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Original poster

Midi keyboard or synthesizer?

40 replies

Alakazam8 · 20/10/2022 09:10

Dd would like to start writing her own songs/music. She is asking for a synthesizer for Christmas so was all ready to get one but I’ve been told that a midi keyboard would be better. I know so little about them so feel a bit lost. Does anyone on here know anything about them and could advise?

OP posts:
NoNamesLeft234678 · 27/10/2022 12:21

If she likes making things you can buy a build your own synthesizer :D

Lonelycrab · 27/10/2022 12:34

What’s your budget, op? Will dictate what’s available to you. Also, is she actually wanting to learn about synthesisers or is it more just a standard keyboard she’s after?

Midi keyboards often don’t contain sounds- you connect them to say a daw (computer) and the keyboard is just used to control the computer.

Original poster
Alakazam8 · 27/10/2022 15:27

She’s got a standard Yamaha keyboard but is really wanting to make different sounds that aren’t on a standard keyboard, she has developed an interest in writing her own music and playing around with sound composition.
budget wise around 100-150 ideally but would go higher if needed but hoped I wouldn’t have to!

OP posts:
Lonelycrab · 27/10/2022 22:48

Korg Volca keys is probably the best for that money, hook it up to the Yamahas keyboard via midi so you can play the sounds on the full size keys. There’s videos on YouTube so you can see and hear what it does.

It can get expensive pretty fast this stuff, next step up is say a novation mini nova at about £400, but you get more sounds and power, etc.

Original poster
Alakazam8 · 28/10/2022 06:07

That sounds great- will have a look. Brill that we could hook it up to her keyboard too. Thanks. Can’t stretch to £400 + unfortunately it’s her second instrument really and her first one is expensive enough!!

OP posts:
Frankie473 · 28/10/2022 15:03

What about Novation launchkey mk3 25? Connects to iPad or computer to create and around £90.

Lonelycrab · 28/10/2022 15:58

What about Novation launchkey mk3 25? Connects to iPad or computer to create and around £90

There are quite a few options if you have a computer or iPad to connect to, Native Instruments A25 is very powerful at £150 ish. The thing is, they’re really just controllers, and not synths- it’s the iPad/computer that is doing the work of generating the sounds.

A synthesiser generally has everything integrated and will have some kind of audio output, and although hooking to a computer can open up further possibilities, it’s not essential.

The novation and native instruments boxes don’t have any audio output, and are powered by usb- ie connecting them to another device. They’re controllers really, not synths. That’s not to say it’s a bad idea though, it’s just a more complicated setup that requires other things already.

Hence my recommendation of the Volca, it’s an actual synth and be used standalone or just connected to a simple midi keyboard via a midi lead, and you don’t need a computer/iPad.

OP does your dd have a reasonable computer, or iPad?

Original poster
Alakazam8 · 28/10/2022 16:05

She does have an iPad and that’s why I’m not sure which road to go down but think what she wants is more of a stand alone one really

OP posts:
justasking111 · 28/10/2022 16:08

I've had a Casio for 20 odd years the grand kids play with it now. Could you buy a Preloved one?

Lonelycrab · 28/10/2022 16:28

I've had a Casio for 20 odd years the grand kids play with it now. Could you buy a Preloved one?

Op already has this kind of thing, and is looking for something alongside it to give more modern/synthesised sounds.

@Alakazam8 I think it would be good idea for you dd to sit down and watch some YouTube vids on these devices and see what she thinks of the actual sounds being produced. The Novation a pp mentioned is a good way to go if using an iPad, as is Native instruments Kontrol and will probably be more capable of making a full song than say a Volca which can only do one thing at once really.

But you really have to check if your iPad is capable of running the software- it’ll need to be fairly current.

It’s a bit of a rabbit hole all this stuff, but good luck to you.

Frankie473 · 28/10/2022 17:04

Sorry to hijack this but looking for same thing! If my son is looking to make different piano sounds but also create and record songs- which is best?

Lonelycrab · 28/10/2022 17:15

@Frankie473 Does your son already have a computer/laptop/iPad?

Frankie473 · 28/10/2022 17:22

yes he does

Lonelycrab · 28/10/2022 17:27

Can you say what type pls? Is it a pc laptop, Mac, iPad? Etc

Lonelycrab · 28/10/2022 17:29

And how much do you want to spend!

Frankie473 · 28/10/2022 17:40

he has an iPad and we have a family laptop . Looking to spend £150 ish but want it to be good enough so that’s a rough estimate

Original poster
Alakazam8 · 29/10/2022 00:29

Similar story then @Frankie473.
She hasn’t mentioned the recording aspect but if it can do that too even better as it would be really useful I think.

OP posts:
Frankie473 · 29/10/2022 10:03

I’ve done lots of research and decided on Novation launchkey and then saw your thread. Perfect timing! Great to get advice from someone who knows!!

Original poster
Alakazam8 · 30/10/2022 07:15

@Frankie473 which one are you going to go for now please? Have you decided? Glad you jumped on!

OP posts:
Frankie473 · 30/10/2022 07:34

I’m waiting to see if Lonelycrab has any more advice. Otherwise I’m going for Novation mk3 25 keys as portable.

Frankie473 · 30/10/2022 07:51

I’m also going to look up Native instruments control .

Lonelycrab · 30/10/2022 11:31

Hi Frankie no, I think the products mentioned so far just about covers it. Like I said above, it can get very expensive this stuff, and I think all the budget options have been listed. I’ve done a little research because of this thread and nothing else jumps out. There are boxes that are ££ wise the next level up, things like Maschine but they’re more than £150. Perhaps s/h might be an option.

The NI stuff looks and sounds really really good, huge library and lots of software, but as far as I can see, it’s not for iPad- you’ll need a fairly decent computer to get it running.

Lonelycrab · 30/10/2022 11:38

Oh! There’s one more I did see on YouTube that’s just come out and looked rather interesting, and that’s the Ableton app, runs on a IPhone/iPad only, seemed like it could do some pretty cool stuff but I know nothing about it. Not exactly relevant to the thread as it’s not really a synth or keyboard but it’s only £5 so thought I’d mention.

Original poster
Alakazam8 · 30/10/2022 22:19

Thanks @Lonelycrab and @Frankie473. Would something like the Novationmk 3 be easy to set up and use on an iPad. Dd isn’t the most patient if things take a lot of time to get started with…

OP posts:
Lonelycrab · 30/10/2022 23:24

@Alakazam8 that device is designed to work with the full version of ableton, that’s not available on iPad.
It should work with GarageBand as far as I can tell, google it, and you can use it to control it. GarageBand is actually pretty powerful in its own way.

It looks like you need a camera connection kit for ipad to plug the two together. But that’s not expensive. And then you’ll need either headphones coming off the iPad, or have it connected to speakers, to actually hear it. Bluetooth has latency (delay) so not great for playing keyboards, so headphones or a lead into a stereo is better.