Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

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dreamache
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Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by dreamache » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:42 am

I want to purchase either the m-audio or the akai fully weighted 88 key midi controller. Before I do that though, I want to be sure it's the best decision.

My purposes for playing are:
(1) Using the sliders/knobs to experiment with electronic/dub music
(2) Also continue playing piano (I'm entry-level, so I won't be 100% put off by the unrealistic feel of the keys vs. a real piano).

The only concern I have is if for any reason, using a fully weighted controller has any disadvantages in creating/recording electronic music? I can't imagine there is, but just want to be certain first.

I guess the question would be best addressed as this:
If money and physical space weren't an issue, is there any reason you'd *not* purchase a full weight 88 key controller to record electronic/dub music?

Thanks.

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Eat Bass
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by Eat Bass » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:53 am

i dont see why there would be any reason not to use fully weighted keys for electronic music. the keys will still feel more like a keyboard than a piano.

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jrisreal
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by jrisreal » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:54 am

I've been really wanting the MPK88 too. If you have the money, it definitely looks like something to get.
...in my opinion
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hasezwei
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by hasezwei » Fri Oct 21, 2011 5:11 am

i'll answer your question, op. but only if you anwer a simple question first:

what do you mean by 'dub music' ?

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legend4ry
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by legend4ry » Fri Oct 21, 2011 5:58 am

If you can afford the MPK88 without leading yourself homeless.. Then get it!

When I get to play a real piano, the feeling of touching the keys doesn't get tiresome (anyone else get this feeling from non-weight keyboards?) so I can sit at it for hours, theres a few exceptions (like the Nord Electro 3) which have brilliant semi-weighted keys but a fully weighted is a pleasure to play! i'd invest a full-octave, fully weighted keyboard if I could afford it..
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wub
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by wub » Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:05 am

Image

Can you rephrase this as an ethical question?

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Warwolt
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by Warwolt » Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:45 am

Do you feel that the money justifies the advantages you get with playing and recording with a full scale keyboard? If yes, buy it. Its pointless really if you can't or isn't interesed in learning to play piano, but since you are, I'd definetly go with it. Should be really sweet being able to grove with the tune with your hands instead of mouse and grid sometimes.
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benjam
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by benjam » Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:53 am

Unless your a proper pianist 88 keys is overkill imo, how many times have you recorded anything thats spanned more than 4 octaves?

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Jas0n
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by Jas0n » Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:23 am

benjaminC wrote:Unless your a proper pianist 88 keys is overkill imo, how many times have you recorded anything thats spanned more than 4 octaves?
This is a fair point, seeing how it's so common with electronic music to break the sound spectrum down using different instruments at different frequency ranges or whatever.
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blinx
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by blinx » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:53 pm

get them 88s mang... the more keys the better the heavier the better! Akai makes pretty quality gear.
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wormcode
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by wormcode » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:40 pm

Jas0n wrote:
benjaminC wrote:Unless your a proper pianist 88 keys is overkill imo, how many times have you recorded anything thats spanned more than 4 octaves?
This is a fair point, seeing how it's so common with electronic music to break the sound spectrum down using different instruments at different frequency ranges or whatever.
I agree. I had a 61 key controller for a while and I hated it after a few weeks. Huge and heavy and took up space. Even though I bought it with the intention of playing along to stuff using more than 1 octave, I rarely used more than 1. It's easy enough to click the +1 -1 octave button IMO. If you DO plan on learning piano I guess it's more worth it, but make sure you are serious about it before dropping cash. If space/portability isn't a problem then just go for it, you can always sell it later... only thing to worry about is ridiculous shipping.

mbietenholz
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by mbietenholz » Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:25 pm

It depends on what you like to play.

If you want to play piano, then its probably pretty much a given you'll want a weighted controller. There's really no substitute for that feel. I really like having an 88-key controller for live electronic music because I can map different things to different parts of the keyboard. I might have a loop mapped to the bottom octave, and still have a lot of keyboard left over for stuff to play on top of it. It *is* a bitch to get to the gig though.

kurtdaniel
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Re: Should I purchase a fully weighted 88 controller or not?

Post by kurtdaniel » Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:43 am

Almost all 88-keys controllers are balanced hammers, you usually have to go down to 77 or 66 keys to have synth-like keys. Its what i usually use for piano teaching..

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