It all depends on the quality and features. Midi Keyboards can cost anywhere from $80 to $700 and even more.
How many programmable knobs/buttons/sliders? Do you need aftertouch?Īnother factor you’re going to have to consider is pricing. It all depends on what kind of options you want: how many keys? 25? 49? 61? 88? Do you want the keys to be weighted (like in real piano), semi-weighted or unweighted? What Kind of MIDI Keyboard Controller Should You Get and How Much do They Cost? Even though programming is possible with your mouse and computer keyboard, it’s VERY time consuming and can sometimes ruin the process/vibe.Īnd if you’re used to the feel of the piano keys and the instant musical feedback you get from playing, you will have nothing but frustration when trying to creating melodies with your mouse. It’ll make the process of creating music not only more fun but also more efficient. Now, if you’re already skilled in playing the piano, congratulations, because you have a head start!Īnd In this case, I would say a MIDI keyboard is a must-have for you.
Also, in time, you’ll most likely learn how to play the piano a little bit so it’s a natural progression and the sooner the better. Playing melodies and bass lines, live, with MIDI controller gives more of a “human touch” versus programming them with a mouse and computer keyboard. For this one reasons alone, I would recommend getting your first MIDI keyboard as you can afford it. However, hitting a real keyboard gives a whole different feel. So as you can see, a MIDI keyboard isn’t necessary to make some inspiring music on your computer. I used to use this feature a lot before I got my first MIDI keyboard. From there, you could play a melody via those mapped keys. How cool is that?įor example, you could set the letter “Q” on your computer keyboard to equal note C, letter “W” to note D and so on and so forth. That’s right, the same keyboard you use to chat and send emails with can be used to send MIDI information to FL Studio. Most DAWs will have some note view (often called a piano roll) where you can place the notes one by one via a mouse.Īlso, many DAWs – like FL Studio for example – have a built-in option to use your regular computer keyboard as a virtual piano keyboard.
With that setup, I created “Primo Lux – Turnpoint” which went to top positions on the Dutch dance charts, and many other songs as well. Just my computer, a standard computer keyboard, mouse, and software. When I started making music, I didn’t have a MIDI keyboard. Can You Make Music Without a MIDI Keyboard Controller? However, many beginners may wonder if it’s a must-have device in the home studio.
Many MIDI keyboards also come equipped with knobs and sliders, which can be programmed to control different parameters of your virtual instruments.įor example, if you have a volume slider in your virtual synth and you want to control it in real time (while you play), you can route it to one of the sliders or knobs on your midi keyboard and voila: you can tweak your synth it in real time.Īlmost like a real hardware synth – very cool! I have a Casio CK-3800 keyboard which I use when I train with my band, and it has a midi-out which allows me to connect it to the computer so I can use it as a MIDI keyboard. Most regular keyboards and hardware synthesizers can work as a MIDI keyboard controller as well.
The only difference is that software generates the sound and you control it via your MIDI keyboard controller, whereas a real piano is, well, played in the “real” world. So, if you have a virtual piano VSTi installed on your computer, you can use your MIDI keyboard controller to play it in real time like you would play a real piano. The actual sound is generated inside your computer by different types of software like plugins, virtual instruments (VSTi), Kontact libraries, etc. They just send MIDI data to your music making software. Most MIDI keyboards don’t make any sound on their own. It’s a piano-style keyboard, which you attach to your computer – usually via a USB cable. So, What is a MIDI keyboard Controller and What Can it Do? (Also, remember to check out my other tutorial articles as well, such as “ How To Make Electronic Music With Computer” and “ Trance Song Structure“). In this article I’m going to answer all of those questions and much more. Most home musicians have a MIDI keyboard controller in their home studio.īut what exactly is a MIDI keyboard controller? Can you make music without one? If you decide to buy one, what kind should you get and how much will it cost?