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Roli’s light-up, learn-to-play Lumi keyboard is available for pre-order
Roli's crowdfunded Lumi keyboard is now available for pre-order.
Jamstik Studio is the MIDI guitar you might actually want to use
Guitar MIDI controllers are usually giant disappointments. But Jamstik seems to have broken the code. The Studio MIDI Guitar has fast and accurate pitch detection, and even does an impressive job of recreating bends, hammer-ons and to a lesser degree slides. MIDI wasn’t designed with stringed instruments in mind, so it’s never going to be perfect, and the $800 asking price is steep. But, this is probably the best guitar-style MIDI controller on the market right now. Plus, it’s actually a guitar.
Arturia's KeyStep 37 is a $199 MIDI controller with scale and strum modes
The KeyStep family has a new member: the $199 KeyStep 37.
Arturia's KeyStep Pro is a near-perfect MIDI controller for hardware synths
Arturia’s KeyStep Pro successfully marries most of what makes the KeyStep so ubiquitous with the sequencing power of the BeatStep Pro. It’s not perfect, especially if you’re hoping to use it as the core of a hybrid setup that combines hardware synths with the power of a DAW. But there are few controllers out there with this breadth of connectivity options, especially at the price point.
TheoryBoard is a MIDI controller that teaches you music theory
There are no shortage of crazy and unique MIDI controllers out there. It claims to let anyone create music, regardless of skill level, while also teaching them about music theory. Well TheoryBoard has two 12x4 sets of velocity sensitive pads, with a touchscreen in the middle.
PreSonus' Atom SQ is a MIDI controller built for its DAW
PreSonus's Atom SQ is a performance and production MIDI controller built to integrate with Studio One and Ableton Live.
You can now build custom synths for the Sensel Morph
Sensel’s Morph is, by design, a bit of a shapeshifter. Obviously, this is only going to be useful if you know how to program in Pure Data. But, thankfully, it’s a relatively easy programing environment to wrap your head around. But, even if Pure Data is a bit too much for you, don’t worry.
iRig Keys 2 Mini is a MIDI controller with a headphone jack for your iPhone
iRig is no stranger to the world of portable MIDI controllers. And, frankly, there's no shortage of great keyboards out there that will fit neatly into your backpack. But IK Multimedia was one of the earlier brands to start building music-making gear specifically with the iPhone and iPad in mind.
New Launchkey MK3 MIDI controllers add a powerful arpeggiator
Novation is updating its Launchkey MID controller lineup with deeper Ableton integration and a powerful new arpeggiator.
Jammy's new MIDI guitar can control all your virtual instruments
The original Jammy had several problems. The Jammy Evo rethinks the original’s formula, and was designed as a MIDI controller first and foremost.
Joué Play is a cheap, simple and customizable MIDI controller
The Joué Play lowers the price -- $289 with four overlays -- and adds a companion app that allows you to quickly and easily start making music with built in sounds. In fact, if you ask the company, it think the Play will appeal to even those who can’t play an instrument, but want to make music.
Arturia's KeyStep Pro MIDI controller is out now for $399
Arturia's KeyStep Pro, though, puts a lot of emphasis on the "Pro." The KeyStep Pro is out today, and though Arturia charges $449 plus $70 for shipping, retailers like Musician's Friend are selling it for $399 with free shipping.
You can build the tiny XFM2 synth for under $100
Miniature electronics kits like the Raspberry Pi have ushered in a new generation of DIY tinkerers. And while most of these builds emulate classic gaming systems, there are plenty of other possibilities. Futur3soundz, for example, designed a synthesizer around an FPGA chip and an Adafruit digital-to-analog converter. The company says that the components can all be purchased for under $100. And while the synth has few on-board controls, it has an extensive MIDI integration, so musicians can control parameters from their keyboards, making it a viable piece of bedroom studio gear.
Roland reimagines the taiko drum with modern electronics
Taiko drumming has been a part of Japanese culture for centuries. It was typically relegated to stage plays until the 1950s, when a jazz musician developed an ensemble style of drumming called kumi-daiko, which became a long-standing hobby for over a million people in Japan. However, the drums can be very large and very loud. To help drummers practice at home, electronic instrument company Roland partnered with Kodo, an acclaimed taiko performing arts group. The resulting TAIKO-1 lets you play in near silence, and helps you perfect your rhythm with built-in practice modules and accompaniments.
MIDI 2.0 overhauls the music interface for the first time in 35 years
About 35 years after the MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification was established, instrument manufacturers voted unanimously on January 18th to adopt the new MIDI 2.0 spec. So what's changing for audio interfaces? The "biggest advance in music technology in decades" brings two-way communication, among many other new features while remaining backwards compatible with the old spec. Companies like Roland, Native Instruments, Korg and Yamaha are part of the MIDI Manufacturers Association behind the update, and we've already seen Roland's A-88MKII keyboard that will be ready for the spec when it goes on sale in March.
KeyStep Pro aims to be the MIDI command center of your home studio
Arturia's KeyStep is pretty beloved among hardware synth enthusiasts and bedroom producers alike. It's an affordable, versatile and impeccably built MIDI controller. Honestly, the only real criticism I have of it is that, for something that's supposed to be portable, it's just a bit too big and heavy. So, Arturia decided to lean into the idea of the Keystep as a studio staple with the KeyStep Pro and just forgot about the whole portable thing. Instead of simply adding a bunch more keys though, Arturia decided to focus on what made the KeyStep so popular in the first place. It beefed up the sequencing capabilities and added even more ports to the back for connecting gear.
Numark's DJ2GO2 Touch is made for aspiring DJs
Numark's controllers are ubiquitous in the world of professional DJing, and the company is hoping to get more amateurs in on the action with its DJ2GO2 Touch. The device easily fits in a backpack alongside a laptop, but it still packs cueing, looping, sampling and scratching functions. The Touch is an upgrade from 2017's DJ2GO2, with the biggest update being its capacitive jog wheels. These are the same type of touch sensitive wheels that are found on most professional DJ units, but in a much smaller package.
Roland's A-88MKII keyboard embraces MIDI 2.0 and USB-C
MIDI 2.0 is (hopefully) right around the corner. And Roland is trying to stay ahead of the game. The A-88MKII keyboard is the first from the company to support the new standard as it works its way toward finalization. Unsurprisingly, Roland isn't starting its MIDI 2.0 journey with a budget controller. The A-88MKII is a premium music making machine with a wooden body and 88 weighted keys that are made to feel like ivory (even though they're plastic).
Orba is a tiny, fun and surprisingly expressive instrument
I am simultaneously deeply fascinated by and deeply skeptical of strange niche instruments. As fun as a classic Stylophone is, for instance, it's pretty tricky to make decent-sounding music with. Even quirky controllers like Roli Blocks have a hard time finding a foothold in my life. But I still can't resist their allure. So of course when I heard about Orba, the new instrument from Artiphon, I had to check it out.
The best portable (and affordable) USB MIDI controllers
Whether you're a musician always on the go or just tight on space, there are plenty of reasons to pick up a portable MIDI controller. I've been on the hunt for the perfect portable and affordable controller. (You don't want to lose or break something expensive while you're traveling, after all.) But honestly, there is no perfect controller. There are some very good ones out there, but none has ticked every box for me. Similarly, you'll need to figure out which one best addresses your specific needs, with the fewest trade-offs. None of these controllers rises head and shoulders above the rest to make it the clear winner. So I've laid out the strengths and weaknesses of what I think are the five best options currently on the market.
