yeah sure, you could simply buy a s/h synth with midi controllers and built in sounds. Thing is see, the behringer UMX49 is also a USB audio in/out device
i'm assuming this is important to you yes? o
do you already have a decent soundcard or usb/firewire audio in/out device?
another option is the Novation XioSynth25 which is all 3 (synth, controller, usb-audio-interface):
http://www.dancetech.com/item.cfm?threadid=4048&lang=0
obviously this has a smaller keyboard (25 keys), but is available as 49 & 61 key versions (costing more of course)
if you dont need an audio in/out then you have more choices -
If you DO need an audio interface in/out device then tbh it might be worth thinking about a seperate cheap USB audio/midi interface AND then add a s/h synth with some controllers on top! - u might pull that off for under 200 euros and it'd be a more complete system, but then the problem would be finding a reasonably cheap synth with decent controllers
for example - Behringer U-Control UCA 222 (which is probably the usb audio interface from the UMX/UMA controller keyboards) is only 25 euros!! then spend the rest on a synth with controllers
or the Line6 POD Studio GX - 81 euros ok but u also get a guitar modelling thing if thats relevent
or get the umx49 and a very cheap old s/h 1980's roland or korg or whatever rompler synth (or maybe a cheap old quasimidi unit etc) or a cheap older s/h novation synth or whatever which would also work but would prolly cost a bit more.
also it depends what sound u want to play when you're just messin about with the pc switched off
so 2 questions
1. do u have a low latency audio interface for your PC?
2. WHAT SORT OF SOUNDS DO U WANT TO PLAY WHEN MESSING ABOUT (NOT WITH THE PC SWITCHED ON)? synth sounds? piano only? what?
sry caps
rsvp
either way you're gonna have to spend a bit more to get a synth AND a controller AND an audio in/out
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