I'm a paraplegic. Looking for a keyboard to purchase?

[AnalogGuy1]

I don't pretend to have the experience of a lot of other posters here, but I do trigger some background tracks to start and stop at various times in my band, and I use a related approach to an arranger keyboard that uses a laptop computer instead and software called VSTs.

 

It involves connecting a special type of keyboard called a "midi controller" to your laptop and have the laptop generate the sounds. The benefit of this is that it can be a lot simpler to program once you know the software (since you have a full screen and keyboard on your laptop) and cheaper (for whatever reason a midi controller plus good-quality software costs less than most good quality arranger synths). The downside is that it has a harsher learning curve to get started (since the laptop is a general-purpose tool and you have to make several disparate pieces of software work together) and is not generally as reliable in performances (ditto).

 

Just as an example: something like a an Axiom 61 say (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Axiom61mk2 but buy the previous model for $250 on ebay) - you can play one sound on the right side, another sound on the left, and touch the big pads in the rear right to trigger different backing tracks. The sounds (including the orchestral parts) could be generated using NI Komplete Elements for $100 (http://www.floridamusicco.com/search.asp?stype=exact). You need two other pieces of software: an ASIO driver (ASIO4ALL is good and also free) and a host (Cantabile Solo is $99 and a great place to start).

 

As far as the workflow goes, you start by figuring out what you want to play and what you want to be played for you. You then search the net for midi files - someone's probably already orchestrated what you want to play. Load the midi into a DAW (digital audio workstation, like Cakewalk Sonar Home), and delete the parts you want to play using your hands. Break the rest into parts that you want to trigger (e.g. one part that runs the length of the song, another part that just plays during the chorus, and another part that's just for the verse), and save each different part as a separate midi file. Then start up your host (e.g. Cantabile). Load each midi file into a separate midi player and program each to start playing when you press a different pad on your midi controller. Then load up a different VST (the NI Komplete Element, for example) for each sound you want to play with your hands, and map it to the part of the keyboard you want to use.

 

Hope that makes sense! This is why I should not drink coffee before posting.

[Mickeypowell5]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-MM6-61-Key-Synthesizer-Workstation-/220911447932?pt=Keyboards_MIDI&hash=item336f592f7c

 

Would something like this work for me?

[Mickeypowell5]

I don't pretend to have the experience of a lot of other posters here, but I do trigger some background tracks to start and stop at various times in my band, and I use a related approach to an arranger keyboard that uses a laptop computer instead and software called VSTs.

 

It involves connecting a special type of keyboard called a "midi controller" to your laptop and have the laptop generate the sounds. The benefit of this is that it can be a lot simpler to program once you know the software (since you have a full screen and keyboard on your laptop) and cheaper (for whatever reason a midi controller plus good-quality software costs less than most good quality arranger synths). The downside is that it has a harsher learning curve to get started (since the laptop is a general-purpose tool and you have to make several disparate pieces of software work together) and is not generally as reliable in performances (ditto).

 

Just as an example: something like a an Axiom 61 say (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Axiom61mk2 but buy the previous model for $250 on ebay) - you can play one sound on the right side, another sound on the left, and touch the big pads in the rear right to trigger different backing tracks. The sounds (including the orchestral parts) could be generated using NI Komplete Elements for $100 (http://www.floridamusicco.com/search.asp?stype=exact). You need two other pieces of software: an ASIO driver (ASIO4ALL is good and also free) and a host (Cantabile Solo is $99 and a great place to start).

 

As far as the workflow goes, you start by figuring out what you want to play and what you want to be played for you. You then search the net for midi files - someone's probably already orchestrated what you want to play. Load the midi into a DAW (digital audio workstation, like Cakewalk Sonar Home), and delete the parts you want to play using your hands. Break the rest into parts that you want to trigger (e.g. one part that runs the length of the song, another part that just plays during the chorus, and another part that's just for the verse), and save each different part as a separate midi file. Then start up your host (e.g. Cantabile). Load each midi file into a separate midi player and program each to start playing when you press a different pad on your midi controller. Then load up a different VST (the NI Komplete Element, for example) for each sound you want to play with your hands, and map it to the part of the keyboard you want to use.

 

Hope that makes sense! This is why I should not drink coffee before posting.

 

Wow! This sounds extremely difficult! Is there any other way? Or is this what I need to buy? What if bought something more expensive, and this would be easier?

[Synthoid]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-MM6-61-Key-Synthesizer-Workstation-/220911447932?pt=Keyboards_MIDI&hash=item336f592f7c

 

Would something like this work for me?

 

I don't think you would be happy with the MM6. It offers very limited sound editing and is all plastic--not the best build quality.