Cheap midi keyboard with GM Multi for student

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Capricorn
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Post by Capricorn » Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:02 pm

I have a very talented but very young composition student who has been entering his music through Finale Note Pad with the mouse. I have suggested he get a Midi keyboard but when I look through the possibilities, they seem to be for performance as well as entering notes. Can anybody suggest a plain keyboard with a midi usb interface and GM multi that would have around 3 octaves he could work with and be inexpensive? He uses a Mac laptop.


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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:45 pm

I don't know what GM Multi is, but I think you want a "MIDI controller" if all you're doing is inputting note to Finale.

Capricorn
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Post by Capricorn » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:01 pm

Yes, that's what I want. The window in my Alesis says GM Multi which gives 12 channels for different sounds. That's the standard when you want to enter orchestral sounds. It also generates the sounds. I don't think his Finale Note Pad does that. He would have to get the professional Finale to get the instrumental sounds I think.

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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:04 pm

The orchestral sounds are generated by Finale on the Mac rather than sending it out to a MIDI device, though perhaps that's an option, too, but it's not necessary.

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miker
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Post by miker » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:31 pm

I have this one:

https://www.amazon.com/midiplus-32-Key- ... r=1-2&th=1

It's only 2-1/2 octaves, but it's certainly affordable.
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Capricorn
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:38 pm
Finale Version: Finale 25X
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Post by Capricorn » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:38 pm

Your endorsement is worth a lot!!! The boy is only 10 years old but has a real knack and is already an excellent pianist but it's so slow and laborious putting the notes in one by one that I'm looking for just that type of keyboard to speed things up and make it more natural. I don't usually teach composition but his parents, who know nothing about music, convinced me and he really wants to write music. Thanks.

Capricorn
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Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:38 pm
Finale Version: Finale 25X
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Post by Capricorn » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:42 pm

I forgot one question... will he get the sounds from the keyboard or does he need a sound card in his computer? The program he uses is Note Pad so it doesn't have the Garritan sounds.

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motet
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Post by motet » Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:46 pm

Likely Notepad includes Softsynth, which is like MIDI sounds. His computer will have some sort of sound card built in.

It's possible to enter music quickly with the QWERTY keyboard instead of a mouse. Basically you use the keypad keys to select the duration (quarter note, eighth note) and then type the letter number of the note, A-G. You really can't just play a piece on the keyboard and have it appear in Finale anyway--it makes mistakes because people don't play metronomically, and as a result I think very few people use it in that mode. Instead, more people use it in place of the A-G keys, and it does have the advantage of letting you enter you enter chords more easily. Also, with a tiny keyboard you need to switch octaves often. I use a MIDI keyboard, but it's 5 octaves.

Capricorn
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:38 pm
Finale Version: Finale 25X
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Post by Capricorn » Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:58 pm

Thanks for the insights. I'll have to think about the best method for the student. He's only 10 years old but so fascinated by composition and his parents really wanted him to get some instruction. I don't want them to be paying a lot for equipment just yet although I do think he could go places. At the same time, I think he's held back by doing it with the QWERTY keyboard or dragging notes with the mouse because his instinct is with the piano keyboard. I started with a pencil (over 50 years ago, before notation programs) but I have to admit, I don't think I could go back to a pencil.

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