What will a MIDI keyboard/controller do for me

[lilcbcoach]

Ok, now I know this will be hard to do but lets pretend for a minute that I know nothing about MIDI.

I have Toontracks EZ Drummer, Cubase LE and a Presonus firebox and I am very happy with all three so far.

I know enough about MIDI to program my own grooves with the mouse but my question is this: What will a keyboard/controller do that I cant do with the mouse for drums or even any other instrument samples.

Is it the ability to program "real time" with the controller or what?

Please educate me and remember,......Try to pretend I know very little about MIDI ok.

Thanks in advance, Terry.

[richiebee]

The two main points of a controller to me are -

1. Faster input of notes, controller data etc...
2. Adding a human element

Notes and data do not have to be input in real time to benefit from the use of a controller.

R.

[brandondrury]

I know enough about MIDI to program my own grooves with the mouse but my question is this: What will a keyboard/controller do that I cant do with the mouse for drums or even any other instrument samples.

It's entirely possible to get the exact same results by programming with a mouse as it is with a controller. Of course, it would take a week to program a piano part EXACTLY like a human would actually play it (with all proper timing and velocity variations).

I would love to have a Vdrum kit and have my buddy who has been through the big producer drum boot camp play everything. It would save me 5-10 hours of programming per song.

I don't like doing drums on midi controllers (that look like pianos). This is just my preference. Some people have no problem with it. I do prefer to play piano and synth on the controller.

Brandon