and sweetwater and lots of others. then there is the used market. lots of stuff there. you might want to spend some time googling for something like midi keyboard controller with built in synth sounds/knobs/sliders in the search box. i seem to remember useing a roland many moons ago with all sorts of controls on it. maybe also visit lots of synth sites on the net. but if knobs and sliders are your thing i would also look around the use market. __________________ i'm just a dumb computer engr (ret'd)...."quantum computing is the future" running a native software studio daw...Powertracks and Reaper on amd. new cockney album released http://therockingbloodbrothers.blogspot.com/ my other little songs www.motagator.com/bmanning

28th April 2006	#5
synthax Gear Head Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 49	http://audioen.terratec.net/modules....ticle&artid=88 Sounds like this is what you are looking for... __________________ All my best, Tom Sailor

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28th April 2006	#3
aussie_techie Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2004 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 2,709	any modern keyboard can be used as a controller and many have plenty of knobs on them, many of the rolands even have a light controler

29th April 2006	#6
Tohtruck Gear Head Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 65	I agree with Mitch, Novation X-Station sounds right up your alley. It is a bit on the expensive side in my opinion tho. But you do get alot for what you pay for. It acts as a midi controller (has MIDI in, out, thru) and USB connection so you can use either one to input midi data. The synth part of the X-Station is based on the K-Station synthesizer and the stereo out of the hardware synth travels through the standard stereo outs as well as the USB output so you can input the synth directly into your computer. On top of all this it also acts as a pretty good audio interface: ASIO drivers, pre-amped XLR inputs (they also double as 1/4" inputs) with phantom power as well as onboard DSP effects (with different settings so you can record the input with effects, bypass, or just monitor the input w/o recording the signal with effects). A buncha sliders buttons n knobs that control the synth and also output midi. Also has transport controls pitch/mod joystick, X-Y touchpad (personally I really have no use for this but its a nice novelty), semi-weighted keys. It's pretty much an all-in-one solution. Y'know actually the price ain't too bad for this thing. I paid close to 6 hunny for this (49-key) cause I got it off eBay brand new.

29th April 2006	#7
gsilbers Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2006 Location: El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula Posts: 3,622	basically most synths are also midi controller. the micro korg is a bit small and wimpsy for me but the sounds are good. there are tons of synth on the used market (ebay) a lot of people get the roland jp 8080, or jp 8000... forget the model number but it has tons of knobs and sliders.