Getting Started With MIDI Controllers

What Is MIDI?

Basically, MIDI allows you to record the performance, not necessarily the sound. In theory, the idea that you can record the playing first and then swap out the instrument later. MIDI data captures how hard you played the notes, how long you held the notes down, when you released the notes, etc and uses that data to trigger synths and samples.

What Is A MIDI Controller?

A MIDI controller is essentially a piano-style keyboard like we are all familiar with. Instead of triggering sounds built directly into the keyboard, we use this “controller” to output MIDI data which triggers sounds from other devices (these days, the most popular are synths and samples within the computer itself).

The MIDI Controller is the device that allows you to “input” MIDI data. Or, in musical term, the MIDI controller is the instrument you play.

What Features Do You Need In A MIDI Controller?

Different people are going to have drastically different needs in a MIDI controller.

Feel – Real life piano players are often used to feeling of playing a real piano. They are used to feeling the weight of the keys as they play. Other people, like myself, are horrendous piano players and will probably sound terrible no matter what the keyboard feels like. Of course, there are people in between who may be excellent keyboard players and have specific preferences to how the keyboard should feel.

This is not much different from a guitar player who has specific preference when it comes to how a given guitar plays.

Control – Some MIDI Controllers have powerful controls. These controls range from the usual pitch controllers to tone controls (which send data to the synth and instruct it to alter it's tone in a number of ways), preset controls, sustain pedals, etc.

Can I Use A Cheap Keyboard?

As long as the keyboard functions, and outputs MIDI to your synth / sampler, you are good to go. Having great feel and great controls are not required to make noise (or pro sounding compositions). Since most people using MIDI are probably not concert pianists, the need for an expensive MIDI controller is going to be essentially unnecessary for most. Since most of us probably aren't going to be doing hardcore techno live where the altering of tones on the fly is required, the need for powerful controls is diminished as well.

These days, I use an old Roland XP-10 that you can find on Ebay for $40. It's cheap, but it suits my needs.

I want to point out that MIDI controllers do not output sound. They output MIDI, which is used to trigger synths/samples that make the sound. The Roland XP-10 mentioned can output audio, but I don't have any use for that. It does not meet my needs in that department and I'd much rather use the VST instruments I have on my Cubase rig.

How Many Keys Do You Need?

People frequently ask this question on the home recording forum. Since the number of keys on keyboards ranges from 88 Keys down to the portable 25 key models, it can be a little confusing figuring out what you really need.

I've not used the 25 key models, but I think having a 2 octave spread would seriously hinder what I do. I like to play bass or rhythm with one hand while I goof around with melodies on the other. I don't think I could do my thing well with a 25 key model. Of course, I'm sure these smaller MIDI controllers have made concessions to allow you to quickly scroll up and down the octaves to give you access to the full keyboard. It's just a little less convenient than just hitting keys in the appropriate octave. Obviously, these 25 key models are much more compact which is certainly worth something.

The 88 key models give you full access to a huge palette of notes but come at the expense of space. If you have more space than you need, the 88 key MIDI controllers may be fine for you. Personally, I'd probably stick with the 61 key models. I can do everything I need to with 61 keys and I can always hit the transpose key if I want to go down an extra octave. Of course, I save a little bit of space (which is an issue in my control room) and I don't have to put much thought into how I'm going to fit a 61 key keyboard in my car (like I would probably have to do with a much larger MIDI controller).