Casio CZ-101

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Hey Vark, a buddy of mine is selling a Casio CZ-101 keyboard. I just need something that will let me input MIDI. No idea what he's asking for on it, but have you heard of that keyboard at all? I guess it's fairly old?

[Flack]

That looks like a pretty fun keyboard, but way overkill if you're just wanting MIDI. You can get a MIDI keyboard way cheap these days, and all modern MIDI controllers are USB.

[Flack]

I have no idea what the forum did to my Amazon link but here you go.

[Tdarcos]

Jesus, they are $37? This is amazing, for anyone playing a keyboard, these are cheap.

[Flack]

Just to clarify in case you missed it... that $37 keyboard does not make any sound on its own. It has to be connected to a PC and run through some sort of MIDI software to make any noise. Also according to the Amazon specs it weighs 1 1/2 pounds, so in regards to quality there's probably nowhere to go but up. All that said, USB based MIDI is a heck of a lot easier to deal with than those old keyboards with a round DIN MIDI port which I don't even know how you would hook up to a modern PC (where there's a will...)

[Tdarcos]

Just to clarify in case you missed it... that $37 keyboard does not make any sound on its own. It has to be connected to a PC and run through some sort of MIDI software to make any noise.

(Comment from 1970:)
"Jesus, I just spent $600 on this turntable and I have to buy speakers to hear my records?"

[Jizaboz]

I use the exact same keyboard actually! I'm not a very good keyboard player, but I used it to make the 2 songs here http://jizaboz.com/projects/music/index.html

Like Flack mentioned.. yes it requires a computer and a program to use. I've used it with "Delphie Mask" and "Garage Band" on my work MacBook pro.

[Jizaboz]

Er I mean.. I'm using the one Flack linked to on Amazon

[AArdvark]

All my keyboards have the old style round ports. I got one of those midi to USB adapters and it works quite well. I also bought a 4 port thru box so I can midi all the keyboards together for that wall of sound. I found a Korg Legacy Pack* that emulates six or seven old keyboards on the PC and I can use that as well.
I've never seen the Casio CZ 101 but it sounds cool as hell in the videos I watched. I'm not a fan of the mini keys cause my fingers fumble too much but I can use my Yamaha full size as the master controller. I had the opportunity to get the weighted keys version but I cheaped out and I've been kicking myself a little ever since.


THE
YANNI
AARDVARK

*free for the asking!

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Ok, eff it, I bought that MIDI controller that everyone was talking about. I am finally getting organized in life. I will make some songs with that before spending $700 or whatever on a proper keyboard.