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Novation and M-Audio are usually best sellers, and are fairly common in home studios. I prefer the feel of the Novation Impulse line, and the M Audio Axiom Air series. I would probably choose an M-Audio midi controller if all you have is around 200. Behringer used to be ok, but major companies (Musicians Friend, Guitar Center) have dropped them from their product line, and support is nearly impossible from Behringer. I had to order a piece from Behringer for a customer, and it took 2 months just to get a hold of the right part number, then another month to get the part shipped from the factory.

Alesis is great as well, if you dont need all the drum pads, knobs, or sliders.

In the 200 dollar range you should do just fine, I would grab an Axiom Air 25, or a Novation launchkey 49. If you need the 61 keys, get a basic M-Audio keystation, or Oxygen. Those UXM610 feel like spongecake, and have connectivity and mapping issues.

Get this one for 61 keys.

Links for days!

here

here

and here

Let me know if i can help you out!

With such a low budget your options are a bit limited but you can still do some great stuff.

Option 1: You require an iPad and a MIDI cable (something like this one) for $20 and purchase apps like Roland Sound Canvas or Korg M1, Waldorf, Moog.

Option 2: Search your local Craigslist for the following items, Kurzweil K2000, Korg 03RW, Korg X5D, Korg X5DR, Roland Sound Canvas, Korg M1R, Korg 01W Rack, Emu Proteus. All of these synthesizers make a wide range of sounds and are very good quality machines.

You also may want to ask your facebook friends if they have an old synthesizer sitting around collecting dust that they'd like to part with.

For standalone digital pianos, personally I've had good experiences with Yamaha. I have a Clavinova, which is more expensive but it is an absolutely spectacular piano. They make this one which I haven't tried, but it's in your price range and has good reviews. I'd probably go with that in your position.

With a MIDI controller, you could plug a keyboard into your computer and play a software piano app, such as Pianoteq or Spectrasonics Keyscape. You would want to have good computer speakers. It would give you much more power and flexibility for music-making, but it would also be less immediate to use and the computer could potentially distract you from practicing. I would've recommended a Roland A-800 (61 keys but great feel) for that option, but based on what you've said I think a standalone digital piano is probably the way to go.

Guitar & Bass amps will be okaaay. But not great. They're not designed to reproduce the range of sounds that keys (or e-drums) make. However if you're going for a retro sound maybe a guitar amp will give you a cool sound! If you're going for a clean sound but don't need much power, computer speakers are a pretty decent workaround as well.

All that said, I love my Behringer Ultratone 450, and it's little brother is only $90: https://smile.amazon.com/Behringer-KT108-BEHRINGER-ULTRATONE/dp/B0010KGD4Q/

You can use your Yamaha as a controller. All you need is a midi to usb convertor like this. You can take the signal from your headphone jack and plug it straight into a mixer/pa or direct box with a cable like this.

If you want to invest a little more you can buy a midi interface. Two common ones are the maudio fast track and the focus rite scarlett. These are both pretty standard and can do what you need.

Thanks for the thorough reply!

I'll take your word about X-stands. Most people seem to agree with you. And I couldn't put up with all the wobbling.

I've decided to go with this stand:
http://www.amazon.com/Casio-CS-67-Keyboard-Stand-PX130/dp/B002KG9LX4 Mainly because I found one on Craigslist at a deep discount ($25 instead of the $90 Amazon is charging.) What do you think? Will it work for some quiet playing in my room?

I don't plan to do any gigging -- not for a long while anyway -- and I want to pay as little on the stand as possible. I am usually tight-fisted, and the $500 I just spent on the keyboard makes me cringe just a little.

Depends on the MIDI Controller of course. For Weighted Hammer Action I use a Casio PX-130 as a controller running into Ableton (for live) or Cubase (for recording) triggering XLN Audio's Addictive Keys. I use a Behringer FCB1010 MIDI Foot Controller to change instruments (Grand, Rhodes, Wurly, Strings, Synths) by assigning MIDI CC messages to each instrument's On and Off switch in Ableton. I also use the FCB1010 for Guitar Rig in Ableton and it works great.

You'll need an audio interface if you want to do any latency free recording, I use the highly affordable Lexicon Alpha

http://www.amazon.com/Lexicon-Alpha-Desktop-Recording-Studio/dp/B000HVXMNE

Amazon offers the Yamaha P71, which is identical the to the P45, on sale for $380. It includes a sustain "Pedal/Footswitch" which is enough to get started. My digital piano is on a table that puts it at about the same height as a typical acoustic piano. A weighted keyboard is important. Many places have the P45 on sale for $400.

[EDIT] If you click the "Holiday Home Bundle" at that link it shows a P45 with stand and bench for $400.
Kraft has a similar bundle with a nicer looking bench for $450.

Got it! There may be some merit to that. It might be worth trying an SM58 to see if it makes a difference. Otherwise it might be smart to get a windscreen for the SM57 at least (one of those foam things that cover the end of the mic). Shure makes this one https://www.amazon.com/Shure-A2WS-BLK-Black-Locking-Windscreen/dp/B0002NIP98

Go for a 1st Gen Axiom 25. I'm reasonably certain it'll be in your range and it's more or less the exact same thing. You'd just be missing the one slider.

EDIT: Musician's Friend has 2nd gen listed at $200 so that's conveniently right at the edge of your range, but if you don't necessarily favor the newer slicker version over saving some cash, that means 1st gen should indeed be out there for well within your budget.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/m-audio-axiom-25-2nd-gen-25-key-usb-midi-keyboard-controller

EDIT 2: Axiom 25, first gen, Amazon $140 new.

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-25-Key-Semi-Weighted-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B000EM6TBI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322691397&sr=8-1

I have the Casio SA76. It's a pretty cool little travel practice board. 44 keys, a lot of different sounds, and it's $50. Battery or ac power.
https://www.amazon.com/Casio-SA76-mini-Sized-Tones/dp/B00416WHV4

My rig is all packed up from moving but it is a small 12 channel with FX and 4 channels of phantom power. Not more than $149 or $200 new. Something similar but an older version of this Behringer Xenyx 1202fx Premium 12-Input 2-Bus Mixer With Xenyx Mic Preamps, British Eqs And 24-Bit Multi-Fx Processor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J5Y214/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-bcEybWNWYCZ4


Sound guys love the fuck out of me. You just need to make sure all of your stuff levels out on your end before you go sound checking.

Thanks! Would any zoom model work? Like this one?

I went as cheap as humanly possible. Right now we put a tablet with Yousician on it, and let it pick up sound of the speakers. If we do good with it, I plan on upgrading to a digital piano with weighted keys.


If you sold your soul to Amazon, they have 10% off select instruments even with a prime credit card.
I'm not sure if this one still falls under the 10%, but this is what I got.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBZH1DZ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I think This sort of thing is what I'm looking for?

That's the Korg microKey61, with some wood-grain shelf liner attached to it.