Midi Controller – Buying Advice -ACID Product Family

Subject:Midi Controller – Buying Advice Posted by: BJenkins Date:4/24/2013 11:00:46 PM I would like to get a small midi controller that works well with Acid Pro 7. I want to use the VST plug ins included with Acid Pro 7. I was looking at the M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 or Oxygen 25 plus the Akai MPK Mini. My objective is to have an easy to set up controller. I have a Focusrite i2i USB interface if that helps. I see that these controllers connect via USB so my guess is that my i2i interface would not be used but I really don’t understand this enough to make a decision. I saw on this forum where someone was having issues with an Akai controller.I also wonder if a controller with drum pads is useful or if the keys can serve the same function. Thanks in advance.
Subject:RE: Midi Controller – Buying Advice Reply by: Iacobus Date:4/25/2013 1:26:05 PM A MIDI controller of any sort is a great help when composing. Any of those choices are pretty good. What you have to decide is what you're looking for as far as functionality goes. (For example, the Keystation Mini 32's keys aren't full size keys, plus I see no dedicated control for modulation and pitch bend, the former being very useful if you plan on using VSTis like Garritan's ARIA for ACID Pro (which comes with ACID Pro 7). It's strength is it won't take up a lot of room, though.) Pads on a controller are very useful for percussion. The same can be done with keys but the feel isn't exactly the same (at least to me). You must have more than one USB port on your computer; you should be able to use the i2i and whatever MIDI controller you go with. Any controller you choose will have some sort of small learning curve associated with it. Most of the time, you can get familiar with the controls/functions of a particular MIDI controller by downloading a manual (usually in Acrobat format) from the vendor's site before you buy. For whatever MIDI controller you go with, be sure to keep it clean. Buy a case to store it away when not in use if you have to. I have an Oxygen 8 v2 and as draconian as I am with cleaning, dust managed to wreak havoc on a few of the controller knobs.
Subject:RE: Midi Controller – Buying Advice Reply by: BJenkins Date:4/25/2013 5:34:02 PM That helps. My biggest concern / question was if a basic midi controller would work with Garritan's ARIA and similar and if there was any tricky programming of the controller. It sounds like it will be pretty straight forward. I had it in my mind that it might turn out to be a situation where some work while others are finicky. I do have an extra USB input available on the computer and I’m not sure why I even mentioned the i2i USB interface. I guess I was worried that there could be a conflict or something. For my limited use and space requirements I lean toward the small M-Audio but due to the sacrifice in function I’m going to take another look. Thanks for the tip regarding dust issues as well. Thanks
Subject:RE: Midi Controller – Buying Advice Reply by: Iacobus Date:4/26/2013 3:20:37 PM You will definitely use MIDI modulation a lot in ARIA; it uses it to determine volume and dynamics in real time. (e.g. a crescendo or decrescendo.) The reason why they use modulation to control volume is because it's a readily-available control on most MIDI controllers, usually as a dynamic wheel.

Subject:Midi Controller – Buying Advice

Posted by: BJenkins

Date:4/24/2013 11:00:46 PM

I would like to get a small midi controller that works well with Acid Pro 7. I want to use the VST plug ins included with Acid Pro 7.

I was looking at the M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 or Oxygen 25 plus the Akai MPK Mini. My objective is to have an easy to set up controller. I have a Focusrite i2i USB interface if that helps. I see that these controllers connect via USB so my guess is that my i2i interface would not be used but I really don’t understand this enough to make a decision. I saw on this forum where someone was having issues with an Akai controller.I also wonder if a controller with drum pads is useful or if the keys can serve the same function.

Thanks in advance.

Subject:RE: Midi Controller – Buying Advice

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:4/25/2013 1:26:05 PM

A MIDI controller of any sort is a great help when composing. Any of those choices are pretty good. What you have to decide is what you're looking for as far as functionality goes. (For example, the Keystation Mini 32's keys aren't full size keys, plus I see no dedicated control for modulation and pitch bend, the former being very useful if you plan on using VSTis like Garritan's ARIA for ACID Pro (which comes with ACID Pro 7). It's strength is it won't take up a lot of room, though.)

Pads on a controller are very useful for percussion. The same can be done with keys but the feel isn't exactly the same (at least to me).

You must have more than one USB port on your computer; you should be able to use the i2i and whatever MIDI controller you go with.

Any controller you choose will have some sort of small learning curve associated with it. Most of the time, you can get familiar with the controls/functions of a particular MIDI controller by downloading a manual (usually in Acrobat format) from the vendor's site *before* you buy.

For whatever MIDI controller you go with, be sure to keep it clean. Buy a case to store it away when not in use if you have to. I have an Oxygen 8 v2 and as draconian as I am with cleaning, dust managed to wreak havoc on a few of the controller knobs.

Subject:RE: Midi Controller – Buying Advice

Reply by: BJenkins

Date:4/25/2013 5:34:02 PM

That helps. My biggest concern / question was if a basic midi controller would work with Garritan's ARIA and similar and if there was any tricky programming of the controller. It sounds like it will be pretty straight forward. I had it in my mind that it might turn out to be a situation where some work while others are finicky. I do have an extra USB input available on the computer and I’m not sure why I even mentioned the i2i USB interface. I guess I was worried that there could be a conflict or something.

For my limited use and space requirements I lean toward the small M-Audio but due to the sacrifice in function I’m going to take another look. Thanks for the tip regarding dust issues as well.

Thanks

Subject:RE: Midi Controller – Buying Advice

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:4/26/2013 3:20:37 PM

You will definitely use MIDI modulation a lot in ARIA; it uses it to determine volume and dynamics in real time. (e.g. a crescendo or decrescendo.)

The reason why they use modulation to control volume is because it's a readily-available control on most MIDI controllers, usually as a dynamic wheel.