The functionality of Impact LX25 is different from the “average” MIDI controller for beginners. That’s a brand you can trust! It’s the best 49-key MIDI keyboard for its price on the market right now! What We Liked. With so many chords, voicings, and a plethora of functionality, if you struggle to come up with chord progressions, the KordBot is a very smart purchase to make, although you might struggle to navigate through all its functions a bit at first. This alone will help you improve the quality of your drum lines and rolls. What is a MIDI Keyboard and Why Do You Need It? You can use presets as well, but truly understanding how sound generators work will change your producing game drastically. The beginner keyboards are rated by our researchers and current customers. M-Audio has a lot of nice products and the Axiom AIR Mini 32 is one of them for sure. Moreover, Amazon handles all the shipping and returns, so there is nothing to worry about! It lets you switch the octaves and modulate the input signal. Image source: WordPress Case in point: the Akai MPK Mini MK2, which made our “best MIDI keyboard” list finds a spot here as well. Producing music has never been easier than with Launchkey MIDI keyboard for beginners! Well, luckily for you, Akai MPK249 has 4 banks. Really this is a preference type thing. Keys are non-weighted and velocity-sensitive, so you can add your personal touch to each melody and chord progression you play. Therefore, don’t fall for a beginner MIDI keyboard with many pads and switches simply because it looks cool. I decided to put KordBot on this list even though it doesn’t have fully functional keys like a MIDI keyboard, but it’s extremely similar to one and has a similar setup as a MIDI keyboard. There are so many MIDI keyboards and controllers out there that are suitable for people of any experience level. That’s why it’s the first one on the list. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If MIDI keyboards happen to not be something you’re into, try looking into other MIDI controllers. Most producers don’t need this many! As you go, you’ll “feel” the key velocity, and this will develop your piano skills! Once again, it depends on what you are looking for. It’s one the best lower end MIDI keyboard for beginners! That’s why it’s the perfect fit for any home studio where you don’t have a lot of space. It’s not necessary, but well worth your time in the long run. The Axiom AIR Mini 32 has 32 mini synthesizer style keys (velocity sensitive, of course) and 8 drum pads. Durability is also its major attribute thanks to the constructed slim enclosure that’s built with good as well as premium materials. The 8 knobs on this one are to be used with synth, bass, and other generators mostly. The keys are velocity sensitive, so your melodies won’t sound robotic. It’s incredibly light for its size and the number of features it comes with. If you’ve already found your perfect workflow, then all these knobs, switches, and buttons can help you to speed everything up. These features simplify and speed up the workflow, but don’t turn you into the best producer of your neighborhood. The developers’ website doesn’t look very professional, so some people may be worried about getting proper support. And let’s be honest, I wouldn’t have been able to afford it back then. Producers and DJs who tour and travel a lot prefer smaller MIDI keyboard controllers, while beatmakers who work out of their music studio sometimes go for a bigger one with up to 88 keys. Supported by SEO Company “To-the-TOP!”. However, it’s a bit different from the previous two. If you are thinking of a MIDI controller as an investment in your passion and future, Launchkey 49 MK2 MIDI keyboard for beginners is worth considering. That’s the input you’ll always have. This MIDI keyboard for beginners is only 22″ in length, so you’ll never have to worry of not having enough space on your producer’s desk! Check out our reviews of best budget MIDI keyboards to learn more. In this roundup, we're looking at the best weighted MIDI keyboards available today. Also featured are octave up and down buttons with LED colors that change to show the status of the keyboard. Stick to what you think would be the most suitable for you, and take time to learn about it. You are able to take ultimate control over numerous filters and parameters of your DAW up to your liking with faders, knobs, and buttons. I am debating whether I should switch to M-Audio Code 61 in a little bit because I love a lot of its features. Our most recent article challenged us to pick out a beginner’s training tool for under $150, which was no small feat. Electronic instruments in general are super fascinating and many of them do incorporate some sort of MIDI input or export function into their workflow, so many synthesizers or pocket instruments, for example, can be used as MIDI controllers if you prefer to go that route. This is the best starter MIDI keyboard because it’s so simple to use and set up. These keyboards will provide everything a beginner will need to get started with learning the piano, while at the same time being not too expensive so that if the learner does decide to quit, there’s not been a lot of financial investment into the instrument. It also comes with 8 customizable faders. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. My main MIDI keyboard is a Launchkey 49. If you are serious about music production and have some experience in the field, then investing in M-Audio Code 61 MIDI keyboard controller will be one of the best investments you’ll ever make! They also make tons of drum pads, mixers, interfaces, and much more, so you can trust them! So double the pads and knobs by 2. First of all, you get 16 MPC-style pads. Weighted keys are a deal breaker to some people, so let me give you a piece of advice. What can be confusing is where to start when first choosing one. The buttons can also be reprogrammed for other use aside from MIDI. It features 25 velocity-sensitive mini-sized keys. This can be through the piano keys, where you play it just like a normal piano while using the MIDI information with an instrument plugin. If you are looking for a less intimidating MIDI keyboard, Arturia is your perfect choice. Firmware updates for the keyboard are always coming out and you can easily upgrade your Xkey Air online. As a result, you can become more productive and start releasing more music! I could’ve easily been satisfied with a much smaller 25 key MIDI keyboard. Akai MPK249 semi-weighted keys will help you train your fingers! ... feel free to skip the following sections and jump to the reviews of the Best MIDI Keyboards on the market. A-Studio Oxygen is a gem for every music producer and beatmaker! Most of the time you will only have a USB output that connects your MIDI keyboard for beginners to your DAW. Get ready for less clicking-around and more hands-on action! If your desk has a lot of gear on it, 25-key MIDI controller for beginners will do just as fine! These guys make all kind of stuff for music production, and they are really established on the market. The defining feature of this keyboard, and what I think makes it worth buying, is the fact that there are multiple banks for the drum pads and 10 memory locations for saving custom settings. The controls are assignable and have front panel programming. The Seaboard Block comes with software (included are Noise, Equator Player, and Blocks Dashboard) and you can purchase different instruments and sounds to play with the Block through your phone or computer, or you can use it as a MIDI keyboard with your DAW and bypass the included sounds. The sound comes out a lot more natural when the velocity isn’t constant. The surface allows you to glide your fingers along it, strike the keys, press down with your fingers, etc, to shape the sound of your instrument through five dimensional touch. Best MIDI Keyboard for Beginners. The Novation Launchkey line is one of the best out there. Factors To Consider When Buying a MIDI Keyboard For Beginners. Using the “MIDI learn” feature in your DAW, you can change some of the controls’ functions, for example, changing the volume slider to control panning left and right. There are many MIDI keyboards on this list. To keep it short, some MIDI keyboards for beginners need external power sources, and others don’t. All you have to do is to plug it into your Mac or PC and you are set! In this material, we have collected many different models from the cheapest to the more expensive, but each of them is unique in its own way. You have to make sure to purchase the one that suits your needs and your budget the most. The market is flooded with both fantastic MIDIs and the ones you wish went out of business a long time ago. Let’s get started, in no particular order the first keyboard on our list is the: 1. As you could’ve guessed already, MIDI keyboards for beginners is one of their specialties. Here are the best MIDI keyboard controllers for beginners 2020: The Akai MPK Mini MkII is one of my favorite MIDI keyboards. Smile, we've reviewed the top Beginner Electric Pianos. midiplus, 32-Key Midi Controller, 32-Key (AKM320), Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII | 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller With 8 Drum Pads and Pro Software Suite Included – Limited Edition White Finish, Alesis V49 | 49 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with 8 Backlit Pads, 4 Assignable Knobs and Buttons, Plus a Professional Software Suite with ProTools | First Included, Akai Professional MPK249 | 49 Key Semi Weighted USB MIDI Keyboard Controller Including Core Control From The MPC Workstations, M-Audio Code 61 | 61-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with X/Y Touch Pad (16 Drum Pads / 9 Faders / 8 Encoders), VIP Software Download Included. If you want a nice MIDI keyboard that also can be flexible enough to be used as a starter MIDI controller, this one is a good option. The keyboard also features pitch and modulation wheels, transpose buttons, octave up/down buttons, and a volume slider. Overall, Alesis V49 is one of the best and more reliable MIDI keyboards for beginners on the market! If you make music, especially electronically, a MIDI keyboard is definitely a piece of gear that you’ll want in your music studio. One possible downside is that it is not the best MIDI keyboard for beginners, as it has a rather steep learning curve. by Jordan Lent Last Updated January 6, 2020. Everything seems more complicated when you’re starting anew. The Alesis VI49 is one of the more expensive MIDI keyboards on this list, but for good reason. If your computer doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, CME offers a product called WIDI BUD which is a low energy Bluetooth adapter that you plug into your computer to pair it with the Xkey Air. However, a lot of this depends on the features and what the keyboard was made for, since some are made mainly for performance and others are made for production. The PSR EW-300 can be considered as the best cost-effective Yamaha keyboard for beginners. Select whichever instrument you want to use, and begin playing the keyboard. There are several factors that you need to consider when choosing a MIDI pad controller. You can assign up to 4 zones to split the keyboard or add layering to your melodies. If you’re in search of a simple entry-level MIDI keyboard, go for this one. The more features on the keyboard, the higher priced it will be. Besides the 2 wheels and 8 drum pads, it has a lot of more advanced functions some amateurs would love! Then you should make sure the MIDI keyboard controller you are buying has an input to connect your sustain pedal. The Launchkey series has been a bestseller for a few years now as they offer high-quality keyboards and a comprehensive range of control options all packaged in a sleek easy to use lightweight design. Akai MPK Mini features 16 drum pads and 16 knobs to use for your tracks! Among beginners, P-45 is becoming … You won’t get a better “feeling” keyboard for such a low price! Mainly If you choose to get a bigger version (Launchkey 49 or 61), another feature available to you are some faders for volume control straight from your MIDI keyboard as well as modulation and pitch wheels. Akai MPK Mini is the best keyboard for smaller studios! There are ones that use strings, ones that focus on using buttons, and so much more. Akai MPK249 is the best choice for producers who take music production seriously! The VI49 also features pitch and modulation wheels, 12 assignable knobs and 36 assignable buttons for manipulating plugin effects and instruments, tweaking parameters, modulating filters, and changing volumes. As you would’ve guessed from V49, this Alesis MIDI keyboard for beginners has 49 keys, which are non-weighted and velocity sensitive. To me, this gives it as much functionality as a bigger MIDI keyboard that has way more drum pads, knobs, and buttons. 7 Best MIDI Keyboards for Music Production. Spend as much money as you see fit. If you’ve never played the piano and don’t plan on learning how to play one in the future, there is no need to get weighted keys because you’ve read that they are better in the long run on Reddit. All of them are assignable, and you can use them with any plugin in any DAW. There are 16 drum pads that are also velocity sensitive. Check out Novation Lauchkey 49 MK2 Review. That’s exactly what our list of best MIDI keyboards for beginners is for! For anyone looking to buy an entry-level MIDI keyboard for music production, this model from Akai could be worth considering. M-Audio Oxygen MIDI keyboard for beginners will increase your productivity multiple times! For being as small as it is, it has some clever features that make it have a lot more functionality that you would be more likely to see in a bigger MIDI keyboard. Really this is up to you. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, selecting the right gear is paramount. Well, doesn’t this MIDI controller look futuristic? There are 8 assignable knobs and dedicated navigation and control buttons as well. My advice to you is to just find something for what you’ll need; don’t bother getting something with more functions than what you’ll be needing it for. This makes it great for a beginner because if you’re a producer who doesn’t know music theory, you’ll still be able to easily come up with strong chord progressions. To finish up, Nektar ImpactLX25+ is a fantastic MIDI keyboard for beginners if you are reasonably proficient in working with sound generators. Because if you happen to use FL Studio, Logic, or Pro Tools, you’ll be more flexible with one of these bad boys! If you’re in the market for something that incorporates a ton of expressiveness with mobile technology, the Roli Seaboard Block is a great option for you. Like many of the great options on this list, the XKey Air is a solid choice for those who want an easy to use full size keyboard without losing portability. Many MIDI keyboards also have knobs and faders, so you can also control the volume, pan, filter, etc, automation of tracks. First, it’s compatible with iOS, so you can connect it to your iPad and use in Garage Band. The Akai MPK Mini is powered by USB so all you have to do is plug it into your computer. When it comes to features of this MIDI keyboard for beginners, you’ll be amazed by the quantity and quality of them! It weighs as much as a book and can fit anywhere. Do you think you’ll want something that big to start out with? It has 76 touch-sensitive keys, 574 sounds, and a maximum polyphony of 48 voices. Novation Launchkey Mini MkII. Keep in mind that the learning curve is quite steep! Setting up a MIDI keyboard and connecting it to your computer shouldn’t be difficult. Keep in mind that the learning curve is quite steep! For a quick look at our picks, check out our choices for the Top 4 MIDI Keyboard Controllers for Beginners. The only major downside of this MIDI keyboard is that it’s mainly made for use with Ableton Live. There are 8 knobs, 3 transport controls, and 5 navigation buttons. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Whether you’re jamming at the park with friends or creating music in a studio, they are a worthwhile piece of gear to invest in and I will never not recommend that someone tries to incorporate them into their workflow. Jump to Reviews. You’ll also get VIP (Virtual Instrument Player) premium software that integrates all MIDI controller features into your PC for free! When thinking about the best MIDI keyboard for beginners, I considered the form factor, ease of use, and value. I’ve included the Q&A section after the list for your convenience in case you’ll still have some questions left! Higher-priced MIDI keyboards will be ones with 49 to 88 keys, ones with LED screens, instrument presets built in, and an extensive amount of knobs, faders, and drum pads. If you’d like a moderately priced keyboard with tons of cool features that will last you a very long time, I suggest Alesis V49. M-Audio Code 61 has more potential than 95% of MIDI keyboards for beginners out there! If you’re wanting to use it to compose, you They will sound a lot more natural and groovy because they won’t be set perfectly on the grid, which is the trend these days. However, there is no way I would’ve been able to use it to its full power at the beginning of my journey. If you’re able to buy a MIDI keyboard from a music store and demo the product before you buy it, that would be ideal because then you’d be able to find a better fit for you at a much faster rate. It’s a compact little thing but is still comfortable to create music with. I didn’t care too much about portability, and I wanted something that wouldn’t require me having to constantly be hitting the octave up and down buttons while performing and producing, so I wanted something with more keys. A MIDI keyboard can also input information through the drum pads. If you don’t have a DAW yet, you get Pro Tools First bundled in with your MIDI keyboard, so you can try it if you happen to own a Mac as your computer for music production! MIDI out is what allows you to control a hardware synthesizer. Novation Launchkey 61 MKII . My favorite beginner keyboard from Yamaha is the EW 410. Well, you don’t need any at all. Oftentimes aftertouch is an effect usually only on synthesizers and electronic keyboards with weighted keys or semi weighted keys. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Therefore, multiply your 16 pads by 4. You’ll need MIDI to USB cables to do this. Come to think of it, I didn’t even use the drum pads. Midiplus is the cheapest MIDI keyboard on the market! Native Instruments has always had an incredible track record in the hardware department, putting creativity and workflow first. Do you want to compose with it, or do you just want to use it to control your DAW? You can assign any drum sample or virtual instrument to it and create drum lines manually. A feature that we haven’t seen yet on the MIDI keyboards on this list is aftertouch. MIDI keyboards and controllers have a lot to offer, and if you really dig deep and learn how to use all the features and get the hang of performing with them, they can be incredibly useful and also very fun. This question is probably being asked the most when it comes to MIDI keyboards for beginners. Are you in a rush? Updated: November 2020. They’ve got some really solid products. That’s something everyone should look into, especially if you are producing hip hop and EDM. If you know how to use a sustain pedal and you happen to own one, you should use it when making melodies with your MIDI controller. If you’re a guitar player who wants to learn piano or start making music with a MIDI keyboard, a Seaboard Block seems like it would be the easiest to learn with considering the five dimensional touch provides an experience similar to bending notes and using other expressive techniques on a guitar. On top of that, each drum pad can be assigned a different color, so if you like to separate kicks from hi-hats, this feature is a must-have for you! You can also plug a sustain pedal into this MIDI keyboard if you want to with the sustain input. Make your workflow in the piano roll window a lot easier and smoother with this MIDI controller for beginners. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. They start from under $50 and go up to $700. The Impact GX49 is very portable and connects easily to an iPad or smartphone, and only weighs 4 lbs, which is quite light for having 49 keys. If you don’t know the feel of a real piano, this won’t be a big deal for you. What I’m going to go through today are five of the best keyboards for learning the piano. You get 8 velocity-sensitive drum pads that you can assign drum and synths samples to. MIDI controller can increase your productivity and make music production a lot more fun. Depending on what you’re used to, if you’ve already been playing piano for many years, you might want to go with a MIDI keyboard that has weighted keys. At just 0.5 kilograms, it is one of the lightest keyboards available in the market. This brings me to my next point: MIDI keyboards come with different amounts of keys, and some are synthesizer style (non weighted) and others have weighted keys, like a traditional piano keyboard. 1. Some MIDI keyboards also allow for you to control other aspects of your DAW, like the play, rewind, skip forward, and record buttons so you don’t have to use your computer mouse. Being aware of these factors can surely help you find the best MIDI keyboard for beginners who work on their music production project in the home studio. How Many Knobs, Buttons, and Faders Do I Need? KordBot is a MIDI controller with a keyboard vibe made especially for coming up with chord progressions. Through this app you can configure your Xkey Air exactly how you like it. Have you ever used 360 encoders? We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. What Kind Of Inputs and Outputs Do You Need? Having plenty of knobs and buttons will also be helpful if you’re someone who wants to perform live using the keyboard. Moreover, the process will become more visual and hands-on. It offers a lot of functionality without being too confusing to use and set up. It looks like a proper upright with a stand. It integrates with every DAW for beginners so you shouldn’t worry about that at all! First of all, the keys are full-sized and velocity-sensitive, with an aftertouch feature that imitates the sustain pedal. It works with Logic Pro X, GarageBand, and Ableton Live, among many other DAWs. You might have to change the settings in the plugin itself to get it to recognize your MIDI keyboard but this doesn’t happen too often. what you’ll need is a record/play button area and keys of your choice. It seems incredibly low-key and will be suitable for even the smallest home music studios. This is a really well built keyboard and it has some nice features to it, but if you’re not looking to use all the buttons you might find it a bit overwhelming since there are so many. It’s made of aluminum and is super slim, which makes it super portable yet sturdy. In this list, we didn’t go over the most expensive MIDI keyboards for a simple reason that people with such budgets are likely very experienced already and trust word of mouth from other producers more than anything. Roland’s A-88 MIDI keyboard is arguably the best 88-key model available and comes with the Roland PHA-4 keyboard. Some of the keyboards have cheaper and more expensive alternatives with fewer or more keys, so keep that in mind! It has a realistic feel and one of the best grand piano tones you will hear under $500. That’s what manufacturers use in 99 products out of 100. It is in this paragraph that we will try to understand the necessary criteria that should be considered when choosing a device. If you’re wanting to use a MIDI keyboard/controller to mix more than compose, you’ll want something with plenty of faders, knobs, and buttons. The Launchkey Mini MkII is a MIDI keyboard with 25 synthesizer keys that are velocity sensitive. It features Ivory-feel keys that have piano-like responsiveness as well as sensitivity. If you happen to use Ableton as your digital audio workstation, you are in more luck than ever. View it on Amazon here. The Nektar SE25 is their newest and cheapest offering for keyboards with MIDI, packing a powerful punch in a small body with 25 keys. It’s got 25 keys, 8 drum pads, 8 knobs, buttons to transpose and select octaves, a joystick to control pitch and modulation, and a built in arpeggiator. MIDI keyboards add a ton of functionality to your workflow and enable you to compose so much faster than writing in MIDI information note by note. What Are the Best MIDI Keyboards for Beginners? Launchkey Mini is equally well, compact, affordable, and it’s actually impossible to pick a winner between those two. That’s why I believe that Native Instruments’ Komplete Kontrol M32 is the best MIDI keyboard for beginner producers. Most of them are bus-powered which means they work when you plug them into your desktop or laptop computer. If you’ve never had a MIDI keyboard before and have your way of doing things without one, consider changing your mind. If you haven’t – you are missing out! I’ve found that their drum pads aren’t as sensitive as Akai’s are, but if you’re using them more for triggering loops or long samples that don’t depend on velocity, rather than drums, they work fine. That’s another reason to use a MIDI keyboard for beginners instead of clicking around with your mouse! They’re well built and easy to use, although they’re mainly designed for use with Ableton Live. Take this as a lesson. This article details reviews of the best beginner MIDI keyboards to buy, and explains how to set up and use your new MIDI keyboard, among other questions you might want answered before purchasing a MIDI keyboard. If you are on a budget, midiplus AKM320 is the best choice for you! They are very similar to knobs, but you can set the sensitivity to low and have the full control of 8 filters, faders, or effects! Everything Native Instruments comes out with feels like a quality product and there’s nothing by them that has disappointed me. It’s definitely a lot more limiting than using an actual MIDI keyboard, but it can be done and it can work pretty well. keyboard and whether or not you already have experience playing piano. It's also easy to set up and operate, so if you want to free yourself from the tyranny of cables, you've found the MIDI controller keyboard you need. For this reason, all of the keyboards listed here have a minimum of 49 keys, except for one – the Yamaha PSS-A50, with 37 mini keys suitable for small children. I’m sure there are workarounds to configure all of the features to the DAW of your choice, but if you’re an Ableton user, this is the MIDI keyboard for you, without a doubt. Some DAWs (Logic Pro X and Ableton Live for example) do allow you to use your computer keyboard as a MIDI keyboard, but usually in these cases, they only function as the keys of the keyboard and octave up and down buttons. Other types are MIDI keyboards for beginners that need more than a small power supply of your computer. Do you like the feel of weighted keys? First of all, let’s talk about assignable elements – there are more than I’ve ever used in a session. If you are serious about music production and want the best MIDI keyboard to begin with or feel like upgrading your gear to improve your workflow – Akai MPK249 will be your best bet. Most MIDI keyboards use USB, which means you can just plug the included cable into the USB port of your computer to connect it and start playing; most DAWs are intuitive enough to detect new MIDI hardware. Some of them have tons of features, and the others have none. If you are picking your first keyboard, you don’t really need any knobs, pads, or switches. Alesis V49 has velocity sensitive keys which will add “life” to your melody! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. These cookies do not store any personal information. Your fingers will get used to the feeling, and you won’t have to worry about anything anymore! The Most would pick the best seller AKAI MPK mini as their beginner MIDI keyboard, but Launchkey mini 25 is a worthy opponent. They can be used for real-time EQ, compression, reverb, and a lot more! it’s very appealing to DJs and producers that are touring a lot. This is a fine choice if you want a cheap under $100 MIDI controller but don’t want to get something that’s lacking in features or isn’t well built. The M32 is USB powered so all you have to do is plug it into your computer and you’re set. by Thomas Rudy April 13, 2018 • 2 min read A MIDI keyboard is essential for anyone looking to produce music and break into audio engineering. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 61 keys means no octave switching required on the fly to imitate a real piano; Battery power is something that is good if you have to move your keyboard somewhere and can’t find an outlet free (a more common problem than you’d think) Digital Audio … It integrates with every DAW for beginners so you shouldn’t worry about that at all! The Best Beginner MIDI Keyboard Controller In 2020. It’s compact and incredibly light, weighing under 2 pounds!