4 a Present

[Gustavo]

Well, we all know that everybody likes helping ppl picking stuff for presents, so here we go... What`s a good option for a cheap keyboard (yea i mean used-cheap), preferrable under 500 usd, that can be either used as a midi controller or has some decent sounds or can make some. Also I will give it a make over (any tips on that welcome) so it must be easy to dissemble and reassemble (No crazy number of knobs!). No OM, so far i haven´t found an s90 under 500. So I guess a triton is a no brainer, unless its being sold by a dumbass.

G

[Grey Loki]

Why not a nice MIDI controller and one of the Native Instruments synthesizers? (Akoustik Piano, Kontakt, Reaktor, B4, FM8, and so on). I've used them all (thanks to my uni entering into a deal with NI whereby they supply all of our labs with copies), and was very impressed - each one of them is polished with sensible presets and plenty of scope for editing.

About the only NI VST that gets trumped easily by something else would be Reaktor, which IMO is less flexible than Max/MSP, but then - Reaktor's oscillators and filters do seem to sound better than the stock ones you can build in MSP.

[Gustavo]

You are right, it may be better, now i only need some feedback on what kind of softare is better for starter. For what I have read, its better gettin a DAW software and just build it from there, no? Also are the VSTs stand a lone?

Thanks,
Gus

[dankap]

most (if not all) of NI's vst's have standalone apps.
and it might be better goin the daw route, rather than reaktor. it's not easy for a beginner to pick up right away. if it's for a pc user, something like cakewalk's inexpensive daw and one from NI or atrutia would be overly sufficient i would thing.

[Gustavo]

What about for a Mac? And btw the cheaper, the better. lol

Gus

PS, what version of cake walk is better for me? I have a windows xp, with top end hardware (well it was a year ago)

[-=AnatomiC=-]

First, you should consider one thing (well, maybe you did, but I'm going to say this anyway....)
Does your friend really wants to discover the world of synthesis? It's without a doubt one of the most interesting hobbies there are, but there are very few people who actually like it.
The chance is big, that you will give him/her a very expensive present, and he/she won't even give it a chance.
Sometimes, a cheap present, can do much more than an expensive one. It have to be something personal, some kind of a memento...

And if you are sure, he/she will like it, here are few suggestions.
- Don't buy second hand stuff, if it's a gift. Unless it's a vintage synth.
- I recommend a basic hardware synth.

For a beginner, I would recommend, Sh-201, or even cheaper Novation XioSynth, or maybe Micron, with editor.
+ maybe some kind of a software workstation, like cubase (less expensive versions of it), for additional sequencing.

Or a midi controller, with cubase/reason/...

[Grey Loki]

I've just thought of this, but the most recent version of Apple's Logic (I almost typed eMagic, heh) comes with a heck of a lot of extra stuff, and I find it to be the easiest DAW to use, next to Mackie's Tracktion.

A Mac would be a very nice gift, but I very much doubt that you would be able to afford one that will run audio software properly.

In answer to your earlier question, all of Native Instrument's VSTs also come as stand-alone applications. Even if they were only available as VSTs, I believe that there are several free (and possibly open-source) VST hosts available.

[Gustavo]

lol forgot to state that the keyboard is actually for my sister. so the computer stuff is no trouble, since I have a macbook and an alienware PC with XP. She probably know that since its goin to be the first time i am going to buy a keyboard for giving it a makeover, its probably goin to be a used one. Also I was planning on getting somethin like an m1 or a nord lead (original or maybe 2x) or perhaps a sampler. So anyway ifshe doesn`t enjoy it or use it, i can always do that for her :)

Gus

[dankap]

For a beginner, I would recommend, Sh-201, or even cheaper Novation XioSynth, or maybe Micron, with editor.
+ maybe some kind of a software workstation, like cubase (less expensive versions of it), for additional sequencing.

Or a midi controller, with cubase/reason/...


very good advice, with the exception that for a beginner, cubase is not good. the workflow isnt very smooth, whereas reason is just so easy to pick up and learn in 5 minutes. personal opinion of course :cool:

[Gustavo]

Well, these are good recommendations on the software parts, but on the keyboards... don´t hesitate on recommending something that may be hard to use at first. I am decently good at all the programming and stuff. BTW buying something used isnt a very bad thing for these circunstances, because you notice mostly, and the most annoing, that something is old due to the aesthetics (if u dont know a lot bout keyboard, which my sister doent, but she is a good player), BUT since i am repainting the keyboard myself, the board may look quite good, maybe better than a new one ;-). So perhaps something 61 or 76 keys, 88 is big NO since I am also repainting the keys, so yea 61 is better. As I said earlier, i was actually looking for something from past gens, or early on this gen. But I dont know much about those stuff since i am not old enough to have been there with those synths and, as you may guess, no store round here has many old stuff on display.
To summarize, tips on which keyboard from some years ago is best are most welcome!

Gus

[Omega Monkey]

I would say Yamaha CS6X, S30, or S03. The S's would be better looks-wise because they are just plain black so a new paint job would be a bigger change. Both the CS and the S30 can use Yamaha PLG cards which could be a nice feature later on. The CS can also do some sampling which is always fun.

[Gustavo]

Thanks for the advice, right now i am bout to check the prices on those yammies. Oh and i will get for myself some VSTs for christmas;)

G

[Omega Monkey]

Oh and i will get for myself some VSTs for christmas;)

If you use protection you wont have to worry about that.

[Grey Loki]

:D

(10chars)