Tag: MIDI keyboards

Among M-Audio MIDI keyboards there are very little devices, for example, Keystation Mini 32 – keyboard with 32 velocity sensitive keys, powering from USB and good set of controls. Among them : volume control knob, buttons Sustain, edit, octaves control ( they can be programmed for other uses ) and modulation and pitch control. On its side there is Mini USB port for connection to computer and powering. Device works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X without additional drivers and allows to record MIDI notes in DAW ( Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others ) and control VST instruments and effects. Its sizes are 418 ( width ) x 105 ( depth ) x 19.8 ( height ) mm and mass is 0.45 kg.

M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 can be connected to iOS devices via additional Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit. With it AIR Music Technology Ignite, 275 instruments’ sounds and DAW Ableton Live Lite are supplied. Package contains : M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 keyboard itself, USB cable, disks with programs, warranty card and user’s guide. MIDI keyboard is good : has 32 keys, compact sizes with powering only from USB connection and good set of controls; there is ability to wish for modulation and pitch bend wheels, instead of buttons, drumpads and larger set of controls, however this will dissonate with its compactness. Also it worth noting, that for the same amount of money there is ability to buy larger and more functional MIDI keyboards, including ones with powering from adapter for work with tablet PCs; so, here is the choice between compactness and functionality.

Among classical USB MIDI keyboards there are Nektar Impact iX 49 and 61 with according amounts of velocity-sensitive keys and TRS 1/4″ jack input for sustain pedal. There is ability to use for keys one of 4 velocity sensitivity curves or one of 3 fixed values; devices have octaves control buttons, pitch bend and modulation control wheels, one 30 mm slider and 4 transport control buttons. On back panel there are : Kensington Lock slot, TRS 1/4″ jack input for sustain pedal and USB port for connection to computer and powering. They can be connected to Apple iPad via optional USB Camera Kit module.

MIDI keyboards Nektar Impact iX 49 and 61 work in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, Mac OS X and Linux without additional drivers and allow to control modern DAWs ( FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others ) and their VST instruments and effects. Nektar Impact iX 49 mass is 2.2 kg and 61 is 2.7 kg. With devices DAW Studio One Artist is bundled. Package contains : MIDI keyboard Nektar Impact iX 49 or 61, USB cable, optical disk with programs, warranty card and user’s guide. MIDI keyboards are functional, have classical set of controls and adequate price; there is ability to wish for drumpads and powering from power adapter for work with tablet PCs, which are present in other MIDI keyboards models.

Lets review MIDI keyboard MIDIPlus Origin 62 with 4 drumpads and 125 USD price ( for MIDI keyboards with such functions it is one of the lowest prices ). It has : 62 velocity-sensitive full size keys ( with ability to choose one of the 8 sensitivity response curves ), 8 knobs, 8 sliders with 40 mm size, 6 transport control buttons and pitch bend and modulation control wheels. Its side has : TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) input for sustain pedal, MIDI input and output, USB port, from which it is powered and via which it communicates with computer, and USB/power adapter switch ( seems like it has input for this adapter on one of its other sides ). It works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X without additional drivers and tightly integrates in them with modern DAWs ( FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others ), their instruments and VST plugins.

Keyboard sizes are 919 ( width ) x 120 ( depth ) x 76 ( height ) mm and mass is 3.99 kg. Package contains : MIDIPlus Origin 62 MIDI keyboard itself, USB cable and user’s guide. It is functional keyboard with optimal price for such devices; taking into account its low price, there is need to look on manufacturing quality, if it is good, then it is one of the best keyboards in value/price ratio respect.

Lets meet in audio part with MIDI keyboard Roland A-300PRO, designed for professional work. It has : 32 velocity-sensitive keys with aftertouch; 8 drumpads; LCD screen, which shows keyboard states; 13 buttons; 9 knobs; 9 sliders; pitch bend and modulation control lever; and TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) inputs for hold and expression pedals. Its left side also has : power adapter input, power switch, USB port, through which it is powered and communicates with computer, MIDI input and output and their work mode switch and Kensington Lock slot.

It is bundled with Cakewalk Production Plus Pack software, including 3 instruments and production software. For Roland A-300PRO drivers are released for Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard and newer operating systems, in which it tightly integrates with modern DAWs ( Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others ), their instruments and VST plugins. Its sizes are 605.9 ( width ) x 250.8 ( depth ) x 91.4 ( height ) mm and mass is 2.9 kg. Package contains : MIDI keyboard Roland A-300PRO itself, USB cable, CD-ROM disk with software and drivers and user’s guide; after purchase there is ability to download newer drivers and additional software from manufacturer’s web-site. From one side : this is a good MIDI keyboard with all functions, that are needed for professional music creation; from the other : for the same money there is ability to buy keyboard with larger amount of keys, velocity and pressure sensitive drumpads and roughly the same controllers; so, here is need to look on manufacturing quality and discounts on these devices.

Lets review compact MIDI keyboard Akai MPK Mini Mk2, that is reach with functional, despite its small sizes. It has : 25 velocity-sensitive mini-keys; mini thumbstick for pitch and modulation control; 8 velocity-sensitive drumpads with backlight; 8 assignable knobs; built-in arpreggiator; and specialized octave control buttons. Also it has : USB port for communication with computer and powering and TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) input for sustain pedal.

After MIDI keyboard purchase there is ability to download from manufacturer’s web-site programs Akai Pro MPC Essentials, SONiVOX Wobble, AIR Music Tech Hybrid 3 and MPK mini MIDI Editor; it works without additional drivers in Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.7 and newer operating systems, in which it tightly integrates with modern DAWs ( FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and Steinberg Cubase ), their instruments and VST plugins. Its sizes are 305 ( width ) x 178 ( depth ) x 25 ( height ) mm and mass is 0.45 kg. Package contains : Akai MPK Mini Mk2 MIDI keyboard itself, USB cable and user’s guide. It is good compact MIDI keyboard with optimal price and reach functional; it has not very big amount of keys and they are mini, but this is a consequence of its compact sizes.

Lets review MIDI keyboard Akai Professional Advance 61, which has full functions spectrum for professional music creation. It has : 61 velocity-sensitive keys with aftertouch; 8 velocity and pressure sensitive drumpads with RGB backlight; color 4.3″ LCD display with specialized buttons for instruments control; 8 large endless-rotation knobs; specialized buttons for control of drumpads sounds banks, transport and octaves; buttons for note-repeat, time-division, arpreggiator and tap-tempo; ruberized pitch and modulation control wheels; inputs for expression pedal and footswitch.

After purchase there is ability to download from manufacturer’s site following sounds packs : AIR Music Tech Vacuum Pro, Loom, Hybrid 3, Xpand!2, Velvet and Transfuser; SONiVOX Eighty Eight Ensemble and TOOLROOM RECORDS Launch Packs. Keyboard is supplied with Virtual Instrument Player, to which VST plugins can be connected and controlled with use of special keyboard buttons. It works in Windows 7, 8 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.8 and newer without additional drivers and integrates with modern DAWs ( FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others ), their instruments and VST plugins. Its sizes are 914 ( width ) x 293 ( depth ) x 88 ( height ) mm and mass is 5.44 kg, there are also 25 and 49 keys modifications of this keyboard. It is good MIDI keyboard, which has all functions and controllers for professional music creation, and it worth its money, especially if it will be bought with discount.

Today we will look on functional MIDI keyboard with interesting design M-Audio Code 49, which controllers are assignable. It has : 49 velocity-sensitive full-size keys with aftertouch function and 4 assignable sensitivity curve areas; assignable XY pad, which allows to control many instrument’s parameters simultaneously; 16 velocity-sensitive drumpads with back-light; 8 assignable knobs; 9 programmable sliders; 9 programmable buttons; and specialized transport control buttons. Also, it has pitch-bend and modulation control wheels, LCD display; inputs for sustain and volume control pedals; USB port for communication with computer and powering; and MIDI input and output with power adapter input, which is used with this kind of connection.

Keyboard is bundled with DAW Ableton Live Lite and AIR Music Technology Hybrid 3.0 and Loom software. It works in Windows 7, 8 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.7.5 and newer without additional drivers via Plug and Play technology, in which it tightly integrates with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. There are also modifications of this keyboard with 25 and 61 keys. Package contains : MIDI keyboard M-Audio Code 49 itself, USB cable, optical disks with software and user’s guide. This is good MIDI keyboard, with wide range of assignable controllers and stylish design, which is worth its money, especially if it will be bought with discount.

In audio part lets review MIDI keyboard Korg Taktile 49 wih drumpads and arpreggiator. It is high quality keyboard, which has 49 full-size velocity-sensitive keys, 16 velocity-sensitive drumpads, arpreggiator module, 8 of each type programmable switches, sliders and knobs, 7 transport control buttons, pitch-bend and assignable wheels, and touchpad and OEL display. It communicates with computer and receives power via 1 USB port and has MIDI input-output, optional peal can be connected to it. It is supported by Windows 7 and newer and Mac OS X version 10.6.8 Snow Leopard and newer operating systems, in which it tightly integrates with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Its sizes are 750 ( width ) x 290 ( depth ) x 83 ( height ) mm, and mass is 3.8 kg. Package contains : MIDI keyboard Korg Taktile 49 itself, USB cable, user’s guide and card with PIN code for licensed software downloading and discounts receiving on various applications. It is high-quality MIDI keyboard with full spectrum of functions for home studio and professional use and it worth its money, especially, if it is bought with discount.

Lets meet in audio part with mini MIDI keyboard chord Micro MU Control Station with functions, that are inherent to high-level keyboards. It has : 25 velocity-sensitive mini-keys, 8 velocity-sensitive drumpads, 4 programmable sliders, 4 programmable knobs and 8 customizable buttons. Wherein its sizes are 320 ( width ) x 35 ( height ) x 190 ( depth ) mm and mass is 750 g. It is powered from 1 USB port and works without additional drivers in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and newer and Mac OS X operating systems via Plug and Play technology, in which it integrates with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Package contains : chord Micro MU Control Station MIDI keyboard itself, USB cable and user’s guide. Overall, it is mini keyboard with very rich functions, which costs approximately 60 USD at the middle of Autumn 2015; pitch-bend and modulation control wheels ( programmable sliders, knobs and even buttons can perform their functions ), pedals inputs and specialized transport control buttons ( programmable buttons can act as they ) can be wished, but with such price it has quite adequate functions.

Lets review professional MIDI keyboard Akai MPK88 Hammer-Action. It has full spectrum of functions for music playing and DAW control. Following modules are integrated into it : 88 velocity-sensitive keys with Aftertouch function; 16 velocity-sensitive drumpads, which also react on pressure strength and have access to 4 samples banks; pitch-bend and modulation control wheels; 8 knobs, 8 buttons and 8 sliders with assignable functions, together they can control 72 parameters with use of Q-Link technology; 6 transport control buttons; Key Split function, which allows to play 2 sounds simultaneously from 1 keyboard; MPC Note Repeat, MPC Swing and arpreggiator modules; MPC Full Level, MPC 16-Level, Tap Tempo and Time Division units; inputs for optional pedals; USB port, through which it is powered and communicates with computer; and MIDI input-output. Keyboard works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and newer and Mac OS X 10.4.11 and newer operating systems without need of additional drivers installation via Plug and Play technology and tightly integrates with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and others.

MIDI is bundled with DAW Ableton Live Lite Akai Pro Edition and is optimized for work with AIR Ignite software. Its sizes are 1.31 ( width ) x 0.38 ( depth ) x 0.13 ( height ) m, and mass is 30.4 kg. Package contains : MIDI keyboard Akai MPK88 Hammer-Action itself, USB cable, optical disks with software and user’s guide. It is very good keyboard with wide range of functions and controllers and corresponding price.