Assignable controls are another great feature, because they let you customize which controls affect which parameters. This makes your keyboard unique to you and helps you stay focused on making music. Having buttons to switch between Analog Lab, DAW, or User Mode, this section is also used to select presets in Analog Lab (vintage keyboard collection software included). Navigate through menus along with the category, preset, left, and right buttons, and the encoder in the center. The two-line display shows you parameters and preset information adjusted and selected. The keys have good touch sensitivity, especially for a combination of piano and synth play. And with the transport and control buttons, it is easy to produce with minimum mouse use. Playing style and feel can vary between different MIDI keyboards . For performers who need hands-on control over instruments and effects, encoders are perfect for dialling in sounds. The M32 is a MIDI USB keyboard, which is great if you’re on the go, or working with a smaller setup and other MIDI controllers. WHY DO OUR MIDI KEYBOARD CONTROLLERS STAND OUT?

You would need to spend some time playing around on the keyboard to get used to its layout and the feel of the keys, but it will boil down to preference once you do. 7. Doepfer PK88 GH The Casio Privia PX-360 is the elder sibling of the bestselling PX-160. It boasts much of the same features but better build-quality, nicer keytops, and a standout touchscreen. You’re all familiar with acoustic pianos. That’s the 1,000lbs behemoth that crushes Wile.E.Coyote every time. Although the keys on the Launchkey Mini are not weighted, they feature a new mini-key mechanism that delivers an enjoyable playing experience. The controller is equipped with various additional controls, including eight rotary knobs, 16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads, and two touch strips for pitch bend and modulation.If there is one downside, it’s that the DGX-660 isn’t the lightest option around, nor the cheapest. If you’re looking for something more portable, I recommend the [recommendation]. While they were immensely popular earlier, hardware synths (either analog or digital) have become something of a niche buy recently. Modern software synths are so much more powerful than what even the best hardware synth can accomplish. You can usually get much better results by plugging a MIDI keyboard into your DAW and using a software synth like Serum. MIDI keyboard controllers come in all shapes and sizes, from small-form desktop units with few controls, right up to 88-note larger keyboards with weighted piano-action style keys. Obviously price is a factor, so we weigh up all of the controls – knobs, sliders, pads and keys – versus the price paid and what style of player the keyboards are aimed at. This can range from the mobile producer, who just needs a small wired or wireless keyboard to throw into a shoulder bag, to the more advanced player who requires the aforementioned professional standard keyboard and where mobility is not so paramount.

You get 3 built-in touch sensitivity settings (heavy, normal, light), and 120-note polyphone. You also get 3 effects (rever, brilliance, chorus). The only missing feature is a built-in arranger. There are, however, two major cuts: the dual colour LED screens (or alphanumeric LEDs on the S25, which still languishes at Mk1), and the unique per-key Light Guide LEDs. Even with those things taken away, though, and the reduced level of Maschine integration, we’re still very much blown away by the value proposition presented by the A25 and the A-Series keyboards in general. Since we first reviewed the S88, NI introduced the NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) protocol, enabling third-party developers to take advantage of the same browsing and parameter-mapping integration. Companies that have signed on include Arturia, u-he, Heavyocity, Spitfire, and XILS, among others. keys is the largest keyboard size you can buy. That’s the exact number of keys on a full-size modern piano, giving you a complete 7-octave range.Synthesizers are for creating your own sounds with a retro or ‘80s vibe and in a more intuitive physical form than a software synth Some excellent software is included with this KeyLab 88 MkII, such as Ableton Live lite, Analog Lab V, Piano V, Wurli V, and Vox Continental V (the latter two offer more classic and retro sounds). In addition, you will receive an adapter that prevents ground loops (an unwanted current that makes a low-frequency hum in your audio signal, which is possible in connections involving computers, CV/Gate connections, and audio devices). And also a laptop stand and an iPad/sheet music stand. Along with a DAW, the best MIDI keyboard controllers include virtual instrument plugins . These offer sampled instrument voices — usually pianos, synths and strings — that you can play directly through your MIDI controller keyboard. They’re perfect for new players starting to build their library of virtual instruments and plugins.