i'll second the Akai MPK-88, being a piano player, also. It can send and receive at least two streams of MIDI over 16 channels. i've had it for a few years and it's been sturdy, though i can't say i practice like i did in college. The pads are excellent for any live drums you might want to play as well as system control changes to any synths you've connected to it. The sliders are beautiful if you've a virtual B3, and the knobs are continuous, so you can twist away without breaking them. It's USB powered. And best of all: i plugged it into my computer and it worked right away without downloading a single driver.

You're in Toronto? If you ever run into Borys Medicky, tell him, "Hello," for me.

Bill Wolf

Akai MPK-88? I'm a piano player, so I like weighted keys.

I also have access to a Yahamaha S90ES 88-key weighted keyboard
synthesizer. Old, but a very nice feeling full-size piano keyboard!

On 08/30/2015 08:37 AM, Karen Lewellen wrote:
> Hi All,
> I am still appreciating all the sound card wisdom! I think I shared I
> am aiming for the m-audio audiofile 2496, which I am finding on ebay.
> I visited our hackers lab here in Toronto hoping to find someone with
> enough Linux debian smarts to help me here with the software part of my
> circumstance.
> As there are apparently many ways I can ahem play the composing side of
> things with all the command line tools, I am wondering if folks have
> keyboard or workstation suggestions?
> I will likely need to be more specific, but do not want to stop the flow
> of ideas.
> Thanks,
> Karen