Where's that cut the .... portable MIDI keyboard?

The Lounge Other Gear
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Looking for a MIDI keyboard with fullsize keys and no extras in a small casing. (2/3 octaves)

How hard can it be to buy such a thing right? Well… Correct me if I’m wrong but there isn’t a single company on planet earth making this!

The market is overloaded with these tiny mini or slimkeys controllers but anything with fullsize keys and some travel has a big chunk on the side or top with mod- and pitch wheels or touch strips, knobs, buttons, pads, sliders, screens etc.

I want none of that. Just 2 buttons to switch up and down an octave would be enough. (and maybe a shift button with more options by using the keys)

Why isn’t there a company building a simple MIDI keyboard with normal sized keys!?
I just can’t believe there wouldn’t be a big market for this and it would be so easy to produce.

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Is this currently the smallest MIDI keyboard with full sized keys on the market?

1200×1200

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Nektar SE25.

NOPE those are mini-keys.

The Nektar SE49 has full sized keys though.

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there’s the Impact GX 49 too from Nektar which i would probably get if it had MIDI DIN together with USB, this one is from few years back though.
ideally it would be nice if the keyboard would come with both MIDI In and Out, possibly merging incoming MIDI data from the in with the keyboard’s MIDI out…i might be sliding away a lil bit from OP original post now though

in the 3 octaves range you could look at something like the CME Xkey 37 or the 25 for 2 octaves, which i think have full size keys but with very short stroke

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I believe the CME keyboard is poly aftertouch too, if you’re OK with the reduced action.

I don’t see much else, seems like there is a niche for this, like in 37 keys, or a two and a half octave sort of size, with barely much else.

Would be easy enough for someone to do, i wonder why there isn’t one ?

ADDED: I actually have an AKAI MAX25 that I got for a song, and i opened it up last weekend, to look at taking it apart and reusing the parts in a custom built controller. It has really nice action full sized keys, and the wheels on it are really great too — both of these parts would be easy to take out and reuse.

ADDED: May i ask how you are thinking of using this specifically ? I mean MIDI/USB, or MIDI/DIN, or a small Eurorack, or something like the Model:Samples, or something else ?

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I’ve considered the CME Xkey but I’ll be fooling myself thinking I bought a real keyboard. In the end they’re just buttons.

To play decent keys should have travel and a few millimeter doesn’t count as a key for me personally.

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you do get velocity and aftertouch with the CME though, it would probably be a matter of getting used to the short keys travel but yeah, wouldn’t probably feel like playing a proper keyboard.

…maybe this one: https://iconproaudio.com/product/ikeyboard-3nano/ or any of the others they offer?

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That looks good guga !

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It’s just short of 19 inches long.

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Same issue with the Icon for me. I don’t use the pitchwheel and to modulate I got other MIDI controllers.

I would like it to be as small as possible. This way I can create a most portable setup.
EG: So it can fit between my dirty socks and boxers in a small suitcase when I’m traveling again. Saves on carrying another suitcase or bag that I have to pay extra for, has to be checked in and might get lost, stolen etc.

What that setup would look like so far: (knowing myself I might add more)

  • Launchpad Pro MK3
  • NTS-1
  • Micromonstra 2
  • Blackbox
  • IPad Pro
  • MIDI fighter Twister

What I’m still figuring out are:

  • keys
  • i/o
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In that case, to me, a good minikey keyboard seems the best compromise.

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Nektar SE25

It’s only 13 inches long.
It is USB only though.

I don’t know if there really is a great solution to this.

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Here’s what I hope to find on the market. (modified the Alesis V25 as example)

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  • 2 buttons for octave switching
  • 1 shift button (press shift + key for extra features.)

On the back:

  • Sustain pedal input
  • USB for power & MIDI

Some reasons why someone would want this:

  • Great full size action keys for travel.
  • Very versatile and still small in size.
  • Fits into any small case or backpack.
  • When limited space is required.
  • Extremely affordable for everyone.
  • Not much change something will break.
  • Bye-bye crappy mini/slim keys!

PS. If this gets over a 100 likes I might start a crowdfunding project and build it myself. :laughing:

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What about this?

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EDIT:

The Miditech is actually bigger than the IK keys I mentioned in my second post.

W 380 vs 373
D 240 vs 208
H 80 vs 65

Also the Miditech adds double in weight: 2,6kg vs 1,26kg

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I’d wager it probably is.

I went through a similar search to you about a year or so ago, what you want probably doesn’t exist Beyond the IK keys.

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https://synthesizers.com/qkb.html

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you could probably then get one of those listed above, take it apart, remove pitch/modulation wheels, which should probably be on a different PCB than the main one, do the same for any extra switch, cut the excess part of the enclosure and close that side with either a 3D printed cover or something else…something like the modified A25 you posted above doesn’t exist i think but would actually be nice if it would

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Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol A25. Comes with a bunch of their software as well.

USB only, though. I bought a MIDI USB host for my A49.

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Sold my Launchpad Pro MK3 and bought a Keystep Pro.

Guess I’ll have to deal with the tiny keys.