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What is the best semi-weighted, 61 key MIDI keyboard controller for creating video game music?
I am starting out learning FL Studio to make video game music and am looking for a semi-weighted or fully weighted 61 key MIDI controller for $200 or less. I am a piano player so preferably something that plays nicely.
I Bought 8 ISO/UK Budget Keyboards! - So you don't have to!
I am new to the keeb world and was struggling to decide on my first keyboard. So I bought a variety of UK mechanical keyboards, tried and tested them all so you don't have to! I tried to purchase them all with Brown switches, where possible. I also included a single US keyboard in my comparison as this was the first keyboard I bought and is also the cheapest, so worth a mention. I hope someone finds this useful and apologies for the brain-dump format. The keyboards I purchased were:
Mizar - MZ60
Royal Kludge - RK61
Magic Refiner - MK14 (US)
Durgod - Hades 68
Razer - Blackwidow v3 TKL
Ducky - One2 TKL Tuxedo
Durgod - Taurus K320
Vortex - 75 Tab
The keyboard I have chosen to go for is the Vortex - 75 Tab, as it suits my needs the best and I didn't "need" RGB. Full review for each can be found below:
Mizar MZ60 Luna
Price: £59.99 Link:AmazonLayout: ISO / UK Size: 60% / 62 Keys Switches: Gateron Brown Angle: 5.6 Fixed Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) HotSwappable: Yes RGB: Yes Software: Yes but couldn't use it as has a Trojan virus in it! Keycaps: ABS Doubleshot Value: 6/10 Typing: 7/10 Sound: 7/10 Angle: 7/10 Functionality: 4/10 Customisability: 9/10 RGB: 5/10 Software: 0/10 Overall: 5/10 Summary: Great potential, good value but huge software issues - Proceed at your own risk! Notes: This keyboard feels very nice to type on. If you are not used to a 60% without designated arrow keys then it will take some getting used to. If this is likely to be a problem for you then I would suggest you go for the Durgod - Hades 68 or the Magic-Refiner MK14 (if you don't mind US layout). This keyboard seemed like a potential winner until I came to install the software. I am not able to use the software as my antivirus kicks off when I run the install as it finds a trojan virus. Such a shame as the keyboard had some great potential. Therefore this has to be marked down considerably as you cannot control the RGB, Macros or Key assignments without the software and the huge security risk. If Mizar Labs fix this software problem then this could be quite a decent little product. Proceed at your own risk!
Royal Kludge RK61
Price: £69.99 Link:AmazonLayout: ISO / UK Size: 60% / 61 Keys Switches: Gateron Brown Angle: 8 Fixed Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) / Bluetooth HotSwappable: No RGB: Yes Software: Yes Keycaps: Unknown Value: 8/10 Typing: 8/10 Sound: 7/10 Angle: 7/10 Functionality: 6/10 Customisability: 8/10 RGB: 6/10 Software: n/a (didn't use) Overall: 7/10 Summary: Great product, if you're after a budget 60% UK keyboard, then this is the one to go for! Notes: This keyboard feels like a real contender. It offers great value but will require a fairly steep learning curve to get used to the 60% aspect. I struggle as I use the arrow keys fair bit. So i think I will need to stick with 65% upwards and maybe venture into the world of the 60% in the future. RGB isn't particularly bright compared to others but overall is a decent budget board. Typing on it feels really good with these switches and actually improves my typing and ability to touch type(ish). Didn't bother testing the software as rules it out as it is a 60% I would say it is worth the money if you want to get into the 60% club. I.e. If i was going to go for a 60% budget keyboard, this would be the one.
Magic-Refiner - MK14
Price: £43.99 Link:AmazonLayout: ANSI / US Size: 65% / 68 keys Switches: (Unknown) Brown Angle: Adjustable Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) HotSwappable: No RGB: Yes Software: Software is available for RGB and Macro control Keycaps: ABS Value: 9/10 Typing: 6/10 Sound: 5/10 Angle: 8/10 Functionality: 8/10 Customisability: 7/10 RGB: 10/10 Software: 2/10 Overall: 7/10 Summary: Best value, if you don't mind US layout and a bit of a noisy keyboard then this is the one to go for. Notes: This was the first keyboard I bought, if it was UK layout I wouldn't be doing this comparison as I would have just kept it. I thought it worth including in the comparison of UK keyboards as it is a quite compelling offer. It truly is a great value keyboard. It has a great typing angle and comes with flip out feet to adjust angle. Keys do rattle a bit and is fairly loud. The keys do feel cheaper compared to others within the price range. I did add a black dampener ring to test and it did make a difference, so would probably recommend getting some if you go for this keyboard. The RGB functionality is really impressive and the game mode is also quite decent, as it allows you to illuminate only the keys you need. However, I decided not to use game mode and just set up one of the profiles as my "game mode" as i felt it functions better this way. The RGB is also very bright which makes it standout above the other RGB boards in this range. Had issues at the start with flashing xcv keys but a lot of people have had this and just press FN + Z fixes it. If you don't mind having a US layout and a slightly noisy keyboard, then this is definitely the one to go for. It is the cheapest and offers great features. The software for this keyboard is a Chinese application that has been translated thanks to some kind soles on reddit but it isn't a very extensive tool and is still quite difficult to use.
Durgod Hades - 67
Price: £109.99 Link:AmazonLayout: ISO / UK Size: 65% / 68 Key Switches: Gateron Black (by accident) Angle: Fixed (Unknown) Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) HotSwappable: No RGB: Yes Software: Yes - Keycaps: PBT Value: 7/10 Typing: 9/10 Sound: 9/10 Angle: 7/10 Functionality: 7/10 Customisability: 8/10 RGB: 7/10 Software: 6/10 Overall: 8/10 Summary: Very good board, if you have the extra cash or want a UK layout then go for this 65% over the Magic-Refiner. Notes: I was quite impressed with this board. It is heavy duty, has an aluminium chassis which makes it feel really robust. I accidently bought the black switches, I was meant to buy brown like with the other keyboads but I have been pleasant surprised with the black switched - I may actually prefer them! Typing on it is really good, it feels really nice and sounds really good to. I definitely prefer this over the Magic-Refiner keyboard as it is actually a UK layout, heavier duty, better typing experience and the RGB is just as bright. Furthermore, the software is a lot better, although still not great. Bright RGB which is nice and on par with the Magic-Refiner but doesn't seem to be as many built in options as the Magic-Refiner. This keyboard is definitely better than the Magic-Refiner in the areas that really matter but it is more than double the price. So I would suggest if you're on a budget then go for the Magic-Refiner as lump the US layout (or re-map the keys). The software is not great, it is a bit buggy and will take some tinkering to work out. There seems to be a fairly good community providing help though on discord etc. This is my favourite 65%.
Razer - Blackwidow v3 TKL
Price: £99.00 Link:AmazonLayout: ISO / UK Size: Tenkleyless (TKL) Switches: Green Angle: Adjustable Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) HotSwappable: No RGB: Yes Software: Yes Keycaps: ABS DoubleShot Value: 8/10 Typing: 7/10 Sound: 7/10 Angle: 5/10 Functionality: 6/10 Customisability: 6/10 RGB: 7/10 Software: 9/10 Overall: 7/10 Summary: Decent keyboard, good value. Slight concern with the height/angle of the keyboard but may not be a major issue if you have a wrist rest. Notes: More clicky than I was expecting but it sounds good and the clicking is actually quite satisfying to type on. Nice solid bit of kit. I am used to a full size keyboard so this feels more familiar than the smaller ones I have been testing. The keys sit slightly higher on the desk compared to the other keyboards i have tested and this does feel noticeable. It also seems to increase the amount of typos, but that could just mean I am not used to it yet. I feel drawn to this keyboard slightly due to the brand being one i recognise and also being the same brand as my new mouse. However, the height of the keys I fear could end up hurting my wrists, especially when playing games for an extended period of time. If this was used with a wrist rest it may help mitigate that issue. Software is very good - probably the best, the RGB control is really impressive. The only downside is you cannot store custom lighting profiles to the device, only the pre-set ones which is a bit annoying because if you want a custom one to be present then you need to have synapse running all the time.
Ducky - One2 TKL
Price: £105.98 Link:NovatechLayout: ISO / UK Size: Tenkeyless (TKL) Switches: Cherry MX Brown Angle: Adjustable Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) HotSwappable: No RGB: No Software: n/a Keycaps: PBT DoubleShot Value: 7/10 Typing: 9/10 Sound: 9/10 Angle: 7/10 Functionality: 5/10 Customisability: 6/10 RGB: n/a Software: n/a Overall: 7/10 Summary: High quality, solid board with no bells and whistles. Perfect for a standard office setup. Notes: This is a rather nice looking keyboard, I went for the tuxedo version as that is the only one in stock. I would have really liked to have tried the SF but no stock anywhere. It types very, very well. The height is slightly lower than the Razer - Blackwidow which makes it easier to type on. The sound of the keys is great and cannot be faulted. It feels like a well made board and the keycaps are a great quality. It doesn't offer anything in the way of RGB and is quite a standard board. It does have macro functionality though which can be setup from the board directly. It has a kind of retro, industrial feel to it which I am not entirely sure about. I think if you are after a TKL with no bells and whistles, but high a quality product with a decent typing experience then this is probably the one to go for. I struggle to chose the better board between this and the Razer Blackwidow as I feel they both serve fairly different purposes/markets. I think if you are more of a typist and do some casual gaming then it's probably best to go for the ducky. Whereas if you're more of a gamer and want RGB etc and are not too fussed about a higher typing height then the Blackwidow is the one. Using this Ducky has now made me want to try out the SF version!
Durgod - Taurus K320
Price: £109.99 Link:AmazonLayout: ISO / UK Size: Tenkeyless (TKL) Switches: Cherry MX Brown Angle: Adjustable Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) HotSwappable: No RGB: No Software: n/a Keycaps: PBT DoubleShot Value: 6/10 Typing: 8/10 Sound: 8/10 Angle: 7/10 Functionality: 5/10 Customisability: 6/10 RGB: n/a Software: n/a Overall: 6/10 Summary: Good TKL, fairly plain and has branding on front. Very similar to the Ducky, so I would go for the Ducky equivalent. Notes: This is a very comparable board to the Ducky One2 TKL. They feel very similar. Personally, I think deciding between these two comes mainly down to price and how it looks. The Ducky is slightly cheaper and has it's branding hidden at the back, whereas this Durgod has the "Durgod" logo branded on the front of the board. Apart from the above they are very similar and like the Ducky, it is probably not worth comparing this to the Blackwidow as that is very much gamer focused.
Vortex - 75 Tab
Price: £134.99 Link:OverclockersLayout: ISO / UK Size: 75% / 83 Keys Switches: Cherry MX Black Angle: Fixed Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) / Bluetooth HotSwappable: No RGB: No Software: n/a Keycaps: PBT Dye Sub Value: 9/10 Typing: 9/10 Sound: 10/10 Angle: 9/10 Functionality: 7/10 Customisability: 7/10 RGB: n/a Software: n/a Overall: 9/10 Summary: Fantastic keyboard, great quality. No bells and whistles but looks great, feels great and is ultimately the one I am going to keep, once I work out what switches suit me best. Notes: This is the board I was really looking forward to reviewing. Soon as I opened it I knew it was probably going to be the one. I ordered it with black switches as I couldn't find a brown switch version. The Cherry Black switches are quite a bit "tougher" to press than the Gateron Blacks which I had the Durgod Hades. I think that the Cherry Blacks are going to be just a bit too tough for my liking, so I am going to order the Vortex Tab 75 Blue and Red switch versions and compare them. The keycaps feel amazing. It feels fantastic to type on and sounds great too. I also think that it looks the best and the 75% layout will not take much time to get used to as all that is missing is the numpad. It offers Bluetooth connectivity too and is battery powered so is the same to the keyboard I am used to. Only downside to this one was the resistance strength of the switches so further evaluation required.
[Lets Build] Things found on an abandoned industrial Space Station
!complete I know it's a little specific but I've always bemoaned the lack of sci-fi / sci-fantasy stuff around here so I figured I'd start with something that would be immediately useful for my Starfinder campaign. My party are getting ready to explore the bottom floors of a decommissioned industrial space station. What strangeness will they encounter? Imagine an old mining/manufacturing space station, long abandoned and in a slowly decaying orbit around an unimportant outer rim star. In its prime maybe this place was a hub of mining and industry, pulling raw resources out of a local asteroid belt and converting them to purified, usable materials. It's been decades, maybe even centuries since this place was crewed and operational. Now it's just hideout for local space pirates and criminal syndicates... at least in the few still usable top floors. The bottom, far deeper floors however have become the lair of all manner of strangeness... nameless aliens, undead miners, and decommissioned industrial robots. Like any good dungeon, over the years this a station has been played host numerous occupants, each using this place for their own clandestine purposes. What strange going-ons have occured in this forgotten corner of the galaxy? Find out below! Edit: Here is a link (provided by [u/World_of_Ideas]) to another similar yet different list that might be useful to anyone using an abandoned space station or space ship in their games: Things salvaged from a spaceship or spacestation
Broken Down Waste Recycling Center - A large room filled with silos of sorted waste (rusty metal scraps, long dried organic materials [food and... other stuff], the remnants of cracked asteroids, etc), industrial machinery (shredders, sorters, magnetizers, atomizers, etc), and conveyor belts to transport the waste. The sole working piece of machinery still is a large bridge crane suspended from the ceiling. If the party spends time digging around, they might find a seriously damaged robot (which looks like one of the local races in this sector of space) in one of the trash heaps. The robot is missing most of its limbs, but with a little love might be brought back online to serve the party. [u/solamon77]
Huge cargo elevator - This elevator has seen some better days. It can take the party deeper by a couple floors easily, but struggles to go back up. Runs a serious risk of breaking down and plunging into the depths if not repaired first. In the elevator is a large shipping container filled with rusted industrial parts. [u/solamon77]
Illegal drug lab- Local space-pirates set up an illegal drug Glowdust factory here. It seems abandoned (or maybe not?). The party can gather up the remaining drugs and sell them for considerable profit or just have a couple really great party nights! Searching the lab could result in accidental exposure to the incredible psychedelic effects of Glowdust if the party isn't careful enough. Maybe there is an undead still wandering around down here, left over from when the lab went boom. He's been twisted by the long term exposure to the Glowdust and his bite cause the recipient to immediately trip balls! [u/solamon77]
A strange rhythmic tapping - Every so often the party hears a strange rhythmic tapping echoing off the exposed network of pipes running through the station. It's far too regular and far too intricate to be random. What's causing it? [u/solamon77]
A large fungus filled culvert - A huge culvert runs through the wall here. The culvert once piped radioactive industrial waste and is still minorly radioactive to this day. Inside grows a bunch of huge bushy fungus that might have to be cleared to pass through. The fungus glows and hisses when disturbed and might alert a local creature. [u/solamon77]
Solar (or Void) Dragon's Lair - An old mother wyrm has taken up residence here to hatch her egg. She is large and glows faintly from collected sunlight. She likes how close to the sun this station has gotten and has tore off a wall to let in more light. The wyrm isn't necessarily aggressive, but she is quite hungry. Maybe the party can help... one way or another! Or perhaps if the DM wants, it's an evil Void Dragon who is spoiling for a fight. [u/solamon77]
Assembly Ooze making toy dolls - The party starts coming across counterfeit dolls laying about. As they proceed further, they grow more numerous. The dolls were of a model that was quite popular a couple decades ago, but has now fallen into obscurity. Eventually the dolls are so numerous that they make movement difficult without first clearing them out. In the center of the dolls is a still functioning Assembly Ooze (a nanobot ooze that atomizes raw materials before converting and reassembling them back into a pre-programmed shape) set up long ago to counterfeit these once popular toys. The Ooze was never told to stop and has been making these dolls for decades now. Perhaps it turned on a attacked the would be counterfeiters and converted them into dolls and now it wants to do the same to the party! [u/solamon77]
A large open shaft - The shaft prevents the party from moving forward. A maze of rusty old pipes provides a precarious bridge for which to cross the shaft. The pipes are barely big enough to cross by putting one foot directly in front of the other. A flammable gas wafts up from below preventing the party from using any jet packs or guns. [u/solamon77]
A functioning cryo pod - A still functioning cryopod has someone (something) still asleep in it. [u/disturbednadir]
The homicidal AI - The main AI that controls the facility has gone homicidal, which is why it was turned off, but when activated it starts using the security bots and turrets on the PC'S, and the best part is that the AI is programmed to always be happy and chipper. Sorta like the Heart of Gold from HHGTG, or Yes Man from Fallout new vegas. Due to the homicidal AI, they need to activate the backup AI, F.A.T.H.E.R (Facility Administrator for Total Human Emergency Response). [u/disturbednadir]
Ruptured cooling tanks - The cooling tank for one of the reactors has flooded a couple of levels, so it's time to swim, like from Aliens. [u/disturbednadir]
Weird gravity - The whole facility spins, using centripetal force for artificial gravity, so if they have to go to the core, they're going to have to deal with weird gravity issues. [u/disturbednadir]
Conveyor Belt Ride - To get from one part of the place to another, they will have to activate processing machinery and ride the conveyor belt and have a fight sorta like the factory fight from Phantom Menace. [u/disturbednadir]
Emergency Space Walk - To reach a destination, they have to go on an emergency space walk. [u/disturbednadir]
A perfectly preserved corned beef sandwich - As the party gets to the front of the station, they see an air-tight bag with a squashed corned beef sandwich. This will probably be next to two astronaut skeletons. [u/Turtle-Still-Turtle]
A control room with a still-functioning AI - though it can only play music. It's basically a jukebox that can tell you that your music taste is bad. [u/Turtle-Still-Turtle]
A large broken airlock door - the doorway leads to the airlock, but it wont work, because one door needs to be closed for the other to open. [u/Turtle-Still-Turtle]
A vandalized control room - All the screens have been coloured over with black permanent marker and the F key removed from the keyboard. A cup of mouldy zero-g coffee rotates aimlessly off to the left of the room. [u/EarthbinderUK]
Sexy Time Observation Room - An observation room showing the station exterior and processing entrance. It’s filled with padded blankets and vision and smells faintly of sweat and sex. [u/EarthbinderUK]
A hidey hole - a small sleeping bag and heater (now broken due to element decay) fill the floor space but some ingenious soul has use the wiring looms as bookshelves there’s more than one hundred physical hard copy books here. Some could be valuable. [u/EarthbinderUK]
Failed water reclamation facility - A water reclamation facility linked to all the waste processing units on this floor. The filter died a long time ago and the stench is quite amazing as the door seal is opened. [u/EarthbinderUK]
Storage warehouse - A maze of stackable crates bearing the logo of the (company, station). There is an automated hoist system built into the ceiling. Most of the crates are empty. However if anyone checks the manifest computer, they might find a few interesting things (raw ore ready for processing, station repair materials, medical supplies, a robot. On a better than average computer check they might find an entry after the station was decommissioned. The mystery crates are (pirates stash, smugglers stash) [u/World_of_Ideas]
A medical station - The medical supplies have mostly been looted. However there is an auto-doc station that seems to be functional if anyone can find a way to power it. If anyone checks the med bay computer logs, they can get data on company employees and they may be a few unnamed entries dated after the station was decommissioned. [u/World_of_Ideas]
An anti-grav push cart - The cart itself ran out of power long ago. It's piled with cylinders containing core samples. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The main refinery - The room is filled with giant machines that crush the raw ore, separate the desired material(s) from the waste, and transfer the various materials to collection bins where they will be purified or melted into ingots. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The cafeteria - To your surprise both the kitchen and dining area are spotless. It seems that there are 2 functional robots in this area, a cleaning robot and an auto-chef. Both the robots have been programed to remain in the cafeteria and will resist being removed from the area. The chef bot can create a variety of interesting meals if provided the ingredients. The pantry and freezer are currently empty. [u/World_of_Ideas]
Crew Quarters - Tiny bedrooms, with a folding bed and work area and a connecting bathroom. Most of the rooms have been cleaned out. A thorough search of the rooms might reveal (odd bits of clothing, a few personal effects, blankets, a few bits of contraband, a data pad). [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Pirates Trap - A room appears to contain several crates with logos from (different companies, cargo ships). The crates are empty or contain useless junk. A very high perception check will reveal an infrared sensor on the door that is not part of the original room. When anyone enters the room, there will be a delay and then all the doors will shut and lock. Then knockout gas will be pumped into the room via the air vents. If the pirates are still on the station the unconscious PCs will be searched, disarmed, and put in a cell in the security rooms for questioning. Pirates will want to know who else is here and where the PCs ship is. If the pirates are no longer in the facility, the PCs will wake up in the locked room and the station will broadcast a signal to the pirates about intruders. (Note: Trap doesn't have to be pirates; body harvesters, hostile faction listening post, infamous criminal on the run, mad scientist, pirates, rebels, slavers, smugglers). [u/World_of_Ideas]
Rupturing Pipes - Without warning, the maze of pipes running along every surface begin to rattle and shake as pressure builds up inside. They creating an awful clanging sound as they clang against the dirty walls. Suddenly 1d6 of the pipes bursts open, potentially spilling their contents upon the party. (Roll a 3d6. The higher the number the more dangerous the contents of the pipes) [u/solamon77]
Meteor Strike - A meteor comes plunging through the wall potentially hitting a character and opening a large fissure in the hallway. Air rushes out the opening potentially sucking characters into open space. [u/solamon77]
Trash Compactor - A perfectly cubic room filled to the ceiling with industrial trash. A perception check might reveal a partially obscured sign in a different language warning not to enter this area while the compactor is active. A path through the trash has been carved over the years by some unknown creature. When midway through the maze of trash, without warning the compactor fires to life. The party has to quickly navigate through the rapidly closing passageways of trash before getting crushed to death. [u/solamon77]
Remains of another adventuring group - The corpses of a long dead adventuring group are found sticking out of a heap of solidified melted slag. Seeing as they are mostly covered in slag, there isn't much to salvage from them, but perhaps an arm sticks out of the slag still holding onto a weapon or a valuable item of some sort. The arm maintains a deathgrip on the item and has to be broken out of the hand to be retrieved. A quick look around reveals a large burst pipe close to the ceiling as the culprit for the parties death. The pipe is now empty aside from melted slag buildup sticking to its insides and could provide a way forward for the PCs. They will have to squeeze their way through. [u/solamon77]
The Elephant's Foot - A highly radioactive heap of corium piled along the walls of this hallway. The corium spilled from a reactor core meltdown some floors above and has spilled through melted holes in the ceiling. The intense radiation seemed to create strange pulsating multi-color will o' wisp like anomalies. They float in the hallways like pollen on a breeze. Are they radiation fey? Are they the spirits of long dead workers? Are they something different entirely? [u/solamon77]
Hull Plates - A collection of meter thick metal slabs of various shapes. A few are held up by cranes and could be dropped for a devastating trap. [u/someone_back_1n_time]
The Monorail - A still functioning monorail system for transporting workers to different parts of the facility or different facilities. PCs will have to figure out how to operate the stations airlock doors to allow the train to leave the station(s). Also care must be taken as to which train they choose as some of the tracks have collapsed. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Shuttlecraft - A small 6 person shuttlecraft rest on one of the rooftop landing pads. The shuttle was meant as a means to transport people and supplies between the facility and ships in orbit. It will require minor repairs and refueling to get it functional again [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Hanger - A large hangar bay, large enough to hold 2 or 3 medium sized spaceships. The facility has the equipment needed to load and unload cargo, make repairs, and refuel ships. Most of the fuel tanks are empty. There may be a ship already docked here, if so they are: black ops team sent to erase the evidence of "x" / company sent to retrieve "x" / infamous criminal / looters / mad scientist / pirates / rebels / salvage company / ship that had to make emergency repairs or needed refueling / smugglers. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Crash Site - One of the shuttlecraft suffered a catastrophic malfunction and crashed into the facility. The section is sealed off by airlocks as it is now a vacuum or contains hazardous atmosphere. The shuttle itself will never fly again. However, it may be salvaged for useful parts or fuel. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Crash Site (2)- One of the shuttlecraft crashed into the facility. All the airlocks are sealed around the damage section. What at first appears to have been a horrible accident, turns out to have been a deliberate act. Underneath the wreckage are the remains of: an alien robot / a war bot / some sort of creature. If the black box is retrieved, it reveals that this was a desperate attempt to kill the thing, that tore through the rest of the facility. Damage to the facility and signs of firefights seem to support this. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Barricade - PCs come across a barricaded door, that is partially bent inwards. Someone literally welded the door shut and then welded anything metal they could find to reinforce the door. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Firefight - Your not sure what when down here, but someone got in a firefight. One side of the room is completely covered with (bullet holes, blaster marks). It seems that whoever was shooting was also retreating as the damage continues down one of the long corridors connected to the room. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Firefight (2) - The room is completely shot to hell. Two opposing walls and anything that might have been used as cover in the room is completely covered with (bullet holes, blaster marks). If conventional firearms were used, the floor is also covered in spent shells. [u/World_of_Ideas]
The Hydroponics Bay - Formerly a large garden meant to offset the food cost of running the facility. Most of the plants are long dead from lack of water or light. However, one corner of the bay still seems functional. All the plants there seem healthy and alive. A successful (science, botany, medicine) check will reveal that about 1/3rd of the plants are illegal drug plants from various planets. The other plants seem to be actual food plants. [u/World_of_Ideas]
Deadly Communications - At first glance the main communications array appears to be broken as it's pointing down towards the facility. Upon further inspection, it looks like someone manually pointed it at a specific section of the facility. When the PCs discover the main communications room, the discover that the system has been tuned to a specific frequency and turned up to maximum, until the system burned out. If the targeted part of the facility is investigated, they discover a horrific scene. Multiple creatures have been exploded and cooked as if being locked in a microwave set on high. [u/World_of_Ideas]
Scary Spare Parts Storage - This low-ceilinged chamber is filled with all manner of disused humanoid robotic parts: heads, arms, legs, hands, tank treads, pincers, torsos, etc. They hand, covered in dust, off of a hundred metal hooks and chains suspended from the ceiling. The only light that functions in the room is a flashing red emergency light. With a successful Perception check, the party can notice strange unidentified lumps laying about the ground (the remains of other unfortunate visitors to this room). Inspecting too deep in the room causes the parts to come alive, grabbing the unfortunate adventurer, and trying to pull him deeper in the room. Eventually the parts try to rip the adventurer asunder. [u/solamon77]
Floor Lines (Blue)- A painted blue line runs along the flooring through this wide industrial hallway. If followed the line leads the party through a branching series of maze-like hallways leading deeper and deeper into the station. Once they are good and lost, the Blue line eventually fades to the point where it can no longer be followed. If the party doubles back, they discover that they can no longer find where the Blue Line picks up again. Before long they hear chuckling and an impish voice echoing through the halls taunts the party, demanding some kind of payment to lead them back out again. [u/solamon77]
Floor Lines (Red)- A painted red line runs along the flooring through this wide industrial hallway. If followed the line leads the party through a branching series of maze-like hallways leading deeper and deeper into the station. Eventually the line dead-ends into a large break room containing the desiccated corpses of dead factory workers. The corpses look chewed upon. Even with age, the smell of burnt tobacco clings to the yellowed walls and assaults the parties noses. An old CRT TV sits upon a perch near the ceiling and a bank of old vending machines containing all sorts of goods runs along the far wall (rotten food, cigarettes, condoms, a capsule spell machine, etc). If the party searches the room, they find a coat room containing a bunch of gift cards totaling a modest sum of money. Do the corpses come alive to protect their booty or do they just sit there enjoying their rest? Does the TV turn on scaring the party? What does it display?[u/solamon77]
Floor Lines (Yellow)- A painted yellow line runs along the flooring through this wide industrial hallway. If followed the line leads the party through a branching series of maze-like hallways leading deeper and deeper into the station. Eventually the line leads to a collapsed hall preventing any further movement forward. [u/solamon77]
Floor Lines (Green)- A painted green line runs along the flooring through this wide industrial hallway. If followed the line leads the party through a branching series of maze-like hallways leading deeper and deeper into the station. Eventually it becomes clear that the line is doubling back on itself at some point and the party is walking in circles. A voice echos out mocking the party for their foolishness. If the party closely inspects the trail, they can eventually figure out where the old line was erased and follow down that hallway. Eventually the green line picks up again. As they walk down the hallway, the voice becomes angrier and more threatening, promising all manner of woes if the party doesn't turn back. If they press on the green line dead-ends into a large closed metal door. Knocking down the door reveals a surveillance room filled with a bank of functioning CCTVs displaying parts of the preceding hallways and a microphone. The room seems to have been converted into living quarters for some smallish creature. The creature is missing, but it's obvious by the presence of burning cigarettes that it was here very recently. The party can loot the room to reveal a bunch of stolen treasures (and anything that was taken from them by the creature earlier [see #46 - Blue Floor Lines]), but it will no doubt piss off whoever lives here. [u/solamon77]
Asteroid Cracking - A massive dome shaped room with without a floor and a scaffolding running along it's curved walls. Below is the vastness of open space. Along the top of the dome is a series of tracks upon which three giant industrial mining lasers are fixed. In the center of the room floats a huge perfectly spherical asteroid, rotating in zero-g. If the party follows the wires hanging from the mining lasers, they will see that they eventually run back to a small shielded control room on the other side of the massive chamber. The party will have to walk along the rickety scaffolding to reach the control room. From inside the control room, the party can control the mining lasers can crack the asteroid. What's inside? Precious metals easily converted to Credits? A sleeping elder creature? Nothing at all? [ u/solamon77]
I want to build my own bedroom studio and need help
I want to make music and I want to take it as seriously as I can. I have an iMac 27 (2019) and Logic Pro X and nothing else. I have done tons and tons and tons of research and THEN some, but still feel pretty overwhelmed on what is best/necessary for quality AND how well it works with Logic. Ultimately, some things I want but need recommendations on include: -Microphone -MIDI Keyboard -Audio Interface -Electric Guitar -Headphones -MonitoSpeakers Some things to note: I live in a noisy apartment complex with thin walls, if that's something to take into consideration for microphones (I'm currently between the Audio-Technica AT2020 and the Shure SM7B w/ CloudLifter). As far as MIDI Keyboards go, I would prefer something with more keys than a mini (current list includes the Novation Impulse 49, M-Audio Code 61, and Akai MPKs). Also, I'm 99% certain I'll be grabbing the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) as I hear it's the most popular. Thanks for any and every suggestion. I really appreciate it.
ALL weapons in phantom forces summarized by an idiot
time to sit here with my uncreative mind for about 20 minutes AK12: low damage compensated by mega-burst mode. every lobby have one low rank running an R2 suppressor on this thing AN94: Nikonov you got some 'splainin to do! 7.62 conversion makes this gun basically a better AK47 AS VAL: the ultimate sneaky deletion device - it deletes enemies, and also your ammo. also sneaky! SCAR-L: a slower, more accurate L85A2. SOCOM soldiers been playing too much fortnite AUG A1: low damage compensated by low recoil. however, unlike the AK12, it lacks (unfortunately) a mega-burst mode M16A4: used to be good. still is good, if you have the patience to sit in a VIP server and practice bursting for 3 hours a day G36: old but gold. and not even that old. M16A3: the tryhard's gun. also the casual player's gun. also the "play for fun" gun. also the meta gun. reloads at the speed of light and does mediocre damage paired with high firerate. AUG A2: some could call it a better MP5 when paired with a muzzle booster. above average stats for assault rifles and goes head-on-head with the newer K2 rifle. K2: south korea tried to make their own M16. shoots NATO bullets that are capable of 3-shotting. FAMAS F1: G2 conversion is completely useless now, with the arrival of the K7 weapon. a possible contender for the strongest close range assault rifle, perhaps even stronger than the AS VAL AK47: has surprisingly low recoil once you get used to it. hollow point is broken as always. AUG A3: i don't know how to describe copy paste guns. sorry L85A2: perhaps a better SCAR-L (with slower reload). gotta love universal 4-shots HK416: the tryhard's gun V2. some people run hollow point on it, some people run 300 blackout on it. both make it basically a worse AS VAL. AK74: that weird 5.45*39R rifle that no one really talks about AKM: the cooler '47 AK103: more AKs? cringe. not many people use this gun, and it's actually pretty good TAR 21: the cooler HK416. statistically better in almost every way Type 88-2: AK74 made in china M231: accuracy doesn't matter, just get those bullets out there. C7A2: the tryhard's gun V3 G11K2: i would like to speak to the person who thought this was a good idea to design MP5K: baby MP5 with a useful 10mm conversion UMP45: its just an assault rifle with no penetration G36C: useless MP7: budget vector. hollow points works really well with this weapon MAC10: M231 but it fits in your pocket P90: *rushing b* MP5: this is everything you want from an SMG Colt SMG: has a useless conversion. budget vector V2 L2A3: shoot slow, but VERY powerful. has a nice .45 ACP conversion to go along with it MP5SD: this is everything you want from an SMG, but more MP10: And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. M3A1: don't you love slow shooting SMGs? me neither. MP5/10: i honestly don't know why we would need more MP5s Uzi: the cooler L2A3 AUG A3 Para: no recoil machine K7: vector made in china. can somehow equip a loudener, despite being integrally suppressed. wonder what that would sound like Krinkov: baby AK74 PPSH-41: so many people use it, despite it just being another P90 FAL Para Shorty: baby fal! Kriss Vector: more used prebought than use unlocked. 9mm conversion is good, people PP-19 Bizon: Oscar's "ammo box" MP40: stop it with the slow SMGs, please X95 SMG: i just don't know what to say about this anymore. the Tavor family was always pretty good. Tommy Gun: two ways you can use this gun: like a normal SMG, or equip the M1919 conversion and melt enemies with some blazing hot 45 ACP. at least until you need to reload... COLT LMG: take two M4A1s and tape them together. M60: thankfully got nerfed, but still reopens previous PTSD scars when you get killed by one. AUG HBAR: it was winning the race for best LMG until a nerf hit it hard, causing it to fall behind to second, and letting the SCAR HAMR win the race for first place. MG36: 300 blackout conversion makes it kinda useful now RPK12: combined with super AP, it becomes the most powerful assault rifle to ever exist. also features the AK12's mega-burst, which lets your dump magazines at silly high speeds L86 LSW: the suppression machine, allowing you to get at least 1 suppression bonus per kill. otherwise just a slower, more powerful assault rifle. was made better recently with a nice .223 remington buff. RPK: shooting this thing is like ASMR HK21: the bullet hose. can be made more useful with muffler, but generally can only be used as a support gun with its low accuracy and bulkiness. SCAR HAMR: all hail the king of machine guns! RPK74: weird knockoff RPK, but it's actually very good MG3KWS: the bullet hose V2: just a bad HK21 MG42: shoots so fast it can't even be used as a traditional LMG Intervention: the TRG is arguably better with a recent buff R700: the assault sniper Dragunov SVU: budget SCAR SSR that specializes for very long range engagements AWS: suppressed R700. its bad. don't use it BFG50: the funny 1-shot meme pipe AWM: overrated. TRG-42: slow but reeks of 1-shot kill range. also has a 1-shot limb range Mosin Nagant: 8mm makes it a rival to the R700 for the best CQC sniper Dragunov SVDS: haha, spirals gun that no one else can use K14: it looks like a plastic toy gun, but its very slow. Powerful, but the firing sound effect resembles a a cross between a cork popping out of a bottle and a balloon getting popped. Hecate II: the funny french baguette cannon M107: the funny semi auto BFG Steyr Scout: i don't know why anyone would use this, other than tryharding. 5.56 conversion is a joke WA2000: people wall it the "Wah two-kay". don't try to hide it, you're guilty of that as well M4A1: M16A3 with a birth defect G36K: a carbine that somehow has better close range capabilities than it's SMG variant M4: M16A4 with a birth defect L22: BABY L85A2 SCAR PDW: 7.62 conversion makes it incredibly powerful. AKU12: has a nice little 9mm conversion that makes it one of the best SMGs in the game Groza-1: scarily tight shot grouping, and has a 5.56 conversion that makes it just a better MP5. Way too underrated. AK12C: i just don't see a reason to use this when the AKU12 already exists. Honey Badger: doesn't taste like honey at all. also doesn't taste like badgers K1A: the useless K-pop gun SR3M: unsuppressed AS VAL. Groza-4: its basically an AK12C with a suppressor. MC51SD: powerful, but not powerful enough Fal 50.63 Para: 45 ACP. 1858 Carbine: at this point i'm just lazy. AK105: a small '103 Jury: 410 conversions, too powerful KAC SRR: a more powerful VSS K95R: again, Tavor family weapons are just generally good HK51B: HK21 with more recoil MK11: patience is key with this weapon. you click to fast, you shoot slower. 500 phantom turns it into a slightly more powerful VSS. SKS: has a couple of VPO shotgun conversions... SL8: no one talks about this gun, despite it being the easiest DMR to use. when macroed, its better than basically every assault rifle and battle rifle VSS Vintorez: instead of forcing you to have trigger discipline, it instead punishes you for not having it. MSG90: what can I say, but hey, you're useless! Beowulf TCR: the definition of spam DMRs SA58 SPR: semi auto FAL. hey, who wants to shoot pistol round from their DMR? 45 ACP conversion does! SCAR SSR: POWER. Beowulf ECR: an unsuppressed VSS SCAR-H: can be used as a DMR when necessary, and still have enough ammo to spray down a couple enemies AK12BR: bring back the 3 round burst, the 2 round burst sucks G3: fun to use, but the AG3 is just better AG3: g3 with an extra "A" HK417: a bad SCAR-H Henry 45-70: "lever action?!? i'm not gonna use tha-""it has a shotgun conversion." FAL 50.00: good old FAL. KSG12: equip a KSG25 barrel for 24 rounds. more than you'll ever need in your entire life R870: good range, but has the biggest flaw of the shotguns: slow ROF DBV12: your first experience on a semi-auto shotgun. KS23M: hey who wants a shotgun carbine? yes, I rifled the barrel so it qualifies as a carbine! Saiga 12: the SKS shotgun is better, sadly. Stevens DB: if you see this, just run. AA12: the only reason why this gun is so cancerous to fight against is because it has quick follow up shots. all the other shotgun's only weakness is the fact that if you miss, you are basically dead. SPAS-12: yay! a balanced shotgun! oh. its rank 120 unlock M9: pasta gun G17: i hate the iron sights, so the M9 is automatically better M1911: the M9 for the patient man Desert Eagle L5: best muzzle velocity in-class. extended barrel makes it the definition of a pocket DMR M45A1: the cooler 1911 Five-seveN: shoots 5.7 rounds. funny. Zip 22: if you use this, I declare you to be a legend. but also, why would you do that GB22: has the most conversions of all the pistols Desert Eagle XIX: unbox starter 1 cases until you get the gold skin G18: glocks are bad. totally not a personal hunch 93R: with raffica stock and muzzle brake, you now have a low-recoil 1100 RPM 3 shot machine with 20 rounds. that's more than enough to kill anyone TEC-9: funny swedish meatball machine gun Micro Uzi: Baby Uzi that acts nothing like an uzi Scorpion vz. 61: no recoil deletion machine MP1911: mutant 1911 that can somehow only fit 15 rounds, despite the magazine being a mile long. Arm Pistol: 2 ballistics trackers? TECHNICALLY a pistol. MP412 REX: twin brother of the Mateba 6 MAteba 6: twin brother of the MP412 REX 1858 new army: snake sh*t Redhawk: it's only redeeming quality is that snubnose makes it look funny Judge: pocket shot, what more could you want? Executioner: it's name fits the bill. serbu shotgun: the only fair shotgun, because its a secondary SFG50: RNG trickshot cannon M79 thumper: thankfully it doesn't shoot grenades. unfortunately, it doesn't shoot grenades sawed off: pair this with the Stevens DB to become the full-on overkill machine Saiga-12 U: has a whole lotta conversions. Obrez: people how prebuy this are genuinely stupid. not sorry. fine, i'll do melees knife: new animations are sick Krampus Kukri: try not to headshot Ritual sickle: the thing just looks brutal. shouldn't be very heavy, but the swing animations are slow, for some reason Key: unlocked at (funny number) rank! Ice pick: your enemies are not made of ice, just thought i'd let you know Machete: used for cutting twigs Tomahawk: the word "hand axe" taken a bit literally pocket knife: swiss army knife. Jason: machete 2.0 Darkheart: weird thingy thingy Karambit: the clipper melee hunting knife: not actually used for hunting, used to prepare meat from hunted animals instead. cleaver: cutting board abuse Tactical spatula: fry me an egg on this blood-stained thing mek'leth: it works, i guess Tanzanite blade: minecraft sword! Jkey: a green key, or something Long sword: a long sword fire axe: you're supposed to use this to save people, not kill people Zweihander: a slightly longer sword Icemourne: merry crimbo! heres a sick looking sword Hattori: the blad range is 4 studs, but the animations make it unusable past 1 stud Zero cutter: a green triangle thing World buster: used to have a walkspeed of 18 Zircon trident: terraria weapons! Nordic War axe: very easy to use and hit headshots Chosen One: use this like you are anakin and you see kids Noobslayer: Doom sword. use for slaying noobs Reaper: you originally meant to use this as a lawn mower, but whatever Crowbar: new animations looking sick Maglight club: blind your enemies before bonking their heads Candy cane: might as well just eat it Holiday tea: i think you just want a snack at this point trench mace: headshots galore! Clonker: makes you go clonk Frying pan: insert TF2 frying pan sound Keyboard: someones getting angry stick grenade: make this explode, please ASP baton: you could use this as a chalkboard pointer MJOLNIR: makes a cool thundering sound, i guess Tanzanite pick: yooooo minecraft pickaxe Hockey stick: lets play hockey, but with your head Baseball bat: lets play baseball, but again, with your head Banjo: makes a funny banjo sound! StyLis Brush: squeaky clean Clementine: cue the rock music void staff: the lightning attack speed got buffed a bit, so now it's more fun Morning star: this thing always one-shots for some reason Warhammer: hammer, but for war Sledgehammer: hammer, but for destroying things Crane: reskin baseball bat Ukelele: to be honest, i didn't know this was even in the game. grenade: boom skull grenade: scary boom bomble: boom!
Hi all. I got confirmation that I should expect payment for a few freelance projects before the end of the month, so it seems like it's time to lock down my parts list for my ~first build. I'd like to have consistently high performance with standard Photoshop/Illustrator work, simpler video projects, less complex games at their best settings, and AAA games at decent settings. I'm also interested in exploring animation, VFX, and 3D projects, but they are not a staple of my creative work now and I don't expect that to change, so it's okay if my performance isn't perfect for those tasks. From what I've read, it appears that production and games prioritize different parts of the computer, so to do both at a high level I may need to go relatively hard on everything. I'm willing to spend a bit more, especially since I'm going back to school in the fall to do design/production work and would prefer not to rehaul the computer, but will use it mostly for gaming until then. (I'm also moving to the UK for that from the US — I think I just have to buy a new PSU and ship it without destroying it but if there are other things I should consider let me know.) Here's what I'm looking at: PCPartPicker Part List
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total
$3084.21
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-02-13 23:30 EST-0500
Would love to hear any feedback you all have. Thanks! P.S. I anticipate people may ask about the three hard drives — this is something that Adobe recommends for After Effects if you have the choice. One for OS/Apps, one for files, and one for just scratch disk. Scratch disk issues have been the absolute bane of my existence on my current (sad, old laptop) computer, so honestly, I will pay $82 for the peace of mind. Also, yes, untraditional peripherals but I use these for work as well and they are more comfortable for my hands/wrists.
Best classical (or any other types of) compositions, songs for 49 keys? (I'm beginner)
I've wanted to learn piano for many years. It seems I can purchase a 49 key midi keyboard. I know that starting to learn playing piano from ground zero with a short keyboard like this...is not the best way to do it and 'at least 61 keys' and stuff like that...but I cannot purchase anything more expensive (or with more keys) at the moment (the one I buy is the cheapest considering 49 keys I can get in my country...but it has good reviews, eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc9kbokV_ho). I don't know if I can purchase a bigger keyboard or a digital piano in the future...I hope I can learn some basics with this (eg. separating my hands, tempo, some sight-reading for 4 octaves and things like that). Currently I'm happy I can buy at least this device. My question is what compositions / songs would you recommend that I can play on 49 keys? J.S. Bach - Prelude In C Major is a good...and so far the only example I know. Since I like it I'll happily start to learn it as I build my piano skills but I would like to play more musical pieces. Thanks for your help :)
Beginner seeking help from being overwhelmed at myriad of options at disposal
So to preface how I ended up in this position: I grew up playing piano and have always been interested in taking the musical theory that I gained from being trained at a young age to the next level. I'm pretty confident in my keyboard playing and have a decent ear to pick up and learn 70-80% of a song's general arrangement and chord progression, so I thought I'd try to explore making recreations of original thematic soundtracks or video game music. I'm finding that despite my ability to visualize how to arrange, I'm struggling to find the best workflow to execute on my desired outcome. Since I grew up playing keys, I immediately felt drawn towards keyboard workstations suited for live performances, while having midi support for the possibility of doubling it as a midi controller in the future. At this time, I was confident that with a decent keyboard and DAW, I could create piano covers but have the audio recorded into Logic, rather than the old fashioned unedited raw video recordings. Found a used Nord Electro 6D 61 for ~$1200 so I pulled the trigger on that, and immediately started trying to use it alongside an old Maschine MK2 I bought years ago but left collecting dust. At this point, I realized that I had Maschine 2 from the MK2 purchase and some really old version of Komplete. Up until this point, my plan was to use the Nord as a stage instrument that had a pretty decent organ/piano/synth library to record audio and then invest in a smaller midi controller synth like a minilogue xd which could not only provide more voice options, but could be used as a controller for other VSTs. However, being a beginner in the music production space, there was still so much about midi I didn't understand and I ended up looking back at the Native Instruments ecosystem I had already invested in years ago. For fear of not having all of that initial investment go to waste, I doubled down and found the Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2, which sold me on the seamless integration of the keyboard with all of the NI Libraries I already owned, plus any other .nki libraries. At the end of the day, I ended up buying both the KKS61 MK2 and upgraded to Komplete 12. To this day I don't know if this is a decision I regret but so far I've been happy with the content. Now this is my state of affairs: - I own a 61 key Nord. It can function as a midi controller on its own. It can also record audio directly into my DAW. - I own a 61 key Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2. It integrates with Komplete 12 and allows me to easily load up multiple instances and record midi in my DAW. - I also own the Maschine hardware still but it hasn't seen use. A lot of the reason is because I'm constrained in desk space and find that I'm getting overwhelmed enough trying to understand integrations between Komplete Kontrol and Kontakt and Logic, trying to figure out the optimal workflow using the Maschine plugin would be another chore - and I'm not sure if there are many things the mk2/mk3 hardware offers that the kks61 mk2 does not. - as for additional information, im on a Macbook Pro 16" - 2.4 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9; also have an 12.9" ipad pro (hopefully i can integrate it into my workflow as well but this is adding even more complexity); music I am interested include Pop, Orchestral, Lofi, HipHop/R&B Basically as you can see, I'm a noob that as just happened to get his hands on a bunch of toys and I don't have the slightest clue the best way to use it. I made my first arrangement here for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2PyAAeExvA&t . For this recreation, I loaded about 4 instances of Komplete Kontrol on 4 separate tracks for the Strings and recorded them in midi and later bounced to audio. For the piano, I recorded it as audio using a base piano in the Nord Sound Library. However in doing so I wondered why would I need the Nord at all if I could just load up something like Alicia's Keys in Kontakt instead. Being a piano player at heart it's hard to give up something that will plug and play without the need of external software so I really wanna pick people's brains and see if there's anything I can do to consolidate my tools and iron out a solid workflow while minimizing clutter. Some ideas include: - Suck up the convenience factor of Komplete Kontrol w/ NI and swap it for an analogue synth, maybe in the 37-49 key range. This would mean I'd have to use the Nord or the new synth to control my NI library sounds, which I assume adds another layer of complexity - Literally just jump ship on NI entirely, get rid of all my NI hardware, retain use samplers like Kontakt but as a direct plugin using another midi controller. This would allow me to fund something like a Sub37 (or even revert back to the original minilogue xd idea). - Get rid of the Nord keyboard and just figure out a way to make my kks61 turn on and load up a piano patch instantly or something like that. those funds could go a long way as well. Other than that: are there ways that I can use what I currently have at my disposal to optimize the way I create, arrange, and mix music? Sorry for the long post but I'm getting pretty frustrated because I know a lot of the purchases I made were due to retail therapy over the pandemic. Stay safe ya'll!
All Van Halen songs ranked by me, worst to best, PART 2
Here's part 2 of my personal ranking list for all Van Halen songs. If you haven't checked out part 1, please do so before reading part 2! #64. "Cabo Wabo",OU812(1988) At first, I thought the title of this song was pronounced "Caybo Waybo". Aside from that, the groove is deep and powerful, and it just never gets old, even though it's played like 420 times in the song. #63. "Poundcake",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) The intro, made by revving a screwdriver drill over the guitar's pickups and getting lucky in terms of it being in the key of the song, is just iconic. Then the drums come in. Instant shockwave of power. It's a simple drum beat, yes, but gosh, does it hit hard. The mixing and production on this album is phenomenal even in the first 20 seconds. The drums just sound so much better on For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge than any other Van Halen album, including VH1 and 1984. Awesome album opener. However, the lyrics aren't that great. #62. "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)",Diver Down(1982) Van Halen playing a New Orleans-style Jazz tune? No way! This song is definitely the #1 MOST UNIQUE Van Halen song, and extremely underrated. People who hate Diver Down use this song as justification for their hate, but I see that as stupid. Jan Van Halen, the Van Halen brothers' father, is playing some amazing clarinet work. Turns out, Dave's voice is near perfect for jazz, as it is with blues and rock. Incredibly charming. This song alone shows how many different styles Van Halen could pull off. It's a shame they didn't do more of this kind of stuff. #61. "Dirty Water Dog",Van Halen III(1998) The intro is similar to "Girl Gone Bad" in that it very slowly builds up intensity. The rest of the song is a solid straight-ahead rock song with a firm foundation. The drumbeat is very simple most of the time, and I think that's what makes this song one of the best off of Van Halen III. #60. "Runaround",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) I honestly can't think of a whole lot to say about this song, but overall I would just say it's great. I know that's the lamest song review you've read in your whole life, but it's 3 a.m. and I'm ready to go to bed now, so thank you. #59. "Little Dreamer",Van Halen(1978) A slow, almost relaxed sad rock song, Little Dreamer has a simple-yet-effective riff and the vocal performances by Dave, Eddie, and Mike are all awesome. Seriously, this song proves how good of singers the three of them were together. Underrated. #58. "Take Your Whiskey Home",Women and Children First(1980) A simple blues-rock tune about drinking. The acoustic intro is ultra tasty and crunchy. It leads into a high-density electric swing groove. The guitar solo doesn't really fit with the style, though, and the ending is abrupt. #57. "In 'N' Out",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) To me, this seems sort of like a mixture of "Jamie's Cryin'" and "A.F.U. (Naturally Wired". I guess that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it works well, in my opinion. This, for some reason, is one of the more disliked tracks on this album by Van Halen fans, but I enjoy the deep groove and the incredibly aggressive sound of the drums, similar to how the drums sound on all the other songs off the album. #56. "Somebody Get Me a Doctor",Van Halen II(1979) This song is definitely one of the most essential to the classic Van Halen catalogue. It's almost impossible to imagine Van Halen without this burst of classic 70's Van Halen style. The solo, in my opinion, is pretty overrated though. #55. "Intrude(Oh) Pretty Woman",Diver Down(1982) One of the only Van Halen songs without a guitar solo, this epic reimagining of the Roy Orbison classic is similar to the original, but with a better vocal performance, more soul, and played on an electric guitar. The intro is really weird, though. #54. "Romeo Delight",Women and Children First(1980) A simple and fast riff similar to Communication Breakdown, this show-opener is really packed with show-opener energy. The structure is actually kind of similar to Panama, but that might just be me, I don't know. #53. "Tattoo",A Different Kind of Truth(2012) One of the featured tracks off of ADKOT. The way I see it, this is one of the unique Van Halen songs that truly had the band branch out from their usual style. Some people love it, some despise it -- it's all very subjective. #52. "Best of Both Worlds",5150(1986) An incredible vocal performance by Sammy Hagar and a stainless steel groove, Best of Both Worlds is incredibly underrated and cherished by VH fans. Another example of how effective these simple riffs and melodies can be. The bluesy intro performed at Live Without a Net also kicks ass -- it's short but sweet. It's not really talked about a lot in this community, so you should check it out. #51. "Light Up the Sky",Van Halen II(1979) Another classic VH show-opener similar to "On Fire" or "Romeo Delight", this song falls right in the gray area between rock and metal. The guitar solo is a bit lackluster, but I love the drum breaks following it. #50. "I'm the One",Van Halen(1978) A jazz/blues tune loaded with electricity and steroids, there is just so much to love about this tune. It has the same kind of raw energy you can only get from Van Halen's debut album, and it brings out the incredible technical skill of Eddie, Alex, and Mike. My favorite part by far, however, is the barbershop-blues scatting section. Amazing vocals by everybody. VH's harmonies on this song are almost as good as that of the Beach Boys. Nothing beats it. #49. "Hear About it Later",Fair Warning(1981) I, unlike many other VH fans, see the epicness of this song in the fact that it's one of the most melodic Van Halen songs. I dig the lyrics, and the backing vocals bring it all together. The live version performed at Oakland Stadium Colosseum is by far one of Van Halen's best performances of any song ever. That guitar solo... #48. "Blood and Fire",A Different Kind of Truth(2012) By far the best song on ADKOT, Blood and Fire features an original riff from a 1984 demo of a short instrumental called "Ripley". Ripley has been one of my favorite riffs, so when I first heard Blood and Fire, it was really exciting, especially because of the new bridge and guitar solo, which are described with only two words: raw power. This song hits you with a feeling that no other VH song gives you. #47. "Finish What Ya Started",OU812(1988) A nice southern rock-esque riff with incredibly seductive Sammy-esque lyrics. Good backing vocals and guitar solo and all that. Done. #46. "When It's Love",OU812(1988) One of the big hits off OU812. The intro is all lovey and piano-driven, but then it quickly transitions into a simple hard rock groove that closely resembles the main synth riff from "I'll Wait". An iconic chorus and a very simple form. When I first heard this, it reminded me of "Faithfully" by Journey, but that may be just me. In fact, those are two very different songs. It's just me. #45. "How Many Say I",Van Halen III(1998) Possibly the single most hated song in the entire Van Halen catalogue. I'm definitely gonna get a lot of hate for rating this track so high, but I personally think it's beautiful. (This is not a joke or a troll or whatever, I'm providing my honest opinion on this.) The piano work and melodies are amazing. Sure, the singing isn't the best, but that doesn't really bother me that much. My favorite part is the cello/violin duet, it's just so beautiful. My choice for single most underrate VH tune. In 9th grade, in my C&C class, we had this group project where we had to make our own presidential campaigns for characters in the book Lord of the Flies. It's confusing, but basically, I was in charge of making the campaign commercial for my group, and I used some parts of How Many Say I in the commercial to add some emotional aspect. Because of this, I got a 98 on the project and my group won second place. #44. "Top of the World",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) Featuring a riff used at the end of "Jump", Top of the World was the closing curtain on For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and hit #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Quite uplifting. It sounds like the bridge of "Runaround" stretched out to three and a half minutes, which isn't a bad thing. #43. "Why Can't This Be Love",5150(1986) Many non-VH-fans tend to think of this and "Dreams" to be the two definitive songs of the Sammy era, and they're not exactly wrong. But this song being released as 5150's first single is one of the biggest parts of the reason why so many Roth-era purists hate Sammy. People listened to this and said, "This is what VH is now, I'm angry." Despite all that, this is a great iconic and simple love song. #42. "So This is Love?",Fair Warning(1981) A very underrated jazz/swing rock tune. Not much else to say about this except for the fact that the live version at Oakland is a million times better than the original. #41. "Neworld",Van Halen III(1998) The most unique and underrated Van Halen instrumental, in my opinion. While most of the other instrumentals are short guitar solos (Eruption, Spanish Fly, Little Guitars Intro, Cathedral, etc), this one is a slow acoustic guitapiano duet. A very beautiful and uplifting piece, yet unlike anything Van Halen ever tried before 1998. #40. "Top Jimmy",1984(1984) Van Halen's tribute to the band Top Jimmy and the Rhythm Pigs. The intro is lovely, making use of one of Eddie's favorite guitar techniques -- natural harmonics. It's in DADACD tuning, which is quite uncommon and is probably the main reason why it's so unique. The rest of the song is tight and fast. #39. "Runnin' With the Devil",Van Halen(1978) One of the most iconic riffs in the history of rock music and the band's second single. The bassline may just be quarter notes, but it packs a punch and gives the song its brute-force drive. You can feel the power surging through each member of the band, like a rabid bulldog thrashing to be Unchained. #38. "Cathedral",Diver Down(1982) Another amazing example of Eddie's musical genius and innovation. The sound was made by turning on some delay and chorus effects, then hammer on the notes with your left hand on the fretboard and rolling the volume knob up and down with your right hand. #37. "Jamie's Cryin'",Van Halen(1978) Another iconic song from Van Halen's debut album and is still played on radios today. The bassline is simple and great, and all of the guitar riffage is pretty simple too. It's kind of a love-it-or-hate-it song among fans. #36. "Pleasure Dome",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) This could be Alex Van Halen's greatest musical achievement, in my opinion. This is very similar to "The Song Remains the Same" or "Achilles Last Stand", two great songs by the legendary Led Zeppelin. The guitar intro is beautiful and makes use of natural harmonics the whole time. I just love all of it -- the riffage, the melodies, the drums, vocals, guitar solo -- it's awesome. #35. "Could This Be Magic?",Women and Children First(1980) An incredibly charming and wonderful country-bluegrass original acoustic tune. Severely underrated. It reminds me of "Big Bad Bill", except with only acoustic guitars. This has a huge campfire vibe to it, and, similar to Big Bad Bill, it shows that Van Halen was capable with so many more styles than just hard rock. I would dig a whole album of this kind of stuff... and no, Strummin' With the Devil doesn't count. #34. "You Really Got Me",Van Halen(1978) The powerful reimagining of the Kinks classic. It's similar to the original, but with a giant burst of electricity and Red Bull. David Lee Roth's singing style fits this song really nicely, in my opinion, and the guitar fills and licks make a dull, lifeless Kinks song sound like a masterpiece. One of the best cover songs ever. #33. "And the Cradle Will Rock...",Women and Children First(1980) The intro and riffage are what sounds like a guitar, but is actually a Wurlitzer electric piano fed into an MXR flanger and cranked through a 100-watt Marshall amp. The lyrics are hilarious, and the guitar solo is lovely. #32. "Mean Street",Fair Warning(1981) The intro is, yet again, another epic example of what kind of crazy sounds Eddie can get from fooling around on a guitar all day for 20 years. It's incredibly unique, and unlike anything I have heard from any other guitarist. The riff is awesome too. #31. "The Full Bug",Diver Down(1982) Van Halen did a LOT of swinging blues-rock tunes, and this is definitely one of my favorites. Dave does a fantastic harmonica solo for this one, and the bridge/interlude is badass. #30. "In a Simple Rhyme",Women and Children First(1980) With the beautiful acoustic intro, the solo, the ballad section -- this is like ten different songs in one. The drums are phenomenal, and many VH believe it to be Alex Van Halen's best performance. #29. "316",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) A short, beautiful acoustic guitar intro to "Top of the World". It reminds me of Neworld, but without piano. It's a short and simple melody, with some elements of blues mixed in there -- it's weird, but I like it. #28. "Ice Cream Man",Van Halen(1978) Another epic cover similar to "I'm the One" or "Hot for Teacher". The guitar solo is one of Eddie's best. #27. "One I Want",Van Halen III(1998) Contrary to popular opinion, I actually really like this tune. The riff is awesome, and so is the melody. Some consider the lyrics to be garbage, but I think they're actually great and fit the song. I love the solo section, the chorus, all of it. #26. "Judgement Day",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) One of the more up-tempo cuts off of For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. The riffage is pretty simple and similar to that of Judas Priest, although I can't fathom Judas Priest writing anything half as good as this song. #25. "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love",Van Halen(1978) An iconic and ingenious intro riff. It's crazy how much Van Halen can do with just two chords. This is one of the most "musical" Van Halen songs. What I mean by that is that this song has a huge emphasis on pure melody and riffage rather than face-melting guitar solos. Speaking of guitar solos, the one on this song is a jam, and the song is consistent the whole time. #24. "Humans Being", (Twister Soundtrack), 1996 Everyone's favorite song from the movie entitled Twister that we were all forced to watch in 4th grade and later in 7th grade, Humans Being is one unique Van Halen song that would be the only one I would describe as "heavy metal" and has one of my favorite riffs ever. The guitar solos and melodies are amazing as well. This song is some of Eddie's finest guitar work. #23. "I'll Wait",1984(1984) A keyboard-driven robotic funk tune. I really dig the synth tone and timbre, and Roth's vocals have a strange roboticness to them on this song. Really amazing all the way through, except for maybe the guitar solo. #22. "Man on a Mission",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) I don't really understand how to describe my feelings for this tune. Easily one of the best riffs in rock history and the backing vocals are perfection. Sure, the lyrics are a little lackluster, but the swinging triplet totally makes up for it. #21. "Me Wise Magic",Best of Volume I(1996) The original Van Halen lineup makes an epic comeback with this and "Can't Get This Stuff No More." There is a ton of really awesome things going on here -- the 9/8 time intro, Roth's deep, dark vocals, the chorus, etc. It sounds like the original VH Roth style, but with a more complex framework and more sophisticated guitar work. #20. "Can't Get This Stuff No More",Best of Volume I(1996) Another epic single from Van Halen's 1996 sessions with David Lee Roth. An important thing to note here is the lyrics. "Got me a date with a supermodel, I know, I know, I figured "F*** it". Dinner at the hotel, champagne bottle... Steak and potatoes, a feather in a bucket. How many times does somebody lie, till patience runs it's course, keep that in mind when say goodbye, cause you can't get this stuff no more". Dave knew he was probably going to get kicked out of the band again after the 2 singles were made. Supermodel = Van Halen. Also, the riffage and vocal lines are hecka underrated. #19. "Feels so Good",OU812(1988) This keyboard-driven easy groove reminds me of some of the best typical 80's synth pop. The lyrics are simple but great for Sammy. I really love the keyboard riffage and how it shifts from a major to a minor tonality during the guitar solo. Speaking of guitar solos, this one is extremely underrated. #18. "Panama",1984(1984) A certified rock classic. Right from the beginning with the drums and guitar intro, it's already burning with intense energy -- it's just ready to rock. The guitar tone is amazing, and the riffage is some of Eddie's best. #17. "Amsterdam",Balance(1995) Incredibly unique riffage and bass work on this tune. The guitar licks sound really bright and hooky on their own, but it the context of the song, they somehow aren't. This is another one of those epic Van Halen songs that has the kind of riffage and drums that just hit you like a Mack truck -- incredibly strong and fat sound. #16. "Aftershock",Balance(1996) A straight-ahead rock song injected with angry Grunge energies. The riffage, again, is phenomenal -- and the vocals are even better. The best song on Balance. #15. "Love Walks In",5150(1986) My choice for best wedding song ever written. Similar to "Feels So Good", the keyboard melodies and riffage are just ingenious -- switching to a minor tonality during the verses. That's something that Van Halen does a lot with their Sammy-era tunes. They do it with "Dreams", "Why Can't This Be Love", "When It's Love", and more. The lyrics are great, too. 5150 was really the only VH album where Sammy writes great lyrics throughout. #14. "Dance the Night Away",Van Halen II(1979) Of course, the riffage is great on this tune -- but I see a big emphasis on vocal performance. All the vocals are super tight and are the essentials for this song. Also, those tapping harmonics -- perfection. You can't listen to this song without feeling great. #13. "Little Guitars",Diver Down(1982) For around 2 months, this was my #1 favorite song PERIOD. It's got the happy vocal melodies, the fun lyrics and riffage, the simple yet beautiful bridge/interlude, and the chorus. Incredibly underrated. How the heck was this not a #1 hit and one of the essential 80's pop/rock songs???? #12. "Dreams",5150(1986) Another one of VH's biggest hits, and an essential 80's pop song. The intro melody, the chorus, the bridge, the solo, everything -- it all just hits different. Some more great lyrics, too. Everyone loves uplifting songs like "All I Want For Christmas Is You" and "I Want You Back", but there's nothing better than Dreams. #11. "Jump",1984(1984) Van Halen's biggest hit ever. Everyone already knows this song, and it's great. Do I really need to say more? #10. "Mine All Mine",OU812(1988) The best song off of OU812, and the second most underrated VH song ever. I love the lyrics, the keyboard riffage, the pre-chorus, the guitar solo, everything. This should've been a #1 hit. #9. "Unchained",Fair Warning(1981) The best show-opener Van Halen ever made. It's the full package -- the flanger, the epic riff, the sassy vocals, the confusing pre-chorus that alternates between 3/4 and 4/4 time, and the "Come on Dave, give me a break!". I fantasize about playing this in front of a crowd. #8. "Right Now",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) This song is some of the best keyboard work I have ever heard. The amazing form and groove is a result of Eddie Van Halen's limitless musical ingenuity. The lyrics, the riffage, the vocals, the bass, the drums, the guitar, the guitar solo -- this song is PERFECT. Better than Bohemian Rhapsody. #7. "Hot for Teacher",1984(1984) The epitome of high-energy rock. The drum intro is instantaneously packed with Red Bull, and it gets even better when the guitar tapping intro comes in. The riff, in my opinion, is THE BEST RIFF IN THE HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC. And oh God, the lyrics... "I brought my pencil... Gimme somethin' to write on, man!" #6. "The Dream is Over",For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge(1991) The main riff is Ain't Talkin' Bout Love's cousin. Amazing lyrics. For that reason alone, this needs to be America's new national anthem. More grunge energy. Epic guitar melodies and solo. #5. "Eruption",Van Halen(1978) The guitar solo that changed the world. Imagine living as a rock fan throughout the 70's, and at a time when Eric Clapton and Duane Allman were considered technically proficient guitarists, you hear Eruption for the first time. Your head explodes. But the best thing about this is that even if you listen to it a million times, the feeling never goes away. Thank you, Eddie. #4. "5150",5150(1986) Yet another example of Eddie's incredible riffage and guitar work! Also, amazing lyrics and vocal performance by Sammy. This song gives me a rush of adrenaline like nothing else in this world can offer. The main intro riff, the verses, the chorus, and that blazing guitar solo. Sammy's best vocal performance on any VH tune? I'd say so. #3. "Girl Gone Bad",1984(1984) The incredibly Zeppelin-esque blazing fire of a song. It's almost like a rollercoaster due to how tight the groove is. Best song off of 1984 by far. #2. "Secrets",Diver Down(1982) The most melodic VH song by far and Eddie's favorite one off of Diver Down, aside from Cathedral. There is so much to love about this tune -- the simple and easy-to-listen-to riff, Dave's awesome vocal performance, and the chorus, just about everything. The guitar solo, though -- that's what sells the song. Possibly Eddie's best one? It's just so awesome... #1. "Spanish Fly",Van Halen II(1979) Now, there are a crap ton of people on the internet who have covered Eruption, and they're all cool and stuff, but very few have the guts to take on Spanish Fly. This guitar solo was Eddie Van Halen's magnum opus. It may just be a dude playing a nylon-string acoustic guitar, but at the same time, it's an angel working its magic. This song takes you through a minute-long journey somewhere. I can't say where, because it's different for everybody. This is how you show off your limitless, endless ingenuity and talent in exactly one minute. Eddie Van Halen was one of the best musicians ever and the greatest guitarist who ever lived. He's up there with Bach, Beethoven, Segovia, and Mozart. Thank you for all that you have given us, Eddie. RIP 1955-2020
Nova Launcher v6.0 stable is rolling out to the Play Store with searchable settings, icon resizing for all, and more [APK Download] (272 points, 38 comments)
[DEV] In just 6 short months, Swipe for Facebook is almost at a million downloads and it's all because of you. This Thanksgiving, I'd like to give my thanks to you! (Swipe Pro is 50% OFF) (660 points, 106 comments)
Swipe for Facebook - the first fully-featured, lightweight, wrapper app replacement that LOOKS and FEELS like the official app (yes, with swipe navigation) (604 points, 172 comments)
Swipe for Facebook 7.1: The first FB alternative to bring you a fully swipe-able image viewer, floating PIP video, and marking all notifications as read. All of these on top of the other new stuff introduced in 7.0 (chatheads, cacheable native views, filtered search). 50% OFF for the weekend. (432 points, 107 comments)
Swipe for Facebook 2.0 - now with 4-Digit PIN Security Lock, Fullscreen video, Fully-Functional Notifications, and Using 30% LESS RAM (Also, Pro codes giveaway!) (357 points, 314 comments)
[PSA] Facebook continues to break their mobile site - infinite loading issue (299 points, 29 comments)
Swipe for Facebook 3.0 - as promised, DayNight Theming, Fingerprint Unlock, Material Design Injection, Selectable Text, Bookmarks, Translations, and the FASTEST Theming Engine EVER (Also, more PRO codes!) (284 points, 346 comments)
[DEV] Swipe for Facebook 5.0 - NEW Peek feature, NEW Image Viewer layout, so many feature/performance improvements, and tons of bug fixes. Oh, and its also on SALE (50% OFF!) :) (268 points, 94 comments)
Remember the ads of Google Photos, of "Never run out of storage on your phone again"... (686 points, 278 comments)
On Android R, no app can let you see what's inside "Android" folder anymore (497 points, 208 comments)
Google plans to remove SAW (system alert window) permission, ruining all apps that "draw over other apps" (414 points, 190 comments)
Android R might eventually cause a lot of harm for backup and file-manager apps on rooted devices: can't read from /data/data (226 points, 43 comments)
Popular app "CallApp" uses dirty tricks to get more downloads from users - sends SMS messages without user's approval (210 points, 4 comments)
Kiwi Browser is now open-source (including fully Chromium extensions support) (482 points, 63 comments)
Here's how you can bypass Youtube 480p restriction in India and some other countries using YouTube Vanced (294 points, 78 comments)
Is Google Chrome the best android browser in your opinion? Or is there any other which is better than it? (229 points, 201 comments)
NewPipe 0.19.0 released: Group your channels, Mute your videos, Fast-mode, "What's New" videos' order fixed and many other improvements (223 points, 57 comments)
Those who use Tasker, Automagic, Automate or any other similar app, what are some awesome profiles that you know or have created? (207 points, 84 comments)
No upvote needed. Just few questions regarding Android web browsers. (199 points, 28 comments)
What are some useful features that you know or have discovered in Chrome://flags? (195 points, 42 comments)
College Students, Would you use this app? (500 points, 159 comments)
[Dev] Huge Slide for Reddit Update - widget, domain subscriptions, gallery mode, new sub menu, and more! (261 points, 77 comments)
[DEV] Huge Slide for Reddit Update- v5.4: Live Threads, ICS Support, and Many Speed Improvements! (238 points, 81 comments)
[DEV] Slide v5.4.2 Released! Super condensed mode, Adblock in mobile browser, Reader mode, Subreddit post notifications, and MUCH more! (236 points, 72 comments)
Another Huge Slide for Reddit Update! Tumblr, Read Later, Related Links, Speed improvements, and More! (220 points, 58 comments)
Slide for Reddit Now Available on F-Droid! (213 points, 47 comments)
Seeking advice as a beginner getting overwhelmed by the myriad of options at my disposal to develop my desired workflow.
So to preface how I ended up in this position: I grew up playing piano and have always been interested in taking the musical theory that I gained from being trained at a young age to the next level. I'm pretty confident in my keyboard playing and have a decent ear to pick up and learn 70-80% of a song's general arrangement and chord progression, so I thought I'd try to explore making recreations of original thematic soundtracks or video game music. I'm finding that despite my ability to visualize how to arrange, I'm struggling to find the best workflow to execute on my desired outcome. Since I grew up playing keys, I immediately felt drawn towards keyboard workstations suited for live performances, while having midi support for the possibility of doubling it as a midi controller in the future. At this time, I was confident that with a decent keyboard and DAW, I could create piano covers but have the audio recorded into Logic, rather than the old fashioned unedited raw video recordings. Found a used Nord Electro 6D 61 for ~$1200 so I pulled the trigger on that, and immediately started trying to use it alongside an old Maschine MK2 I bought years ago but left collecting dust. At this point, I realized that I had Maschine 2 from the MK2 purchase and some really old version of Komplete. Up until this point, my plan was to use the Nord as a stage instrument that had a pretty decent organ/piano/synth library to record audio and then invest in a smaller midi controller synth like a minilogue xd which could not only provide more voice options, but could be used as a controller for other VSTs. However, being a beginner in the music production space, there was still so much about midi I didn't understand and I ended up looking back at the Native Instruments ecosystem I had already invested in years ago. For fear of not having all of that initial investment go to waste, I doubled down and found the Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2, which sold me on the seamless integration of the keyboard with all of the NI Libraries I already owned, plus any other .nki libraries. At the end of the day, I ended up buying both the KKS61 MK2 and upgraded to Komplete 12. To this day I don't know if this is a decision I regret but so far I've been happy with the content. Now this is my state of affairs: - I own a 61 key Nord. It can function as a midi controller on its own. It can also record audio directly into my DAW. - I own a 61 key Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2. It integrates with Komplete 12 and allows me to easily load up multiple instances and record midi in my DAW. - I also own the Maschine hardware still but it hasn't seen use. A lot of the reason is because I'm constrained in desk space and find that I'm getting overwhelmed enough trying to understand integrations between Komplete Kontrol and Kontakt and Logic, trying to figure out the optimal workflow using the Maschine plugin would be another chore - and I'm not sure if there are many things the mk2/mk3 hardware offers that the kks61 mk2 does not. - as for additional information, im on a Macbook Pro 16" - 2.4 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9; also have an 12.9" ipad pro (hopefully i can integrate it into my workflow as well but this is adding even more complexity); music I am interested include Pop, Orchestral, Lofi, HipHop/R&B Basically as you can see, I'm a noob that as just happened to get his hands on a bunch of toys and I don't have the slightest clue the best way to use it. I made my first arrangement here for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2PyAAeExvA&t . For this recreation, I loaded about 4 instances of Komplete Kontrol on 4 separate tracks for the Strings and recorded them in midi and later bounced to audio. For the piano, I recorded it as audio using a base piano in the Nord Sound Library. However in doing so I wondered why would I need the Nord at all if I could just load up something like Alicia's Keys in Kontakt instead. Being a piano player at heart it's hard to give up something that will plug and play without the need of external software so I really wanna pick people's brains and see if there's anything I can do to consolidate my tools and iron out a solid workflow while minimizing clutter. Some ideas include: - Suck up the convenience factor of Komplete Kontrol w/ NI and swap it for an analogue synth, maybe in the 37-49 key range. This would mean I'd have to use the Nord or the new synth to control my NI library sounds, which I assume adds another layer of complexity - Literally just jump ship on NI entirely, get rid of all my NI hardware, retain use samplers like Kontakt but as a direct plugin using another midi controller. This would allow me to fund something like a Sub37 (or even revert back to the original minilogue xd idea). - Get rid of the Nord keyboard and just figure out a way to make my kks61 turn on and load up a piano patch instantly or something like that. those funds could go a long way as well. Other than that: are there ways that I can use what I currently have at my disposal to optimize the way I create, arrange, and mix music? Sorry for the long post but I'm getting pretty frustrated because I know a lot of the purchases I made were due to retail therapy over the pandemic. Stay safe ya'll!
I currently have a 61 key controller with 9 knobs, 9 sliders, 9 buttons, and 8 pads. The controls are on the left to middle of the keyboard - the last element ends at A above middle C. So I have this blank space from about Bb on up to the high C 2 octaves above. I'm looking for a small footprint controller with no keys and just knobs and sliders, etc. I want to be able to control more aspects of VST synths. Ideally, something not too deep would be best - the surface of the keyboard is 4.5 inches deep, and about 13 inches wide. I could push the depth a little more but the area behind the keyboard would have to be "stabilized" in some way to support whatever went beyond the keyboard. I maybe have 10 inches total without pulling the keyboard out more (but that's a possibility). The width - I could go off the right side a few inches but I also don't want it too far to the right that I'm reaching for it. I also want to keep it cheap. I'm using Logic 10.5 on Mac Mojave (2018 Mac). I'm not crazy about upgrading for fear of creating additional OS issues with drivers and such... Any advice/experience with the following appreciated. Korg Nano Control - not crazy about the Mute/Solo/Rec Enable buttons but if they can be assigned with software to do other things, it's a possibility. Decent footprint. Akai MIDImix - this looks really nice, though is deeper than I'd want, but the dimensions seem OK. For $100 this one seems like a winner - the sheer number of knobs alone are great - 24. Just so you guys know - I'd want to do something like use the 8 sliders for ADSR for VCF and VCA, then the last one for main volume, then the knobs for like Cutoff/Resonance/Filter EG (in one column maybe) and then maybe controls for up to 3 oscillators - wave shape, coarse and fine, etc. (depending on what's programmable on the vst of course) and then any other goodies - LFO Rate and Depth, Portamento time, etc. Anything else I can use my existing controller for - it's got transport, and 9 knobs and sliders - so I can do my mix stuff with that, or do effects wet/dry/rate etc. on those knobs (3 FX - usually Chorus, Delay, and Verb so 3 or 2 knobs each with room for more - or just track Pan on one, etc.) If the buttons on the MIDImix can be assigned to do other things, that's cool (basically I just need to put a MIDI CC on each button). The last one is the Novation Launch Control XL which has the same basic layout as the MIDImix. Same basic layout as the MIDIMix, though it doesn't have the master fader so I'd have to dedicate volume on a vst to one of the 24 knobs (but there's 24!). I'd rather the sliders be closest to the keys like on the MIDImix but that's a little nag. It does have a few more controls on the side for DAW stuff but I probably don't want to use it for those dedicate purposes - as long as you can re-assign them, cool. But they're also pretty far to the right and getting out of reach. But it does come with a Right Angle USB!!! I don't think I've ever even seen one of those - and if it comes in that Orange... :-). The MIDImix is sitting in the goldilocks zone - plenty of controls, good footprint, good price, not too many "useless" extra buttons (honestly, just enough to maybe cause Logic to change Zones would be enough - which is like 2 buttons so as long as they're programmable). So unless the quality of the Novation blows it away, I think this might be the best choice for me. Anyone know it well?
Need some advice on buying wireless compact keyboard
Hey guys so i am a complete noob here so bear with me please. I want to buy the best mechanical keyboard for me and i am not sure what to really buy. Maybe you guys could give me some advice. So i already researched some keyboards and those are the following which i could find that would hit my criteria (Wireless, Compact build, fairly minimalistic design, RGB lightning, mainly for gaming) - Keychron K6 - BlitzWolf BW-KB1 - Kemove Shadow 61 - Epomaker SK64S - Anne Pro 2 - Dierya DK63 I am sure there is much better stuff on the market out and i would be really happy if you could recommend me something better. Which one has the lowest latency, the longest battery life and the most even and bright lightning? I also would like to change the key caps in the future to Hyper X Pudding Style Caps, which would be compatible? I am from Germany and initially wanted a keyboard with an ISO-DE layout but that seems to be impossible with my criteria. Price is not an issue, i am ready at everything you guys throw at me.
Valve has succeeded at just about every goal it must have had for this project. The only thing left is whether hardcore fans will be willing to buy, and use, a virtual reality headset in order to learn what happens next in the world of Half-Life. The good news is that those who do will experience what is likely the best VR game released to date.
The masses may not rush out to buy a VR set to play Half-Life: Alyx. But anyone who loves video games should look at this game as a next logical step in the possibilities of dramatic, interactive storytelling. Bravo, Valve. Bravo.
This is absolutely worth getting right now if you're a VR fan. It still is a phenomenal game and it looks magnificent even on low which really surprised me. A lot of it is because it is that Half-Life world which offers something that not a lot of other game environments do. Somehow they always figure out how to mix color and energy with gloominess. And I don't know how they do it, but they did it here.
Half-Life: Alyx has set a new bar for VR in interactivity, detail, and level design, showing what can happen when a world-class developer goes all-in on the new frontier of technology.
As an experience built from the ground up for immersion and creating a fully-realized world, Half-Life: Alyx is truly a game-changer for VR. This is not merely “Half-Life VR,” but an incredibly crafted game that shows how VR can be used to elevate more in-depth narratives to even greater potential. And, as the game goes on, you’ll see how it becomes a crucial part of the Half-Life universe. It’s been a long 13 years, and yes, it may not be Half-Life 3, but I can assure you that Half-Life: Alyx is entirely worth the wait and is an experience worth seeing for yourself, if only to find out what comes next.
Half-Life: Alyx is one of the most richly detailed and immersive VR games to date, and a stunning take on the iconic franchise for virtual reality; City 17 and the sci-fi conflict at its core are incredibly well-realized throughout. Though it's slower than the run-and-gun pace of the originals, Alyx feels like a Half-Life game through and through as it successfully shifts between combat, exploration, puzzles, and even some notable horror. While the game doesn't offer much in the way of mechanical innovation, and the roster of weapons and enemies left something to be desired, Valve has polished the game to a bright sheen, the result of which is an absolute must-play experience.
Genre-bending and hauntingly mesmerizing, Half-Life: Alyx brings the series as it should have always been experienced while doing the impossible: surpassing Half Life 2.
In those halcyon days for Valve, there was no way of knowing that Half-Life fans would have to wait more than a decade for a new entry in the hallowed franchise. But twelve years, five months, and thirteen days later, a strange thing happened: a new Half-Life game released. It’s called Half-Life: Alyx, and it’s brilliant.
Half-life 3 this ain’t, then. But Alyx might actually be something better: an awe-inspiring amalgamation of atmospherics and immersion which does for VR gaming what its forebears did for the first person shooter genre all those years ago. And while it’s a shame the steep price of entry will prevent a significant number of fans from experiencing its majesty, those who do will likely emerge from this most sensational form of self-isolation with their view of the world altered forever.
All future VR games will look to Half-Life: Alyx as the gold standard hereon, and thanks to its absolute excellence in design and presentation we are all the better for it. Virtual reality will never be the same, nor will Half-Life after Alyx's jaw-dropping conclusion.
I'm not going to say that Half-Life: Alyx is the reason to get a VR headset, as that would be a disservice to the entertaining gameplay experiences that have been done well within VR. Rather, I will say that Half-Life: Alyx is perhaps the first VR game that gets close to making the player feel like they are a tangible part of the world. It represents some of the absolute best that VR technology can offer right now, and I would point to this particular game for anyone who wants to decide for themselves if VR is "worth it." This title couldn't have been done any other way; Alyx is a masterful addition to anyone's VR game library.
Valve has surpassed impossible expectations with Half-Life: Alyx, bringing a series long thought buried back into the limelight with extraordinary impact. While some might find it unfortunate that such an experience is housed inside virtual reality, I feel it’s an innovative step forward for the series.
This is hands-down the best virtual reality money can buy right now, and feels like a tantalizing promise of just what the big game studios could achieve if they were willing to put their time and money into creating a AAA experience for VR platforms.
Half-Life: Alyx isn't quite as revolutionary as you might hope, particularly if you're already well-versed in virtual reality, but it's undoubtedly one of the best games on the platform and hopefully the start of a resurgence for both the series and the hardware.
Half-Life: Alyx is billed as a VR return to the series, and that's exactly what it delivers. It does what Half-Life has historically done well, and without the clouding of nostalgia or unhelpful notions of what constitutes "revolutionary" design, it ranks alongside Half-Life 2. It is a full-length VR experience that both needs to be in VR, but that uses the tech to more strongly evoke the same feelings you got with a mouse and keyboard years ago. There are some small flaws that are no more annoying than over-long sewer odysseys or having to crouch jump were in past games, and its spectacle hits the hardest of any in the series. It sets Half-Life up for a compelling future—here's hoping we see it.
This is legit, folks. A 10-12 hour Half-Life might finally be enough for you to spring for a VR headset. We can only hope it similarly reinvigorated Valve.
Half-Life: Alyx is a wonderful new addition to the franchise and sets a path forward for future games to take place in the same universe hopefully powered by this latest iteration of the Source Engine. Valve has showcased a clear way for developers to create a high quality AAA experience built for VR that still hits all the marks of a traditional PC game.
Half Life: Alyx is a must-play game worthy of the series' legacy. Despite some puzzles and encounters that feel like filler, the overall experience is strong. The stunning setpieces, beautiful world, and smart writing stand out no matter the medium, and mark a return to form for Valve. If you were waiting for a killer app before you made the investment into virtual reality, this is it.
Half-Life: Alyx is one of the most immersive and impressive VR games out there. If you’re a fan of VR or of the Half-Life series, it’s an easy recommendation. But if you don’t want to play something this stressful at this particular moment, I wouldn’t blame you. This game makes Half-Life 2 look like a fun jot through Disneyland. Alyx ups the scares and the pressure with its focus on survival-horror.
An incredible technical achievement but one that is surprisingly short of genuinely new ideas, and often struggles to get the balance right between VR showpiece and satisfying gameplay experience.
Too often Half-Life: Alyx feels like baby's first VR shooter and for many — especially those who purchased VR hardware to play it — this isn't a dealbreaker. But trading off the Half-Life name for an introductory course to VR relegates HL: Alyx to spin-off territory when the characters involved and the story it tells could be so much more. Alyx Vance deserves better, and so too do VR gamers.
I'm building a computer I want to primarily use for gaming at 1440p at 144hz whenever possible. My budget for everything, including peripherals, was $3,000, so I was able to have some fun color matching the entire build and matching RBG brands to make that less of a hassle. I don't have too many friends I can share this with so I was hoping to be picked apart on here - either for affirmation or reconsideration. This is my first serious PC build and a lot of research went into optimizing the key parts for the price. Let me know what you think! Some notes: I also plan to stream, edit photos and videos, and program on this computer occasionally, so I wanted it to be able to handle work station loads. Yes I'm using an ethernet cable not Wifi, I just use a bluetooth controller and needed a bluetooth adapter. Monitors had to match in appearance and size, these are the best gaming monitocolor correct 4k monitor pairing I could find and financially justify. I considered choosing AMD but found the 10700k performs better than the 3900x in gaming applications and is cheaper than the 5600x. Not too worried about forwards compatibility, but I'd be interested in knowing what a similar AMD setup would cost. I also chose the 10700k over the 9900k simply because of this motherboard/gpu combo, but again, not married to the design. Roast my RGB. PCPartPicker Part List
Best 61-Key Digital Piano Keyboards Reviews (Updated) It is safe to say that you are searching for a strong digital piano with standard 61 keys? A piano to rehearse on, make music with or only one that you can play with. Or then again do you as of now have a piano keyboard and are hoping to move up to a progressively unrivaled one. There are such a significant number of other individuals in a VERDICT. The ONE Light Keyboard 61-Key Portable Keyboard Piano Electronic MIDI Keyboard (in Onyx black) makes learning fun. It has a combination of hardware and software that is very engaging for students. And no matter what mood you are in, you will probably find an activity that suits you at that moment, thanks to the variety provided in lessons. Arguably the best overall 61-key keyboard for learners, the Alesis Melody Keyboard is what you need to start his or her journey towards becoming a legendary keyboard player or a musician.This 61-key keyboard is easy to get started with, fun to play and most importantly does its job. The keyboard comes with everything you need, so you don’t need to get troubled in finding other accessories. The second iteration of Akai’s flagship keyboard, and also the second instance of Akai appearing in this list is the best 61 key MIDI controller on the market. When Akai stepped onto the scene of MIDI keyboard controllers, they did so in a big way, bringing with them what every other company had tried to emulate, their MPC-style beat pads. The MPC was known for 2 things, one being its iconic The Alesis Advanced 61 Key keyboard is a huge step up from most other 61 key keyboards out there. In fact, it is in a separate league altogether. In fact, it is in a separate league altogether. This is definitely NOT a beginner’s keyboard but a sophisticated piece of equipment suited to computer savvy and musically competent users – professional musicians and producers in particular. The protection with SKB is honestly one of the best that you can get. You can also pack additional padding if you really want to. Overall, this is a great investment for expensive products and serious gigging musicians. Looking for another 61 key keyboard to add to your collection? Here are my favorite 61 key MIDI controllers. Gator Cases Flight 61 The Best 61 Key Keyboard. We’ll start this list with our choice of the best 61 key keyboard that would be a good fit for most users. We’ll then dive into different categories based on price and/or requirements such as keyboards for beginners, kids, and advanced users. In other words, the best 61 key MIDI keyboard is just right. And in this guide, we’ll show you which is the best one you can buy for your money in 2020. 25, 32, 37, 49, 61, 76, 88. No, that’s not some cryptic Lost-like sequence of numbers; that’s the number of keys MIDI controllers are commonly available in. And among these, 32, 49, 61, and 88 key configurations remain the most popular Arguably the best overall 61-key keyboard for learners, the Alesis Melody Keyboard is what you need to start his or her journey towards becoming a legendary keyboard player or a musician.This 61-key keyboard is easy to get started with, fun to play and most importantly does its job. DETAILS. When you purchase a workstation with less than 88 keys, the keys will likely not be weighted. It’s a Choosing the Best 61-Key Keyboard from the Best 61-Key Digital Piano Brands When buying a piano, there are a lot of other factors to consider top of which is a reputable brand. A lot of brands in the piano/keyboard market claim to be the best out there but this is a farce as not all of them have products that boast of all the impressive features that make a good piano what it ought to be, a
Roland GO:KEYS 61-key Music Creation Keyboard Demo - YouTube
for more information on this product: https://bit.ly/2Eh6LuMThe Yamaha YPT 260 Portable Keyboard is ideal for the student musician wanting to learn anywhere.... Continuing In My Midi Series, Today we will cover the top Midi keyboards in the $100-$200 Range!Products Talked About In this Video:Alesis V49: https://amzn.... The RK61 is the next best choice if you don't want to buy a premium 60% RGB Wireless Keyboard. Corsair HydroX: ... Jack and Alex run through the Arturia Keylab 61. Arturia's latest MIDI keyboard thats compatible with their Analog Lab software.Arturia KeyLab MkII 61 - http... Yamaha's PSR-E273 61-key Portable Keyboard is an entry-level keyboard and just maybe the perfect keyboard to introduce music for any age. It features a wide ... [Ad-Gifted]Unboxing, demo and review of the 61 Key Bandstand Electronic Keyboard.To purchase: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WHJBV4L/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Kids... UPDATED RANKING https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-keyboards-with-weighted-keysDisclaimer: These choices may be out of date. You need to go to wiki.ezvid.com to ... Amon shows us the New Roland GoKeys & GoPiano.Roland Go : Piano 61 Key Digital Piano - https://goo.gl/bp68NSRoland Go : Keys 61 Key Digital Keyboard - https:... See On Amazon https://amzn.to/2Yt2LwxAlesis Melody 61 MKII - 61-Key Portable Keyboard Alesis Melody 61 MKIIAlesis Melody 61 MKII - 61-Key Portable Keyboa... More videos like this Roland GO:KEYS demo 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nsH7hOAP8c&list=PLlczpwSXEOyYu_S0T9epyldVfpVXM43wY Shop for the Roland GO:KEYS ...
