It’s a unique approach to making music, very different from standard keyboards. If you’re looking to try something new and innovative, then definitely give the Roli Seaboard Block a try. This really allows for innovative and flexible playing for both studio recordings and live performances. The Block’s unique feature is that it lets you connect multiple Blocks together (either in a straight line or as an L-shape) to form combinations of several connected keyboards, with individual assignment functions.
Roli offer their Noise app for free with the keyboard, but it is highly compatible, so it can easily be used with any virtual instrument, synthesizer, or sequencer. The Bluetooth is low latency, so you can hear your playing in real-time. The Block also comes with USB MIDI as well as Bluetooth MIDI capabilities so that you can connect it to your computer, laptop, phone, or any other device wirelessly or via cable. The Roli Seaboard is a pinnacle of elegant, cutting-edge music technology, so it was the perfect choice for this scene, It packs features well above its price range into a portable, compact, and easy-to-use keyboard, making it the best cheap MIDI controller available today.
It’s a great starting point for beginners as well as professionals looking for a very handy and portable option. If you’re looking for a MIDI keyboard on a very tight budget, then the Nektar SE25 is perfect. This makes it easy to keep the flow going while producing any music. The biggest plus-point here is that you get to take advantage of Nektar’s DAW Integration software, which lets you use the SE25 to control DAW transport functions, tracks, and much more in a host of DAWs like Bitwig, Cubase, Reaper, Garageband, Logic, and more. It comes with a micro-USB port and is bus-powered.
Instead of any pitch or mod wheels, however, you get button controls for octaves, semitones, and other transpose functions, as well as controlling other aspects of the keyboard. It features 25 velocity-sensitive mini-sized keys. The Nektar SE25 is their newest and cheapest offering for keyboards with MIDI, packing a powerful punch in a small body with 25 keys.Īt just 0.5 kilograms, it is one of the lightest keyboards available in the market. Nektar is a music tech brand known for its commitment to making high-quality MIDI keyboards and controllers at affordable prices. It’s perfect for jotting down beats in your head while you’re traveling, or just sitting in the cafe with a nice cup of coffee. That’s why it’s among the best MIDI keyboard controllers at its price, making it the best value for money today. It’s affordable, and is more than capable of producing professional music on the go. If you’re looking for a feature-packed, yet compact and portable MIDI keyboard, then the Komplete Kontrol M32 is for you. There’s even a TRS pedal input to connect sustain pedals to it.
The keyboard is pre-mapped to work with NI software intuitively, but can also be reassigned to meet your needs. With the keyboard, you get a whole range of Native Instruments’ software like Monark, Reaktor Prism, Maschine Essentials, Ableton Live 10 Lite, and more.
The keyboard is USB bus-powered, so there’s no need for any external power outlet. It also has 8 touch-sensitive knobs for transport controls and a 4-directional push encoder for easy adjustment of parameters and DAW navigation. The Komplete Kontrol M32 has 32 mini-sized velocity-sensitive keys with 2 touch strips instead of pitch and mod wheels. It comes with features like an OLED display, found only on more expensive MIDI keyboards, while maintaining a compact form factor for easy portable usage. Another entry on this list by Native Instruments, the Komplete Kontrol M32 is their portable MIDI controller designed for musicians that are always on the move.