Best Keyboard For Producing?

**Handmade** · 05-12-2012

I just started producing and I find it really hard to make beats only with FL Studio. Does having a keyboard make it easier? What are the best MIDI keyboards or MPC's for hip hop? I'm looking to make anything from trap to soulful boom bap beats. My maximum price is $300. Thanks for the help ahead of time!

**Eepos_** · 05-12-2012

What part of the beatmaking is difficult to you ?

**Handmade** · 05-12-2012

Sampling, creating the drum beat. This is one beat I made though. I just think it would be A LOT easier with some hardware.

I think it's good for only producing for a week.
h ttp://sound cloud.c om/dungeonsofrap/legend

Just take away the spaces if you want to listen.

**Xabiton** · 05-12-2012

I got one of these about a month ago at guitar center for $100 idk what kind of deal it might have been on but i did

M-Audio Oxygen 61 | Sweetwater.com

**RedFlowBeats** · 05-17-2012

Its different, not easier..
Only easier if you can play a piano.
But its more fun.. because you really make the music..
Only clicking a little isnt making music.

But when you have a keyboard, you will ask the question:
"I can't get my ideas out of my head"
Thats when you have to take lessons, or practice it yourself.

If your sure about it, you def should buy a keyboard!
Which one doesnt really matter, or you love the piano sound of the Yamaha Motif.
But with a cheap keyboard wich haves a "Midi" function and some Virtual instruments, you can do whatever you want.

Hope I helped you a little..

Peace

**B Side Producer** · 05-19-2012

The oxygen is cheap but feels cheap as well if you ask me.
I like the novation impulse a lot.
Together with a pad controller like the Korg PadKontrol and you can get a lot nicer workflow and musician feel to it than clicking your mouse.
Why I advice the PadKontrol is because it ain't expensive, second hand or new and the pads are very responsive.
If you're sure about making music, get a keyboard. Starting cheap ain't never wrong, I just like to spend a couple hundred more and get a keyboard that doesn't feel plastic like. Best thing you can do there is go to a store and feel the keys and some keyboards there. You could buy it there than or find a cheaper deal on the net.

**UnkNowNGenius** · 05-20-2012

^
Which midi keyboard isnt plastic like? I want one...

**B Side Producer** · 05-20-2012

Well, less plastic feel like and also the key action. Those feel really cheap and bad with the oxygen and a lot better with the novation impulse. But then again, there's a price difference of about 200 euros there.
Mostly you get what you pay for and 100 to 150 euros for a keyboard with 49 keys minimal is not that much for quality on all they put on those keyboards nowadays.
Anyway, that's my two cents, I advice everyone who's looking for a keyboard to go feel it in a shop for themselves!
Obviously Xabiton handles the oxygen just fine and I like his music a lot!
Eventually an el cheapo keyboard very plastic like and all still enables you to make good music if you have that in you. It's just that if you're getting better in time at that instrument, there's a good chance you'll be frustrated with the quality of it and would want a better one, or, with all the difficult things you have to overcome becoming a musician/bedroom producer, you don't want to be hold back by quality issues. Quality issues that could be overcome a lot better by spending a bit more. All depending on what your priorities are, where on the path you are, what your budget is, etc.
You wouldn't see a 30 year professional piano player buying an M-Audio oxygen and on the other hand, you wouldn't see someone just beginning spending about 100 k on a steinway piano either

Man, I'd wish you could become a millionair by just wanting it real bad!

**Xabiton** · 05-20-2012

Originally Posted by B Side Producer

Well, less plastic feel like and also the key action. Those feel really cheap and bad with the oxygen and a lot better with the novation impulse. But then again, there's a price difference of about 200 euros there.
Mostly you get what you pay for and 100 to 150 euros for a keyboard with 49 keys minimal is not that much for quality on all they put on those keyboards nowadays.
Anyway, that's my two cents, I advice everyone who's looking for a keyboard to go feel it in a shop for themselves!
Obviously Xabiton handles the oxygen just fine and I like his music a lot!
Eventually an el cheapo keyboard very plastic like and all still enables you to make good music if you have that in you. It's just that if you're getting better in time at that instrument, there's a good chance you'll be frustrated with the quality of it and would want a better one, or, with all the difficult things you have to overcome becoming a musician/bedroom producer, you don't want to be hold back by quality issues. Quality issues that could be overcome a lot better by spending a bit more. All depending on what your priorities are, where on the path you are, what your budget is, etc.
You wouldn't see a 30 year professional piano player buying an M-Audio oxygen and on the other hand, you wouldn't see someone just beginning spending about 100 k on a steinway piano either

Man, I'd wish you could become a millionair by just wanting it real bad!

thank You.
On a side note I think keyboard controllers are a big taste thing. I like the MPK series but most people don't want to spend $500 on a midi controller starting out. I am a bit of a cheap skate though so I have the Oxygen simply because I want 61 keys with a few buttons knobs and sliders because I like the feel of working on a workstation keyboard which often times still has a better keyboard than most midi controllers. All and all find one that works best for you and rock with it.