Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Which small keyboard to buy for Fruity Loops?

Hello,

I am looking for a very simple small keyboard that I can use with Fruity Loops or similar software. I want to choose all the sounds, effects, record etc. in the software on my laptop instead of on the keyboard itself. So it does not need to have any buttons just keys but it has to be compatible and the keys should be well weighted and feel natural.
Will USB be better than MIDI?

Willing to spend $200.

Thanks!

If you are just using it for your DAW,
USB only is fine.

I have the M-audio KeyRig 49- cost $99
and works great for exactly what you
want to do.

Unless you want more bells and whistles
(sounds like you don't want/need) you
don't need to spend more than that.

whats DAW?
thanks for replying

The software you refer to on your laptop. Wikipedia: Digital audio workstation.

The M-Audio Keyrig 49 has "synth-action" keys, not "weighted" keys. Aside from that, I agree with the previous post - it meets all the other requirements.

If you want something with _weighted_ keys, I think you'll have to spend more money than $200. Roland and Kawai both make weighted MIDI keyboards, but they're not small, light, or inexpensive. [There are other makers as well; others will probably respond.]

One possibility is to get a used Casio PX-130, or Yamaha P95. The keyboard action is reasonable on both of them, and they might be within your budget. Just ignore the built-in sound generator, and run MIDI from the keyboard to your PC.

. Charles

What Charles said about the weighted key action.

It does depend, though, on what you mean by "well weighted" keys that feel "natural." If you mean piano-like action, then yes, you'll need something like the action found on the PX-130 or the P95 (and higher models). If you only need, say, 49 or 61 keys (you did specify a "very simple, small keyboard"), you may not find anything like that with piano-like action, although there are some models that do have a fairly heavy feel that gives some security. The Behringer UMX610 is a 61-key controller keyboard that meets this description, and to me feels better than any other controller in its price range (a decent amount of weight to the keys, but no hammer action). It is around $200 (US), though I picked up a slightly used one on eBay for much less; there are also 49- and 25-key versions which of course are cheaper. It does have a few programmable buttons and knobs but you can ignore them if they aren't needed.

The Akai MPK49 has been surfacing at Guitar Center on and off lately at the $200 level.
Definitely the best of the bunch at that price.

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