Are 49 or 54 keys enough? [Solved]

[Forgotten]

yeah i found the old korg mini keys annoying, not that im great on full size keys, but your fingers expect a certain stretch from muscle memory, so you're forever flubbing keys

Yeah, I have to watch what I'm doing on the KeyStep as I'm way out if I don't watch. I think an octave on the piano turns into something like an octave plus 3 keys on mini keys.

It's a great keyboard to hook up to my keyboardless synths though.

[UltimateOutsider]

49 keys is perfect for me for studio work. If I were a stage performer I would want a full 88, but everything I do these days is in front of a computer, and desk space is precious. Yes I have to switch octaves now and then, but never in the middle of tracking a part. I pick the appropriate octave range before recording, and it's literally just one or two button-presses to get there. I have tried working with FEWER than 49 keys, and that did prove painful. Also, I work better with full-size keys, so I would go with fewer keys (49 versus 61) rather than smaller ones if given the choice, but the mini-key controllers don't tend to offer that many keys anyway.

[chk071]

You can't have keys enough i guess. For me, 49 is about as good a compromise as it gets, due to room restraints... guess that's always the thing, how much space you have.

I use my 25 key Arturia Minilab about 99% of the time, because it takes so little space...

[McLilith]

Never settle for a keyboard with less than 128 keys!

That way, you can easily access all the MIDI notes—including those pesky Kontakt key switches located at the extreme ends of the MIDI scale.


Seriously though, whenever I use a single keyboard with less than 61 keys, I always find myself wishing for more keys.

An alternative to a keyboard with 61 or more keys might be to use two or more shorter keyboards, possibly stacked above each other, each with octave switches. This would be similar to the way organs are constructed. Your left hand could be on one keyboard playing low bass notes, while your right hand would on another keyboard playing the high notes. That way, each hand (hopefully) has plenty of range available to it. This solution does reduce the physical width required, while also doubling the amount of keys, knobs, sliders, ribbon controllers, control wheels, etc. Of course, it increases the size in the vertical dimension, and now you'll have to lug around two keyboards instead of just one. Every solution will its own set of advantages and compromises.

[chk071]

I want a 128 key keyboard which is as small as my 25-key one. Without small keys, of course. About time that they make virtual reality DAW's. Maybe with neural interface, so that you won't even need a keyboard anymore.

[Forgotten]

Never settle for a keyboard with less than 128 keys!

I have more keys than that...just not all on the same keyboard...

[vurt]

I want a 128 key keyboard which is as small as my 25-key one. Without small keys, of course.

some sort of tardis type technology for keys?

[BertKoor]

It really depends on what / how you play.

For monophonic single-finger tinkering 37 keys is often enough. Most acoustic wind instruments have less range. The epic synths such as MiniMoog, Korg MS-20, Roland SH-101, Arp Axxe: they all had just 37 keys.

But if you need to play a virtual grand piano, everything less than 88 is a compromise.

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

Depends what you want to play. I have a 61 key MIDI controller as that's what I consider the minimum to be comfortable playing anything other than piano (I have a piano, but wouldn't try on the MIDI controller). Even with 61 keys I sometimes find myself wanting to play outside of its range.

I personally mainly make electronic music. Thanks!

[thecontrolcentre]

If you're not a keyboard player, then 25 keys is plenty imho. I'm quite happy with my Remote 25 ...

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

Never settle for a keyboard with less than 128 keys!

That way, you can easily access all the MIDI notes—including those pesky Kontakt key switches located at the extreme ends of the MIDI scale.


Seriously though, whenever I use a single keyboard with less than 61 keys, I always find myself wishing for more keys.

An alternative to a keyboard with 61 or more keys might be to use two or more shorter keyboards, possibly stacked above each other, each with octave switches. This would be similar to the way organs are constructed. Your left hand could be on one keyboard playing low bass notes, while your right hand would on another keyboard playing the high notes. That way, each hand (hopefully) has plenty of range available to it. This solution does reduce the physical width required, while also doubling the amount of keys, knobs, sliders, ribbon controllers, control wheels, etc. Of course, it increases the size in the vertical dimension, and now you'll have to lug around two keyboards instead of just one. Every solution will its own set of advantages and compromises.

Oof. They make 128-key Keyboards? That's insane. Lol.

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

If you're not a keyboard player, then 25 keys is plenty imho. I'm quite happy with my Remote 25 ...

I have a 25-key Alesis V25 MIDI Keyboard. I think my Custom MIDI Keyboard should have more keys than 25.

[Fox_GAMING_NTF]

Here, let me rephrase my question:

I'm an (mainly) electronic music maker, with (somewhat) limited space.

I am currently working on a project in which I make my own MIDI Keyboard. I want it to be portable, but not have so little keys that it is really restricting.

[thecontrolcentre]

What does portable mean in this context? Back pack or car boot? Why portable anyway?

[BertKoor]

Answer this: do / can you play with two hands? Two fingers, or just one?