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Subject:Pre-purchase question...Keyboard
Posted by: Stiffler
Date:1/2/2004 1:32:04 AM
OT...I did a search, but did not find what I'm looking for. (Total newbie here)! I have a few questions from a hobbiest: I'm looking for a keyboard for my family. I want to use it to create music to use in my videos edited with Vegas. I also want my kids to learn to play the piano, and eventually create loops/edit stuff. 1.) What should I look for (in a keyboard) to create music? A keyboard that has a lot of sounds, voices? 2.) Can I make music with a keyboard for about $150-200? 3.) I don't know how I can link a keyboard and PC, do I need a MIDI controller, or will my on-board sound card work? 4.) Is Acid the right software for this, or should I be looking at the Forge forum? Sorry about the newbie questions, but any info will help. Thanks, --a Vegas user |
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Subject:RE: Pre-purchase question...Keyboard
Reply by: vanblah
Date:1/2/2004 7:14:21 AM
>>> 1.) What should I look for (in a keyboard) to create music? A keyboard that has a lot of sounds, voices? I would look for sound quality before quantity. You'll also need at least MIDI in/out. I prefer a full size keyboard (88 weighted keys); but they tend to get expensive. But if you're going to be getting the kids piano lessons it might be a good investment. Synthesizer-type keybeds can create bad habits. >>>2.) Can I make music with a keyboard for about $150-200? You can make music with a $25 toy piano from Toys-R-Us; but the question is will you like what you create? >>>3.) I don't know how I can link a keyboard and PC, do I need a MIDI controller, or will my on-board sound card work? The MIDI controller is the keyboard in this case. You'll need a soundcard that supports MIDI (usually they have a converter that uses the game port on your soundcard). >>>4.) Is Acid the right software for this, or should I be looking at the Forge forum? Acid is the right software for looping and creating musical ideas. Sound Forge is a two-track sound editing application for "finalizing" these ideas. Doug |
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Subject:RE: Pre-purchase question...Keyboard
Reply by: L25
Date:1/2/2004 9:37:34 AM
You can get a $200. MIDI controller by evolution, edirol PCR, M-audio oxygen etc. These produce no sounds and transmit MIDI messages to your soft synths via USB or MIDI cables. a 49 key is nice for desktop applications. Using ACID you would insert a soft synth VSTi (lots of free ones or buy ones like NI FM7) and Mix this with the acid loop tracks. I have a PCR 50 that I connect via USB. I agree with what doug said. This would not be ideal for piano lessons. So consider a weighted electric piano such as a yamaha P80, it is not cheap. This has MIDI but would be cumbersome to integrate with a home computer studio setup. Ideally you would get both. |
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Subject:RE: Pre-purchase question...Keyboard
Reply by: MyST
Date:1/2/2004 9:48:20 AM
I use an inexpensive midi keyboard connected to my PC via an M-Audio Uno usb connection. Acid Pro comes with a soft synth, plus I downloaded free ones. Total cost...maybe $100. I'd suggest you check out a local store that knows how you could do this on your machine. Probably a music store could help. They've had to evolve with the PC becoming more and more popular for music creation. M |
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Subject:RE: Pre-purchase question...Keyboard
Reply by: grainerr
Date:1/2/2004 8:18:17 PM
my humble opinion I've seen keyboards at Guitar Center for about $200-300 bucks that are for a beginner. These usually do not have the same action as a piano so learning to "play" on one is subjective in this case. Some of those $300 units already have the midi, have some "decent" sounds to get you started and I've seen ones that light up on the keys in order to tell you (or your children) which keys to play when learning the lessons that the keyboard comes with. It's worth the extra bucks. Another point (depending on the childrens age) is that sometimes children get rambunctious with these types of "toys" that if it does get abused it's only $300. Later on go for the Korg when their ready for it. Another factor is that these keyboards are just fun and can really open up imaginations and even foster a songwriting ability (just makin up melody and lyrics as you play along). I speak from having a daughter who I gave a cheap little casio battery operated built-in speakers when she was 6 or 7 we would play: a. whatever she wanted b. I would show her simple songs like "the alaphabet song" and "twinkle twinkle" and eventually she was able to play them just by ear c. It did have the auto-accompaniment so I played backing up her singing of whatever she could sing. Today at 18 she can play piano well enough to accompany her self while singing rather well (please excuse the gloating dad and sorry to have rambled on to make my point) And my point is you don't have to have the weighted keyboards and you don't need 88 keys to get started. More keys more money! You don't tell us what your sound card is so it's kind of hard to make call on that one. (But I won't let that stop me! ) And for that you don't make mention of what type of computer you have so making a suggestion on a sound card is just going to be a. a wild shot in the dark and b. very contrary to what many on this board have said about this card: Sound Blaster Audigy (you can do a search on this site to see what I mean) But for me its been doing pretty well and i mention it for a number of reasons a. it's not a high end music sound card like the ones that are bit more pricier as well (Aardvark M-Audio etc) but it does an adequate job for me at least b. it has all kinds of inputs that are at the front of the computer including Midi Fire wire, SPDIF, line/mic in. So not only can you connect the keyboard via midi you can also record decent vocals or any live music and mix all of that in to ACID c. it works with most games so again depending on the age of the kids this could be crucial, and again, if your computer is farly recent(+- 2yrs) it should be capable of utilizing this card and it solves most of your input problems for a decent price. HTH r |
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Subject:RE: Pre-purchase question...Keyboard
Reply by: Stiffler
Date:1/3/2004 8:06:05 AM
Thanks for all the replys! My boys are 10 and 12, and for now I'll spend less than $300, only because I'm not sure much interest they will have. My computer is a home built AMD 2100+ with a biostar motherboard. The sound is on the mobo. 3 PCI slots available, so adding a sound card should work out. I also have a game port. I'll take the advice and go to a music store & see what they have. Thanks for all the info, Jon |
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Subject:RE: Pre-purchase question...Keyboard
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:1/3/2004 12:21:01 PM
Adding to what others have said, ACID is ideal for creating music beds and loop material, while Sound Forge is ideal for editing digital audio. This is all in addition to what you already have in Vegas (which is multitracking). All three applications compliment each other as a result. If you're not sure how much interest they'll have, start off small and graduate as their needs grow. (If they do, anyway.) I should note ACID Pro and Sound Forge (the full version) aren't cheap, but the consumer versions are inexpensive enough that they won't break your bank. (You can upgrade to the pro versions later on at a discount as well.) HTH, Iacobus ------- RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid mD's ACIDplanet Page |