Avid Pro Audio Community

Avid Pro Audio Community

How to Join & Post  •  Community Terms of Use  •  Help Us Help You

Knowledge Base Search  •  Community Search  •  Learn & Support


Avid Home Page

Go Back   Avid Pro Audio Community > Legacy Products > Pro Tools 10

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-01-2011, 01:53 PM
uptowners2010 uptowners2010 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 12
Default pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

hello i was wondering ok i want to get a 88 key graded hammer which is the ones that feel like a real piano but i was wondering how would the keyboard feel when using virtual instruments with protools, i dont know but i think it would be a bit uncomfortable, does anyone use a real feel piano with virtual instruments, sometimes i think the cheaper non graded keys would be better for playing synths and strings with the piano. any suggestions
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-01-2011, 03:53 PM
Jeff E Jeff E is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Aptos California
Posts: 177
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

Roland V-Piano... Gotta play it to appreciate it.

Second would be The Yamaha S-90es
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-01-2011, 05:32 PM
Carl Lie Carl Lie is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New York City
Posts: 1,310
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

I used to use an 88 key Yamaha piano for input. I got rid of it because I always had to move it around. On some things like organs it felt strange.

It tended to have a slower release than the synth keyboards and that bothered me except when playing the piano.

I would go to a music store with headphones and play one of the new weighted action keyboards with many patches to see how it feels.

C
__________________
PT 2021.10 HDX 16x24 -Mac Pro 12 Cores 48 GB RAM OS 10.13.6 - API 16 channel - AMS Neve 16 channel, AMS-Neve-SSL -Pres/Processing, Bock Audio, BLUE Bottle, Neumann, Josephson -Mics, Bogner, Kemper- Guitar, Chandler Zener-Curve Bender Outboard/Master. UAudio, Waves, Plugin Alliance etc.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-01-2011, 05:44 PM
albee1952's Avatar
albee1952 albee1952 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
Posts: 39,307
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

My 2 cents only(and I am not much of a keyboard player). My Motif es8 works well for lots of stuff, but for organ(DB-33) an unweighted keyboard is way more better, if you'll pardon the poor vernacular
(that's not a vernacular.....that's a derby.....nyuk nyuk)
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works


The better I drink, the more I mix

BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-01-2011, 08:12 PM
nst7 nst7 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Cincinnati OH
Posts: 9,864
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

A lot of this is personal preference. I know some people like using the weighted keys for everything.

Others, like myself, like using if for piano/electric piano, but synth-type keys for everything else.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-02-2011, 09:10 AM
Cloud_9 Cloud_9 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Davie, Florida
Posts: 346
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

Quote:
Originally Posted by uptowners2010 View Post
i was wondering how would the keyboard feel when using virtual instruments with protools,
Aside from keeping your buffer settings as low as possible to minimize latency, how the weighted keyboard "feels" when controlling a VI really depends on the patch on the VI itself rather than PTs. Many VI's have different settings for adjusting the response of the sounds triggered by the controller, (soft, medium, hard). Remember, if you purchase a stage piano or rompler with weighted keys, these are usually balanced to work well with the internal sounds (rather the other way around). It depends on how you configure the VI to respond to the input from the controller itself.

Aftertouch is a great feature that can really inspire the talent to take advantage of what the patch has to offer.

Some MIDI Controllers (with weighted keys) offer an action tuning feature to accomodate the particularities (shortcomings)of a player, (Check out the NUMA series from Studiologic), however, the settings for one player will not suit another if this controller is to be used by multiple musos.

Quote:
Originally Posted by uptowners2010 View Post
i dont know but i think it would be a bit uncomfortable, does anyone use a real feel piano with virtual instruments, sometimes i think the cheaper non graded keys would be better for playing synths and strings with the piano. any suggestions
This is the real question. Are you a piano player? Are your clients pianists? Do you also trigger drum samples from this board? A weighted keybed for triggering drum samples is a must, you WILL break a synth action key if struck to hard.

Any ORGAN player worth his salt will prefer a waterfall keybed for laying down tracks.

Any PIANIST worth his salt will greatly appreciate a well balanced weighted keybed, especially if you configure the VI correctly to his liking.

Any KEYBOARDIST will appreciate fast responding synth action keys with aftertouch.

There is really no do all solution for this, I recommend the following:

For organ playing, Nords are top in my book. Try to get a used Nord Electro 2 and your talent will be pleased, both with the sounds and the keybed. Definetely have a swell pedal to go along with it. (Roland EV5). This will work great for controlling VI organs, especially since true tonewheel organs are not velocity sensitive (hence the swell pedal).

For PIANO playing, my pick for this one is a Roland RD-300sx or nx. The sx will be cheaper, your not in the market for sound, but for control, this keybed is acceptable for playing piano effectively. My top choice however would the RH3 system keybed from Korg. Astounding feel, and it is featured on the Korg SV-1, in both 73 and 88 key version. Sweetwater is currently offering a $500.00 rebate for these boards, amazing but true, I am picking one up before the 15th of january. Motifs seem to "thunk" a bit to much for my taste but YMMV.

For synth control, Novation and Studio Logic are hard to beat in this department, (I believe that studiologic provides the keybeds for novation?)nice rebound, sufficient resistance, and great feeling when the key bottoms out. Fantastic for synth playing.


Good luck.
__________________
PT11, Windows 10
RME Babyface
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-02-2011, 09:12 AM
Cloud_9 Cloud_9 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Davie, Florida
Posts: 346
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

Worth mentioning. As a pianist myself, If I had to choose ONE controller for everything, it would definetely be a weigted controller. Yes, even for organ playing, the glisses aint a problem once you got the callouses on your fingers and knuckles........
__________________
PT11, Windows 10
RME Babyface
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-02-2011, 10:09 PM
albee1952's Avatar
albee1952 albee1952 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
Posts: 39,307
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cloud_9 View Post
Worth mentioning. As a pianist myself, If I had to choose ONE controller for everything, it would definetely be a weigted controller. Yes, even for organ playing, the glisses aint a problem once you got the callouses on your fingers and knuckles........
Absolutely(one major reason I bought the es8). For organ parts, my old $50 Ensoniq Mirage actually feels better than most sub-$500 controllers(and I use a VOCE drawbar controller for the rest the DB-33 control)
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works


The better I drink, the more I mix

BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-03-2011, 12:26 AM
Cloud_9 Cloud_9 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Davie, Florida
Posts: 346
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

If I remember correctly, Ensoniqs never skimped on synth keybeds, actually very similar to todays novations......
__________________
PT11, Windows 10
RME Babyface
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-03-2011, 06:43 AM
Andy R Andy R is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: NY
Posts: 333
Default Re: pro tools on 88 key graded hammer action

Ask anyone who plays (like I do, albeit kinda poorly), a good weighted controller is a must for anything requiring feel; like Ivory, for instance. A few years back, I tried all the weighted keyboard, and controllers I could lay my hands on, and choose the Kawai MP8. I have a Steinway B that's regulated beautifully, and when I switch to the MP8, the change in action isn't jarring.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Action strings in pro tools 10 jdphillips73 macOS 1 01-25-2013 06:47 AM
I saw Pro Tools 7 in action today @ guitar center davetheone 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 0 11-09-2005 07:36 PM
The Apple hammer Allbaldo Pro Tools TDM Systems (Mac) 7 09-28-2002 04:30 PM
New Hammer info da BaSsTaRd! 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 7 02-27-2002 04:33 PM
Hammer Dulcimers??? crs117 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 8 12-09-2001 12:42 AM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:44 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. Forum Hosted By: URLJet.com