Compare MIDI keyboards

MIDI keyboards do not make sound themselves. They send instructions to an electronic device like a synthesizer or computer to generate one sound or another. They can also control recording gear and stage lighting systems.

Simple

Look at this conceptual diagram. An input device such as a keyboard or control panel connects to Electronic music equipment. MIDI provides a standard protocol (language) that allows the machines to talk to each other and exchange commands and data.

MIDI Protocol

Developed during the 1970s and formalized in 1981, Musical Instrument Digital Interface standards are still with us. Windows, Apple, Linux and Android have all been designed to support the standard. A company called iRig produces MIDI electronics that will work on all these operating systems.

Akai MPK MkII

You don't want to drop any electronics on a concrete floor. But if you do drop a keyboard then this is a good one. Solidly built, 25 piano keys for two octaves plus a key. It also has programmable function buttons and analog controls. All the input and output goes through a single USB connector.

Flexible Portable Rollable Keyboard

More of a toy. More delicate than the Akai. Has the big, round DIN5 connector and we need to add a USB MIDI adaptor to connect to a computer.

The signal making the LED blink looks like this. The same data is carried by USB with the Akai keyboard, here we need to convert.

The big round connector is called a DIN5 and can be purchased in electronic supply shops. Only pins number 4 and 5 carry the MIDI signal. It is similar to a 3 conductor XLR connector for microphones.

USB to MIDI Adaptor

Here is one of the converters we need. A single USB connector for transmit and receive and separate DIN5 cords for MIDI IN and MIDI OUT. Careful you make the right connections. An LED shows power, a second shows MIDI transmissions OUT and the third is for MIDI IN.

There are wireless adaptors designed to transmit up to 10m across a stage.

MIDI-OX

In our project MIDI Analyzer Application MIDI-OX we set up a Windows software that transmits, receives, interprets MIDI signals and combines them with a Windows software synthesizer.

Test AKAI

Connect the USB keyboard to the PC. Open MIDI-OX and configure for our keyboard to connect to the synthesizer. Play ordinary music and watch the MIDI analyzer tell you what key you pressed. Try chords and see what happens when you press multiple keys. Try the programmable pads.

Test Rollable

Connect the DIN5 MIDI OUT of the keyboard to the MIDI IN of the USB adaptor. Connect the adaptor to the PC. Open MIDI-OX and configure for our keyboard to connect to the synthesizer.

Play ordinary music and watch the MIDI analyzer tell you what key you pressed.

Try chords and see what happens when you press multiple keys. Don't be surprised if it only plays one of the notes. My keyboard does play all three and it does differentiate between a soft or hard touch of the key.