advice on a midi keyboard and audio interface

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DarrenD
Posts: 11
Joined: 15 Mar 2018

13 Oct 2018

Ok so I'm going to take the plunge and get a midi keyboard. torn between the Akai mpk261 or the Akai advance 61.

So my questions are. does either one work better with reason than the other?

I like the idea of having a load of built in sounds in the advance but do i really need them?

Im using a MacBook pro 2015 will i need an audio interface for the keyboard to work or can i hold of on that for a while?

Lastly will an audio interface with just one input be enough for me, im just using reason to make digital dance music im looking at the focusright scarlet solo?

Any help much appreciated thanks.

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WeLoveYouToo
Posts: 202
Joined: 01 Jul 2017
Location: portland, or

14 Oct 2018

go to a music store and play some different keyboards in person. the cheaper ones have a really toy-like quality to the keys, so try and then buy the best feeling keyboard for you. reason lets you map any key or button or knob on the rack to any key or button or knob on your physical midi keyboard, so the differences between different keyboards will be mostly how they feel when you play them. even though my midi keyboard has a ton of knobs and sliders... i end up using my mouse for everything besides notes, pitch and mod wheel 90% of the time.

if you are using the built in sounds on a keyboard, you will need a stereo (2 channel) audio input to record them, and they will not be midi data. though the keyboard you describe might also transmit audio data via usb, i dont know.

so no idea if one input is enough for you. that comes down to whether you record more than one input at the same time.
for example, if you want a stereo recording, you would need 2 mics and 2 inputs. if you want to record somethign with a direct mic and a room mic, you would need 2 mics and 2 inputs. if you want to record yourself and a real instrument with separate mics, you'd need 2 mics and 2 inputs...

DarrenD
Posts: 11
Joined: 15 Mar 2018

14 Oct 2018

thanks very much for your reply. im planning on going to the shop tomorrow to test them out. as for the sound card im literally just using it to plug the keyboard into so will i be ok with out it and just plug the keyboard straight into the usb on my computer? i have a traktor s4 dj desk with a built in sound card was thinking maybe i could just use that? thanks

jlgrimes
Posts: 661
Joined: 06 Jun 2017

14 Oct 2018

DarrenD wrote:
13 Oct 2018
Ok so I'm going to take the plunge and get a midi keyboard. torn between the Akai mpk261 or the Akai advance 61.

So my questions are. does either one work better with reason than the other?

I like the idea of having a load of built in sounds in the advance but do i really need them?

Im using a MacBook pro 2015 will i need an audio interface for the keyboard to work or can i hold of on that for a while?

Lastly will an audio interface with just one input be enough for me, im just using reason to make digital dance music im looking at the focusright scarlet solo?

Any help much appreciated thanks.
Mpk 261 is fully supported as Reason has a codec for it.

Advance, there is a user codec.

I liked the 261 codec better.


That said main feature of the advance is how it works with the VIP software. If you are a live keyboardist or have alot of VSTs you might still like the Advance better.


As far as audio interface I have a Scarlett 2i2 and it works well. I never could justify a 1 input interface, unless you have minimal space.

jlgrimes
Posts: 661
Joined: 06 Jun 2017

14 Oct 2018

DarrenD wrote:
14 Oct 2018
thanks very much for your reply. im planning on going to the shop tomorrow to test them out. as for the sound card im literally just using it to plug the keyboard into so will i be ok with out it and just plug the keyboard straight into the usb on my computer? i have a traktor s4 dj desk with a built in sound card was thinking maybe i could just use that? thanks
Using the Traktor is probably fine. What is your round trip latency? The main thing is finding something low and stable for soft synth playing. Most interfaces should achieve that.

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