Opt for Compact MIDI Keyboards




by Donald Grossy


Whether you are considering a compact keyboard that would not muddle up your work desk, or a great controller you can carry along with your laptop, we are sure you are going to completely like the Korg microKEY. An ideal choice for determining your personal computer music application - in production maybe in performance the Korg microKEY is a graceful, featherweight, USB powered and compatible with your whole PC music software program; use it to form your individual compact and tailor-made command center.

What's important about any kind of keyboard is the feeling of its keys, and the responsiveness, velocity-sensitive mini keybed of the microKEY feels wonderful. The microKEY includes 37 velocity-sensing mini keys, utilizing the same Natural Touch keybed found on the Korg microKORG XL and microSTATION, giving you enough assortment to actually play, without making the microKEY heavy. This sort of key bed turns out to be beautifully made with focused concentration to the impression and experience. The specs of the black keys and white "waterfall" keys have been changed for extreme playability, and the key stroke makes it straightforward to play around with chords, glissandos, and rapid-fire phrases. The microKEY properly conveys the ins and outs of your overall performance to any application plug in.

What's great concerning the microKEY is that it's got a pair of USB type A slots, proficiently turning it into a 2-port USB hub, helping you to daisy chain extra USB devices. With a power light displaying that you're all set and Core Audio drivers (on Mac) suggest it's all set to go the instant you plug in, while a straightforward set up on PC addresses issues of many programs seeing the 'Key concurrently.

And full marks for incorporating marvelous firm full-size pitch and mod wheels and a brilliant octave up and back down method. The Octave Shift buttons extend the range of the Korg microKEY by four octaves in both direction - down or up! It sounds a bit like a minimal thing but stepping up and down using the two buttons below the wheels causes them to cycle thru green, orange, red and flashing red to demonstrate exactly how far out of strike you have modified the range. The Key Transpose authorizes you to play in almost any key quickly. Used together, these two features provide access to the whole MIDI note assortment. For incorporating flavorsome expression to your performance, the Korg microKEY is also designed with both a Pitch Bend wheel and a Modulation wheel. Additionally, the microKEY MIDI Keyboard Controller comes including Korg's M1 Le software synthesizer, so you are ready to make music, right from the container!

It's amazing how swiftly you get used to that smaller key size - Korg's micro series has totally given them a headstart when it comes to portable mini controller quality. The action feels reassuringly reliable, being the same board as on the microPiano, Station and Korg XL. It's tiny, but at the same time it's indubitably 'pro'. It appears that it will be the octave limitations that may reduce the choice for you. But hey, you get a copy of Korg's M1Le add-on device in the container too - a good sweetener, taking under consideration the cost.




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