A MIDI keyboard is a keyboard that plugs into a computer and helps you control a DAW. Think of it as a physical interface for your DAW. Another plus is USB MIDI connectivity. You can plug this into your computer and use the keyboard as a MIDI controller for Ableton or Logic. Pads are velocity-sensitive with aftertouch and have different functionalities, yet are initially assigned to drum/percussion sounds, and you can load your samples to them. Hit and hold down the pad for aftertouch intensity when it’s activated. Also, with ‘Bank,’ you can switch between the two corresponding banks. This keyboard’s MIDI Note messages range from 21 to 108 (because of 88 keys) with a velocity consisting of 127 steps. It transmits MIDI note events with velocity on MIDI channel 1. When you connect a double footswitch, which is used to transmit Sustain and Soft Pedal (uses MIDI controller #64 and #67). The foot controller is used for Volume (MIDI controller #7). These foot controllers are sold separately.

Our MIDI keyboards all come with integrated software, hands-on macro control, and DAW integration. Bottom line? They’re good to go straight out of the box, seamlessly working with Native software and your favourite DAW. Combine that with sleek, solid design with professional production features and high-resolution displays, and you’re onto a winner. AWARD-WINNING KEYBOARDS AND DESIGN If you're a beginner looking to get started with a full-size keyboard, don't look further than the Alesis Recital 88-key keyboard. 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. The PX-160 is lightweight and narrow in design. At under 25lbs, it is light enough to carry anywhere. The slender design also means you can place it on nearly any surface. You’re all familiar with acoustic pianos. That’s the 1,000lbs behemoth that crushes Wile.E.Coyote every time.

For smaller setups, production on the go, basslines, and tweaking MIDI notes after playing, your setup might benefit from a smaller MIDI keyboard like the M32. If you already use KOMPLETE or any other NATIVE INSTRUMENTS software, then our MIDI keyboard range will fit straight into your setup, seamlessly integrating with the products you already own. For the purpose of this roundup, I’ve considered every sort of keyboard. For more details on these different instruments, refer to the buying guide at the end of this article. These early digital pianos were hardly acoustic piano replacements. Their tone was clunky and the keys never felt much like real pianos. What they did have going for them was their price. Since there were no moving parts, nor did they require expensive materials, you could make digital pianos for extremely cheap. Nektar is a company that focuses a lot on making keyboards and controllers, and here we have one of their top selections for beatmakers. A88MkII has a great design, with Ivory Feel keys, 3-sensor key detection and key-specific progressive hammer action, which all deliver the feel of a real piano. Overall we found this to be a very capable and a competitively priced update, but its winning feature is that the piano action is class-leading at this price point. Given that this isn’t the sort of unit one changes that regularly, it’s also great to be future-proofed with MIDI 2.0 support.

A keyboard that does a lot of the technical work for you to concentrate on bringing out the best of your music. The LX88+ is loaded with some cool features like knobs, faders, transpose buttons, and pads, and not to mention that you can also connect it to your iPad with a separate Apple connector. With Smart Chord activated, pressing a single key or pad will play a full chord rather than just one note. The key or pad you press will determine the root note in the chord. The rest of the chord’s properties (major, minor, etc) are determined by the settings you choose. Smart Chord also has a Custom Mode that lets you determine the chord structure that will be assigned to each key by manually playing it. For example, if you select Custom Mode, and play a 1-b3-5-b7 chord, every key will then be assigned to play this chord structure. The note of the key you press will serve as the root of the chord and all of the parameters can be edited right on the Hammer 88 Pro!The MIDI-assignable potentiometer on the left of the keyboard has absolute values from the first point to the last (i.e., it is not endless rotation) and is by default assigned for volume control. In addition, it can be assigned MIDI CC messages, and you have the setup button right beside it. Finally, the push encoder, located more toward the center of the keyboard, is used for note repeat tempo control and Nektarine features. While the size of a keyboard is crucial for pro players, beginners can often work well with a smaller instrument. Both 49- and 61-key MIDI keyboard controllers are common because they’re cheaper and more compact than an 88-key MIDI controller. Often, keyboards include simple buttons to shift the octave range up or down on your command. 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. If you’re looking for a MIDI keyboard to give you more control over sample libraries and the space to play with both hands, then the S-Series is for you. These MIDI keyboards feature aftertouch for extra expression and variation in your playing, as well as features like the Light Guide. Each key lifts a hammer (the weight you feel), which passes through an optical sensor. A long skinny triangle cut into the hammer is what disrupts the light path, the state of which is read over 200,000 times per second. Both channel andpolyphonic Aftertouch are supported, the VAXMIDI being the only piece in this roundup that senses the latter. High-resolution MIDI velocity can be output as well.