Midi controllers?
 

If you were going to buy a midi controller to use with FL Studios or Reason to produce hip hop type music what would you get?

ebay, 100 bucks, buy an Atari ST ;)

If you're on a budget, look for something from M-Audio. A good variety stuff, very reliable, and inexpensive. I use my controller more like a real piano because I can actually play, but hey! You can do a lot of shit with it.

88 programmable keys. Worked a charm when I was a tree of life druid playing WoW. THAT was awesome...

Great if you want to save space

http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/qua...ea878f3596.jpg

Depends what you are doing? Do you need drum pads, keys, or just a controller to move sliders.

I use Ableton with the Akai APC 40, I think that's the best setup you can find. They are built to work together.

A good all around controller would be an Akai MPK 25. You get keys, drum pads, and a bank of knobs for controllers. That will get you started with producing. However, I would say if you plan on using the pads, go to MPCstuff.com and buy the extra thick pads.

Well I'd like to get something that will have the drumpad, keys, knobs, etc. all in one unit. The budget is about $500 so whatever is best in that range. I think I will probably get the most use out of the drumpad.

I noticed a lot of people mentioning the Oxygen and Akai units when I searched Google, but some people said they are the cheaper budget ones and there are better companies to go with like Novation/Korg?

Not yet but I've always wanted to. I'm just clueless about all this equipment because there are a ton of different kind of midi controllers. I'm not planning to do anything live or anything, just want to get started on learning how to put some instrumentals together and maybe produce later.

I like the Akai MPK25 looks like it has everything I'll need especially if I'm just getting started. And the price is right so I'll have money left over on the gift card in case I want some other toys. Thanks guys.

The MPK25/49 is nice... so is the APC40 :)

Best thing to do is go to Guitar Center and play with a few. The last thing you want is to order something online and have it not be what you expected, quality wise.

Also, it helps to know what you're trying to do. Keys are always great because drawing in your notes can be a pain in the ass. Pads can be very useful too, as with sliders and knobs. It really depends on... what you're trying to do. Heck, you can use pads in a not-so-traditional way, such as triggering FX.

I'm a Logic and Ableton user. I've been using Logic since way back in the Logic5 days. I find myself doing most of my composing in Ableton and mix downs in Logic.

Oh yeah, the Oxygen8 is pretty good and cheap. However, I found that the less keys I had, the more frustrated I got down the road because I hated switching up and down octaves. It sucked when trying to actually play.

I should get one of you guys to play on a midi keyboard along with my Christmas or Fourth of July music. I can trigger my lights and fireworks from the midi file so they are perfectly timed to the music.

Axiom. 61 keys plus pads.. sliders... knobs... etc.... works nicely.

If you want mostly pads, the Korg PadKontrol is the best for the price. But it only has pads.

If you get the MPK25 YOU HAVE TO GET THE THICK PADS from MPCstuff.com so make sure to figure that into your price. The MPK pads are not sensitive enough for creative beats.

As you do more, you will end up getting a specific controller for different tasks. For example, I use an APC 40 for producing, an MPK for composing, and the Korg for beat making. But an MPK 25 can do all of those tasks so it's the best to buy first.

Yeah I read a lot of stuff about the MPK pads sensitivity problem and people needing to mod them. So I'll probably buy the mpcstuff after I see how annoying the stock ones are. I think the MPK is the best bet for me to see what parts of it I like to use most and go from there next time I'm buying something.

Even if the stock pads aren't great, you can use the keys just like pads to crank out beats and the MPK has really nice feeling keys. If you are doing hip hop style beats, the keys should be just fine. The super sensitive pads are only really needed for intricate, expressive stuff.

I know some guys who prefer using the keys instead of pads.

you wanna program drums or make melodies?
an m-audio trigger finger is good for drums, as for synths.. anything from m-audio or behringer would do :)