Best Computer Recording MIDI Controllers
It features 25 velocity-sensitive synth-action keys, a 4-way thumbstick for dynamic pitch and modulation manipulation, 8 backlit velocity-sensitive MPC-style pads, and 8 assignable Q-Link knobs. Plus, two banks expand the number of MPC-style pads to 16 for extended creative capabilities. Features a 4-way Pitch Bend and Modulation joystick . Features a Noterepeat and Full-level button option. You can watch step-by-step tutorials in the Related Video Shorts below or visit akaipro.com/kb/search/MPK_Mini for more detailed FAQs. Note Keys : (25) velocity-sensitive mini keys Pads : (8) assignable backlit pads, velocity- and pressure-sensitive Pad Banks : (2) banks Knobs : (8) assignable 270º knobs X-Y Controller : (1) configurable thumbstick with 3 modes Octaves : 10-octave range with octave up/down buttons Arpeggiator : adjustable resolution, range, and modes Additional Controls : Note Repeat button Full Level button Tap Tempo button. Power : USB power via full-size USB jack; no power adapter required Dimensions (width x depth x height): Product: 12.5” x 7.13” x 1.75” Shipping: 14.3” x 8.64” x 2.9”. MPK mini USB Cable MPK mini Editor ( download ) Software Download Card User Guide Safety & Warranty Manual. Includes VIP3.0 - the ground-breaking, award-winning music software platform that provides musicians and composers with a powerful hands-on control solution for their virtual instrument and virtual effect collection.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Unlike a synthesizer, MIDI controllers do not produce sound without software. So after you've downloaded the software and plug it in, you will still not have any sound generated until you've set everything up properly and loaded sounds onto the pads. It would be nice for them to take the time to make more tutorials. Everything I found just had to do with setting up the software, nothing really about HOW to actually use it. I am still learning to use this but it has gotten significantly funner to use as I have learned more about it and found sounds I like."
"A unique feature is the 4 way joystick for modulation and pitch control. It really helps keep the size of the keyboard down since you don't have to include those bulkier pitch and modulation wheels. Of course this is not the manufacturer's fault, they list "mini keys" in the first description of the product so I am not going to knock any stars for that. But the upside is that it makes the overall footprint very small, smaller than my computer keyboard infact. I think would be really neat if they made this same controller with normal sized keys. They make one similar (Akai Professional MPK25 25-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with MPC Pads) but it has a lot more going on and is $80 more."
It features 25 velocity-sensitive synth-action keys, a 4-way thumbstick for dynamic pitch and modulation manipulation, 8 backlit velocity-sensitive MPC-style pads, and 8 assignable Q-Link knobs. Plus, two banks expand the number of MPC-style pads to 16 for extended creative capabilities. Features a 4-way Pitch Bend and Modulation joystick . Features a Noterepeat and Full-level button option. You can watch step-by-step tutorials in the Related Video Shorts below or visit akaipro.com/kb/search/MPK_Mini for more detailed FAQs. Note Keys : (25) velocity-sensitive mini keys Pads : (8) assignable backlit pads, velocity- and pressure-sensitive Pad Banks : (2) banks Knobs : (8) assignable 270º knobs X-Y Controller : (1) configurable thumbstick with 3 modes Octaves : 10-octave range with octave up/down buttons Arpeggiator : adjustable resolution, range, and modes Additional Controls : Note Repeat button Full Level button Tap Tempo button. Power : USB power via full-size USB jack; no power adapter required Dimensions (width x depth x height): Product: 12.5” x 7.13” x 1.75” Shipping: 14.3” x 8.64” x 2.9”. MPK mini USB Cable MPK mini Editor ( download ) Software Download Card User Guide Safety & Warranty Manual. Limited Edition 25-Key Ultra-Portable USB MIDI Drum Pad & Keyboard Controller with sleek color change.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Unlike a synthesizer, MIDI controllers do not produce sound without software. So after you've downloaded the software and plug it in, you will still not have any sound generated until you've set everything up properly and loaded sounds onto the pads. It would be nice for them to take the time to make more tutorials. Everything I found just had to do with setting up the software, nothing really about HOW to actually use it. I am still learning to use this but it has gotten significantly funner to use as I have learned more about it and found sounds I like."
"A unique feature is the 4 way joystick for modulation and pitch control. It really helps keep the size of the keyboard down since you don't have to include those bulkier pitch and modulation wheels. Of course this is not the manufacturer's fault, they list "mini keys" in the first description of the product so I am not going to knock any stars for that. But the upside is that it makes the overall footprint very small, smaller than my computer keyboard infact. I think would be really neat if they made this same controller with normal sized keys. They make one similar (Akai Professional MPK25 25-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with MPC Pads) but it has a lot more going on and is $80 more."
3 M-Audio Keystation 88 II | 88-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with Pitch-Bend & Modulation Wheels
The M-Audio Keystation 88 II is a simple, powerful MIDI controller designed for sequencing music and playing virtual instruments on your Mac or PC. It features 88 full-size, velocity-sensitive keys and a series of controls that broaden the range of playable notes, expand expressive capabilities, and enhance your recording workflow. Octave-range buttons; pitch-bend and modulation wheels; and transport and directional controls make it easy to play, perform, and record in your music software without using a mouse or track pad. Keystation 88 II also includes a 1/4” sustain-pedal input that lets you use an external control pedal, such as M-Audio's SP2, for genuine piano sustain. Finally, we included Ableton Live Lite — one of the world's most popular performance and production programs. This also means that it will work with and is supported on the latest operating systems, including Windows 8 and Mac 10.9. This also means that it will work and is supported on the latest operating systems, including Windows 8 and Mac 10.9. The sustain pedal input on the rear of the Keystation series controller accepts any standard momentary, non-latching footswitch (sold separately). Keystation 88 USB Cable Ableton Live Lite User Guide Safety & Warranty Manual. Includes SONiVOX Eighty-Eight Ensemble, a world-class virtual piano instrument, and Ableton Live Lite;Requirements:Macintosh: Intel Mac with Mac OS X 10.5 or later; 2 GB RAM,PC: PC with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10; multicore processor; 2 GB RAM,Available USB Port.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is my first midi-controller as I have just newly ventured into the world of digital music, for a beginner tool this is great, I got the full size 88-keys, the product came with ableton live(which is a pc daw, i have mac so i use garageband), Xpand!2(a virtual instrument preset), and Sonivox Eighty-eight ensemble(another virtual instrument present), which you can easily download from M-audio website after registration."
"Also nifty that it comes with a licence for Ableton Lite, which seems to work nicely for messing around as I've been."
"Love this keyboard!"
"I bought this for my son's 23rd birthday."
"Great product."
"Works great on MIDI , got it connected to my Tyros 4 and Sonar and now I can do the impossible music I would never do in my life, the action is great and weighs very little !!"
"If you love you music, or you an apretince; M-Audio, or any other MIDI brand, is the next level to the music journey."
"This product is not for novices. Perhaps most of the 28 people (with the exception of one or two quality complaints) gave one star reviews because this is a MIDI device and you need to understand what MIDI is and how to use it before purchasing this MIDI controller keyboard."
Best Computer Recording MIDI Interfaces
Low-profile, 25-key USB-MIDI keyboard, ideal for use with laptop and netbook computers.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"An amazing instrument, especially for the price."
"Just kind of "Meh" for me."
"This turned out to be far more useful that I thought it would have been."
"I bought this nanoKontrol to use it with Ableton Live 9, I use different tracks, midis and audio, so I needed something to help me control the DAW, this is an amazing controller, everything is very helpful, and it works as a native controller with Live 9, but you can also assign every function as you want."
"The downloadable editor software is pretty easy to use( as far as the basics go) but the documentation is a bit confusing, so a lot of discovery through experimentation is needed, but that is normal in the world of digital audio. But there are also some preset scales that you can choose from including major, minor, etc. The default scale setup is whole tones from left to right in each row with the top and bottom rows separated by a semitone, giving it a transposing arrangement by a shift of the hand(as long as you don't shift off the edge!)."
"I had to set everything one octave higher to play correct sounds."
"I work for our church (watermark.org), and when we needed a simple and affordable lighting controller for a kids space, I decided on the freeware DMX software QLC+ in Kiosk mode. The nanoKONTROL2 works seamlessly with this software, giving our volunteers simple fader control over lighting in the small space and allowing us to recycle outdated Mac's and PC's as lighting controllers. From there, pro lighting wings will start in the low thousands, many without motorized faders."
Best MIDI Cables
USB IN-OUT MIDI Cable Converter PC to Music Keyboard Adapter Cord. Open your music software program, e.g. Cubase, Sonar, MIDI Connections, etc. To save potential problems, it is recommended that this interface is always connected to the same USB as it was originally installed on to prevent multiple installations of the driver. Start by connecting an electronic musical instrument to your computer with the provided USB MIDI cable. Within minutes you'll be able to play songs while they are being recorded on your PC. With appropriate software, you can overdub additional instruments, then edit, mix and even print sheet music of your final compositions.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Note: The midis cables have always been connected in the opposite way, so the Out -> In .... and the In -> Out ... is not a cable fault, this is how the system works mostly on old keyboards."
"HOWEVER, this product fit like charm with regards to both connections, and even though I did not have to contact the company, they were concerned about my satisfaction with the product and if it worked as described."
"This company has an outstanding customer service policy of working with you on any issues and from the first, I've been very impressed. The new one works perfectly, I can see the files and perform the functions I need to with my keyboard so I'm changing my rating, happily to 5 stars, not only for the product but for the very excellent customer service this company provides."
"Also, using alsa tools/aconnect with my Raspberry PI it wouldn't act as a connector between my USB Alesis DM6 and the Rockband midi pro adapter for Xbox 360 even though the more expensive Midisport Uno does just fine."
"When using a CC knob on my controller, the interface will send rapid-fire note data to the program, sounding a bit like an old-time rotary doorbell. THAT SAID, I'm going to give this 4 stars because for the insanely low price, it does work well for connecting a keyboard and playing it. --ORIGINAL REVIEW--. It does connect a MIDI device via USB, but the unit I got drops data. As long as you play one note at a time, all is well, but when playing chords, it only passes a "note off" message for one of the notes, leaving the others playing until you retrigger and release each note individually."
"Excellent product so far, the MIDI interface works with Ubuntu flawlessly for a program called piano-booster."
"So basically I'm out $13 plus shipping and I have a useless cable that might actually work if I go ahead and get Windows XP installed."
Best MIDI
Band-in-a-Box 2017, RealBand 2017, Over 1,800 RealTracks, Over 150 MIDI SuperTracks, Over 2,000 MIDI Styles, Over 300 MIDI Soloists, Over 200 MIDI Melodists, 21 Nature Sounds and Percussion Loops,98 Artist Performances, 1000 Dubstep, Modern and Top 40 Loops.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is what you see and hear in the videos!"
"Been a fan of this product for years."