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| MakeMusic Forum > Public Forums > Finale - Macintosh - FORUM HAS MOVED! > Recommendation for a small (2-3 octave) USB midi controller | Forum Quick Jump
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Russk
Registered Member
      
Date Joined Aug 2009
Total Posts : 44
| Posted 10/6/2016 10:34 AM (GMT -6) |   | Greetings all,
For several years I used an M-Audio O2 2 octave keyboard as a means to input USB into Finale. In a much older Laptop I even used to take it on airplanes and not need to plug it in as it also worked on batteries. First that stopped probably due to more juice requirements in Finale but be that as it may..
Since Snow Leopard, M-Audio never created or issued drivers that would allow the last several programs of Finale to be able to "read" the USB input information. The keyboard was a USB plug and play and there doesn't seem to be anyway I'll be able to use it as a midi input device again (although all the lights light up when I plug it in)..
That said can anyone recommend a small (2-3 octave) USB midi keyboard compatible with what I currently have:
MBP v 11.1 with Intel Core (Mid 2014)
OS X 10.9.5
FINALE 2014.5
Oddly, a recent visit to Alto Music in Middletown NY, yielded no information about what small portable USB keyboard I could use with my MBP as they are almost totally conversant in PC/Windows equipment. They couldn't even recommend something to me.
I'm looking for something that Finale will easily read from my USB input and small - to be much more portable than the studio keyboards (88 keys) and the M-Audio 2 x 2 midi setup that I have.
Thanks so much in advance,
Best,
Russ Kassoff | | Back to Top | |
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Dr. Wiggy
Early music: modern methods
Date Joined Jun 2006
Total Posts : 12628
| Posted 10/6/2016 10:51 AM (GMT -6) | | The usual suspect is the Korg Nano.
Most USB MIDI Keyboards should "just work" when you plug them in, as they use the universal drivers within the OS. However, I concur that M-Audio stuff is to be given a large body swerve.
I have a Roland A-49, which might be too big for your travel needs, though I highly recommend it. USB connected and powered, very robust, and a handful of knobs. It works well with Logic, so that you can do automation with Pan and Volume controls.
Finale should just accept any MIDI keyboard that the OS recognises. However, there have been a couple of keyboard that caused trouble with Finale: mostly Yamaha, I think. The problem was too much MIDI information coming in that Finale couldn't cope with, IIRC.
Finale v.25, 2012 MacMini; 2012 MacBook Pro (10.11.6)
Edirol FA-66; Roland A-49, HP Laserjet 5200 DTN
Ancient Groove Music www.ancientgroove.co.ukPost Edited (Dr. Wiggy) : 10/6/2016 11:02:22 AM (GMT-5) | | Back to Top | |
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Philip.
Registered Member
Date Joined Aug 2006
Total Posts : 1466
| Posted 10/6/2016 11:50 AM (GMT -6) | | | |
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Mike Halloran
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2009
Total Posts : 105
| Posted 10/6/2016 2:14 PM (GMT -6) | | You are looking for a "class compliant" USB keyboard. These do not require drivers. There are a few that are class compliant for basic functionality and need drivers for their advanced functions. Read the lit or manuals.
My favorite is the Line 6 Mobile Keys, in either the 25 or 49 key version.
line6.com/mobilekeys/
Although discontinued, they're easy to find. Guitar Center has them for $99/$149 on close-out. I've seen the 25 under $69 at Amazon. (Mine cost $249 new and I was happy to pay it in 2011)
www.guitarcenter.com/Line-6/Mobile-Keys-25-Premium-Keyboard-Controller-for-Mobile-Devices.gc
www.guitarcenter.com/Line-6/Mobile-Keys-49-Premium-Keyboard-Controller-for-Mobile-Devices.gc
These are fully class compliant when hooked up via a straight USB cable—bus powered only.
Besides USB, they have a 30 pin iOS connectors. Mine works even better through the 30pin/Lightening adapter than it did with my first gen iPad. Here are the Apple parts—cheaper almost everywhere else.
www.apple.com/shop/product/MD823AM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter
www.apple.com/shop/product/MD824AM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter-02-m
Why Line 6 didn't update these, I'll never know. My 49 weighs about 3lb and gets 9 hours from an iPad battery. I perform live with mine using an iPad or iPhone as the sound module.
Mike Halloran
Finale 25 & 2014.5, SmartScore X Pro II, Encore 5.0.7
2010 iMac 2.93G i7 Quad w/ OWC eSATA mod, 20G RAM, OS 10.12, 2T SSD
DP 9.1, 8.07, 7.24, Logic Pro X 10.2.4, DSP-Quattro, PSP, IK, NI, Eventide, Izotope & Antares plugins
G4 running OS 10.4.11 & 9.2 with legacy appsPost Edited (Mike Halloran) : 10/6/2016 2:18:17 PM (GMT-5) | | Back to Top | |
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MikeHalloran
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 217
| Posted 10/8/2016 7:57 PM (GMT -6) | | These guys are blowing out the 25 key Line 6 for $31.50 including shipping. They're a local liquidator so I'm going to snag a couple more for myself—I know someone who wants one.
www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Line-6-Mobile-Keys-25-Key-PC-Mac-iOS-Portable-USB-MIDI-Controller-Keyboard-/152260235530?hash=item23736ad10a:g:THoAAOSwbYZXfHYk
Finale 25, 2014.5, SmartScore X Pro II, Encore 5.07, GPO 5
2010 iMac i7, 32G RAM, 2T SSD, Late 2013 MacBook Air, OS 10.12
MOTU Digital Performer 9.12, 9.02, Logic Pro X 10.2.4 | | Back to Top | |
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