We bumped the Nektar LX 49+ from #5 to #2 not because it performs better than the other 8 models below it, but rather, because it offers an incredible value for the cost. It's also fairly heavy, and therefore, difficult to transport, which may be a deal breaker for producers or musicians hoping to buy a lighter MIDI keyboard for the sake of convenience - and we reckon that this subset makes up a large portion of the market.

We bumped the Alesis Q88 down a few notches to #8 in light of the somewhat disappointing performance and build quality it presents at its price point. The included Ableton Live Lite and VIP software programs are also a huge plus, as these may actually be of real use to serious musicians, rather than serving as cheap giveaway goodies, like some of the software programs included in other models' product bundles. This model is the Akai Professional MPK 261, a veritable wizard of a MIDI keyboard, with enough knobs, faders, switches, and pads to satisfy even the most demanding musicians and producers. This go around, we added a new model to our list, and deemed it worthy of the #1 spot. It also benefits from a number of assignable controllers that result in a better user experience and make it a more versatile tool for live performance. While the Alesis is weighty and comparatively lacking in features, the Midiplus is seven pounds lighter and boasts a metal-reinforced shell and touch-sensitive faders to adjust pitch and modulation in real time. Fans will be glad to know it still retains the highly responsive pads and control knobs of the two previous-generation models, which can be assigned to trigger samples and manipulate virtual faders.Īdditionally, we switched the Alesis Q88 for the Midiplus X8 Pro, which is a similarly-priced, seven-octave option. This latest incarnation of the popular portable and functional workhorse features an enhanced dynamic keyboard, which is far more sensitive to the nuances of playing, and a significant improvement upon the MKII. Our ranking has undergone just a couple of changes with its latest revision, starting with the upgrading of the Akai MPK Mini MKII to the Akai MPK Mini MK3.

Best midi keyboard 2019