/jp/ - Otaku Culture

[Anonymous No.]

Hello.
All the music/vocaloid composing has made me want to actually get off my ass and try to learn some piano, who knows, maybe I'll feel learning something makes my life worthwhile.
Anyways, if I wanted to keep cost to a minimum, is a MIDI controller enough?
I mean, as long as it's a sort of keyboard I'm happy, I don't mind having to plug it to a pc to get sound out of it. A controller is what I should look for right?
After that I just need to plug it with Fruity Loops, Reason or some other software to have better/different instruments sounds, right?
How many keys would you say it's enough? 61? Is semi-wighted acceptable or do they need to be properly weighted? Keep in mind my budget is limited.

If you want, this can turn into a composer thread afterwards or whatever you want.
Please be gentle, if I wrote something noobish it's because I'm just approaching this.

[Anonymous No.]

a midi controller is a cheap way to get started. before you buy anything, try some out and see if you really want to spend the extra for weighted keys and all that. i learned on a cheap keyboard and heavy piano keys feel weird to me now.

as for software, ableton live has pretty good midi interface and it's fantastic for doing loop/sample-based stuff. it's my favorite for sure.

[Anonymous No.]

>>6106477
Thank you. Did you use any specific materials in learning or did you just learn one song, rinse, repeat?

[Anonymous No.]

bump because I'm a retard and stealthsaged the reply above

[Anonymous No.]

If you've never played a piano before, a midi keyboard should do fine to start off. Unless it's strictly for composing, which doesn't seem to be the case, get at lest a 61 keys that has a Octave Transpose option.

If you know you're going to be at it for a decent ammount of time, I would strongly recommend upping your budget for 88key controler/piano with weighted keys.

I personally have a Axiom 61, which is great cause but I find myself playing on my parent's old and out of tune upright piano more often because of the different feel and the full 88 keys.

[Anonymous No.]

Thread has been hijacked. Sorry, OP.
I've never even touched a keyboard, and I'm considering buying this:
http://www.casio-intl.com/emi/standard/wk210.html
I'd mainly like to play /jp/ and /a/-related... things.
I can get it for $400... that's half a decent paycheck on this shit country, but it can't be helped.

Yes or No, /jp/?

[Anonymous No.]

i have the same midi controller but mine has like half the keys.

it's pretty much as you say, op. as long as you have a program you only need the controller. weighted keys are really nice but they aren't necessary if you're a poorfag. i use my midi with a korg ms2000 rack unit and a roland mc505 drum machine. not great but not bad.

[Anonymous No.]

>>6106532

i never learned to play properly. i learned some basic chords and started playing along with records i liked. since i mostly listen to pop, techno and hip hop the keyboard parts tend to be pretty simple. never had much desire to progress beyond that.

if you want to play something complicated like classical or jazz, you're gonna want lessons.

[Anonymous No.]

I still have a nice keyboard stored away, probably been 5-7 years now. Took a piano class back then, but I was fucking horrible, ironic since I'm often told I have "piano fingers".

We learned to play starting with only left hand. Soon as that right hand got involved, it was all downhill.

Been thinking about bringing it back in my room though.

[Anonymous No.]

Thank to all those who replied, you're awesome.
Are there any usually recommended materials for people starting out piano?

[Anonymous No.]

>>6106923

hold shift for focus movement

[Anonymous No.]

>>6106932

[Anonymous No.]

>>6106923
Actual piano player here. Just bought $1300 worth of really, really nice piano gear and have been playing piano for 15 years.

Essential things for buying a keyboard would be:
1) Keyboard
2) Pedal

Things I would HIGHLY recommend:
3) Practice bench
4) Headphones

The pedal is like a key slurrer. When you hold it down, the keys that are being played on the piano will be sustained, even if you take your hand off the keys. It's pretty much required.

Personally, I only play Classical so others may disagree, but I find that actually practicing piano is not about the song at all- It's about perfecting something. It's a huge grind from not being able to play a single thing in a song, then being able to play the song in pitch black darkness, looking over your shoulder, not paying attention, etc. Except you should be learning more than one song at a time.

It only really becomes music after you've learned it, and you've gone from the stage of "I know and understand this music, and can perform it fairly well" --> "I'm inputting emotion, feeling, and technique into it" Huge, huge grind- you're looking at many, many hours on a single song.

It's not for everybody, OP. If you really want to try, get some beginner's piano books, and most preferably a piano teacher so you don't just quit one day.

[Anonymous No.]

>>6107501
Thanks for the input, I'll keep that in mind.