A very common question: which is the best MIDI keyboard controller? Choosing the right MIDI Keyboard will depend very much on your own circumstances. Below are a number of things to think about, followed by a list of the 10 most popular MIDI controllers if you already know what features you are looking for.
The main things to consider are: size and number of keys; whether you want a keyboard that makes its own sounds or just a controller; the action; other faders, pads etc; platform (PC/Mac/iOS/Android) and more. We look at all these different aspects in more detail below.
Your First MIDI Keyboard
If you are not sure, the cheapest option is to simply buy a controller keyboard. It may seem alien to invest in a keyboard that makes no sound of its own, but it will then enable you to use any music software, and will get you up and running for a very low cost.
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A MIDI controller keyboard acts in a very similar way to the typewriter keyboard you have attached to your PC. It transmits messages when you press the keys: messages like which note you pressed, how hard you pressed it, how long you held it down. This information is then used to drive the music software. You will hear sounds, but these sounds are made by the synthesiser in your sound card, or by other sound modules if you have them installed. Because controller keyboards make no sound of their own, they are relatively inexpensive – and they have the added benefit of being small in size. (Want to know more? Read our article on what is MIDI.)
Video Tutorial: What is MIDI?
For most people, space is a real consideration. If you are just starting out, then a 4-octave controller keyboard will be perfectly adequate in the short term, and can easily be placed on a table or stand directly in front of the PC. You can buy inexpensive add-ons like a foot switch to give your controller keyboard a sustain pedal action, just like a piano.
If you know you really want to play or learn the piano without having to turn on your computer then buying a digital piano may be for you instead. Digital pianos still take up relatively little space, and of course can be used without even having to switch your PC on. They generally have high quality piano sounds along with other functionality, and high quality keyboards with excellent response. You can still use the digital piano for your computer music, as they all come equipped with MIDI input and output for this purpose. These are the nearest to owning a real piano – but of course are much cheaper and smaller than the real thing.
Personal keyboards are also popular, and have many inbuilt additional features such as banks of sounds, rhythm and accompaniment options, recording facilities and so on. If you know you want to go down this route, then there is a wealth of fabulous instruments to choose from. The added advantage is, like the digital piano, they can be used without the computer, and they have the added benefit of being transportable if you want to play with other people.
Here is a list of all the different things to consider when trying to choose the best MIDI keyboard for you right now.
Number of keys?
MIDI Keyboards come in all sizes. 25-key, 37-key, 49-key and so on. Your budget or available space might dictate which midi keyboard you buy because you have to go small. Or if you are not a keyboard player then you may find that 25 keys are perfectly adequate for entering bass lines, basic chords and drum lines. There is almost always an octave shift button so you can move up and down the note range. I would say that if you are a keyboard player, and size is not a problem, then you might be frustrated if you go for less than 49 keys. That said, other than the convenience of having more notes available without shifting there is no disadvantage to a smaller sized keyboard.
- 49 key controllers are excellent for entering music and basic or intermediate keyboard learning. They don’t require a lot of space and are quite inexpensive. They will certainly take you up to Grade 3 standard without any problem
- Larger keyboards are essential if you plan on learning advanced piano techniques or are used to playing on a full size keyboard
- For composing and sequencing, maybe the number of keys are not so important as the availability of a range of controllers such as knobs and sliders to get more hands-on control of the software control panels
Controller or keyboard or piano?
- A controller doesn’t create any sound on its own – it uses the sounds in your computer or sound module. The advantages of controllers are their price and the fact that you can upgrade your sound card or software in future without having to buy a new keyboard
- A personal keyboard doesn’t require a computer or sound module to create sound. Some will also include speakers. Keyboards are generally more expensive than controllers, but they can be used as an instrument on their own.
- If you really want to play the piano, and have it available without turning on the computer, then a digital piano is also a great option. They all come equipped with MIDI ports to connect up to your PC. The only disadvantage might be the physical set up you can achieve as digital pianos are larger than keyboards, which may make it tricky to site them right next to your computer workstation though if you are planning to use a laptop or ipad then this won’t be such an issue.
Touch sensitive or weighted action?
- Touch sensitive keyboards will play louder or softer according to the velocity of your playing (how hard you play)
- Weighted action keyboards imitate the action of a real piano – these keyboards are usually heavier and more expensive. Choose a weighted action keyboard if you want to be as close to real piano action as possible
- Most MIDI keyboards are velocity sensitive, so you can play different notes louder and quieter. But there are one or two that don’t have this feature so double check. More sophisticated keyboards will allow control over the level of velocity too, with others you won’t be able to change it on the hardware so you may have to adjust settings to your liking in the software.
- Not all keyboards have after-touch, which might be a feature you would want for certain instrument voices in software. Check if this is important to you
- The most expensive will also have some kind of hammer action and this will feel like a real piano, but this comes at a cost.
Full Size or Mini Keys?
Just be aware when deciding which MIDI keyboard that while many have full piano-sized keys, many more have mini keys. This does not make any difference to the functionality of the keyboard, and mini-keys can be a great space saver, but some people find the smaller keys are just too fiddly. If you want to make music on the go, then a small mini keyboard you can stuff in your rucsack with your laptop or iPad is ideal, but if you are going to be bedroom-based then think about whether you might prefer full size.
Physical Size
Always compare weight and dimensions, just to make sure the keyboard will fit in the space you have assigned. Some of our top end keyboards are fairly hefty. This means they are really robust and solid, with a quality feel, but if you want something light that you can move around easily then weight might be something you have to consider.
Extra control: Faders, Knobs and Pads
You can use a MIDI Keyboard for more than just note entry. Many also have a range of faders and controller knobs for operating virtual controls, and some have pads as well to trigger samples and drums. If you are only thinking about notation and basic melody input the straight MIDI keyboards will do just fine, but if you want to use soft synths the extra flexibility of more controller options might be invaluable. That said, you may decide at a later stage that you need a second MIDI controller you can run alongside your keyboard so don’t worry too much. You can easily run more than one controller in the future.
MIDI Out Port?
Many keyboards are now USB-only. This is fine if you only ever want to use them hooked up to your computer to control software. But if you can ever envisage a time when you will use the keyboard as a controller for other hardware synths then you will need a MIDI out port to make the connection.
iPad/Tablet Friendly?
Some keyboards have been designed from the outset to work perfectly with an iPad as well as conventional PCs, Macs and Laptops like the Samson Graphite 49 USB MIDI Controller shown above. The IK-Multimedia iKeys, the Keystation Mini, the Focusrite Novation range, and the Axiom Air MINI all spring to mind immediately. If you think you would like to connect to your iPad then take into consideration which MIDI keyboard might be most suitable before purchase.
Software Included?
Definitely worth thinking about when deciding which MIDI keyboard to go for! If you have narrowed your options down to a choice of 2 or 3 keyboards, then taking into account the software they ship with makes sense. For example the Samson keyboards come with Native Instruments Komplete Elements – worth about $50 on its own – which makes their keyboards exceptional value. If you are a guitarist then the Guitar Rig software in that package is absolutely superb. The M-Audio keyboards all come with Ignite Music Creation Software from Air Technologies, so you can create complete arrangements out of the box as a complete beginner. More advanced users might be drawn to the Ableton Live Lite that comes with the Alesis Controller Keyboards and the higher end M-Audio Controllers. If this is your first home studio purchase then that software bundle could be your first route in to music making on your computer.
On board Sounds?
If you are using the keyboard solely as a controller it is very unlikely you will want to go the additional expense and size to have onboard sounds. However if you want this purchase to double up as a standalone keyboard too, then you will find 99.9% of keyboards have MIDI onboard so can also be used as a controller.
Pedal Inputs?
Most standard sized keyboards have at least a sustain port so you can use a sustain pedal. Do double-check if this is important to you. Many of the mini keyboards don’t have the room for a sustain port. Some have sustain buttons instead if you want to use that effect. The same applies to Expression Pedal input. It is not universal so if you want it add it to your pre-purchase checklist.
The Best MIDI Controller?
Well, I hope I have given you a few things to think about when you are ready to decide which is the best MIDI keyboard for you to buy. I have also compiled a quick list of the 10 Best Selling MIDI Keyboards and Controllers on Amazon right now so you can hopefully take a look and compare them with the above criteria in mind.
Best Selling MIDI Controllers
- Total Control Wherever You Go: USB MIDI keyboard controller with 25 velocity-sensitive keys and octave up / down buttons to access the full melodic range –...
- Express Yourself: Innovative 4-way thumbstick for dynamic pitch and modulation MIDI control, plus a built-in arpeggiator with adjustable resolution, range and...
- Plug & Play: No drivers required, USB powered and ultra portable design lets you create anywhere
- 13 inch, slim line laptop performance keyboard with 25 velocity sensitive mini keyboard keys for playing melodies, bass lines, chords and more
- Dedicated octave up and down buttons to increase the keyboard to the full melodic range plus a sustain button for expressive performances
- On board arpeggiator steps through chords automatically and generates inspiring melodic ideas quickly. 4 programmable memory banks for instant recall of...
- Pro Music Production Wherever You Go USB MIDI keyboard controller with slimline footprint and 32 mini piano style velocity sensitive keys for a natural feel
- Customisable Response Mini keys with selectable velocity curves match any playing style inc’l traditional piano, synthesizer, key based beat making; pitch...
- Immediate Creativity Simple plug and play connection to your Mac or PC no drivers or power supply required
- Portable and Compact - MIDI Controller
- The most responsive keyboard experience in its category
- 500 of the V-Collection 8 presets / 21 Keyboard Instruments and Synthesizers / fully mapped right out of the box
- Premium midi controller with 25 expressive synth-action keys, on-board pitch bend and modulation wheels for performances
- 8 Hyper-Sensitive backlit pads
- Mac, PC and iOS compatible
- Complete Control Ultra portable USB MIDI Controller for Ableton Live, perfect for mobile music performance and production
- Jam, Compose, Create 8x8 MIDI clip matrix with tri colour lighting seamlessly integrates 1 to 1 with Ableton Live perfect for clip launching, sampling / sample...
- Integrated MIDI Mixer 8 assignable faders + 1 master fader instantly map to Ableton live's mixer for hands on mix control
- Compact, ultra portable performance keyboard controller with 49 full size, synth action velocity sensitive keys and on board pitch bend and modulation wheels...
- 8 velocity sensitive trigger pads for beat production and clip launching; 8 assignable knobs and 9 assignable faders for manipulating virtual instruments, daw...
- Dedicated octave up and down buttons increase the keyboard to the full melodic range and transport buttons let you control your daw without reaching for the...
- 13 inch, slim line ultra portable pad controller with 8 backlit velocity sensitive drum pads for triggering samples, loops, controlling virtual instruments and...
- 8 MPC Q link knobs for seamless mapping to daw parameters, virtual instruments and effect parameters for hands on control and expressive performances
- 4 programmable memory banks provide instant recall of mappings for daws, virtual instruments, effects and more
![Novation Launchkey Mini [MK3] 25-Mini-Key MIDI Keyboard](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/413p--n9yeL._SL160_.jpg)
- Deep and intuitive Ableton Live control - including device Macro control, track select, record, capture MIDI, clip and scene launch, stop/mute/solo, volume,...
- Creative arpeggiator – easy to use but deeply controllable: change rhythm, beat, pattern, octave, Gate and more
- Fixed chord Mode – play a chord with one finger - assign a fixed chord shape to the keys and it’ll transpose as you move up and down the keyboard
- 61 Premium midi controller with 61 expressive synth-action keys, on-board pitch bend and modulation wheels for performances
- Nektar DAW Integration for most popular DAWs
- 14 MIDI assignable buttons
Last updated on 2020-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images via Amazon Product Advertising API
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