Need help picking equipment (midi keyboard w/ pads vs. buy p

[isealbz]

I want to start producing my own music. I already own Ableton Lite and basic equipment for recording guitar (tube amp, recording interface, Shure SM57). But since I listen to a lot of metal with a keyboard element (Neurosis, Cult of Luna) as well as industrial/noise (Street Sects) and electronic (Nils Frahm), I'd like to bring synths and beats into my music.

 

My budget is around $300-350. Since I don't already own a DAW controller, I suspect that it would be best to buy some sort of midi controller. But I'm having a hard time deciding between the options.

 

Part of the issue is that I'm not sure whether 49 keys will suffice for my purposes or whether I'll miss having less than 61 keys. It would be preferable to have more keys so that I have the option to play some piano pieces.

 

The bigger issue is that I'm not sure whether I'm better off trying to get everything in one (a midi keyboard with built-in pads) or buying a keyboard and pads separately, investing more in pads and spending the rest of my money on whichever midi controller has the best feeling keybed.

 

There are a dizzying array of all-in-one options:

 

• Akai MPK249 (over budget new, but someone is selling one used on Facebook for $250)
  
• Alesis V
  
• Arturia KeyLab Essential
  
• Arturia KeyLab MKII (over budget new, but maybe within budget used)
  
• Nektar Impact LX
  
• M-Audio Oxygen
  
• Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol (lacks pads, but perhaps the best option if I buy pads separately?)
  
• Nektar Impact LX
  
• Nektar Panorama T4
  
• Novation Launchkey
  

 

And the main contenders for pads seem to be:

 

• Akai MPD218
  
• Korg PadKontrol (seems to be discontinued but maybe available secondhand/used)
  
• Maschine Mikro MK2 (seems to be discontinued but maybe available secondhand/used)
  
• Maschine Mikro MK3 (but I've heard that the MK2 is actually better)
  
• Maschine MK2 Groove Production Studio (over budget new, but maybe within budget secondhand/used)
  
• M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro (seems to be discontinued but maybe available secondhand/used)
  

 

I'm leaning toward the Akai MPK249 if I can talk a seller down to $200.

 

On the other hand, since I've heard mixed things about the pads on the Akai MPK249, and I've heard amazing things about the PadKontrol, Maschine Mikro MK2, and Maschine MK2 Groove Production Studio, I'm wondering if I should try to find one of those used instead. But if I did that, what midi controller would I get for keys/DAW control?

 

What would you do in my situation?

[midinut]

I own a bunch of Arturia products and love the KeyLabs. Essentials are fine for starting out. I'm looking at replacing my aging M-Audio Keystation 88es with a Arturia Essentials 88 for my home studio, but for me, a weighted piano action is not that important to me. Semi-weighted synth actions in the KeyLab mkIIs are terrific imho. Plus you've got it all in one box.

 

If you are serious about separate pads I find the Akai LPD8 to be a wonderful controller to use with the controllers that don't have pads or knobs. And I do have lust for a Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol board.

[KuruPrionz]

Have you considered using the keyboard to play drums? If you have a good feeling keyboard with touch sensitivity, it might feel better than some of the pads.

I have an Akai MPK 25, a bit older. The pads are pretty OK, the keys are probably better for drums. But, since I found a well used and cosmetically worn Roland Handsonic, the first model - on craigslist for $150, that's my go-to for MIDI drums. That said, I paid a LOT more than your budget for a Korg Wavedrum Global and it is orders of magnitude more fun for playing drums. No MIDI, just extremely sensitive and expressive drum sounds.

 

With your budget, I'd look for the best feeling MIDI keyboard controller with the number of keys you want and call it good.

[drawback]

The best key feel of the first list are the Arturia Keylab MKII and the Akai. I bought and returned the Nektar Impact and Novation Launchkey due to abysmal keybeds, even though in the store they felt actually better than the other budget models (most from the first list were on display). One that the OP hadn"t mentioned is Novation Impulse which I"ve settled on for myself. They"ve been around for a long time and I suspect they may be gone before too long.

[jeffincltnc]

I thought the feel of the Arturia Keylab MKII was good. If you are going all in with the Native Instruments ecosystem and Komplete Kontrol, the workflow for Maschine products will probably be productive and well featured. I think the quality of their build is good overall for the money but you pay more for the NI integration out of the box.

[Stokely]

Not sure the sale is still on, but I saw that with the Arturia MkII controller you get the v6 synth collection thrown in. That is a heck of a good deal if you need some software synths.

 

If I couldn't find something with both good action and good pads, might be worth considering a separate unit. For me, the keyboard action comes first, and if it has substandard controllers I can supplement with something else. I currently have a nanokontrol usb unit for instance, it's a bit small but handy.

[Dr Mike Metlay]

Another vote for Arturia. They're stupid-cheap for the build quality you get, seriously. Akais are popular because the whole drum pad thing started with them, but I can't speak to the quality of the current crop.

 

If it was me, I'd have one for each. The Novation Launchpad X gives you a lot of flexibility as a pad controller for not too much money, and if you want a surprisingly great-feeling, light, reliable controller keyboard with just a few pads that can be used as pressure-sensitive controllers as well, check out the Samson Graphite 49, which is not as well built as the Arturias but fabulously affordable.

[uhoh7]

Nektar T4 has fantastic large pads and pretty creamy keys, for being short like all these are. It's fine for DAWs. Just know if you ever leave the laptop for hardware then MIDI functions like sending sysex can be critical. The Nektar can't do it, and few can send anything more than rudimentary sysex.

 

61 keys is nicer for sure, since you can split and layer. 49 is just enough to actually play, but easy to carry. If the board is not moving alot, you would prefer 61, I think.

 

MIDI keyboard controllers have not improved since the 80s. Most are worse. Don't be afraid to get an old one....except the pads. Pads really have gotten better. I would lean to getting a nice old 61+ board and a newer pad controller. It's clumsy anyway to use pads on a keyboard....compared to something like a MPC.

[Biggles]

You posted this very same query on another forum a few days ago where you were given advice.

 

You have revisited that forum but failed to acknowledge the advice given.

 

If people take the time and effort to give you advice the least you could do is say thank you.