Are you looking for the Best Guitar Midi Controller? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Choosing the Best Guitar Midi Controller can be difficult as there are so many considerations, such as AKAI, Alesis, KORG, Roland, M-Audio, Novation, Arturia. We have done a lot of research to find the top 20 Best Guitar Midi Controller available.
The average cost is $430.04. Sold comparable range in price from a low of $69.00 to a high of $1699.99.
Based on the research we did, we think Jamstik Studio Midi Guitar (Black) is the best overall. Read on for the rest of the great options and our buying guide, where you can find all the information you need to know before making an informed purchase.
20 Best Guitar Midi Controller (20 Sellers)
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Reviewers Noted:
Durability . Weight
Features:
- As an electric guitar, it's a 3/4 size headless design with two humbuckers, a coil tap switch, a three-way switch, and standard 1/4" out.
- Features:- bundled jams…
$399.95
3.9
Reviewers Noted:
Ease of use . Easy to install . Sound quality . Craftsmanship
Features:
- Wireless midi connection.
- The fastest, most accurate, and most responsive real-time guitar pitch-detection on the planet.
- Hand-position technology eliminates ghost notes.
Reviewers Noted:
Performs well . Easy to set up . Ease of use . Visual appeal . Weight
Features:
- Open box, customer return, may show signs of wear
- Internal eight-track pattern-based sequencer
- It's the feel
$219.00
5.0
Reviewers Noted:
Ease of use
Features:
- 3 modes of operation
- Instant mode allows for 2 button patch changes
- Bright red led display
Reviewers Noted:
Ease of use . Ease of installation
Features:
- This thing is so cool!
- I'm deciding to thin the herd and give this a good home.
- Message me with any questions.
Reviewers Noted:
Attractive . Performs well . Easy to set up . Easy to use . Heavy
Features:
- A complete software studio.
- Every keylab mkii owner will also be able to instantly enjoy one of the most comprehensive, inspiring, incredible value software packages available.
- Your very own vintage keyboard collection.
Reviewers Noted:
Performs well . Easy to set up . Easy to use . Compact . Attractive
Features:
- Portable and compact
- The most responsive keyboard experience in its category
- 500 of the v-collection 6 presets / 21 keyboard instruments and synthesizers / fully mapped right out of the box
Reviewers Noted:
Difficult to set up . Performs well . Ease of use . Heavy . Size
Features:
- This unit works as it should and is in great condition!
- Includes power cable.
- Please ask any and all questions before buying!
$99.99
4.4
Reviewers Noted:
Performs well . Easy to set up . Easy to use . Attractive . Weight
Features:
- Easy expansion
- Versatile and easy
- 49-key velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted keyboard; compact design, perfect for live performance and studio applications
Reviewers Noted:
Easy to use . Portability
Features:
- 1/4" / 6.3 trs exp 2: expression peal input
- 1/4" / 6.3 trs fs 1/3: footswitch input
- 1/4" / 6.3 mm (for 2 pedals) fs 2/4: footswitch input
$1499.00
4.5
Reviewers Noted:
Ease of use
Features:
- Split keyboard mode with unique midi settings for each split
- Volume button displays horizontal light bar on screen for easy volume adjustment
- Preset button displays midi program change number on screen (1-128) for easy selection by sliding your finger across surface
$70.00
4.4
Reviewers Noted:
Performance . Weight . Ease of setup
Features:
- This controller is in good condition with scratches throughout, especially on the bottom.
- Includes gator bag in good condition and usb cable.
- Made in china.
$299.00
3.8
Reviewers Noted:
Ease of setup . Performance
Features:
- The instrument 1 is a digital multi-instrument that connects to ios devices, macs and pcs
- Its ergonomic body can be played with a variety of positions a range of techniques
- Use the artiphon ios app to play a custom-built collection of sounds
Reviewers Noted:
Easy to set up . Performs well . Easy to use . Compact . Attractive
Features:
- Master keyboard usb e midi con 88 tasti.
- Tastiera a 88 tasti pesati "hammer action".
- 4 zone assegnabili per split e layer.
$449.99
4.8
Reviewers Noted:
Easy to use . Good sound quality . Portable . Size . Visual appeal
Features:
- Up to 20 hours of use
- Single cable connect
- Manual usb flash drive included
$1699.99
4.8
Reviewers Noted:
Easy to use . Good sound quality . Portable . Size . Visual appeal
Features:
- 8-in/8-out
- 800 x 480 pixel lcd screen
- 6 mics and 70 effects
Reviewers Noted:
Easy to set up . Performs well . Easy to use . Compact . Attractive
Features:
- Nektar impact lx88+ is a 88-key midi keyboard that is packed full of features and tight daw integration.
- Split, layer & transpose buttons.
- Control center.
Reviewers Noted:
Easy to set up . Performs well . Easy to use . Compact . Weight
Features:
- Like new!
- Akai mpd218 midi pad controller with 16 mpc pads.
- Comes with box, manual, usb cable,and ableton live lite!
$69.00
4.7
Reviewers Noted:
Performs well . Easy to set up . Easy to use . Compact . Attractive
Features:
- 25 note velocity-sensitive slim keyboard
- 2 banks of 8 high quality velocity & pressure sensitive pads with rgb backlighting
- 16 rotary encoders (2 of them are clickable)
$90.00
4.6
Reviewers Noted:
Performs well . Easy to set up . Compact . Easy to use . Visual appeal
Features:
- 16 velocity-dependent launch pads tri-colour with leds
- 7 function keys
- 2 performance keys
1. Jamstik Studio Midi Guitar (Black)
Product Details:
Featured in sound on sound's 2021 gear of the year, the jamstik studio midi guitar is a 24 fret electric guitar, low-latency midi controller, and portable travel guitar all-in-one. this plug-and-play tool works with your favorite digital audio workstation so you can compose, transcribe, and create music using the guitar format you're familiar with. play over 100 custom instrument presets or create your own right out of the box on mac or pc. powered by jamstik signal processing technology and proprietary algorithms, the studio midi translates your guitar playing into digital midi data that captures all the nuances and articulations. it's compatible with 1000s of pieces of music software as well as midi-enabled notation and music composition software. the included jamstik creator software serves as both a utility application for adjusting the guitar's settings and a full hybrid synthesizer with sampler and oscillator-based instruments and over 150+ mpe presets. developed and supported by a talented and passionate team in minneapolis, jamstik creator is available as a standalone application for mac/pc and as a vst3/auv3 plugin for use within a daw. with a striking matte finish, c-shape maple neck, mahogany body, rosewood fretboard, and built-in pick holder, the studio midi stands on its own as a premium electric guitar. the unique headless design is 3/4 the size of a standard guitar with a full 25.5 scale length so it is convenient and compact to bring with you while traveling. the addition of 2 humbucker pickups, a coil tap switch, three-way switch, and traditional 1/4 output make the studio midi guitar compatible with traditional guitar amps and interfaces.you can connect and charge simultaneously using wired usb-c, or connect wirelessly to mac and ios devices via bluetooth. alternatively, the 3.5mm trs-midi output and 5-pin adapter cable lets you use the studio midi guitar to control vintage hardware synths.
Specifications:
| Product Dimensions | 35 x 15 x 4.5 inches |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Back Material | Mahogany Wood |
| Color Name | Black Matte |
| Fretboard Material | Rosewood |
| Guitar Pickup Configuration | Hex MIDI Pickup, HH |
| Scale Length | 25.5" |
| Signal Format | Analog and Digital Capabilities |
| String Gauge | Light |
| String Material | Nickel Steel |
| Neck Material Type | Maple |
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Proficiency Level | Intermediate, Professional, Advanced, Producer |
| Battery type | Lithium Ion |
| Voltage | 3.7 Volts (DC) |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Fretboard Material Type | Rosewood |
| String Material Type | Nickel Steel |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
Reviews:
MIDI outputs on 3 strings after 4 hours of adjustment and new strings. Bluetooth connectivity is non-existent. Doesnt work at all. The bridge is something youve never seen before and you get to learn setup and tuning all over again- and it doesnt even work that well. Good luck pulling out a tool to tune your strings. This instrument is trash.boundbyonly6strings
I was looking for a guitar midi interface that did not require me to mess up a guitar. This is it! Works brilliantly.wyliamh
2. Fishman Tripleplay Wireless Guitar Controller
Product Details:
The tripleplay from fishman is a wireless midi guitar controller that can be used to control virtual midi instruments for live performance, music composition, midi recording and more. the set includes the controller and hexaphonic pickup, wireless usb receiver, mounting brackets and hardware, rechargeable battery pack, and usb charging cable. it also includes the proprietary tripleplay software, along with a suite of additional music production software. the tripleplay is designed to be simple to install on to your guitar and also simple to remove. adding less than a 1/2 inch of height, the tripleplay transmitter is attached to a metal bracket that fits to the strapbutton of your instrument. the transmitter secures to the bracket by magnet and the hexaphonic pickup secures to a clip that you attach under the strings. both the pickup and transmitter are designed to be easily removable from the guitar at your discretion. the tripleplay's compact, bus-powered usb receiver connects to your computer's usb port, or to an ios device using the appropriate usb connector kit (not included). giving you up to 100' of wireless range, you can move freely around the stage or studio while controlling all of your favorite virtual instruments with your guitar. the tripleplay features a guitar/synth/mix switch on the controller unit that, when used in tandem with any separately available audio interface, allows you to mix your guitar's standard output with the output from your virtual instruments. the guitar output and the virtual instrument output each show up on separate tracks within the tripleplay software, which can run standalone, or within your au- or vst-supported daw.
Specifications:
| Processor | 16-Bit |
| RF Range | 100' / 30.5 m |
| Battery Life | 20 hours |
| Platforms Supported | Windows 7 or 8 Mac OS X 10.8.6 or Later |
| Box Dimensions (LxWxH) | 6.5 x 6.1 x 2.6" |
Reviews:
I had great expectations of this and was very happy with the sounds (and excellent tracking) I initially got with the software. The latency was horrible though, and eventually I upgraded my computer (even changed to Mac platform as it did not work out at all on my Surface Pro). By the time I did this, the "legacy sounds" that were provided with the unit were phased out of support. Although I bought the unit early enough to still have the right to use them, they will no longer work and are completely unsupported. This makes the unit nearly worthless. The software they provide now is very poor, and to add to that it is very difficult to install and you have to jump through endless hoops to authorize it through third parties, having to load software package upon software package to authorize. There is no guarantee that those third parties will continue to support the software, either. The unit does not even come with basic GM sounds. The support from Fishman is hit or miss. Sometimes they will pick up the phone and sometimes they are inexplicably absent for weeks at a time. Email support is perhaps worse. I would recommend you avoid this product unless or until the company gets its act together and provides their own software (in addition to the basic FTP interface, which, BTW, does not support VSTs). Note: the FC-1 controller is not necessary. If you get a USB to MIDI adapter you will be all set, and you can control the patches with the switches on the unit or some other type of MIDI controller which really is the thing to do. Flipping through scores of sounds one by one by one is impractical. If you are already MIDI-literate and are willing to spend considerable additional sums on hardware and/or software to make this work, I'd say give it a try. But don't expect to jump into this from being an effects-literate guitar player without setting aside substantial time and money to make this in any way a practical part of your rig.Nicky T
Top drawer service .Product arrived on time via DPD. I'm still working on using it in conjunction with with a Roland SD50 live and also the computer . I haven't decided whether to just use with the FC1 pedal and the Roland unit yet. The software needs a fair time to get downloaded and installed even with a fast downloading fibre system. However the instructions are clear enough. One issue is the IK Media site not being clear enough on what happens to download up to date versions of Sampletank. It downloaded the Free version V Sampletank 3 . Apart from that it's a major add on for my live solo show.
This was easy to setup, and is well designed. It fit my guitar well, and wasn't hard to get working. The software on the other hand, was a huge hassle. The USB stick installer did NOT work, and I had to find all the software online, which was tricky. The website requires you to download all the software from the manufacturers website, which left me running around dozens of different websites, trying to find all the installers. I still don't know if I got them all, there was no way to tell what came with the dumb thing! Despite what they'd like you to believe, the midi packs included are very minor. It's just the typical assortment of synth sounds, like you'd get from any cheap keyboard or software synth. Mostly cartoonish and not useful. I thought it was going to come with a bunch of cool sounds. Nope. Once I got the software working, I gave it a try. While it was able to translate my playing to midi, relatively well, the tracking wasn't the best. If the pickup wasn't right near the strings, it would glitch out. Also, the velocity was way off, and varied widely. Furthermore, the fret position it detected was not accurate to what I was playing. Also, the pickup is curved slightly. My strings are flat, and not curved, so that didn't help. None of my guitars have curved strings, not sure why this is curved. This worked decently. I'd say it's worth a quarter of what they're selling it for. That's how much I'd say it's worth. The price is just too much for something that doesn't work well, and has poor quality software. You're better off buying a cheap tabletop keyboard controller that works than this half-functional toy.Alex C
3. Novation 61sl Mkiii 61-Key Midi Keyboard Controller
Product Details:
This is a 61-key midi controller keyboard with 8 sequencers and 8 arpeggiators built in that can also directly interface with ableton live and hardware/software synthesizers. it s hard to explain everything it can do. it s super deep and powerful in its capabilities. the keys and pitch bend mod wheels feel super high end to play. it s an incredible piece of hardware. it works perfectly and just has a couple very minor scratches i tried to show in photos. comes with box, power cord, and usb.
Specifications:
Reviews:
Sound: I'm using this keyboard in a hybrid setup. For both controlling hardware desktop synths and Ableton Live. , Features: It's quite easy to control things through USB, Quality: This is about as good as it gets in terms of build quality. Value: These keyboards are in short supply. The price is the same everywhere. Manufacturer Support: There was only one small issue with updating the firmware. But Novation heads this off with a link with instructions on how to quickly solve it. The Wow Factor: Comparing this to Push 2, the SL MKIII is about $100 less. And really, in my opinion, a better value. Creating music with keys rather than a pad grid makes more sense in my mind as a music creator, focused on melodies. Overall: The keys feel perfect. I love touching them and playing with them. Very smooth operation. They really nailed the feel of these keys. All of the other features are actually quite easy to learn. This controller may look complex, but it actually quite easy to learn and get going.Jona
I’m currently using this with Ableton Live 11 Suite and hooked up through MIDI to a Yamaha Modx8. Great keybed, very precise velocity that can be set via a knob or played through manually. The scale modes are a really nice feature with the lights, as it will illuminate the chosen scale! The arpeggiator is also very fun to play with, the pads act as a step sequencer to set your own intervals. It has a nice multicolor standby display. The abilities to control ableton are excellent. This thing is basically plug and play, with only a few settings needed in the DAW to set it up. I highly recommend this, and there are many more features that I haven’t dove into yet.John
Very imaginative and a truly multi functional tool but has some glitches. I've used it with the Krono's workstation and about 90% of the time it does exactly what I need which makes the Kronos much more of a performance instrument while in sequence mode. However inexplicably mini channels will periodically decide to stop transmitting and can only be fixed by rebooting the Krono's and the novation.. A great idea but seems to have some serious problems still built- in. I can't speak to how it works with software or analog equipment but if they fixed this issue it would be a wonderful tool for me, and jump to five stars. Although this is a small flaw it's a serious one and therefore at this time I cannot recommend this instrument based only on my own personal experience.. I have two of these units and both have the issueTB
4. Rocktron Midi Mate Control Pedal
Product Details:
The rocktron midi mate midi control pedal is one of the guitar world’s most commonly used midi foot controllers the midi mate has been designed with one concept in mind: allow the performing musician complete and easy control over their midi equipment. the midi mate is an intelligent controller allowing you to send up to six preset changes on six different channels and five control changes while controlling one realtime parameter via a volume pedal all at once. unlike other foot controllers that send one midi command on one channel, the midi mate lets you take full advantage of your midi gear in programming and most importantly, on stage. a large seven character led screen displays song titles while preset leds show which preset is recalled. this sturdy, compact unit houses eeproms for memory storage so presets will never be lost. the midi mate also features a 7-pin midi connector, allowing phantom power to be used with a 7-pin midi cable, avoiding extra adaptor cables on stage. the midi mate is the preferred choice for countless professionals. after many years on the road, the midi mate has been proven the most reliable, problem-free foot controller on the market. rocktron's midi mate has three modes of operation mode one is the bank mode and allows the user to step through 128 presets in groups of ten. mode two is the instant mode which allows the user to select preset 01 through 99 with only two foot taps. this makes it easy to jump from a lower bank to a high bank with a minimum of scrolling. for example, you can jump from preset 20 to preset 86 instantly without scrolling from bank 2 to 8. mode three is the controller mode which allows the user to program buttons 5 to 9 (top row) to access on/off controller assignments (not presets) while buttons 0 to 4 (bottom row) access presets. this allows presets to be recalled and modified (turn off/on chorus or delay, for example) without the need to switch modes.
Specifications:
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 2010s |
Reviews:
Good condition. Works great!danny77x77
Working nicely with my pedelsblackbearmick0
5. Fishman Tripleplay Connect Guitar Controller
Product Details:
Long awaited. this is your path to virtual tonal greatness. so get inspired with the fishman tripleplay connect hexaphonic pickup. say goodbye to lack of creative flow, and hello to a whole world of tonal opportunity. an exceptional piece of kit where your creativity simply flourishes. every time. it's time to deliver a unique, and immensely impactful performance.simply download the free fishman tripleplay connect app which works seamlessly with the tripleplay controller. plug-in the included cable, and chose your instrument. you can even flawlessly track your guitar with multiple instruments, or create a full band setup. the choice is yours. and there's plenty of it. and, with a quality, high-end hexaphonic pickup, the tripleplay responds impeccably to your individual flair too. accurately delivering the dynamics, and subtle nuances of your own style without fail. fishman electronics – making live performance everything it should be.
Specifications:
| Weight | 0.75 lb |
Reviews:
Installation worked as advertised – not difficult and worked first time without further adjustments. Could use some high-quality instrument patches – had to buy them from Big Fish. Can do a fine quality impression of horn or string section for us keyboard non-experts, but need the sounds. I do not use the iPad app, just use it in DAW.Jamie
Im not crazy about it..It does track quickly. Secondly you dont have to bolt it in.. Thats the good, Im not to crazy about the sound libraries that come with it. Ive not found much that I can use. I can use it with my other midi packs…thats good. You do have to go into your DAW and clean up transients after recording.. I give it a C…Better than nothing! Fishman could do a little better, considering this thing costs over two hundred bucks..crairiver0
I bought this for recording because I don't play keys very well. I reached out to Fishman about a couple of questions to help set it up and they were really helpful. I wouldn't use this for live because it's very sensitive and the MIDI usually needs a little editing to do exactly what I wanted it to, but it really saves me a lot of work. I run Omnisphere from my guitar, mind blownMatt
6. Arturia Keylab 61 Mkii Midi Controller White
Product Details:
With the arturia keylab mkii 61 you control your daw (recording software), arturia software and modular synthesizers. the midi keyboard integrates flawlessly with your recording software and arturia plugins. this allows you to set up the software with the push and spin buttons of the midi keyboard. that way you are less dependent on your mouse or trackpad. you send cv / gate signals to your modular equipment. this means that you use the keyboard to get the most out of your eurorack modules. the 61 velocity-sensitive keys are equipped with aftertouch. by applying pressure to the keys with your fingertips, you can parameterise parameters from the software. think of opening a filter or adjusting the volume.
Reviews:
Delivery was 3 days earlier than my delivery date (4 days). The keyboard is brilliant. I had a an Alesis V49 keyboard before this which served its purpose of getting notes into the DAW but it was time for an upgrade. I was torn between this one or the Komplete Kontrol 61 and decided on this one and so glad I did. The feel of the keys is SO much better than my Alesis V49 and the setup and installation process was a breeze. The keyboard has a premium feel and is a nice weight. I've got everything mapped out to use in FL Studio. The included software is great and theres so many sounds to choose from. Overall I'm very happy. My Dad was due an upgrade and after using mine for 5 minutes, his mind was made up and he's bought one from here too and is over the moon with it. Would highly recomend it to anyone.
My husband played a real piano & keyboards he was younger but hasn't played for years. He wanted to start again and debated between the KeyLab 88 MKII and a more traditional stand alone piano-type keyboard. He's so happy we went this route. He uses it with Logic Pro and feels the KeyLab offers the perfect amount of features without adding unnecessary things. He hasn't yet figured it all out, but it's great to sit down and play freely or to record using the software and create a song. The build is excellent, with a metal body and wood accents. The action of the key bed is excellent and is much closer to a real piano than non-weighted keys. The additional weight of the keys makes playing at different volume levels very easy. One complain that he had was the lack of documentation on how to set it up and integrate it with different DAWs, but Arturia's tech support is top notch and quickly replied with a long and detailed emailing showing step by step directions on how to set it up with Logic Pro. Plus, their website has a great FAQ section and detailed user manuals that cover how to use most of the keyboard's features. In addition to a great keyboard, the unit comes with some wonderful software. It includes Ableton Live Lite for those who don't already have a DAW. It also comes with Piano V/V2, which is a piano software add-on worth $249 by itself and Analog Lab, which is a collection of older (from the 80s I think), classic synthesizer sounds worth $199. So, the keyboard itself is a great item for the price, but when all the additional software is included, the KeyLab 88 MkII is a wonderful item.Nancy B.
I just got mine in today (the black one, as I prefer to be looked at as little as possible) and spent a while testing things out, and I love it! All of the controls feel great and, with very minimal setup time, work perfectly with Logic (my DAW of choice). The primary reason I got this is to have a flexible (and light weight) controller with lots of controls on the surface that I can map to whatever I need. I make a lot of tracks in Logic and I play live shows with MainStage. This is a fantastic controller for both of those. The construction is very solid. The body is all metal with wooden side plates and weirdly high quality rubber feet. I suppose that's the dumbest part of a keyboard to like, but they just feel very sturdy. It makes me wish I had it sitting on a table instead of a keyboard stand, so I could take full advantage of them! I love the included laptop stand and music stand. They hook on to the keyboard and are quite sturdy. The laptop stand will hold any laptop you put on it. The music stand is definitely sturdier than most. It's plexiglass (or whatever that is), so it does wobble a bit, but it's much better than any other stands I've seen like it, and I have no worries that my iPad will fall off of it. The music stand even has a hole in the center to fit an iPad charging cable. I didn't realize that was a thing, but it fits perfectly, so now I don't have to keep the iPad upside down with the cable coming out the top. The music stand is off center (to the left) to make room for the laptop stand. I don't mind this, as I usually play musical theatre gigs, and I have yet to play in a pit where I'm not somehow cramped or compromising my playing position due to space restraints. But, it might be worth it to know, if you care about that. If you look at the first picture on Sweetwater, you can see the 6 little silver screws sticking off the back. The three on the right are for the laptop stand and the 3 on the left are the music stand. So, your music will be centered in the center of the 3 leftmost screws (around E3/F3). I love the fact that you can change modes in seconds with the main knob. I can go from fully specialized as a mixer/transport controller for Logic right into a customized controller for Kontakt or Pianoteq (or any other instrument) to record a track, and then right back again for Logic controls. Another perk that I didn't even realize before buying it is that it can be bus powered, which is great to save on cables for gigs! The only real negative I find with this is the keyboard action itself. This is 100% my personal preference though, and truthfully, this is a very small negative that I will happily get used to. They keys are a little heavy for my taste. I am a pianist first and my ideal action is that of a Steinway grand. Obviously no keyboard can approach that (yes, I love Kawai's GrandFeel, but I can't justify $2k for a keyboard with no other controls and not enough pedal inputs), but the Arturia certainly isn't my favorite of the choices I do have. It reminds me a lot of Roland action. I don't have a Roland board to side-by-side compare, but it just has that heavier, ever-so-slightly mushy feel. I prefer the action of most Kurzweil boards (Fatar TP-40L) and the Yamaha MOX series. They are definitely on the lighter side (great for organ playing as well), and just feel like they have a faster response. With this and Roland boards, I feel like the keys just take slightly too long to return to neutral. All that said, the action on this is very sturdy and certainly not of a lower quality in any way. It's just slightly heavier than I prefer. It's minimal (and the other pros are so much better than the competition), so I will deal with it and not love it any less. I'm not a fan of any of Arturia's software/instruments, but I only had to open their MIDI editor once to set the keyboard to Logic, and I haven't touched it since. I suppose "I probably won't use your included VSTs because I don't need/like them" would be the most "Karen" of things for me to call a negative. My primary keyboard before this is a Kurzweil Forte. I love that, but that is overkill for a MIDI controller in my home studio, and I wanted something with more flexible controls dedicated to a DAW's functionality. I'll certainly still use my Forte for live gigs, but even given how light this is (or at least how much lighter it is than the Forte…) and how much more I can do with it, I might use this as my primary MainStage controller for theatre gigs as well. I did also look into the NI Komplete Kontrol S88. I haven't tried that one in person and the integration with Kontakt (which I use frequently) looks amazing, but I couldn't settle for the fact that there are so few physical controls on the S88. It's very hard to beat having 9 faders, 9 knobs, 16 drum pads, and transport controls (among many others). Plus, this one is cheaper and made of metal. As for Sweetwater, if you don't already know how amazing they are, where h
7. Arturia Minilab Mkii Mini Hybrid Keyboard Controller – White
Product Details:
This midi controller combines hands-on control with style and portability. discover expressive new melodies with 25 velocity-sensitive slim-keys as well as pitch and modulation touch-strip controls. input rhythms with two banks of velocity sensitive, rgb backlit performance pads, and tweak software with 16 full- rotary encoders. analog synthesizers. live 9 lite is not time-limited and you can save and mix-down your work. required minimum configuration: windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit or higher. mac os 10.8 or higher (64-bit plug-ins). quick start with serial & unlock codes and usb cable.
Specifications:
| Number of Keys | 25 |
| Type of Keys | Slim Keys, Synth Action |
| Velocity Sensitive | Yes |
| Pads | 8 x Backlit, Velocity-sensitive (2 banks) |
| Other Controllers | Pitchbend, Modulation Touch Strips |
| Presets | 8 x User Presets |
| Pedal Inputs | 1 x 1/4" (sustain) |
| MIDI I/O | USB |
| USB | 1 x Type B |
| Computer Connectivity | USB |
| OS Requirements – Mac | macOS 10.13 or later |
| OS Requirements – PC | Windows 8.1 or later, 64-bit |
| Power Supply | USB bus powered |
Reviews:
I bought this as I needed to downsize and create some more space. This is nicely compact, but doesn’t feel small. The build quality is fantastic and it looks great! I won’t be playing this in a traditional piano sense and some people may be put off by the smaller keys, but for triggering notes it’s great. As for the drum pads they’re very strong and feel nice to the touch. Connectivity wise it’s a dream. I just plugged it in and installed the software and away I went. Overall I’m very happy. I’d recommend this to someone who needs something compact or will be using it on the go.Ryan W.
In reference to Akai MPK mini 2, this unit is better build quality, much sturdier and heavier mostly because of metal plate at the bottom. Keys are great quality but they are not as expressive as MPK mini. I find the pitch bend and touch mod strip feature very unusable, very hard to have smooth bends especially while writing automation. The knobs are only preprogrammed to Analog Lab, so for everything else you have to manually program them, which was not the case with MPK mini. If mod/pitch bend feature is important to you, I recommend a midi keyboard with the classic wheel design. Just a side note, in MPK mini after two years of usage pitch bend/mod toggle started glitching, then the USB port broke, which would have been replaceable if there wasnt an IC chip right behind it that got broken with it as well. With that said I recommend trying out diferent products aside from popular ones.igor-k
The Arturia Minilab MK2 is a great little midi keyboard. It serves it's purpose as a staple in small studios with less room. It's compact and quality design assures that it's not a cheap controller and is also made by a well respected company. I like the Minilab because it feels more like a real keyboard when playing the keys. Some midi controllers are more plastic and light almost toy like feel. It comes with some great software options such as Analog Lab Lite and Ableton Lite. For a small fee you can upgrade to the full version of Analog Lab which is well worth the price with over 6,000 presets from several different synths and pianos. The minilab is mapped to the Analog Lab and any other Arturia software which makes it even better. It also works with other daws as long as it's mapped correctly but will work best with anything from Arturia line. Overall for the price it's well worth it for what you get. I mean for $100 it's a steal. I think it's a great addition and any studio wether your a hobbyist or a full time musician.leppus2015
8. Behringer Fcb1010 Midi Foot Controller
Product Details:
Specifications:
| Power Supply | 120V, 60Hz |
| Power Consumption | 10W |
| Mains connection | Standard IEC connector |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 2.4 x 8.7 x 27" / 6.09 x 22.09 x 68.58cm (approx) |
Reviews:
I would rate this product really high for all of its features but it I have two real complaints. The biggest drawback is the difficult programming. I am using this unit to control a lighting console that requires 'note on' midi signals. If you are using it for a guitar rig that uses 'program changes' it will probably work for you without so much hassle. I am a very tech savy guy and this thing came close to being sent back. It comes with NO instruction manual. You must download it off the internet. That being said, the manual was clear as mud. After several days of agony (I'd think I had it figured out, but it wouldn't work) I finally found the answer on a forum on the internet. Yes…you have to hit the Note button TWICE!! Once to illuminate, the second time to flash..then 'Enter'. Now it works for me. If only the manual had thoroughly explained this! Many people seem to give up and program it with thier computer (with a midi set up of course). The second complaint I have is the FCB1010's enormous size. This thing is massive. When playing guitar I am not a pedal user and I am not use to having anything on the floor except a tiny channel switch. Having to drag this thing around to run the lights doesn't thrill me…but until I can afford a lighting guy, this will have to do. One of the few footswitches that will do all three types of midi signals. Lots of features enabling it to handle simple to very complex rigs. Haven't had it long but it seems to be built pretty robust (as much as can be with todays products being made with so much plastic). The body is metal, the pedals are plastic. The unit is very large and heavy for a footswitch. There are only two pedals I can find that will send midi note signals. This unit costs half of what the other did so I guess it makes it an OK value. Getting through the programming is the hardest part.
I'm surprised there aren't more boards like this, but thankfully it does everything I need 🙂 The manual is a joke but there are plenty of great online guides, videos, and even third party software to help program it. You'll need to learn about the different types of MIDI signals, and you'll probably need to change the settings for if to be useful for your particular software. This can be daunting: but the great thing is that every foot switch can be programmed to send up to ten MIDI signals at once (including two CC settings for the two expression pedals). So even though there are two exp pedals: there's kinda 200! (10 switches and 10 banks). The switches all default to "program change" MIDI signals, which I found pretty unuseful, but they can all be changed to CC signals (eg 0/127 toggle or any value you like, on any CC# you like) or even "note" signals if you want to say control a synth bass line as you play!opium32
THIS IS MY FIRST "MIDI" CONTROLLER OTHER THAN FOOT CONTROLLERS THAT COME WITH UNITS. I WAS UNSURE HOW IT WOULD WORK BECAUSE IT WAS NOT MADE BY THE PROCESSOR UNIT I HAD. BEHRENGER MAKES EXCELLENT PRODUCTS AND THIS IS NO EXCEPTION. HEAVY DUTY CHASIS AND SWITCHES ARE JUST THE OBVIOUS WHEN I OPENED THE BOX. I'M USING IT WITH AN AVID ELEVEN RACK BECAUSE THE AVID FOOT CONTROLLER WAS $400 OPPOSED TO THE $100 FOR THE BEHRENGER UNIT. IT DOES EVERYTHING I NEED IT TO DO AND MORE. IT CONTROLS EVERY PATCH CHANGE I CREATED AND EVEN THE PARAMETERS IN THE PATCHES SO I CAN CHANGE THE TONES INSIDE OF EACH ONE. I HAVEN'T EVEN SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF WHAT THIS UNIT IS CAPABLE OF YET. THE EXPRESSION PEDALS FEEL AND WORK GREAT UNDER FOOT AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNITS ON THE FLOOR. THEY'RE NOT AS GOOD AS SOME STAND ALONE WAHS OR VOLUME CONTROLS BUT ARE GOOD ENOUGH FOR MOST GIGS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE UNIT FROM A FINACIAL AND PLAYERS VIEW.rusty7227
9. Samson Carbon 49 Usb Midi Controller
Product Details:
Specifications:
Reviews:
Purchased as an open box special. Wanted a midi controller versus a regular keyboard due to a midi's versatility. I think, for the price, it is well-built with the features you would want in a keyboard midi controller. The included software is worth, by itself, about two-thirds the price of the Samson Carbon. I got the iPad adapter and it works flawlessly with my Samson Carbon and the iOS midi software. My pre-purchase research found the manufacturer's online support to be rather weak. This was confirmed by their response to my email asking for support in getting the included Native Instruments midi software to work with my Samson Carbon in Windows 8. I WAS able to get it to work via a web search into the problem (bottom line: it was, as suspected, a driver issue that was fixed by changing the driver to another one which was already included with Windows 8). In short, I am very pleased. I knew what I wanted after doing my research. My Samson Carbon fulfills my needs and it is a wonderful musical instrument.diop06
The Samson Carbon 49 USB MIDI controller does not rely on batteries, nor does it require to be plugged into a power outlet; all power is driven from the USB connection. This means it can be powered by the iPad by using the USB to 30 pin adapter found in the iPad Camera Connection Kit for the older iPads and in the Lightning to USB Camera Adapter for later generation iPads and the iPad mini. You will need an app such as Garage Band running on your iPad to accept the input from the controller to drive the sound. There are a total of 49 full sized keys that are velocity sensitive. There are buttons to change the octave if you need a higher or lower range, found above the pitch and modulation wheels. This allows for the full octave range found in a full sized keyboard or piano. Overall, the Carbon 49 USB MIDI controller from Samson Technologies delivers a simple solution for those looking to turn their iPad or iPad mini into a self powered musical instrument for home use, studio use, and on-the-go use. This will work well for beginners up to professionals, with a price that makes it very compellingJeremy the entertainer
This is a great USB or MIDI controller for anyone looking for a compact 49 note keyboard with a lot of extra features. The drum pads feel good and respond well for drumming or sample launching. Having 8 faders and knobs also opens up a lot of possibilities for any producer or performer. They keys themselves have a nice response, and it is also adjustable within the software you are recording with. You can even use this board with your iPad, making it even more portable. Finally, with the Komplete Elements included, you get a lot of great quality sounds right out of the box, and lets you see a little of what the full version of the Komplete software has to offer. This is a real hands on product review by Steve at Sam Ash Music in Lyndhurst, OH.Steve
10. Nektar Pacer Midi Daw Footswitch Controller
Product Details:
The pacer by nektar, is a daw integrated usb midi foot controller. the pacer can also be used as a guitar pedal board, using either software or hardware, and has preset configurations for popular systems including kemper, line 6 and more. there are 10 led foot switches – all programmable, and 4 x switching relays. you can connect 2 x expression pedals, and there are an additional 4 x pedal switch connectors on the rear plate too. pacer supports all major daw’s that are mcu (mackie control unit) compatible.
Specifications:
| Weight | 7.7 lb |
Reviews:
Overall: So I bought the Pacer to use with Ableton and out of the box it’s the equivalent of a door stop (just being honest). I did email Nektar before I made my purchase (awesome company) and knew I had some programming ahead. I watched a couple videos on You Tube, prior to its arrival, which made programming the pacer pretty straight forward. Nektar makes fantastic gear, but the included documentation is garbage. Leverage the web and Nektar’s tech support (great), Nektar’s gear is worth the time and effort.Cliff
The Pacer truly an amazing midi controller. I use it for handsfree looping with my RC505 with ease! Live looping and switching between multiple instruments can prove to be very challenging at timesm. The Pacer allows me to transition smoothly and start right on the beat. Unlike other midi pedals I've purchased in the past, I don't feel limited with the Pacer. Lastly, I love the construction of the pedal itself. It feels incredibly durable! Its built like a tank. If youre in the market for a midi foot controller, the Nektar is the best option hands down.BRANDON
11. Roger Linn Design Linnstrument Midi Controller
Product Details:
From technical grammy winner and mpc inventor roger linn comes linnstrument, a revolutionary new 200-pad midi controller that captures three dimensions of each fingers movement for subtle and precise control of note volume, pitch and timbre, polyphonically. perform natural vibrato, bends, wind/bow expression and more, just like on acoustic instruments. the grid of 200 note pads is arranged as 8 rows of 25 semitones each, like a guitar or any stringed instrument, permitting note-to-note pitch slides not possible in a piano-key layout. 200 six-color leds indicate scale notes in any of 6 colors. easy to play, easy to play in tune, sitting or standing if you play guitar or any stringed instrument, it's surprisingly easy to transfer your skills to linnstrument. if you play keyboard, it takes a little longer but you'll quickly appreciate the advantages for performing subtle pitch gestures in an intuitive way, easy transposition and spanning a 3-octave chord in one hand. plus, at 22.5 inch by 8.5 inch by 1 inch thick, it's a whole lot more portable than a keyboard. with continuous pitch control similar to a violin, you might expect that it would be just as difficult as a violin to play in tune. but linnstrument's pitch quantize insures that your notes are in tune regardless of where your initial touch lands within each 3/4 inch note square, then it immediately removes the quantizing so as not to restrict your vibratos and pitch slides. it's like having frets when you want them and not when you don't. you can play it at a table like a keyboard but at only 1 inch thin and 5 pounds, it's also small and light enough to play standing up, using the included guitar strap buttons. and it's fully usb bus powered, so only a single usb cable is needed onstage. you can even power it from any lightning-equiped ipad or iphone.
Specifications:
| Fader(s) | 0 |
| Drawbar | No |
| Expansion | No |
Reviews:
Bought this hoping to be able to play synth desktop modules. As a guitarist this was very easy to learn. You can customize the spacing between the rows by long holding the "guitar" setting in the row intervals column in general settings. With this you can custom set the starting note of each row individually. I used it to flip the board so the lowest note was closet to me rather than furthest(stock). I could play it immediately after that. My theory transferred 100% (chord shapes/construction, arpeggios, and scales). I am still working on getting used to the feel. Progress has been fast though. One thing that was tough was figuring out which synths would work with this. I didn't want any with built in keyboards. I went with the desktop hydrasynth, it has full mpe support and the desktop unit is reasonably priced. I didn't buy this with mpe in mind, but I have learned that it can enable more dimensions of control/expression than possible with guitar, bass, and drums. You can set the x, y, and z axises to control anything you want with the hydrasynth. The combination feels like a sound designer's infinite dream. I strongly recommend the linnstrument on its own and its combination with the hydrasynth. The MainStage presets that Roger Linn shared on his website are also great.Chris
That's a very nice controller to use. Easy to use and very dynamic. To me, it is one of the best MPE controller available: better than the sensel morph and more appropriate than a seaboard (because of the linear scaling). Probably that Haken Continuum (which is really expensive and should be considered as a highend synth with specialized controller) and the Madrona Soundplane are the only ones that would currently rival the Linnstrument (still as of april 2021)\n\nOnly reason I give it a 4 star is because of the light electric noise it does when pressing a key (which I have never seen mentioned before). I'm used to piano key noise, wind/brass key noise and guitar pick noise but this is different. It's not bad (and becomes inaudible when playing louder or playing with good headphones) but still worth mentioning.
12. Ik Multimedia Irig Keys Pro Midi Controller
Product Details:
Very light use and all at home for home studio recording. never taken out and always kept in padded bag. i can't see any marks anywhere on it. i have always found these keyboards easy to use and had the smaller one before this. i also use a usb interface and mic from the same manufacturer, ik multimedia. their products seem strong, well designed & very reliable to me. i'm really a professional guitarist and studio musician, so this has been used lightly for some midi sounds in my home studio and for nothing else. it has 2 leads; lightning for ipad/iphone & usb for mac/pc. i do a little keyboard/piano tuition & have bought a keyboard just for that, so this is not needed any longer by me. new these are available at around 130 and the padded bags are an additional item at around 55. i'll make sure it is packed very well and fully tracked & insured.
Specifications:
Reviews:
I took the first one of these i bought back, because the input for the usb was wobbly AF and it kept disconnecting. Because I didn't have the box it cost me $75 to exchange for a new one. The new one has EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. I've had it for a couple of weeks and already it's wobbly and disconnecting. I kept the box this time so I will be returning it for a refund. Very very disappointing.Wild H.
13. Artiphon Instrument 1 Midi Controller (Black)
Product Details:
The artiphon instrument 1 is a new kind of digital instrument that accommodates the playing styles of a variety of instrument types and adapts to the way you play. it’s the first midi controller that lets you strum, slide, tap, and drum any sound on a single interface! the instrument 1 has been designed to be played in multiple positions. a guitarist can hold the instrument in a traditional guitar position, or use the available artiphon instrument 1 strap. an orchestral player, like a cellist, might enjoy holding the ergonomic instrument body upright. beatmakers and finger drummers will discover a familiar grid surface when the instrument 1 is laid flat. the instrument can even be held like a violin, position against the player’s neck. want to play a technique you've already mastered? string players of all kinds will find a familiar interface when the artiphon instrument 1 is tuned like a guitar, bass, cello, violin, banjo, or any other traditional instrument. the ability to tune each string individually is one of many custom elements performers can take advantage of.
Specifications:
| Instrument Type | MIDI controller – electric |
| Connections | Headphones – mini-phone 3.5 mm USB – 10 pin Micro-USB Type B |
| Features | Built-in accelerometer, 4 preset instruments, 4 custom instruments |
| Number of Frets | 12 |
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Controls | Capo, volume/preset, headphones volume |
| Color | Black |
Reviews:
After trying it out, it didn't feel as smooth as I thought it would be, even after messing with the sensitivity settings. It does have a lot of modes and customization, but I just didn't feel pumped to go deeper into it. My issues: – Having to reset my DAW and open the software EVERY TIME I wanted to change something (so you would go in kind of blindly into it). – Interface didn't feel user friendly, even though it has lots and lots of presets, I'd rather have a nice presentation that made me feel good while customizing. – Using it doesn't feel natural to me (maybe I needed more time and training, but I just didn't care for it because of the other aspects). Although they have put thought into this and there's some nice innovation here, it feels like it's in a beta state. I found myself just using this more as a piano, flat in the table, rather than trying it out in other different ways (-1 exploration points). – Last but not least, you can't add a guitar strap to it unless you have some kind of string, which is awkward because I feel like this is aimed mainly at guitarists and other instrumentalists.
I played cello in highschool and years later I decided to take it back up for fun. I found this and thought "oh hey, I can play it like a cello, but get other instrument notes to come out instead!" This instrument delivers on that. The Instrument 1 has delivered on that wonderfully. A friend of mine who plays guitar picked it up and got into the swing of it in seconds. It's a wonderful piece of technology and I think it's going to be great for amateurs who maybe know how to play one instrument but want to do more with that knowledge. That is, IF they have an Apple device. I don't. I downloaded the trial versions of five popular PC MIDI sound programs, and after struggling for hours, got varying degrees of success out of three of them and outright failure to get two working. Later, we plugged it into the ipad owned by my guitar-playing friend, downloaded the Artiphon preset editor, opened up Garageband, and BOOM, fully functional, beautiful sound, right off the bat. Again, I am not a music or music program expert. Maybe the PC programs I have can work fully if I better knew what I was doing. But clearly, Apple products are where all the easy-to-use programs of equal if not superior quality have flocked (which makes sense, given the stereotypes). I can't blame Artiphon themselves for this (though it did immediately become clear that the iOS Artiphon App was VASTLY superior to the PC Artiphon app, much to my annoyance), just please note that (at least if you are an armature / hobbyist) that you'll have a easier, and possibly superior experience if you own an Apple device to couple the Instrument 1 with.Darin
14. M-Audio Hammer 88 – 88-Key Hammer Action Usb/midi Keyboard Controller
Product Details:
The hammer 88 from m-audio is an 88-key usb/midi keyboard controller designed to provide realistic piano-style feel and control of virtual instruments for musicians, composers, and programmers on stage or in the studio. it features 88 velocity-sensitive, hammer-action keys, which are fully weighted to reproduce the feel of playing on a grand piano. the included music rest is convenient for sheet music or propping up a phone or tablet. the keyboard can be split into multiple zones, allowing layers, splits, and single-key chords. separate 1/4” inputs are available for sustain, soft, and expression pedals. use the pitch bend and mod wheels to add portamento and glissando effects. the dedicated volume control delivers easy level adjustment. the assignable plus/minus buttons enable you to select programs, effects, octaves, and more. control your favorite virtual instruments via usb, or connect the midi output to an external sound module or drum machine. the hammer 88 supports plug-and-play compatibility on mac os x and windows, and is usb-powered.
Specifications:
| Number of keys | 88 |
| Action | Hammer action |
| Key size | Full |
| Velocity sensitive | Yes |
| Aftertouch | No |
| MIDI I/O | Out |
| USB | Yes |
| Pedal inputs | Sus, exp, soft |
| Gate out | No |
| iOS compatibility | Yes (camera connection kit required) |
| Pitch bend/Modulation | Both |
| DAW transport | Yes |
| Display | No |
| Bundled Software | Ableton Live Lite, AIR |
| Chord play | No |
| Arpeggiator | No |
| Step Sequencer | No |
| Mac | OS X 10.8 or later |
Reviews:
Considering the price this is a sturdy and extremely capable device. I purchased it to give me a practise keyboard but find it so useful when just doodling on the DAW (Cubase or Studio One). DAW settings took a bit of setting up as there are no pre-set configs for this device, however once the principle is understood it was easy to configure the 8 buttons as controller inputs. Keybed feels sort of OK, if you are used to a piano or weighted Synth it feels pretty light on but honestly it has enough feel, keys are a little slippery especially the whites which are super smooth. The Blacks have a small amount of texture. Overall, I'm super happy!CGTS P. L.
The price of the unit was discounted due to some damage to the metal housing on the back of the keyboard and for whatever reason it was caused. But, everything seems to work perfectly. I could not be more happy that a found this Hammer88 at the price I got it for. Thank you very much Sam Ash! The Hammer 88 has an amazing feel and build quality. Excellent buy at the price! Though, it doesn't have but a mod wheel and pitch bend, there is plenty of space on the unit body to add your own extra devices, should you choose, as I have.P
I'm not a music pro, just a hobbyist. I'm also not a great keyboardist; I play mostly stringed instruments. What I'm really saying is I don't know that much about keyboards and synths. I have a Yamaha YPG-635 with USB capabilities, but it's hard to operate a DAW on my computer while sitting a distance at the piano. I wanted a keyboard that would fit on my workstation desk. The M-Audio Keystation 61 MK3 fulfils my needs nicely. I use it for recording, just to add different sounds to the mix. It comes packed with Lite versions of Ableton, Reason and Pro-tools. I've been using Mixcraft Pro, and the keyboard works fine with it. Mine isn't the full sized model, but 61 weighted keys are enough for me. The optional M-Audio sustain pedal has a squishy feel, so I would recommend the KSP-100 pedal, which responds much more naturally. I have one with my Yamaha and much prefer it. Connecting to a computer is super easy. Just plug into a USB slot and wait for your OS to recognize it. No special drivers to download. The bundled software may require a learning curve if you are new to DAWs, but they also include plenty of useful tutorials. I took some piano as a kid, and I can mess with chords and simple arpeggios, but I don't sight read. Buying this keyboard has inspired me to start online keyboard lessons!
15. Line 6 Helix Control Floor-Based Controller For Helix Rack Guitar Processor
Product Details:
Speed up your editing with the line 6 helix control line 6 helix control is a floor-based controller for helix rack guitar processor. helix rack can be controlled by almost any midi-capable device, but adding helix control gives you the same functionality as the floor based helix, opening up a new world of creativity.with helix control connected over a single cable, rack users can select a block for editing by touching a footswitch, create custom labels for the scribble strips, connect up to three expression pedals, and edit parameters hands-free for the first time using pedal edit mode.
Specifications:
| Charge or Battery LIfe | up to 20 hours |
| Connectivity | single cable |
| Items Included | Manual USB flash drive |
| AMPs | 45 |
| Cab IRs | 1024/2048 |
Reviews:
I have been with Line 6 for many years. My very first amp from Line 6 was a Line 6 AXSYS 212. I also have the POD 20, POD XT Live, POD HD 500, the Spider 3-120, the Spider 4-150, and the practice amp 15 watts. While on tour I used the Flextone 3-2×12 amp. THE REVIEW: First and foremost tone and sound are most important to me. The models are definitely rich and pure in tone. The well thought out connectivity and the ability to maneuver the effects chain in any order that I desire is a plus and the ability to have unlimited effects in a chain is superb! I like the touch sensitivity to the switches that allows access to parameters for on the fly editing. Additionally, there is better processing with all of the effects. The headphone volume is a great option that adds to this already exceptional unit. Also, the stomp box mode allows the Helix to be used as a peddle board rig. Thumbs up for the large screen display and the scribble strips. Last but not least, the unit is very sturdy which makes it easy to travel with. There are so many BELLS & WHISTLES included in the Helix unit that it's too much to put into one review. So with that being said, I am COMPLETELY satisfied with my Helix!
Helix is fantastic for all studio musicians. You can construct so many different sounds with it. Since 3.0, the Helix is a complete package as far as guitar processors go: you have all different amps, cabs, effects, acoustic sim, synths, polyphonic transposition, harmonization, oversampling. Lots of in/outs, lots of ways to route it. The workflow is great: you have the computer editor. You can back up/restore your Helix, email the backup to yourself, etc. The Helix can absolutely replace your entire signal chain and be used as the only piece of gear to process your guitar sounds. The same could not be said about the Helix when it was on earlier firmware versions. Now, the Helix itself is very cheaply made. I thought I'd purchase one and never need to use anything ever again– wrong! After about a year of light use, the buttons stopped working reliably, then an LED stopped working. Helix is assembled using cheap Chinese parts that are tiny! For example, the footswitches are not what they appear to be–there are tiny tactile microswitches underneath. The Helix will not withstand nonstop gigging for more than a year, unless it's regularly serviced/cleaned, etc. It's a real shame because it can sound great, but something is always failing, or about to fail.Dimitri
Overall: I just received the Helix Rack yesterday so I only have a few hours in the drivers seat but that's enough to learn how truly awesome this thing is. I've owned a lot of Line 6 products over the last 20 years, in fact I still have a spider V240 and a POD HD Pro X but the Helix is so far out of their league they will probably never get used again in my studio. The design is sleek, easy to navigate, user friendly and just all around beautifully designed. The large full color screen is not only eye catching but makes navigating the menus effortless. Even though I'm modeler savvy, I've had no previous experience with Impulse Responses, in fact, I hadn't even heard of them until I started researching the Helix Rack and quite honestly I didn't think that I would care to use them… Well… I was wrong. It's amazing what these things do for the quality and authenticity of my tones when recording. As I mentioned earlier I only have 2 days under my belt at this point but most of that has been recording scratch tracks just to hear the result of these I.R's. I also love the fact that Line 6 still adds all of the necessary physical knobs and controls to their equipment in the days of everything being digital. The idea that I can play almost uninterrupted while tweaking many different parameters on the unit itself without a pedal is always a selling point for me. Not taking anything away from the foot controller but when I'm seated in front of my rack, using my hands to adjust the unit itself is just somewhat more convenient at times. Next, the user space… I thought that my POD HD Pro X had a lot of space for user presets but It has nothing on the Helix. I will probably never fill all of the user List's or even come close to it but It's always better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it. Also, let me jump back to the large screen again, I have a laptop on which I keep all of my editing software for my studio equipment. I always plug in my Spider V240 and POD and use the Spider V Remote and POD HD Pro X edit software respectfully because in most cases sitting behind my recording console and tweaking my sound is just much easier to do with the computer apps than the equipment. The Helix is the first and only piece of equipment I've owned where the display is laid out and organized in a way that is very similar to a computer or tablet app and so even though I have the Helix Edit app running on my computer right next to me, making adjustments on the front of the Helix Rack in many cases is actually easier and faster than grabbing a mouse and using the comp app. I could write much more describing my total satisfaction thus far but I will wait 'till I have used it for another month or so and update my review at that time. I will leave you with this thought. While conveying my total happiness to my brother last night regarding the Helix Rack, I went so far as to say that I feel that this could be the last guitar processer I ever buy and if not it's pretty close.Fred
16. Line 6 Helix Guitar Multi Effects Processor
Product Details:
Helix rack is a new kind of guitar processor: it’s not only a tour-grade rack mounted multi-effect processor that sounds and feels authentic, it’s also one of the most comprehensive master controller for guitar systems ever built. start by recreating the tones in your head with the new hx modeling engine – the new amps, cabs, mics, and effects will feel familiar to anyone who has ever spent time in the studio getting the best guitar sounds from both vintage and modern gear.
Specifications:
| Inputs/Outputs | 8 each |
| Footswitches | 12 |
| Screen Resolution | 800 x 480 |
| Dimensions | 560mm x 301mm x 92 mm |
| Weight | 6.6 kg |
Reviews:
I have been with Line 6 for many years. My very first amp from Line 6 was a Line 6 AXSYS 212. I also have the POD 20, POD XT Live, POD HD 500, the Spider 3-120, the Spider 4-150, and the practice amp 15 watts. While on tour I used the Flextone 3-2×12 amp. THE REVIEW: First and foremost tone and sound are most important to me. The models are definitely rich and pure in tone. The well thought out connectivity and the ability to maneuver the effects chain in any order that I desire is a plus and the ability to have unlimited effects in a chain is superb! I like the touch sensitivity to the switches that allows access to parameters for on the fly editing. Additionally, there is better processing with all of the effects. The headphone volume is a great option that adds to this already exceptional unit. Also, the stomp box mode allows the Helix to be used as a peddle board rig. Thumbs up for the large screen display and the scribble strips. Last but not least, the unit is very sturdy which makes it easy to travel with. There are so many BELLS & WHISTLES included in the Helix unit that it's too much to put into one review. So with that being said, I am COMPLETELY satisfied with my Helix!
Helix is fantastic for all studio musicians. You can construct so many different sounds with it. Since 3.0, the Helix is a complete package as far as guitar processors go: you have all different amps, cabs, effects, acoustic sim, synths, polyphonic transposition, harmonization, oversampling. Lots of in/outs, lots of ways to route it. The workflow is great: you have the computer editor. You can back up/restore your Helix, email the backup to yourself, etc. The Helix can absolutely replace your entire signal chain and be used as the only piece of gear to process your guitar sounds. The same could not be said about the Helix when it was on earlier firmware versions. Now, the Helix itself is very cheaply made. I thought I'd purchase one and never need to use anything ever again– wrong! After about a year of light use, the buttons stopped working reliably, then an LED stopped working. Helix is assembled using cheap Chinese parts that are tiny! For example, the footswitches are not what they appear to be–there are tiny tactile microswitches underneath. The Helix will not withstand nonstop gigging for more than a year, unless it's regularly serviced/cleaned, etc. It's a real shame because it can sound great, but something is always failing, or about to fail.Dimitri
Overall: I just received the Helix Rack yesterday so I only have a few hours in the drivers seat but that's enough to learn how truly awesome this thing is. I've owned a lot of Line 6 products over the last 20 years, in fact I still have a spider V240 and a POD HD Pro X but the Helix is so far out of their league they will probably never get used again in my studio. The design is sleek, easy to navigate, user friendly and just all around beautifully designed. The large full color screen is not only eye catching but makes navigating the menus effortless. Even though I'm modeler savvy, I've had no previous experience with Impulse Responses, in fact, I hadn't even heard of them until I started researching the Helix Rack and quite honestly I didn't think that I would care to use them… Well… I was wrong. It's amazing what these things do for the quality and authenticity of my tones when recording. As I mentioned earlier I only have 2 days under my belt at this point but most of that has been recording scratch tracks just to hear the result of these I.R's. I also love the fact that Line 6 still adds all of the necessary physical knobs and controls to their equipment in the days of everything being digital. The idea that I can play almost uninterrupted while tweaking many different parameters on the unit itself without a pedal is always a selling point for me. Not taking anything away from the foot controller but when I'm seated in front of my rack, using my hands to adjust the unit itself is just somewhat more convenient at times. Next, the user space… I thought that my POD HD Pro X had a lot of space for user presets but It has nothing on the Helix. I will probably never fill all of the user List's or even come close to it but It's always better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it. Also, let me jump back to the large screen again, I have a laptop on which I keep all of my editing software for my studio equipment. I always plug in my Spider V240 and POD and use the Spider V Remote and POD HD Pro X edit software respectfully because in most cases sitting behind my recording console and tweaking my sound is just much easier to do with the computer apps than the equipment. The Helix is the first and only piece of equipment I've owned where the display is laid out and organized in a way that is very similar to a computer or tablet app and so even though I have the Helix Edit app running on my computer right next to me, making adjustments on the front of the Helix Rack in many cases is actually easier and faster than grabbing a mouse and using the comp app. I could write much more describing my total satisfaction thus far but I will wait 'till I have used it for another month or so and update my review at that time. I will leave you with this thought. While conveying my total happiness to my brother last night regarding the Helix Rack, I went so far as to say that I feel that this could be the last guitar processer I ever buy and if not it's pretty close.Fred
17. Nektar Impact Lx88+ Midi Controller Keyboard
Product Details:
Awesome little midi controller. light weight and great semi-weighted key feel. used it mostly for piano and basic pads but there are features that would make it great for controlling organ or any synth patches as well. super simple and easy to map and has always been reliable. if you want something with all 88 keys but compact and easy to transport, this is it. i'm selling because i finally purchased a nord. but in midi controller world, i remain a huge nektar fan.the entire keyboard is in excellent condition but could use a little cleaning, as you can see on the bottom there is some residue from having pads under it that i used to make it higher for cables to run under on my desk. other than a few minor scratches, all visible on the pics, this thing is perfect! *does not include case or any cables.
Specifications:
| Number of keys | 88 |
| Action | Semi-weighted |
| Key size | Full |
| Velocity sensitive | 4 V-curves, 3 fixed |
| Aftertouch | No |
| Key type | Piano |
| USB MIDI | Yes |
| Sustain input | TS (assignable) |
| Expression input | Onboard button |
| iOS compatibility | Yes |
| Audio I/O | No |
| Knobs | 8 |
| Faders | 9 |
| Drum pads | 8 |
| Buttons/switches | 9 |
| Pitch wheel | Yes |
| Mod wheel | Yes |
| DAW transport | Yes |
| Edit mode | Yes |
| Auto mapping | Yes |
| Number of presets | Most DAWs |
| Display | Numerical |
| Bundled Software | Bitwig 8-Track |
| USB power | Yes |
| Power adapter | Sold separately |
Reviews:
Like others who have bought this, I'm a guitar player and was looking for something inexpensive for programming VST instruments in my DAW. If you don't happen to know what that means it's basically creating tracks in the recording process. It makes no sound whatsoever on its own. It only controls external synth modules or software instruments. This unit is perfect for that. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was designed and built precisely for this application. It's basic keyboard function and also it's extra control buttons work plug and play with no need to load a driver. No muss, no fuss, it just works. It's USB powered so you don't need to plug it in to power or use batteries. However, if you are a keyboard player I think you would want something more substantial. Also be advised that this unit uses midi through USB only, there are no old-school five pin DIN midi ports. I got the 49 key model. Perfect for what I need (you can access all the octaves using the shift up/down buttons – obviously not practical for live performance) Also be aware that there are step-up models from this company with 88 keys, and/or more buttons, knobs, and pads for DAW control. But for a compact, basic unit that does the job well for the absolute cheapest price, this is a great choice. I'm excited to have one.Dan
Sound: No sound – it’s a midi controller. You have to hook it up to a DAW to get sound. Features: Best features – Semi weighted keys and Backlit pads + 9 smooth faders. About the Semi weighted keys: If you’re a keyboard player get a digital piano. Simple. Semi weighted keys suck. Hammer action is more expensive and heavier to carry so this is a happy medium. My F2-C2 keys started giving higher velocities after 5 months of light – to – moderate use. Had to contact Nektar support to get a new one – grateful for that warranty! Ease of Use: Very easy to get going! Literally a plug and play in Logic. If you’re in Reason and you set it up initially, you may never have to reach for a mouse for a loooong time. Transport controls are excellent. Quality: Solid build. Feels heavy when lifted. Unfortunately the keys – esp lower end keys – could be stronger/have more resistance. Value: The product doesn’t hold its value well, wish it did. Folks don’t want to buy it at around the same price point it was bought – more like 50% off the price it was bought. Manufacturer Support: Support is excellent. Don’t try calling – you’ll get nowhere. Go through the website/email and you will be fine. You will get a response in 36 hrs guaranteed. The Wow Factor: This product is great honestly. Wish I didn’t have to return it but the F2-C2 keys misbehaved so I had to get a new unit. The drum pads are awesome. If you assign the faders , your mixing process will be streamlined to the T. Overall: Honestly I loved this product and I didn’t want to get rid of it until the F2-C2 keys started malfunctioning. I reached out to Nektar support via the website and I have a new one being shipped out to me after 3 days. Hopefully the new one does well.John
Good full sized keyboard – so plenty of desk space is needed, it has features that rival much more expensive items. Data and power flows through the supplied USB cable with an option to also use a seperate power adapter (not included). The keys are a good size and semi-weighted. PC software is included and instructions are available to enable the keyboard to interface with almost all other pc recording software. Overall an excellent well made item that will see a lot of use especially in a home recording studio.eyreri
18. Akai Professional Mpd218 Midi Pad Controller
Product Details:
The mpd2 series of performance pad controllers is a result of more than six years of detailed customer research and user feedback. we asked djs, programmers, producers, and other musicians what you wanted in order to create the most capable, accessible line of pad controllers akai professional has developed to date. its intuitive blend of mpc controls and technologies mesh with easy usb connectivity to bring the feel of classic beat-making into the world of computer music production. we stepped up our game by adding thick, fat, ultra-sensitive mpc pads to create an even more responsive user experience. the mpd218 also has an expanded control set of six 360-degree control knobs (potentiometers) in three banks versus one control on the previous mpd18 model. these mpds are the perfect bridge between your creativity and your computer-based studio.
Specifications:
| Weight | 5 lb |
Reviews:
I already have a keyboard MiDi, but I needed a more percussion focussed pad and this Akai fits my needs perfectly. I did not know how much use it would get as I mainly play guitar. So I chose this one as it was not expensive. There were many reviews talking about double hits, but I have not experienced any. Maybe it's just the way I play it! My advice would be place it on a VERY solid, stable non-slip surface as it even sounds different when placed like that. The many functions of the device I have still to explore, there is probably more than I will ever use. You will find that many plug-ins (not just drum VI) will already have a mapping to the pads, so you can plug-in and play (sorry!)Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.
I’m just dipping into the producing world and a friend recommended that I purchase this device. Game changer! It makes it so easy to produce beats and create samples. Highly highly highly recommended! However, Akai has not updated their software for Mac OS Catalina or Big Sur, so stick with Mojave or High Sierra if you can. I wasn’t able to download all the samples that were free from Akai because I actually have Catalina, just a fair warning. Other than that is awesome!TaRhea
I am very pleased with this Akai drum pad controller. The pads are large enough to do two finger drum rolls, and they have a nice feel to them. The set up with the included software was very straightforward, although there is one glitch – you have to shut down your DAW software while it is running or you get an error message about MIDI resources. This issue is noted on the Akai product forum so I was able to find out about it and work around it – but it should be addressed. Second issue is that I find the pads are a bit too sensitive – I guess I have heavy fingers – for the first couple days, until I learned to play a bit softer moderately, most of my hits were velocity 127 – it would be nice if you could select a different velocity curve. One last negative, in order to register and use some of the included software, I had to jump through some very significant hoops. I would never purchase SONIVOX Big Bang Drums because they make you use iLok – way too much hassle for me. (For free Big Bang Drums is ok, but the mixing limitations – like you need to EQ your whole drum kit as one – you can't EQ the snare separately from the toms makes it useless for any serious recording.) 5 stars – simplicity of design, small foot print, if it was lost I would buy another immediately.The Geezer
19. Arturia Minilab Mkii 25-Note Portable Usb-Midi Controller
Product Details:
Portable solution for the modern studio minilab mkii is an essential tool for musicians on the move and studios where workspis at a premium. minilab mkii has everything you need to unleash your creativity. minilab mkii is a high quality, feature-packed controller which gives you hands-on access to the sounds in your virtual studio. breathe new life into your sounds by playing, tweaking, tapping and twisting its rugged controls. this powerful controller also comes with several critically acclaimed software titles that will have you creating professional recordings in no time. analog lab lite lets you perform using hundreds of legendary synth, piano, organ & string machine sounds. ableton live lite lets you record, arrange, and cultivate your musical ideas into a finished product. uvi grand is a recreation of the steinway model d piano. created with the mobile musician in mind, minilab mkii has a slim, compact profile which makes it perfect for transporting to and from gigs, and for keeping you creating when youre travelling. with its rugged, durable construction, the revitalized minilab can take the strain of life on the road, ready to perform night after night. minilab mkii has a tiny footprint allowing you to plit virtually anywhere within your set-up, even if the only spavailable is on your lap. the quality of every component has seen an improvement over the original model, from the keybed to the controller knobs, the touch sensors to the outer casing. despite the hardware upgrade, minilab mkii is still one of the most affordable dedicated controllers on the market. model # minilab mkii features: 25 note velocity-sensitive slim keyboard 2 banks of 8 high quality velocity & pressure sensitive pads with rgb backlighting 16 rotary encoders (2 of them are clickable) 2 capacitive touch sensors for pitch bend and modulation wheel 8 user presets item dimensions: 8. 7" l x 14" w x 2" h.
Specifications:
| Watchers | 1 |
Reviews:
I bought this as I needed to downsize and create some more space. This is nicely compact, but doesn’t feel small. The build quality is fantastic and it looks great! I won’t be playing this in a traditional piano sense and some people may be put off by the smaller keys, but for triggering notes it’s great. As for the drum pads they’re very strong and feel nice to the touch. Connectivity wise it’s a dream. I just plugged it in and installed the software and away I went. Overall I’m very happy. I’d recommend this to someone who needs something compact or will be using it on the go.Ryan W.
In reference to Akai MPK mini 2, this unit is better build quality, much sturdier and heavier mostly because of metal plate at the bottom. Keys are great quality but they are not as expressive as MPK mini. I find the pitch bend and touch mod strip feature very unusable, very hard to have smooth bends especially while writing automation. The knobs are only preprogrammed to Analog Lab, so for everything else you have to manually program them, which was not the case with MPK mini. If mod/pitch bend feature is important to you, I recommend a midi keyboard with the classic wheel design. Just a side note, in MPK mini after two years of usage pitch bend/mod toggle started glitching, then the USB port broke, which would have been replaceable if there wasnt an IC chip right behind it that got broken with it as well. With that said I recommend trying out diferent products aside from popular ones.igor-k
The Arturia Minilab MK2 is a great little midi keyboard. It serves it's purpose as a staple in small studios with less room. It's compact and quality design assures that it's not a cheap controller and is also made by a well respected company. I like the Minilab because it feels more like a real keyboard when playing the keys. Some midi controllers are more plastic and light almost toy like feel. It comes with some great software options such as Analog Lab Lite and Ableton Lite. For a small fee you can upgrade to the full version of Analog Lab which is well worth the price with over 6,000 presets from several different synths and pianos. The minilab is mapped to the Analog Lab and any other Arturia software which makes it even better. It also works with other daws as long as it's mapped correctly but will work best with anything from Arturia line. Overall for the price it's well worth it for what you get. I mean for $100 it's a steal. I think it's a great addition and any studio wether your a hobbyist or a full time musician.leppus2015
20. Novation Launchkey Mini Mkii Midi Keyboard Controller
Product Details:
It is the quickest and easiest ways to produce and perform electronic music using ableton live just plug in via usb and the keys, knobs, and velocity-sensitive rgb pads give you immediate hands-on control of your session view, instruments, effects and mixer. it is lightweight, fast and very easy to play but also velocity-sensitive so you can create truly expressive performances. launchkey 25 is compact and tough enough to throw in your bag, can be carried anywhere.
Specifications:
| Product Width | 8.66 inches |
| Product Length | 15 inches |
| Equalizer | false |
| Microphone Input | false |
| USB Port(s) | true |
| Headphone Jack | false |
| Media Card Slot | false |
| Speaker Type | No speakers |
| Integrated Speaker(s) | false |
| MIDI | Yes |
| Key Size | Mini |
| Velocity-Sensitive Keys | true |
| Drum Pads | true |
| Sustain Pedal Jack | false |
| Touch-Sensitive Keys | No |
| Software Compatibility | Ableton Live Lite 9 |
Reviews:
I already had an original launchpad which is a permanent part of my home studio so was familiar with the product. The purpose of me buying the mini was purely to use on my portable devices such as my iPad and iPhone. However I was very disappointed to find that it will only work on my iPad and not my iPhone 7 as it draws too much power for the phone. But it does work very well on my iPad mini 4. It would have been nice if novation had included the required apple camera connection in the box as this is an expensive item to purchase separately but luckily I already had one. The build quality of the mini is very good and it works with the launchpad app on the iPad straight out of the box. I have given it 4 stars as I think if it were made with Bluetooth the problems with drawing power on the phone would be solved. I realise this would require a battery in the unit to power it and possibly make it a bit more expensive but it would be so much better. Overall though it is a good product and I am satisfied but there is room for improvementGarry
I use this with Cubase 10 as a single place for my keyswitches for all my libraries in a small fooprint. It covers my libraries from Heavyocity, Spitfire Audio, 8Dio and various libraries from Native instruments to name some of them. It's easy to program the MIDI note or MIDI command you want and save the layout. There is three banks that you can save your 64 key layout. No more constant transposing my keyboard to get to the keyswitch!Kirk
Build quality is great. I'm an old school musician and not used to this kind of technology. I have, and are use to Mixcraft 7 Pro software, so I have no problems with Ableton software. It is the instrument itself that I have problems with. I bought this hoping to use it as a recording helper and backup,but cannot get the hang of its functionality. Since "I am tech savvy",I can eventually get the hang of it;but right now I don't have the time to learn the ins and outs of it. I can't recommend it to anyone because I don't know other peoples learning curve with this type of instrument. I've seen others on YouTube do great things with it.mike
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