Recommend a Midi Controller Please

Anything about hardware musical instruments.
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1. Compatible with reaper.
2. Preferrably full size keys
3. preferably aftertouch
4. controllers to assign to things like cut off (ie, not just a mod wheel)
5. USB
6. Costs around £100

Thanks

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Does reaper not accept standard midi CC?

You aren't going to get aftertouch at that price range.
Dell Vostro i9 64GB Ram Windows 11 Pro, Cubase, Bitwig, Mixcraft Guitar Pod Go, Linntrument Nektar P1, Novation Launchpad

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tapper mike wrote: Tue Jan 13, 2026 4:01 pm Does reaper not accept standard midi CC?

You aren't going to get aftertouch at that price range.
I assume it does accept that

I don't mind about AT

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For around £100 you may find a used Komplete Kontrol S61 or S49 MK1. They are offered for fairly low prices because Native Instruments doesn't support the MK1 line anymore. The MK1 series have a very good Fatar keyboard with aftertouch and eight assignable rotary controllers plus corresponding display.

Use it in 'midi mode' to be independent of the Komplete Kontrol software ecosystem. That way you have two banks of 8 controllers. Use Reaper to make any further MIDI assignments and differention.

I only wish it had wheels instead of strips voor pitch bend and modulation.
The more I hang around at KVR the less music I make.

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It's smaller keys and fewer of them but what about the Arturia Minilab?

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ghostwhistler wrote: Tue Jan 13, 2026 3:54 pm 6. Costs around £100

Thanks
Are you interested in second-hand stuff? I'm a fan of the older Novation ReMOTE SL range. I've had my Remote 25 SL For 25 years and it still works perfectly . It has loads of assignable knobs, sliders & buttons, plus templates for hardware/soft synths (you can make/save your own), drum pads, midi in, out(2) & thru, aftertouch, 2 screens, USB, X/Y pad & a combined pitch/mod "joytick".

The Novation X-station (VA synth) is a decent midi controller too. All the buttons, sliders & knobs transmit midi, and it has a built-in audio interface. They were selling for peanuts on Ebay, last time I looked.
Last edited by thecontrolcentre on Tue Jan 13, 2026 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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I'm not opposed to it but it depends where I buy it from.

What I want is some extra knobs to twiddle for things like cut off etc. I have a keyboard (Nektar s49) that serves in all other respects. So I could possibly just buy something run it off a second USB slot and have both active when I'm working. That way I keep what I have. But I don't know what I can buy for that

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Last edited by thecontrolcentre on Tue Jan 13, 2026 5:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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I have one of these, but I don't think they make 'em anymore ... :neutral:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/do ... et-control

Image

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Thanks....

I was looking at this. It seems nie and simple. Enough knobs there I think!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-review ... filter-bar

Do you know if it's possible to create a track template for a VST (in reaper) where you can have two midi controllers assigned. Otherwise having to reassign the knobs is giong to be a bit awkward
Last edited by ghostwhistler on Tue Jan 13, 2026 6:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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For knobs only, a second-hand UC-16?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267532810115
Not sure why it has a power adapter with it.
(Still got mine somewhere)

Or for something not 1,000 years old the Akai MPK Mini MK4 looks good in the keyboard stakes, or the Akai MidiMixer for just a control surface.

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I was looking at the MPK Mini 4. It has a small 2 octave keyboard. Very tempted, but again for the core functionality I wonder if I'm better off buying the cheaper LPD and pairing it with my SK49. Obviously a single keyboard would be easier. I started off with a 2 octave mini sized keyboard and getting a bigger keyboard made all the difference!

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Beware of the MPKs.
My nephew brought me one after it took a tumble to see if I could make it work. It had a key bent upwards and a broken USB input. Fixing the key only took a gentle heat and bend to it's original position. However, after checking the inside USB board I found it needed to be replaced. Finding the part online, it cost more than the whole keyboard.

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thecontrolcentre wrote: Tue Jan 13, 2026 5:14 pm Are you interested in second-hand stuff? I'm a fan of the older Novation ReMOTE SL range. I've had my Remote 25 SL For 25 years and it still works perfectly . It has loads of assignable knobs, sliders & buttons, plus templates for hardware/soft synths (you can make/save your own), drum pads, midi in, out(2) & thru, aftertouch, 2 screens, USB, X/Y pad & a combined pitch/mod "joytick".
I second this. I've also had a ReMote 25 SL for years and it's by far the single best controller for setting up custom templates for every synth I've ever owned. It also has a very nice Fatar keybed. I've bought and sold dozens of different keyboard controllers costing far more than my ReMote and none of them have come close to matching these capabilities/number of fully assignable controls. And, best of all, people sell them for dirt cheap.
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Looks good, but it is still a small 2 octave keyboard.

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