mixers/midi controllers

[xadobex]

do any of you use mixing consoles/mixers/etc?

because i was looking to buy any and was wondering how much you use it or if I could just go without, since they tend to be expensive.
making my own could be an option, but it would have to be relatively simple because i dont have the slightest clue on electronics

also other midi controllers. i wanted to buy one because it seems like it would make my life easier, but like the mixer, i don't know if it's really necessary.
note that i'm not a professional or even very good producer, but i would like to be eventually, but that's offtopic.

any tips/ideas/suggestions?
THANKS GUYS

ps: i'd like them to be fl studio compatible; that said, i know that for the most part things are.

[the4thImpulse]

Judging by what you wrote you don't seem to understand why you think you want/need one. Answer these questions to help us understand.

What do you own as of today in terrms or hardware?
What do you want to do with the controllers/mixers?
What do you except the controllers/mixers to do for you?
What genres do you make? and do you own or regularly use real instruments (or wish to use them)?
What is your budget?

I don't know much about building mixers but if you don't have any electrical experience than you best scrap that idea as you will have to focus much more on learning electricity then music.

[AgonistAgent]

I had an MIDI keyboard scavenged from a garage sale. Interesting to play with, but I prefer a piano roll.

[Artimeus]

I use an Oxygen49 to control my Moog/Vrius TI/Korg/softsynths, and an MPD26 to trigger things or mess with percussion ideas. I also use a Scarlett 8i6 as my audio interface, and I have been thinking about buying a sub-compact mixer so I can at least have all of my harsynths plugged in. But anyways, a MIDI controller is by no means a necessity, but if you play the keys, or want an easier way of demoing/controlling sounds, then it's a worthwhile investment.

To be honest, most of this stuff was a "want", not a "need", but it's so much FUN.

[hottoast16]

As far as consoles/mixers go, I would just stick with the4thImpulse 's opinion that you probably don't want one if you won't be able to learn how to use it.
As far as MIDI controllers go, the one you have is good. Although, there's this one:
http://www.samsontech.com/samson/produc ... /carbon49/
It's the Carbon 49 by Samson. It's 49 keys, USB powered (no batteries or bulky electrical cables), comes with an iPad holder, and is lightweight.
With all of these features, it's great on-the-go cause you don't have to carry heavy equipment, and it doesn't take up that much space.
Get the USB to iPad converter, download some music apps and you can show all your friends your l33t music skillzorz at a convention.
I got mine for 85$ at my local music store.

[xadobex]

Judging by what you wrote you don't seem to understand why you think you want/need one. Answer these questions to help us understand.

What do you own as of today in terrms or hardware?
What do you want to do with the controllers/mixers?
What do you except the controllers/mixers to do for you?
What genres do you make? and do you own or regularly use real instruments (or wish to use them)?
What is your budget?

I don't know much about building mixers but if you don't have any electrical experience than you best scrap that idea as you will have to focus much more on learning electricity then music.

as of today in terms of hardware, all I own is my casio wk-225
with the mixers i want to be able to change volume quickly, and also make it easier to do without a mouse. knobs are for modifying the effects quickly.
i expect them to make my life easier when it comes to quick modification of effects and volume
the genres i make are sorta vague at this point, but the current song i'm working on is
i use my piano (kinda), but not super regularly
as of right now i'm not sure of my budget, but hopefully under 200.


if it wouldn't help me much, then i wouldnt buy it, but i would like to have one.

I had an MIDI keyboard scavenged from a garage sale. Interesting to play with, but I prefer a piano roll.

yeah, i like the piano roll.

To be honest, most of this stuff was a "want", not a "need", but it's so much FUN.

eeyup.avi

[the4thImpulse]

Judging by what you wrote you don't seem to understand why you think you want/need one. Answer these questions to help us understand.

What do you own as of today in terrms or hardware?
What do you want to do with the controllers/mixers?
What do you except the controllers/mixers to do for you?
What genres do you make? and do you own or regularly use real instruments (or wish to use them)?
What is your budget?

I don't know much about building mixers but if you don't have any electrical experience than you best scrap that idea as you will have to focus much more on learning electricity then music.

as of today in terms of hardware, all I own is my casio wk-225
with the mixers i want to be able to change volume quickly, and also make it easier to do without a mouse. knobs are for modifying the effects quickly.
i expect them to make my life easier when it comes to quick modification of effects and volume
the genres i make are sorta vague at this point, but the current song i'm working on is
i use my piano (kinda), but not super regularly
as of right now i'm not sure of my budget, but hopefully under 200.


if it wouldn't help me much, then i wouldnt buy it, but i would like to have one.

In that case a midi keyboard would probably make the biggest impact on your workflow, it would allow you to more quickly play synth patches and figure out melodies (even if you don;t have music theory just mess around with it and you will pick things up rather quick). Some will come with faders, knobs, and/or buttons which you can easily midi map to whatever you want inside your daw.

Check out the Oxygen 49 from M-Audio, its what I would recommend.

[Applejinx]

I couldn't do without my Akai MPD18 at this point- it's just too handy for everything. I can use it as drum pads, I can use it as a non-keyboard keyboard, I can play in stuff triggering from the pads or set stuff to the aftertouch and make wubs or filter sweeps- and it's so small it sits on top of my DAC. I could even map the fader to 'fader of active channel' and use it to play in automation data- except I have a Korg nanoKontrol toy thingy which is already set to do that, with the first three faders set to the active channel's fader, pan and aux send 1. But I don't use that, so I really ought to set the MPD's fader to active fader and be done with it...

There's something to be said for having an interface that's just reach-out-and-grabbable. I just ran automation for my Remix War entry with just trackpad, set to 'automation write' on the fader only, because I didn't feel like plugging in the nanoKontrol...

[Rainbow_Rage]

M-audio Axiom is a great keyboard. Oxygen is a decent entry level one, but I hate how cheap it feels, I've heard good things about the Samson carbon as an entry level controller but haven't tried it for myself. My personal favorite for controllers under $500 is the Axiom, even more the the Akai MPK which is supposedly higher-end (and has the price tag to go along with that claim). I've had the Samson Graphite recommended to me by the sales guy so I'm waiting out on a chance to try it before buying anything.

[hottoast16]

I'm absolutely in love with my Carbon-49. An idiot could operate it, it could take a bullet and work just fine, it's relatively inexpensive, plus the iPad sync seems like it'd be really fun and convenient on-the-go. But I haven't tried it yet because I don't have an iPad.
Which brings up the question: Any of you ever guys/galls mess around with iPad's synced to controllers before/know how it works?

[xadobex]

ok so i've narrowed my options down to about 2

one is a mixer, the other is a midi controller that i'm going to attach to my mixer in FL.
which should i use? i also plan to do a podcast with my friends, but my friend is buying a usb mic, so i think the latter will be better.

the former is a behringer xenyx 802, and the latter is a korg nanokontrol.
the 802 is slightly more expensive.


also, does anyone know of any mixer sized midi controllers that are like assignable midi controllers? that would be incredibly awesome

[Rainbow_Rage]

Mixer and midi controller are two totally different things. A mixer is part of a recording chain and a controller sends midi data to control your DAW or synth module. It really depends on what you need them to do as they serve different roles.

[xadobex]

Mixer and midi controller are two totally different things. A mixer is part of a recording chain and a controller sends midi data to control your DAW or synth module. It really depends on what you need them to do as they serve different roles.

ok well i'm going to be doing a podcast with a few of my friends and i was going to use a mixer for that, but the mic input is usb, so i don't know how much that will affect my purchase of a mixer.
other than that, i'm probably not going to need a mixer, but the mixer would be nice to have for when i play bass with my friend.

the midi controller would just be for whenever i need to use it in my music production.

[the4thImpulse]

ok well i'm going to be doing a podcast with a few of my friends and i was going to use a mixer for that, but the mic input is usb, so i don't know how much that will affect my purchase of a mixer.
other than that, i'm probably not going to need a mixer, but the mixer would be nice to have for when i play bass with my friend.

the midi controller would just be for whenever i need to use it in my music production.

Do you have anything else that would plug into the mixer? The usb plugs into your computer which means the mixer is useless for your podcasting. If you want to record guitars or other microphones that require 1/4 inch or xlr inputs then the mixer would be useful (although you will need a soundcard to make it at all worth while).

I would highly recommend a midi controller and I would not recommend the nano key as it is small and 'toyish'. You can do better with you budget and there have already been some fine suggestions here.

[xadobex]

ok then i'll probably go with a midi controller.

and i've already said, i don't really want a keyboard midi controller, as i already have a keyboard to play on. i was actually thinking about my decision to buy the keyboard that i did because later i realized i could've and probably should've gotten one with knobs and whatnot.

but the best one that i've found for a reasonable price is the nanoKontrol.

edit: and if i'm going to need a soundcard for my mixer, i'm almost definitely not getting one; money is tight.