Synth Software and keyboard

[Kage]

I can't wait until just after christmas!

I'm going to order myself a whole synth suite... I hope... I'll just have to work a bit more...

I'm going to try and get hold of an 88 key hammer USB keyboard, but I don't know which one to go for.
I don't want a really expensive one, but not a cheap one either.
DJ Chris, I know you'll be able to help with this?

For the software, I'm going to hopefully pick up Reason 4, as I've tried out the demo and love it, and for the VST's, I'm thinking of picking up some of the East West Samples library I've heard about.

For example, Collosus, which is a heap of sounds for use in making music.
And East West's Symphony package.

Just check out a few of the demo videos I've tracked down. I'm so amazed, and I'll finally be able to finish my album with all this under my feet:

This guy has so many keyboards, and using the same synth, is using a different sound on each keyboard, from the Symphony set. The piano sounds amazing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7cnSy7AiRI&feature=related

I won't be getting this one, but Collosus contains quite a few different packages in 1, which is like 30 odd gigabytes I believe. This is just to show the power of the VST engine that is in all packages:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUt5d-C-jtE&feature=related

This is one of the sounds in the Symphonic package, playing a song you may know:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLrr0TKszV0&feature=related

Hehe, I can't wait This is if I can afford it all (It'll probably end up costinf as much as this computer did) I really want to finish my first album, and I know these sounds will give me the inspiration I need, because I find with better sounds, comes better music. I'll also need to get another hard drive... since these can take up many gigabytes for each instrument.

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

well for the keyboard, you're going to be looking for a "midi controller". it doesnt make any sounds, it just connects to the computer. just incase you didnt know that the sounds come from the program

and the m-audio prokeys is really sweet, i've used it in a recording studio before

 

[Kage]

Yeah I knew that
I was looking at the Prokeys 88, but I can't find many reviews, and one I did find was about a load of problems people have been having recently with the keys.

M-Audio Pro which is Hammer action, but from reviews, no weighted hammer action like a real piano:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/3603

Ive also seen one by Fatar, but its only Semi-Weighted:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/3599

This ones more expensive, but its the full Hammer action which I have heard some good things about:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/8565

One with loads of controllers is a must, because I'd love to be able to switch instruments, change sliders on the fly

I got around to playing on my mates M-Audio keyboard though, which was a little 25 key tool, called the Oxygen 8, and was really dissapointed by how it felt and played, but I don't think it has any weighting at all to make it feel like a real piano.
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/8558

But do I really need 88 keys? Well, with my old keyboard, it has around 60 keys, and even then, I hate having to press Transpose to get the final set of notes on each end.

One thing I have been wondering though, is wheather I need Hammer, or if I need Semi-Weighted.

I've heard semi-weighted is better for electronic type sounds, and hammers better for natural sounds, and I'm kind of going for both.
I do find I get more inspiration sitting by a real piano, so, having one feeling like one, may help.

What do you think of those demos though. Amazing huh?

EDIT:

Hmm....Fatar keyboards don't seem to have USB out, so without an extra £60 item, I won't get USB input, as my sound card doesn't provide MIDI anymore, though my older Creative sound card did

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

i've used a plugin called Dimension Pro and it has a bunch of real instruments + a few synths, and i really liked it, because it made the most realistic instruments sounds for me, and it basically has all instruments you can think of, so it's all good