[AcousticSmash]

I am thinking of getting a MIDI keyboard for a relatively affordable price. However I need to find one that can emulate old keyboards like Oberheimer's and such, think Rush and Pink Floyd style keyboard stuff and thats what I am after in terms of tones. I have been looking at M-Audio MIDI keyboards but I dont know whether I should purchase one yet (finding them is a pain in the arse around here).

[improviduto]

MIDI keyboards are just like any other MIDI control surface in that they let the user send MIDI signals to an external device which then plays a sample or sound. In other words, a MIDI keyboard alone won't do you any good. You need to interface it with software (my favorite being Reason 3.0), sampler or synthesizer hardware, or just abandon the effort and buy a straight-up synthesizer with piano keys.

[AcousticSmash]

Well I would like an electric keyboard that is small in size and has some form of removeable storage so I can install tone patches on it or has internal memory that I can plug into my computer via USB. Is there anything like that in existance that isnt too expensive?

[improviduto]

If you're not looking to play it like a full-out piano, the microKorg synth is a pretty popular unit. I can't remember if they come with a USB interface; however, they are pretty easy to use. If I had an extra $400 floating around, I'd probably pick one up.

[AcousticSmash]

Well really I want is something that can emulate Oberheimer synths and various other old keyboards and Moog devices. I really like the old Zeppelin, Floyd and Rush synths that are used on their recordings and thats really what I am gunning for. Its hard to have all those types of sounds without having to own a whole bunch of vintage units.

[w00dy]

you could buy any midi keyboard use it to control a rack based module like this oberheim matrix 1000, which i saw on ebay reciently, or you could go the vst route for the sound of the moog (there seem to be alot of emulators for that). actully the thought just struck me that you could build a seperate pc quite cheaply (you dont need anything flashy do you) just to run vst synths and ethernet it up to your main pc, and bingo youve access to loads of 'vintage' gear (if you buy it, and it well cheaper buying vsts than collectable stuff init)

This post has been edited by w00dy: 22 July 2007 - 09:46 AM