Welcome to our 2023 version of the most effective MIDI keyboards for iPad and Mac. With the reveal of Logic Professional for iPad (it’s about time, Apple) and the vacations on the way in which, it appears a becoming time to go over some new releases and the most effective {hardware} keyboard controllers to place each the Mac and new cell model of Apple’s flagship music software program to work. The contact interface on Logic Professional for iPad appears to be like implausible to this point, however there’s nothing fairly like getting hands-on with a MIDI keyboard in terms of taking part in chord progressions, writing riffs and melodies, banging out beats on some bonus drum pads, and supplementing the touchscreen controls with assignable management pots. So let’s take inventory of the most recent releases in addition to some mainstays nonetheless price your time (and cash) as a part of our 2023 version of the most effective MIDI keyboards for iPad and Mac. 

Replace: We now have now up to date our 2023 version of the most effective music controllers for Mac and iPad forward of the vacations. You’ll additionally discover some nice reward concepts in our music-making and content-creator vacation information proper right here. And our latest hands-on evaluate of the wild new 3D contact Osmose controller from Expressive E is certainly price a glance.

Greatest MIDI keyboards for iPad and Mac – AKAI

Private favorites, bonus backlit drum pads, expanded I/O potential

AKAI’s MPK lineup has lengthy been a few of my favourite fashions on the market, from the MPK 225/249/261 to extra compact choices, but it surely has launched a couple of new fashions within the final 12 months to supply among the finest MIDI keyboards for Mac and iPad customers on-the-go and within the residence studio. After the launch of its speaker and OLED screen-equipped MPK Mini Play MK3, it unveiled its first MPC Key 61 all-in-one manufacturing rig with a multi-touch show earlier than an up to date model of “the world’s hottest controller keyboard”’” with new MPK Mini Plus. 

• 37-Key MPK Mini keybed
• RGB MPC Pads
• Constructed-in 64-step sequencer 
• Three 1/8″ (3.5mm) CV Outputs
• Two 1/8″ (3.5mm) CV Clock In/Out
• Two MIDI DIN In/Out Ports
• Maintain Pedal enter
• Chords and Scales modes
• Energy by way of USB Kind-B (Bus-powered or related to wall adapter)

Eschewing the onboard speaker and built-in sounds on the newest Play mannequin, the MPK Mini Plus strikes a pleasant stability between a fully-featured keyboard and a very compact resolution at a comparatively reasonably priced worth. You’re actually miniature keys right here and we do have some beneath that may ship a transportable setup with bigger keys, however AKAI has loaded the Mac, iPhone, and iPad MIDI keyboard controller with backlit drum pads, its notable joystick fashion modulation controller, pitch and modulation wheels, CV I/O for modular customers, and even a built-in sequencer, amongst different issues. Get extra particulars in our launch protection.

iRig Keys 2 

Good bang to your buck, numerous dimension choices, and a great deal of cable connectors included within the field (USB-C, USB-A, Lightning) 

Should you’re trying to rating a brand new MIDI keyboard controller for iPad (in addition they work with Mac and iPhone), the IK Multimedia iRig Keys 2 lineup is price a glance. Not solely are they on the extra reasonably priced facet in terms of comparatively latest releases, however in addition they embrace all the connection cables nearly any Apple gear consumer may need. Whereas among the greater music manufacturing manufacturers would require an adapter or hub to go straight into the USB-C jack in your iPad, IK ships every thing within the field:

• Lightning to micro-USB connection cable
• USB-A to micro-USB connection cable
• USB-C to micro-USB connection cable
• 2.5mm TRS male to MIDI feminine adapter

The iRig Keys 2 lineup on show right here delivers “improved compatibility for the newest cell gadgets, full MIDI enter and output, and a number of energy choices” in addition to a collection of added assignable management knobs and your typical octave switchers, pitch bend wheel, and modulation wheel. They don’t have the drum pads you’ll discover from AKAI above (that’s what its iRig Pads MIDI groove controller is for), however they do present a very powerful components of a MIDI keyboard controller in any other case and are additionally accessible in three completely different fashions. The mini, clearly the extra moveable of the bunch, delivers a very small set of 25 springy keys with little or no throw (in my expertise), the mid-tier choice takes it as much as 37 keys, and the professional variant trades out the miniature keys for 25 “full-size” synth motion pushers. 

Greatest MIDI keyboards underneath $110

• Arturia MiniLab 3 $109
• AKAI Professional LPK25 $59
• AKAI MPK Mini MKII $97
• Nektar SE25-Key MIDI keyboard $47
• Nektar SE49-Key MIDI keyboard $85
• Arturia 25-Key Microlab $80
• Arturia 25-Key MiniLab MkII $77
• Alesis 25-Key VMini $58

Or go wi-fi – finest Bluetooth MIDI keyboards for Mac and iPad

As we touched on above, of us utilizing a USB-C iPad like the newest Airs and Professional fashions (the brand new Logic Professional for iPad requires an A12 Bionic chip or larger) might be able to exit of the field or with a fundamental USB-A to USB-C adapter you may decide up low-cost on Amazon or elsewhere. Lightning-equipped DAW hosts (the newest iPhones and a few iPad fashions) can leverage the previous trusty Apple connection equipment. Or, you may neglect all the cables and go along with a totally wi-fi Bluetooth choice that may be actually handy with iPad and iPhone-based Logic Professional and GarageBand setups: 

• CME Xkey Air 25-key $229
• CME Xkey Air 37-key $329
  • Full-sized, velocity-sensitive keys
  • Polyphonic aftertouch
  • Rechargeable battery
  • Aluminum Construct
• Korg nanoKEY 2 $60
  • Inexpensive
  • Tremendous-portable
  • Very small keys
• KORG Wi-fi microKEY Air from $125
  • Runs on AA batteries
  • Multi -size choices
  • non-compulsory USB connectivity
  • Contains KORG Gadget 2 and Module studio and instrument apps

The wild, fantastic world of Osmose – an entire new strategy to expressive multi-touch musical efficiency 

Evaluate: The Mac-ready Expressive E Osmose is the multi-gesture 3D keyboard controller of your goals

So far as I’m involved, no good roundup of the most effective MIDI keyboards for iPad and Mac in 2023 is full with no part for Expressive E’s wild and fantastic Osmose. Whereas this one is in some ways a standalone instrument, loaded with its personal sounds plus a mixture of simple-to-use macro sound shaping instruments and an extremely deep editor, it’s also probably the most attention-grabbing and distinctive controller keyboards in the marketplace. It might run as a typical instrument or synthesizer you would possibly hook up with your system with USB and/or audio cables, but it surely additionally encompasses a collection of MIDI controller modes to be used as a typical piano-style controller (like these talked about above) in addition to choices that permit customers to leverage is unbelievable MPE motion.

Presenting a roughly acquainted piano keyboard setup, this expressive instrument is an entire lot greater than that. You may wiggle the keys backward and forward to create vibrato (and an entire vary of different attention-grabbing sounds), you may create strumming results on a single key by fastidiously cascading by way of velocity triggers, make use of significantly versatile aftertouch modulations and glides, you may even kind of pump the keys to set off numerous tonal modifications within the sound. It’s laborious to place into phrases, but it surely’s simply one of many coolest steps ahead within the MIDI sport in years whereas nonetheless sustaining a well-known kind issue and value a glance even should you don’t plan on forking out the $1,799 it’ll value to safe certainly one of these magical multi-touch keyboard controllers. 

They’re now accessible for buy at Amazon and different main audio sellers.

Greatest MIDI keyboards for Mac 2023 version – honorable mentions

It’s truthfully laborious to go mistaken with any of the choices in our 2023 version of the most effective MIDI keyboard controllers for iPad, iOS, and Mac. So don’t consider the next choices as worse than any of the fashions above, just a few extra choices which may have some particular options you’re after, match your room higher, or simply look nicer to you aesthetically. Whereas some have been round for a bit, they’re simply as helpful as they all the time have been.

• Native Devices Komplete Kontrol S49 MKII $449
• Nektar GXP49 Controller $150
• Nektar GXP61 Controller $225
• M Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3 $59
• Novation Launchkey Mini MK3 $110
• Arturia KeyStep Professional 37-Key Controller $440