Midi Sampler Question Options

[pinemarten3]

So, I'm totally new with the whole MIDI thing. Been using mostly analogue keyboards etc. It's gotten to the point where I just can't take all this stuff to shows anymore. So I'm thinking about getting a sampler (AKAI S2000, EMU ESI2000 something like that).

Here's my question, can I, using MIDI, run two keyboards into one sampler (with only one MIDI input) and play different parts on them? Do I need some sort of MIDI mixer?

Basically what I'm trying to do is replace a main keyboard with piano/string type sounds and a little MOOG synth, which I play during different parts of the same song. The idea being that I don't want to switch out MIDI ins for two separate controllers duing the middle of a song.

As I said, I'm completely new to this, so please be gentle.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[pinemarten3]

Thanks for the advice. I guess my only question now is, how do I set up the two keyboards to run into a sampler with only one midi input? Ideally what I'd like to do is run say a full size controller for the main parts of the song (piano sounds, strings etc.) and then something small like an Oxygen8 to be able to play moogy type stuff during the same song. Do I run one of the keyboards into the other one, and then run the 2nd one into the sampler? Thanks again for the help.