Here's Some of the Top MIDI Controller Keyboards Available:
MIDI controller keyboards as opposed to pad controllers. By the way, in case you're new on the scene, MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and came on the market in the 80's during the big digital recording/instrument revolution.
You should know there are two main types of MIDI controllers, keyboard controllers and pad controllers. Keyboard ones are more popular and there are more of them to choose from.
If you're a drummer using one to trigger sounds, then a pad controller is really all you need and will do the job but you can do the same with a keyboard controller and a lot more.
All the companies you'd expect have several models to choose from so it can be a fairly daunting task to check them all out and figure which one is going to be the right one for you so here's the list and we'll be working on providing reviews on as many and as soon we can:
- M-Audio Axiom
- M-Audio Axiom Pro
- M-Audio Oxygen
- M-Audio Keystation 88es
- M-Audio Keystudio
- Akai MPK
- Akai LPK25
- Akai Synthstation
- Korg nanoKEY
- Korg Kontrol49
- Korg Microkey
- Alesis Q25
- Alesis Q49
- Behringer u-control umx250
- Behringer u-control umx490
- Behringer u-control umx610
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Behringer uma25s
- Novation Nocturn
- Novation Remote
- Novation Xio
- Novation SL MK11
What to expect and not expect from a keyboard controller:
MIDI controller keyboards don't generate any sounds themselves, they only send information thru a MIDI cable to external hardware such as a computer which then goes into a software recording program to access a virtual instrument which can then generate sounds.
They come in several sizes (lengths) as well. Serious piano players generally opt for the full 88 keys while most of us can easily get it done on a 61, 49, or even 25 note keyboard.
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