Midi Keyboard

Want to buy one - any suggestions for something relatively inexpensive, but works well with the iMac?

Seen http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=008&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=180103139500&rd=1&rd=1 on Ebay - does this look the part?

Thanks

I know that the apple store sells keyboards itself. I've played around on what I believe what a 3 octave one, it started at middle C, obviously lol, and went an octave higher on the keys and an octave lower. It had the ability for you to increase the pitch on it, sadly I don't remember the maker. But if you can get over to an apple store yourself most likely they'll have a couple hooked up, most likely to a Mac Pro. I say start @ the store or on Apple.com and if you can ask anyone who works in an Apple store, you might stumble on a garageband nut. Happy looking and let us know how it turns out.

I bought the M-Audio Keystation 49e from one of the local Apple stores. (It's also available through Apple's website.) It's a nice keyboard at what I think is a decent price.

As it says on the product description:
Class-compliant with Windows XP and Mac OS X

It will work very well with your iMac, you can use with any midi edito/sequencer software (Ableton Live, Garageband, Reason, etc..)
I think it is a very good option, it is portable, and the knobs and buttons are very useful.

n_n

I picked up a M-Audio keystation 61es around Christmas and it's one of my best purchases. Depending on what you are doing, you may be limited by 49 keys, I know that I would be myself. The 61 key keyboards are great all around, and I haven't had a single issue with mine. The keys are also semi-weighted so it feels a little more like playing a "real" piano (which I have as well, they are pretty close).

Thanks everyone. I think I msy go for the M Audio one - though I have seen it £20 cheaper than the Apple store!

I'd recommend Novation's Remote series.

http://www.novationmusic.com/product.asp?id=30&Type=1&bArchive=False

If you do anything with VSTs then you need one, it automagically assigns parameters to the controls on the device.

They recently released v3 of the software (I bought it with v1, pretty good product support to release 2 new major versions) which acts as a wrapper around any VST and lets you customise the layout easily.

I have an M-Audio 2-octave keyboard, it works great with Reason - no drivers, no faffing around.

Finally got the M-Audio 49E and it seems to do everything I need (within my limitations!)

Thanks for replies

Congrats!!!! Have fun with it. ^_^

Cool, I'm looking for a keyboard myself at the moment...


Here's my current shortlist:

M-AUDIO Keystation 49e
M-Audio Oxygen 49
BEHRINGER UMX49


Any thoughts?

If it's just a controller then my previous recommendation applies, Novation SL.

If you want a mighty fine synth, V-Synth. I have one and it's a very unique instrument. The V-Synth GT should be out about now.

http://www.roland.com/V-Synth/