Long live software instruments! Gone are the days when you needed a stack of keyboards to create tunes, as everything can now be done inside your computer at the click of a mouse. However, do you really want to be playing all of that software with a mouse? Wouldn’t you rather be doing it all with a proper piano type keyboard? Eh? So doesn’t that mean a return to piles of keyboard again, the very thing that software replaced? No! All you need is one keyboard to control every soft instrument you own! So you’d better make sure it’s a good one, right? Yes, and fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your viewpoint, there are loads of different sorts to choose from so we will discuss all of them here. And if you already own a keyboard but need extra control, don’t worry, because in Section 2 we’ll be looking at some keyboardless controllers that will enhance your desktop music making no end…

Section 1: MIDI Keyboards

On the Dolphin site you can logically step through each of the keyboards available by size: from small, laptop friendly and very portable 25-key keyboards, right through to 88-note monster playing keyboards. Let’s have a look in more detail at each section…

Ideal for mobile musos – 25 to 32 keys

One of the side effects of the recent boom in computer music making has been the use of laptops. People can now make music anywhere: on the train, in the kitchen or in the park (although, it has to be said, the sight of someone actually doing it in these locations is rare!). Manufacturers quickly woke up to this idea and now produce a wide range of portable keyboards, usually with 25 keys. Most connect by USB and can be powered that way or by batteries.

M-Audio produce quite a few keyboards available in this size. They start off as simple MIDI keyboards and then develop with extra controls, added features (like an audio interface) and, at the top end of this range, even go wireless!

The Oxygen 8 was the first M-Audio mobile keyboard. The Oxygen 8 V2 (£79) is an update of that keyboard and features eight assignable rotaries and six transport buttons. The O2 (£77.99) is M-Audio’s compact keyboard designed to fit into a bag with your laptop. It has full-size keys with half action. The Axiom 25  (£125) has semi-weighted keys and assignable aftertouch plus eight rubber pads for extra control flexibility. The Ozone (£139) is a USB MIDI keyboard with full size keys and eight rotary controllers that doubles as an audio interface. The MidAir 25 (£199) is a wireless controller keyboard with a similar spec to the Ozone (minus the audio interface) but you don’t even need that USB cable although you will need batteries if you want to use it completely wirelessly (ie without the power supply). Fortunately you can get an impressive 20 hours out of a single set.

Possibly the coolest looking MIDI keyboard is the EDIROL PCR-M1. It’s just over an inch thick but has full sized keys, eight rotaries and is one of the slimmest keyboards ever! The PCR-M30 (£99) is a refined version of EDIROL’s classic PCR-30 and has a better playing action and, with sliders and seven extra keys (32 in all), is great value in this category.

Novation have something for everyone here. Starting with the ReMOTE 25 LE (£95) you get slightly more bang for your buck control wise than other keyboards in this section with nine rotaries, a joystick and an X-Y touchpad. The ReMOTE SL25 (£289) is a revolutionary keyboard. It may cost significantly more than other keyboards here but you get more controls, bigger screens plus a unique Automapping facility that maps the unit’s controls to whatever software you dial up. The brand new XioSynth (£229) is a controller, audio interface and synth in one with many sounds programmed by several top producers. Similar is the X-Station (£299) which is again a synth, interface and controller but with a multitude of knobs and sliders. Like the XioSynth and SL25 you pay more but you get a lot of features for your money – never has so much been crammed into so little space!

Korg have been releasing more controllers recently and have one of the cheapest in this category in the form of the K25 (£65), with 25 full sized keys and a couple of assignable knobs and switches. It’s a very neat and compact keyboard, ideal for mobile music.

E-mu’s compact Xboard 25 Pro (£79) is also very portable and has an amazing 16 controllers packed onto its front panel. With E-mu’s Proteus X LE software included in the price (which offers 1,000 sounds) this is quite a bargain.

The Alesis Photon 25 (£59) is the cheapest keyboard in this category but still manages to pack in 40 controls. The Photon X25 (£119) is the audio interface version with balanced stereo audio ins and outs.

If you want a stack of buttons and knobs but don’t want to shell out then perhaps Evolution’s MK425C (£88) is for you. With eight knobs and ten buttons it beats many of the other keyboards here in terms of features balanced against price. You also get the Sound Studio II sequencer included.

Last but not least come Behringer with their UMX 25 (£73) which has 10 programmable MIDI controllers and a selection of 50 virtual instruments – quite a bargain, as you’d expect from the company!

Still mobile but more keys – 37 notes

Between the 25-note keyboards and the more playable, larger models is a smaller range of 37-note keyboards. These still retain some portability, sometimes at the expense of key size, having smaller keys with less of an action. They are still very playable though and those extra keys could come in handy…

If you want cheap then you won’t pay much less for a keyboard than the Evolution EKeys 37 (£35.99). It might not feature much on the control side of things and does have mini keys but it is the cheapest keyboard out there.

The M-Audio Ozonic (£269.99) is packed full of controls (40 of them) and has four audio ins and outs and full sized keys making is a great little keyboard for players and compact studio owners alike. The MidAir 37 (£249.99) is a 37-key version of the wireless controller keyboard mentioned above and features extra assignable knobs.

Korg’s MicroKontrol (£161.99) is a great buy and looks pretty cool too! With rubber pads, large sliders, dials and some useful lights, this keyboard demands your attention.

The Macmice GarageKey (£79) is designed for use with Apple Mac computers, specifically with that format’s GarageBand software although it is USB MIDI based so should control other apps. Mind you, watch that colour clash!

Finally the Novation ReMOTE SL37 (£349) is the next model up in the range that brings us Automap technology and great screens as detailed in the 25-key section.

Great mid range keyboards – 49 keys

We’re starting to get into proper playing territory now as we step up to the mid range of controller keyboards: the 49-key category.

Korg dominate this section starting with the K49 (£99). It is Korg’s entry-level model and only has a couple of controllers but has a good keyboard with four velocity controls. The lack of controllers in that more playable model is more than made up for in the Kontrol 49 (£249.99) that features oodles of knobs, pads and sliders and, of course, those ultra cool Korg lights! Also unusually from Korg comes the Radius (£249) keyboard. Designed around the company’s rack synth (but not including it at this price!) the keyboard is very solid and playable and you can then upgrade it with the synth at a later date.

There are, of course, several other 49-key keyboards which are nearly identical to those already discussed in the 25 and 37-note sections above (but with bigger keyboards). These include the Behringer U-Control UMX 49 (£116 including those 50 virtual instruments!), the E-mu Xboard 49 Pro (£99), the EDIROL PCR M50 (£129), the Novation ReMOTE 49 LE (£129), and the Novation X-Station 49 (£349). M-Audio weigh in with the Oxygen 49 (£119) which adds extra buttons and controllers (35 in total) to its 25-note sibling. The Axion 49 (£199) has eight trigger pads, eight rotaries, nine sliders and six reassignable transport buttons. The Keystation 49 (£59.99) has little in the way of controls but is one of the cheapest 49-key keyboards around.

Evolution’s MK449C (£119.99) features 10 buttons, nine sliders and eight rotaries, all assignable and is a great, solid controller keyboard. Also from Evolution is the Ekeys 49 (£69) which has few controls but is cheap and does come bundled with educational software.

CME have a relatively new range of striking keyboards. The VX5 (£499.99) might well be one of the most expensive keyboards discussed so far but it is packed full of MIDI controllers and useful educational functions, multi-ethnical scales and has a multi function expansion slot and motorised fader! For less cash but almost as striking is the CME UF5 (£114.99) which has breath control, aftertouch, FireWire connectivity and a hammer action ie a ‘proper’ keyboard action which is rare at this price point. It’s also got what the makers call a Duraluminum appearance. Mm.

Finally in this 49-key section is the FATAR Studiologic VMK-149 Plus (£319.99). It’s not cheap but what it does have a good set of controls and a hammer action.

Players keyboards – 61 notes

You really are talking ‘proper’ keyboards when you get to the 61-note category. There’s little need to use too much octave shifting to get the full range from these keyboards and they are suited to both players and non players alike. Of course portability is an issue so these are more suited to static set-ups and the stage so might not be every laptop user’s cup of tea.
Again there are several models here that are effectively the same as the 25 or 49-key models that we have already discussed, but with bigger keyboards so let’s just simply list them. Assume similar specs to their smaller brothers as detailed above…

The M-Audio Oxygen 61 (£139.99) and Axiom 61 (£229.99) are exactly the same controllers as those detailed in the 49-key section. Similarly the Novation ReMOTE 61 LE (£159) adds 12 notes to its 49 version as does the EDIROL PCR M80 (£159) and the CME UF6 (£155). The Novation SL61 (£389) is simply the next model up in the Novation SL range, although ‘simply’ is perhaps understating its superb Automapping technology and other great controller features.

The E-mu Xboard 61 Pro (£129) does add some extras to its smaller versions including a full version of E-mu’s Proteus X software and extra controllers and is great value for money. The M-Audio Keystation 61 ES (£115) is a relatively cheap and playable keyboard for those after a good, velocity sensitive semi-weighted action.

The ultimate keyboard – 76 to 88 keys

At the top end of the MIDI controller keyboard scale are the largest 76 to 88-key keyboards. These have been designed for skilled players to get the best out of the software they are controlling (although that’s not to say that the rest of us can’t have a tinkle on them too!). They have full sized keys and often have full velocity sensitivity, a semi weighted or hammer action and aftertouch, so are well suited to playing some of the finer piano, organ and ‘real’ instrument software emulations. Of course they are that bit bigger, bulkier and more expensive but if you are a proper player and really want to get the most out of your computer set-up then these are the ones to go for.

If you want 76 notes then the CME UF7 (£199) is a great buy. It’s velocity and aftertouch sensitive, has a semi weighted action and how can you resist that Duraluminum appearance?! CME also have an 88-note version of in their UF range, this time the UF8 (£349). As well as another octave, you also get a great hammer action.

One of the cheapest large keyboards is the M-Audio Keystation 88 ES (£149.99). It lacks controls but does have a semi-weighted 88-note keyboard and is a great keyboard for the price. What it lacks is made up for in its big brother the Keystation Pro 88 (£304.21) which could be described as the mother of all keyboards with a full hammer action and plenty of MIDI controllers. Also from M-Audio is the Prokeys 88 SX (£279.99). It’s velocity sensitive and semi-weighted and also includes seven sounds like piano, Hammond and Rhodes.

FATAR’s Studiologic SL-990 XP (£379) has a full hammer action, aftertouch and eight velocity curves. Also from the same company is the SL-990 Pro (£279). Less cash but seemingly as well spec’d compared to the XP. Get it now! Finally it’s joint equal as the most expensive keyboard here but the FATAR Studiologic VMK-188 Plus (£499) is a monster master keyboard with a graded hammer action and lots of sliders and controls for your software.

Next Step...

• Part 3, Section 2: MIDI Controllers  

The Dolphin Music Beginners Guide To Computer Music by Andy Jones

• Part 1, Sequencers and software studios.
• Part 2, Section 1: Virtual Acoustic Instruments
• Part 2, Section  2: Virtual Electronic Instruments
• Part 2, Section  3: Virtual effects
• Part 3, Section 1: MIDI Keyboards 
• Part 3, Section 2: MIDI Controllers  
• Part 4,  Sound  Cards & Audio Interfaces
• Part 5, Monitors
• Part 6, Extra Power