Three Compact MIDI Keyboards That Won't Break Your Bank

Whether you are an amateur musician, hobbyist, or experienced producer, a MIDI keyboard is an important part of your studio. There are many different keyboards to choose from, but here are three that have a good reputation and a low price.

1. Nektar Impact LX25

This is the MIDI controller I currently use, and I love it. It’s easy to set up and it has pre-mapped integration with many popular DAWs like Cubase, Studio One, Logic, and others. It has 25 full sized keys and 8 pads, all velocity sensitive. There are plenty of controls to work with on the keyboard and it really helps make the production process run smoothly. You can also get this keyboard with 49 or 61 keys if you’re looking for something bigger. Check out the Nektar Impact LX25 on Amazon.

2. Akai Professional MPK MINI

This keyboard controller also has 25 keys (mini keys) and 8 pads. An interesting feature on this one is the 4-way thumb stick for dynamic, pitch, and modulation control. Like the Impact, it also has 8 knobs that can be used for different controls. This little keyboard is the #1 Best Seller on Amazon for Computer Recording MIDI Controllers. So, while I have not personally used it yet, it looks like a great option for a MIDI keyboard. Check it out on Amazon.

3. Novation Launchkey Mini

This keyboard has all sorts of awesome features. It has 25 mini keys and 16 velocity sensitive pads that allow you to do all sorts of cool things. It comes with Ableton Live Lite and a Loopmasters sample pack. There are also free iPad apps that you can use with this keyboard. This isn’t even everything that the Launchkey has to offer, but as you can already see, it’s pretty versatile. Learn more about the Launchkey’s features here.