Best MIDI Keyboards in the UK

The Arturia MiniLab Mkill has been described as an essential tool that musicians on the move need and that facilitates studios where workspace is limited. At the very least, you can immediately tell where the second sentiment is coming from, looking at this device that measures no more than 355 x 220 x 50 millimetres. Despite its modest size though, the keyboard is brimming with features, enabling you to play, tweak, tap, and twist its rugged controls, breathing new life into old sounds. Everything here has been designed and added to streamline the creative process and aid creative minds.

For starters, using the 16 multi-function knobs, you'll be automatically putting important sound-shaping parameters in the Analog Lab app and the Ableton Live software that's also offered with the device. Also, you'll be able to map these knobs to any MIDI control software you like.

In addition to these knobs, the keybed adopts 25 slim-keys, 8 pads, and 2 touch controls, all crammed into its space-saving package. The knobs will double as rotary encoders, whereas the pads will allow you to adjust velocity and sensitivity levels. The touch controls are there to enable pitch blending and support the modulation wheel.

In other words, from experimenting with the bassline to tapping out solid drum beats to tweaking the synth patch's parameters, you're offered the freedom to control, manage, and manipulate the music without limitations.

The M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3 is not the smallest keyboard we have seen, we can start there. The model's iconic predecessor has been referred to as the ultimate expression and this device follows suit, adopting 49 full-size velocity-sensitive keys that not only ensure the most natural feel but also allow you to capture every subtle nuance.

Among these keys, you'll find the expertly-located octave range buttons that will let you manipulate the lead lines, extend the cords, and product sub-heavy basslines. Aside from that, the device features volume faders, giving you deep control of the plugins.

To add more, there are transport and directional buttons. Using these buttons, you'll be able to control any DAW/recording software. You can also customise the fader, pitch, modulation wheels to manipulate any digital audio workstation and any plugin parameter.

From the layout perspective, the modulation wheels and the pitch have been designed pretty ergonomically so that you can use them to command virtual instruments, including portamento, vibrato, any parameter that you have mapped to the mod wheel.

The initial setup will require you quite some time, this is what everyone's complaining regarding this MIDI keyboard but that also somewhat means that the device is devoid of major flaws.

Despite its humble beginnings, the Alesis Q49 can compete with premium keyboards.

Sure, the device has its shortcomings too. First, the keys are not weighted, so some might find them too springy. Now, they're velocity-sensitive though, meaning that the harder you squeeze these keys, the louder the sound will be.

Second, size- and weight-wise, the keyboard measures 813 х 190 х 63 millimetres and 2.27 kilogrammes, which is not that different from most 49-key MIDI 'boards but we have seen more lightweight and compact packages before, so improvements on this front would be welcome next time.

Still, between the pitch and modulation wheels, the octave up and down buttons that has also been backlit here, and the assignable volume/data-entry slider, you're offered everything you need to express yourself through music. Apart from standard applications, you can send program changes via these keys, controlling different digital audio workstations and music production platforms. Plus, the above-mentioned slider will give you core keyboard control and complete command over the virtual instrument collection. The keyboard even adopts sustain pedal input so that you're able to add authentic piano-style sustain, though you'll have to purchase the pedal separately.

The Akai Professional LPK25 is tiny. Its ultra-compact profile barely reaches 340 x 97 x 28 millimetres. Plus, the keyboard weighs less than 0.5 kilograms (450 grammes, to be precise), so you can fit this device inside most backpacks, laptop cases, and even messenger bags without even feeling that it is there.

Nonetheless, the device offers 25 synth-action velocity-sensitive keys, letting you play chords, pads, basslines, and lead parts. Because the keys are semi-weighted, the feel is authentic and natural, recreating the sensation you experience when pressing piano keys.

See, measuring less than 13 inches (34 cm) across, you're not expecting the keyboard to pack enough features to produce layered music. Yet, these expectations, whilst reasonable, prove false. Though designed as a scaled-down relative to the MPK series, this device is packing more than most 49-key 'boards, including onboard arpeggiator steps, a sustain button, tap tempo controls, and the standard octave up and down buttons.

The arpeggiator will be automatically stepping through chords automatically, enabling musicians to create quick yet inspired melodies. When the ARP (arpeggio) is turned on, you can hold down the button down and set the mode, the arp time-division (between 1/4 and 1/32T) and the octaves from 1 to 4. Using the rest, you'll be able to sustain notes, tap the tempo, and call programmed functions. To sum up, this six-button layout to the device's left is easy to learn and ergonomic enough to streamline the workflow.

The M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3 starts with its slimline footprint. Before we can review its features and everything, we need to establish that the device measures 418 millimetres length-wise and 107 millimetres width-wise, so we're not talking about the biggest keyboard, hence its 32-key layout and somewhat reduced feature list. Now, the 'board has its moments, we're not claiming the opposite.

To begin with, the device lets you customise the response, which's huge, something that even premium models are seldom offering. You can select the velocity curve, matching different playing styles, including traditional pianos, synthesisers, and key-based beat-making machines. Aside from that though, this keyboard appears somewhat pedestrian, not leaving much to be desired but also not impressing from most perspectives.

Sure, the pitch bend and modulation buttons are great, adding expression to the music you're sequencing. But the seven-button layout is pretty cramped, so accessing these buttons proves inconvenient at times. Besides pitch and modulation, the layout adopts the sustain button and two octave buttons, extending the keyboard's range. Above this layout, you'll find the volume knob, delivering smooth control when editing the music. Long story short, the controls are simple yet pretty comprehensive. To the left, there's the USB port that allows connecting the device to computers.