Yeah, usually that genre stays within the 5 adjacent keys, so you still have 20 redundant keys!

 

I would skip the Akai. Their budget controllers have gotten some pretty terrible reviews about the build quality. Arturia are usually pretty durable. The others, are probably all pretty close. Most are probably all made at the same factory in China anyway. Based on personal experience, I would get the M-Audio. They have been making controllers for decades, and you will frequently see people with them 10+ years old and still working close to perfect.

Any of them will work for data entry. If you actually want to play it like a real keyboard or synth; I'd skip most of the ones mentioned in the first few posts.

 

That sounds awesome, I may need to just take a trip to a music store and see what I do and don't like personally. Aesteticaly I love the Aurtia sleek, clean and well designed.

Oh wow a plethera of goodies comes with it too, thats just a huge bonus.

Ah that sounds cool, how do they even connect? Is it USB connection or fire wire or something else? I also have to get a controller.

 

Last edited: Nov 19, 2024

Ah I see, sorry I wasn't trying to be offenseive I thought you were making a joke.

Very true indeed, that sounds like an idea. I could order 2 models I like and send the one back that I did not prefer.

Oh wow thats pretty cool I didn't even know those existed. So essentially you could have 88 keys just stacked upon one another. I may have to go that modifcation option with the rollabe shelving as well.

 

Last edited: Nov 19, 2024

I'd have more space but I'm lazy lol, I have my old tower computer from 20 years ago set up under the desk still and the 32 inch monitor on the main desk top. I'm currently using the roll out drawer for the keyboard to rest my laptop on. I also have a basket full of clothes stacked 3 feet high that I could sell that I haven't wanted to tackle lol. So essentially I may be able do a 49 key once I'm able to get all that shit squared away I just have nowhere to put the shit.

Would you reccomend the Nektar LX49 over the Akai Pro MPK249 and if so why? Ideally I've been looking to purchase the Akai Pro MPK249 for years I just never had the time to invest into music production and I figured if I got it I'd never be able to use it.

That foldable stand option sounds ideal I could store it in my closet when I'm not using it. Honestly like I said the desktop is plenty big enough I just have a mess to tackle I haven't been looking forward to at all

 

Last edited: Nov 19, 2024

I actually agree with this, each users experience is different. I've seen products on amazon people say are shit and they fit my needs and worked great for me.

 

Thanks, thats my thing too. The build quality, the Arturuia looks solid for sure.

 

Can you blame me? LOL I have a stack of clothes like 15 pairs of jeans, god knows how many shirts probably an easy 5k worth of clothes just piled there that I can't wear. All brand new and never worn they just didn't fit, and I held on to them too long to be able to send back because I used work a lot up until the accident I had where I fell on my wrist, which put me out of work. The others are basket full like 3 foot high of old clothes I grew out of because I gained weight sitting around not being able to do much over the past neary 2 years.

 

If you want to save space, while it doesn't have full sized keys, the Keystep 37 is great. I love mine. Takes up very little room both width wise and depth. I had an LX25+ before. It was a good, but I switched to the Keystep 37 because I wanted at least another octave, and I have zero regrets.

I found I don't really use the sequencer/arp on it, so that's a bit wasted on me, but my desk would feel so cluttered if I had something larger.

Pardon the wire mess.. I'm getting there.. :P

 

Last edited: Nov 19, 2024

So as a long Time FL User i would say it depends if you are going to stay there or want the flexibility to change to other DAW's.

I owned the Akai MPK249 which has good Quality buildwise but straight out the Box doesen't perfom good in FL.

The Roli Lumi or how its called now Roli Piano M is a great Tool for learning Piano and its an MPE Controller, but thats where things get bad in FL since there is no real MPE Support there is a shitty workaround but its not like using the Controller in other DAW's with full MPE Support.

I can't talk about the Quality of the Roli Piano M (Lumi) but i owned an Roli Seaboard Block which was good Qualitywise but i returned it since with out the MPE function there was no point of keeping it and it doesn't look like Image-Line is going to implement it soon.

I ordered the Aturia Minilab 3 and was very disappointed looks nice but the Keys are small and not nice to play and feel cheap imo and is also not suited for my big fingers. Integrationwise the Minilab 3 has a good integration but not like the Novation FL Key37 or the Akai Fire.

A Friend of mine uses the Panorma P4 in his Studio which has by far the best Keys on an Midi Controller i personally played and has solid integration into FL for the Basic Functions.

That all said my main Controller is nowadays the Akai Fire with the NFX2 + OG Script which is also very nice for limited space.

Since it wasn't mentioned before in this Thread here is my personal review.

Straight out the Box the Akai Fire is missing a lot of things (Thats why it flopped and was left behind by Akai) but since FL introduced Python Scripting things started to get really great as Users started to Code their own Scripts.

Basicly you can get it to Auto assign the 12 User Knobs (Normally you got 8 but the NFX Script boosts it to 12) to any 3rd Party Plugin (which has mapable Knobs FL can see) based on Scripts which for me is a big point since i wanted to get away from the Mouse+Keyboard Workflow which i did.
You can control everything Plugin Channels, Mixer Channels the whole Playlist, Step Sequenzer and so on.

I also got more into Synth Sound Design because its Way more fun to turn Knobs like on Hardware Synths than it is to do it with a Mouse.

You can also Play 4 Octavea in Note Mode with it and the NFX Scripts also got a cool Chords Feature.

As i read in one of your posts you would make heavy use of Pads so this might be an alternative also programming Drums in the Step Sequenzer lets you feel more like doing it on an TR-808 or similar Hardware (The only Con for me is that the Pads are not fully Velocity sensitive but you can easily adjust this afterwards in FL). Also you can shoot these cheap between 50-80 Bucks on eBay.

I would't recommend buying a new one since they are Sold for 169 Bucks nowadays as Controller only which was the Price including the FL Fire Edition back in the Day when the Fire released the Controller only was 99 Bucks if i remember correctly.

I do not own the FL Key37 by now but its on my List since thru Scripts this in Combination with the Fire are the ultimate Solution to Control everything which is possible inside FL with some Extra Features. If you not want to stay exclusive to FL this might definitly not be the Option.
Also the Akai Fire is usable in Abelton thru the Crossfire Script.

You can Watch the Features of the NFX v2 Script + OG on YouTube to get an better unterstanding of what this Script transforms the Fire into.

PS: FLKey37 are sold for 159,99 right now on Novation Website on Thomann it is 199.
(Rare case most of the time Thomann is matching the price).

Hopefully this helps and as said by many Users before it is the best if you can try it out to see if it fits for you since everybody is different.

Have a nice Day and fun while producing

 

Last edited: Nov 19, 2024

the pitch wheel on my Novation is more durable than my Axiom and Nektar .. So I would suggest the Novation

 

The Arturia MiniLab 3 has a USB C and a full size 5 pin MIDI port on the back.

It is bus powered, meaning if you want to use with a computer you just plug in the provided cable, putting the USB C end in the keyboard and the other USB A end into a USB port on your computer. That's it. Data and power is transferred over the same cable. This is pretty standard for these smaller form factor MIDI keyboards.

If wanting to use standalone for hardware, you just plug the provided cable into the keyboard's USB C port as above, but plug the other end into a wall socket, similar to something like your phone charger's wall socket, for example. Then you would just run the 5 pin MIDI cable from the keyboard's MIDI port to your hardware device, be it a synth, modular rack, drum machine, etc. It will then work as a standalone in the sense it is not needed to be connected to a computer and will operate the hardware device for you. You can expand on this too if wanting to use only on hardware by using Arturia's MIDI configurator software to customise what MIDI messages is controlled by all keys, pads, knobs, and faders, which would then be saved in the keyboard's memory, meaning you could create an entirely custom keyboard for your hardware device to work how you want (you can also customise to this extent for use when connected to the computer too, but mostly it is already sensibly mapped so less of a need for this).

 

If you have the chance, try go go to a store and try it.
It's a lot about the hapctic and quality of material ( for me)
I have the Akai MPK mini 3. I'm pretty happy with the haptic and quality. But it doesn't have a Transport Section. So no Start stop.

Most things I bought in a store I'm happier with then the stuff I bought online

 

dang you have a nice set up

 

No reason for you to be sorry!
I am making a joke. on me. I just like to take myself not too seriuosly.
Those 24 keys keyboards are IMHO really only for one handed use. Not for seriuosly playing keyboard as @Radio pointed out earlier.

 

Wow thanks man, I appreciate that. You really gave a detailed and in depth response. Right now I'm just an FL user because that's really all anyone had back then besides cubase, pro tools, reason, logic on mac, and maybe even Ableton. I can't recall but I believe it was available back then too. It was harder to get cracked software, and shit was really expensive. With 28 then 56k it would take days to download shit lol.

Dang well that sucks that the MPK49 doesn't intergrate well with FL, that's a bummer.

Ah come on man you had to rain my parade I was really feeling that Arturia Mini 3 lol. I don't have like really huge hands or anything I wear like a medium to large in gloves, which would be a 9 to 10.

I'm looking into that one as well as other Nektar models per suggestions here. I need to stop being lazy and get all this shit off my computer desk thats been accumulating so I'd have the room for a 49 key lol.

I've seen the reviews on the Roli but I'd have to have pads. I have no idea what MPE even is LOL. That definitely sucks its not intergrated though.

I've seen the Fire but I thought it was just pads like an MPC without the other functions and display. I like that it doesn't look like it takes up much space nor does it appear to have much weight to it so it could be easily tranported and put away if the space was needed. Oh wow that sounds awesome, I'd love for my midi controller to be fully mapped where I no longer have to use the mouse for any tweaking or modulation. Indeed, way more fun and inspiring than clicking a mouse for sure.

Oh wow 4 octaves at once?!? That's fucking awesome, you could produce melodies with some real depth, dynamics and complexity.

Definitely for sure I'd be heavy on the pads, as I get more involved into music I learn more. Eveyone used to use sample packs back then, I have tons of them. However, now I feel I can make most of the sounds or even duplicate them in most synths. I also feel like using other peoples loops aren't your own work nor unique. That's a great price range too.

I was actually leaning toward the FL key 37 more than any other model, but some people aren't giving good feed back on them. I think eveyones experience varies though, and being that I've never had one I can't compare it to any others.

I will definitely check that out on youtube for sure, because I no nothing about mapping and I'm sure it can be frustrating.

Thanks again for the all the feed back and incite

 

I think I may have to take a trip to Circuit City (jk lol they closed years ago) Guitar Center or Sam Ash

 

I read that your heart beats for Arturia:

Arturia KeyLab mk3 49 Black or white = 449 €
www.arturia.com/products/hybrid-synths/keylab-mk3/overview

Software integration

• Seamless integration with Analog Lab V and V Collection instruments: select sounds, browse presets, smart-assigned controls
• Advanced integration with FL Studio, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Cubase, Bitwig Studio
• Also compatible with MCU/HUI control
• Up to 6 user presets for a totally customizable experience

Should you get the NEW Arturia Keylab MK3? FULL REVIEW