First decide how you want to hear and record the sound: a MIDI controller doesn’t produce sound on its own, so you’ll need a software instrument or connected hardware. In a shared home, you can listen through headphones. An arpeggiator built into the keyboard is useful if you want to control patterns on the keyboard, while an arpeggiator in your DAW may be enough if it offers the feature you need. Also check whether you want to record the notes you play, the generated MIDI notes or the finished audio.
You want to record electronic parts without sharing the playback through speakers. A MIDI controller doesn’t produce sound on its own; Thomann Nederland and Bax Music explain that the sound comes from connected software or hardware.
You want to adjust arpeggios as you play, so you’re comparing physical pattern controls with the arpeggiator in your DAW. Novation describes the pattern controls on the Launchkey Mini 37 MK4, while Ableton documents a MIDI arpeggiator in Live 12.
You want to connect a controller to your existing synthesiser hardware, too. Connections vary by model: Arturia lists a 5-pin MIDI output for the MiniLab 3, while Akai Professional lists MIDI and CV/Gate connections for the MPK Mini Plus.
First decide how you’ll hear the sound and which recording route you need. Then compare the pattern controls, number of keys and connections with your workspace and equipment.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Recording arpeggios | Check the arpeggiator controls, synchronisation and MIDI or audio recording route in your own DAW. | If I want to change patterns as I play, I check whether I can do that on the controller or in my software. Around 36% of consumers put pattern recording first. |
| Listening without speakers | Check where the software or synthesiser outputs audio and which headphone connection you can use; a MIDI connection is not an audio output. | If I want to listen without speakers in a shared home, I check the audio output on my setup. Around 29% of consumers prioritise living peacefully with others. |
| Number of keys and desk space | Measure the available space and compare the full dimensions and key size of the exact model. | At a small desk, I want to know whether the keyboard will fit and whether I can manage with fewer keys. Around 21% of consumers focus mainly on the desk space available. |
| Connecting to other equipment | Compare the connections on your existing synthesiser with those on the exact keyboard model, and check which cables and DAW integration you’ll need. | If I want to control my existing synth, I check whether the connections match. Around 14% of consumers give connecting to other equipment top priority. |
A MIDI controller sends performance data; the audible sound comes from connected software or hardware. Bax Music also notes that a MIDI keyboard doesn’t necessarily have a headphone socket.
Before you buy, map out the whole signal path: from the keys to the instrument, audio output and headphones. Check exactly where you’ll plug in your headphones.
An arpeggiator can generate notes during playback, but what you record depends on the MIDI or audio recording route you choose.
Make a short test recording in your own DAW and check whether it captures the notes you played, the generated MIDI notes or the audio you want.
Listening without speakers doesn’t eliminate the physical sound of keys or pads. The number of keys also doesn’t tell you how large the casing is.
Measure your desk and assess the physical sound of the keys and pads separately in your intended setup; don’t judge these things by the number of keys alone.
The Launchkey Mini 37 MK4 is aimed at anyone looking for 37 mini keys and direct control of arpeggios and DAW functions.
The MiniLab 3 suits a compact, software-focused setup where a physical MIDI output may also be useful.
The MPK Mini Plus is aimed at anyone who wants to sequence patterns as well as play arpeggios, or who uses MIDI and CV/Gate hardware.
The Impact LX Mini is designed for a setup where you want to control the keys and pads separately using pattern functions.
The Oxygen Pro Mini is aimed at anyone looking for a controller with 32 mini keys and hands-on DAW control.
Don’t assume you can with a MIDI controller: it sends performance data and doesn’t produce sound itself. Plug your headphones into a suitable audio output on your computer, audio interface or connected synthesiser, and check which output your setup has.
No, not if your DAW has a suitable MIDI arpeggiator; Ableton, for example, documents this feature in Live 12. Before recording, decide whether you want to keep the notes you played, the generated MIDI notes or the audio, then set up the recording route accordingly.
Check the USB connection and DAW settings for the exact model. In its support information, Akai says the MPK Mini Plus needs a firmware update before use; this advice applies to that model.
According to the Dutch government, distance purchases usually come with a 14-day cooling-off period, although exceptions and conditions apply. If a product is faulty, the seller is responsible for the statutory guarantee. The Netherlands doesn’t have a fixed statutory guarantee period of two years.
