(Image credit: Future) How many keys do you need on a MIDI keyboard?Īll of the best cheap MIDI keyboards featured here come with octave shift buttons, meaning that the full range of note pitches are accessible just by pressing a couple of buttons. If you find the synth-action too light, but you're struggling with the heavy feel of weighted keys, you may want to look at semi-weighted, which sit somewhere in the middle. As the name suggests, these keys are weighted and mimic the touch of a piano. Now for most of us, that's fine, but experienced piano players may be more familiar with fully-weighted keys. More affordable MIDI controllers will come with a 'synth-like' action, meaning the keys aren't weighted at all. Next, you need to think about the action. These days, mini keys are just as responsive and easy to play as full-size versions but can be tricky if you suffer from 'sausage finger syndrome', in which case you might want to stick to full-size keys. There are many choices out there - but which is the best for you? What style of keys do you need?Ī MIDI controller can come with several different styles of keys, from full-sized to mini, weighted to synth-action. Many MIDI controllers also feature touchpads, which are perfect for performing percussive elements such as drums, pitch wheels for recreating the expressive pitch bends easily achieved on a guitar, and some even have faders that can be linked directly to the mixer in your DAW. Say you wanted to take full advantage of the virtual instruments found inside your DAW, a MIDI controller would allow you to play them as if you were playing a regular keyboard. The computer interprets this information and plays it back as audio. The controller sends MIDI information to the computer - or synth - to tell it what note you played, for how long and how hard you played it. Simply put, a MIDI keyboard produces no sound on its own and instead is used to control and play sounds from music software or hardware synthesizers. MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. The best Novation Launchkey Mini Mk3 deals online right now.Read the full Novation Launchkey Mini Mk3 review All told, the third iteration of the Launchkey family is a highly capable controller at a very sensible price. This grants full control over arming tracks, performing and recording without needing to touch your mouse. From the moment you plug the Launchkey Mini in, it will magically map itself to your Live session. It is, of course, also an excellent option for users of Ableton Live. The Novation Launchkey Mini Mk3 is one of the few at this price point to offer exactly that, meaning you can control both your DAW and your external gear from one single source. This could be synths, or drum machines, or anything offering a regular MIDI connection. Where once a basic setup would all be done ‘in the box’, now home producers are more likely to look at integrating external gear into their setups. Non Live users may face a setting up processĪs time has gone on, the demands of the typical home studio owner have grown. Put simply, the MPK Mini has everything you’ll need, from decent quality keys, endless rotary knobs, and eight sought-after MPC-style pads for creating beats. In the mini corner, for the sheer number of features crammed into such a light, compact footprint, MusicRadar’s choice is the Akai MPK Mini Mk3. Best cheap MIDI keyboards: MusicRadar's Choiceīudget MIDI keyboards fall into two main categories - the more portable devices with 25 keys and the larger, desk-based options with 49 or more keys. So without further ado, let's dive into our choices. Thankfully the cheapest option in this guide comes in at only $49/£39 and we have plenty of the best MIDI keyboards under $100/£100, so even producers on the tightest budget can add one to their set up. Each one is ideal for beginner music makers or even producers looking to add a bit of portability to their setup. To aid in your quest for a suitable budget MIDI keyboard, we've identified some of the best available from respected brands such as Akai, Alesis, Nektar and Arturia.
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