Midi Keyboard Suggestions

[Stringer]

What midi keyboard do folks recommend these days? I had an M-Audio Oxygen 8 at one point back when I was running Win7, but it stopped working. I'd like something similar, but better. I'm running a Steinberg UR44, which has midi capability, into Reaper running in Linux Mint 20.

Thanks.

[Glennbo]

Originally Posted by Stringer

What midi keyboard do folks recommend these days? I had an M-Audio Oxygen 8 at one point back when I was running Win7, but it stopped working. I'd like something similar, but better. I'm running a Steinberg UR44, which has midi capability, into Reaper running in Linux Mint 20.

Thanks.

I use a Keystation 61 that is so old it's branded as "Midiman" before M-Audio became the name. I want it to die but it's like a freeking zombie that keeps surviving brushes with death!

About 6 or 7 years ago in the dead of Winter with near zero temps outside, the heater in the house had made everything real statically charged and when I sat down to play the keyboard I felt and heard a gigantic static electrical shock pop through my keyboard stand to my legs, and Windows (which I ran back then) instally popped up a "USB Device Not Recognized" message.

Sure enough it fried the USB part of the keyboard, so I tried the old school 5-pin midi port to find it still worked, so I've been waiting and hoping it will fry the rest of the way, so I can finally buy the 88 key version of the same keyboard, since I have determined that they are pretty resilient to bad stuff!

This is the one I will prolly buy at some point.

[Stringer]

OK, I found my Oxygen 8 in the garage. However, when I plug it into a midi port, it lights up, but Reaper can't see it as a midi device. It can see my UR44. I don't have midi cables at the moment, so I can't try that route until I do. Is there something else I have to do?

I'm running Linux Mint 20.

[Glennbo]

Sounds like you may have blown the USB circuitry like I did. I powered mine via USB, and used the 5 pin midi port for data for years after the static discharge fried it's ability to send midi data over USB. One day I found the original power supply so now I have it powered by that and am still using the 5 pin midi port for data.

[Stringer]

You were right. The USB can power the unit, but no signal. However, plugging a midi cable in and connecting it to the UR44 works fine.

Thanks!

[Glennbo]

Originally Posted by Stringer

You were right. The USB can power the unit, but no signal. However, plugging a midi cable in and connecting it to the UR44 works fine.

Thanks!

Way cool! Glad you got it going and can use it a while longer. Does kinda blow the excuse to buy a newer cooler one though.