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Old 06-24-2019, 05:58 PM   #1
Wang
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Default Recommended midi keyboard?

Hi all.

Probably been asked 10 million times but is there a RECOMMENDED midi keyboard for use with reaper specifically? If not can y'all recommend one.

I plan on learning basic keys and using it for reaper control and also for EZDrummer. If such a thing can be done. Advice would be great!

Cheers!
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Old 06-24-2019, 08:27 PM   #2
grinder
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I grabbed a Nektar keyboard Wang and I can not fault it.
I do not work for them .

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Old 06-25-2019, 08:05 AM   #3
Kabraxis
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I've used many Keyboards and learned that, if you want to use a device to control your DAW, you absolutely should go buy a DAW controller like Korg's nanoKONTROL and then buy a separate MIDI keyboard with a good keybed. No keyboard on earth would enable you to a world without mouse and PC Keyboard, but those controllers will help - and can stay with you for a long time.

I'm not sure about your budget, but right now I'm using AKAI Advance 49 and despite it's keybed is smooth and very enjoyable, rest of it's features are kinda obsolete due to AKAI's neglect, so I'd advise to stay away from it. That's also valid for many M-Audio keyboards.

If I was going to buy a new one, I'd definitely think about Native Instruments' Komplete Kontrol series.
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Old 06-25-2019, 08:10 AM   #4
BobF
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As a guitar player, I'm perfectly happy with my Nektar LX61+
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Old 06-25-2019, 09:55 AM   #5
toleolu
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I use a Novation Launchkey 61, works great. Setting up all the transport and control actions in Reaper was a snap.

Never had any problems.
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Old 06-25-2019, 02:11 PM   #6
nait
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I'll add to the Nektar love... Nektar Impact LX25+, to be exact. It really depends on things like your price range, as well as how many keys you want it to have (think: how many octaves you want to be able to move around on without having to hit the button to shift the octave range), and then features like feel, does it have pads, what do you want for knobs/sliders, do you want wheels, etc.

For me, the Nektar Impact was just perfect.. lots of knobs/sliders, wheels, pads, keys feel good to me, it works AWESOMELY in reaper, and the 25+ was small enough to slide under my monitor. All this for $135 CAD (about $100 USD). I love how i can do things like play a song, or start recording, or change VSTi patches right from the keyboard. A lot of things mapped pretty much automagically. I might have installed a key/button/etc mapping thing for Reaper (if so, it's right on Nektar's site and is very easy to find, for several different DAWs). You can easily use MIDI learn to change mappings too (although that feature isn't specific to this keyboard.. but not all keyboards set up so easily to work with a DAW).

I used to own an M-Audio Axiom 49. Also a great keyboard, but it collected a lot of dust because the old one I had was very bulky and just inconvenient to use. That's where a small 25-32 key keyboard is quite nice. That may be less important to you, depending on how you like your workspace.

As Grinder also said, I do not work for Nektar. Just a satisfied customer. I found out about them from this forum, I believe.

Last edited by nait; 06-26-2019 at 05:48 AM.
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Old 06-26-2019, 02:10 AM   #7
martifingers
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I agree totally with cstooch. FWIW as a non-keyboard player (if you see what I mean) I use a little AKAI MPKmini. Robust, reliable, portable, 8 pads, 8 rotary knobs and a bunch of other stuff built into a tiny space and works perfectly with REAPER. Only two octaves and it is minikeys but good value.
But it does so depend on what you need.
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Old 06-26-2019, 10:49 AM   #8
bjohn
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These Nektar keyboards look great; I'm regretting having spent so much money on my Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 mark 2. I'm actually thinking of getting a Nektar for live performances and keeping the NI keyboard only for home use, but I'd need a padded bag to transport it and the only ones I can find cost more than the keyboard itself! Anyone recommend a good gig bag for a 61-key Nektar keyboard?
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