Be cautious when you get something that “does everything,” though, but oftentimes they don’t quite excel in everything they offer compared to things that focus on one format. Keep in mind you can play a MIDI keyboard just like a drum machine too, and there are plenty of options of keyboards that include small drum pads as well as the keys. But if you focus a lot on your drums and want to get the best production you can out of the wicked kicks in this Chef Aazar pack, then a drum machine might be of better use to you than a keyboard.

Plenty of drum machines allow you to play their notes as keys on the piano roll due to the fact that, since they use MIDI just the same as keyboards, they’re still being mapped to specific notes in your DAW.Ĭhords would be a little wonky to play on a drum machine for sure. MIDI Keyboards and Drum Machines can be considered different devices, but they use the same protocol and actually have more in common than you might think.

You’ll more than likely appreciate the extra keys and options that travel-size keyboards just can’t offer. And while smaller keyboards might be tempting if you have a small amount of desk space, consider researching something in the medium-size range and making some room for it. Otherwise, you might find yourself too limited and spending money on something that doesn’t do everything you need it to. While these are admittedly good for travel and carrying your set up wherever you go, you should ask yourself how often you do that? If you actually produce on the road, then these types of keyboards could benefit your process. Some keyboards advertise themselves as being optimized for on-the-go use. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with different pads and knobs that can either be useful or overwhelming. MIDI can be used for a number of things like controlling automation, triggering samples, and obviously replicating the experience of a keyboard, playing with VST instruments.īefore we get into how to use a MIDI keyboard, it’s important to discuss the varieties and different factors to consider when purchasing your first one. Basica,lly it’s how we translate musical instruments into digital information so our DAW’s can follow and record notes and data. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Device Interface.

Best midi keyboard beginner