M-Audio Keystation 88 MK3 – 88 Key Semi Weighted MIDI Keyboard Controller for Complete Command of Virtual Synthesisers and DAW parameters

Product Information

We found the aluminium case to feel reassuringly robust, and the Pro-Feel keybed felt fantastic, delivering excellent sensitivity across the full range of velocities. The metal pitch and mod wheels are light and responsive. KeyLab MkII is operationally intuitive, with three distinct modes: DAW, Analog Lab and User (there are ten user configurable presets) - selected via dedicated mode buttons in the centre. To help you control your DAW better, most MIDI keyboards have built-in pads, sliders, and buttons. They’re usually pre-programmed to perform certain functions in the DAW or software synth. The sliders might be programmed to control the EQ, and the dials to control volume. 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]. So before you plop down the cash for the best 88 key keyboard, ask yourself: what kind of music will I play with this keyboard? Does this music really require 88 keys?

With a MIDI controller, you can get the feel of a genuine grand piano and the sound of any virtual instrument. To use one of these weighted MIDI keyboards, you’ll need access to a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for virtual instruments and voicings. The crowing feature of the P45 is the GHS action. This feature is only found in Yamaha's higher-tier keyboards such as our highly recommended DGX-660. You get the same acoustic-like action (lighter on higher notes, heavier on bass notes) at a an affordable price tag. In fact, it’s better to call them “MIDI controllers” than “MIDI keyboards”. The latter term is simply used to differentiate them from controllers that don’t have piano keys, such as the Ableton Push. Ableton's popular Push 2 MIDI controller (Image Source) 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. This section which is located just right of the pads, lets various functions of your audio recording software be controlled like common commands Save, Punch (enables “punch-in” style recording in your DAW), Undo, and Metro (toggles metronome on/off). In the same section below is the transport section, which has controls for Loop, Rewind, Fast-forward, Stop, Play/Pause, and Record.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?

MIDI controller or keyboard is an umbrella term for instruments used to control MIDI notes on a computer. These might be in the form of a series of buttons (a la Ableton Push). Or they might be in the form of a keyboard. Importantly, MIDI keyboards or controllers don’t produce any sound of their own. Ultimately, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a better Live-centric keyboard, and there’s little here not to recommend. By translating your performance into digital data, it enables seamless communication between you and your computer, allowing you to create, edit, and arrange musical elements with ease. The best MIDI keyboards featured here come with octave shift buttons, meaning that the full range of note pitches is accessible even from a 25-key device, just by pressing a couple of buttons. That said, if you’re a more advanced player, or want to learn how to play two-handed, it’s better to go for a four octave (49-note) or five octave (61-note) keyboard. If space isn’t an issue, you can even opt for an 88-key, piano-sized controller if desired. For basic melodies and chords, a smaller keyboard will work just fine though. MIDI controller connectivity: what you need to knowThese include a button to activate Live’s Capture MIDI tool, along with Push-style device-control, which here makes use of eight rotaries sitting along the top of the controller. These latest Launchkeys also gain excellent standalone Chord, Scale and Arpeggiator modes, which can be used with or without a computer. All controllers in the Launchkey range get a hardware MIDI out, so users can take advantage of these features to control hardware synths, too.

The keyboard features a PHA-50 Wood and Plastic hybrid structure with escapement, which is Roland's approach to recreating the acoustic piano feel. The velocity mapping is superb; the playing experience is just like a real piano's. Piano is the instrument you all know and all. A digital piano is like a piano, except it is entirely electric (i.e. has no analog components). Digital pianos replicate the sound and feel of a piano through a computer-based sound engine. Read more about them in our guide to digital pianos. Beyond the keyboard itself, the best weighted MIDI keyboard controllers give you a wide array of controls at your fingertips. These normally include wheels, knobs, pads and sometimes faders. While a MIDI keyboard controller and a synth might look alike, the two instruments provide very different features.

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