10 Best MIDI Keyboard in India

Music production has changed drastically over the last few years. Gone are the days of strenuous recordings when enormous orchestras were needed for recording a single song. Since its introduction in the 1980s, The MIDI technology has revolutionized the industry, making it easy for artists to produce music in the comfort of their homes.

And the centrepiece of this revolutionary technology is the MIDI keyboard. It offers you great functionality and gives you so many options. But when it comes to choosing a MIDI keyboard, there are so many well-equipped options in the market that determining which one to buy can be challenging.

Well, don’t you worry, and let us help you out with our picks for the Best MIDI Keyboard in India. Be sure to read the Buyers Guide and FAQs section to make a knowledgeable decision if you feel unsure about what to do. So let us get started!

Which is the Best MIDI Keyboard Controller under 20000?

M-Audio Oxygen 61 IV USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

Which is the Best MIDI Keyboard Controller under 15000?

M Audio Keystation 61MK3 MIDI Keyboard Controller

Which is the Best MIDI Keyboard Controller under 10000?

Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII MIDI Keyboard Controller

Which is the Best MIDI Keyboard Controller under 7000?

Alesis V-Mini MIDI Keyboard Controller

Top 10 Best MIDI Keyboard in India

1. Novation AMS-SL49-MK3 MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best MIDI Keyboard in India Overall)

This Novation keyboard justifies its price tag gloriously and is our pick for the Best MIDI keyboard in India. It is an absolute tempter for professional musicians looking for a workstation to manage all their productions. It is compatible with all the major music software like Pro Tools, Ableton Live, and Logic.

This product has the 49 key and 61 key versions with LEDs on the keys. The pitch and modulation wheels have LEDs to help you know which track you are working on. 

The connectivity profile is extensive with a mixture of the modern, and the conventional and the eight-track pattern sequencer is exceptional too. The semi-weighted keys feel professional, too, although some may not like the narrow key thickness.

Features

• Dimensions of 30 x 10 x 81.7 cm
• Weight of 6.8 kg
• LCD screen 
• Included 12V DC power supply
• 49 velocity-sensitive semi-weighted keys with aftertouch
• Can control your hardware directly
• Three year warranty.

Novation AMS-SL49-MK3 MIDI Keyboard Review

With an extensive list of features and strong reviews of thousands of satisfied customers, the Novation MK3 is the Best MIDI keyboard in India.

2. M-Audio Oxygen 61 IV USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best MIDI Keyboard in India Runner Up)

The M-Audio Oxygen 61 IV is your best bet if you are looking for a device that is not only simple to make use of but is also quite powerful in what you can accomplish with it. It comes in the bigger modality of keyboards with 61 full-sized velocity-sensitive keys to make you feel at home and closer to a full-sized piano.

It provides a wide array of creative parameters such as the eight trigger pads it sports. You can quickly produce all your favourite beats on this intuitive design. The eight assignable knobs allow you to add the edge of any virtual instrument and plugin effects that you feel like.

The faders allow you to flawlessly mix all your music layers into one perfect amalgam of a masterpiece. It comes with Ableton Live Lite for ready to go creation and production right from your keyboard along with support for all popular DAWs currently in the market.

Features

• Dimensions of 24.28 x 97.69 x 9.4 cm.
• Weight of 3.4 Kilograms.
• 61 full-sized velocity-sensitive keys.
• 8 trigger pads.
• 8 assignable knobs.
• 9 faders.
• Dedicated octave up and down buttons.
• Built-in direct link links to all popular DAWs.
• Comes with Ableton Live Lite.
• Simple USB plug and play. 

M Audio Oxygen 61 IV Review

M-Audio Oxygen 61 IV is the best MIDI keyboard for Ableton. And is much more suited for studio work rather than live sessions with its 61 key set up.

3. Novation Launchkey 61MK2 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best Versatile MIDI Keyboard)

Novation Launchkey 61MK2 model produced by Novation is one for every one deal. This exceptional keyboard comes in the 25 key, 49 key, and 61 key variants, so you can find one to your liking no matter what purpose you play for. It also adds a component of portability over practicality when we see all of these options.

With 16 RGB pads, it indeed provides an experience of ultimate creativity where you feel intuitively drawn towards creating bigger and better things. It has eight knobs and faders that allow for easy mixing and blending of the tracks with each other.

A USB plug and play interface makes it easier to use no matter where you are. Apart from that, convenience is showcased by providing Ableton live lite services to edit and remix all your created content easily.

Features

• Dimensions of 99.1 x 11.9 x 32 cm.
• It weighs 4.2kg.
• Comes in 25, 49 and 61 key variants.
• 16 velocity sensitive RGB pads.
• 8 knobs.
• PC and MAC compliant.
• USB plug and play.
• Integrated Ableton Live Lite software with easy navigation with built-in buttons.

Novation Launchkey 61MK2 USB Keyboard Controller Review

Novation Launchkey 61MK2 model allows for intuitive creation by providing all tools of editing and mixing within the hardware alongside so many RGB pads. Different variants cater to all types of needs.

4. Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best MIDI Keyboard for Live Performance)

MPK Mini MKII LE is specifically designed to maximize portability. As a professional player, MPK Mini could come in handy for you. It presents all the basic essential features, and for maximum portability, it doesn’t require any software drivers or external power adapter to operate.

MPK Mini MKII is a portable production powerhouse. It is user friendly and can be rapidly set up as it comes with four memory banks to store hardware and software presets. When it comes to the build quality, Akai does not compromise and gives you a compact yet strong keyboard ideal for the outgoing artist.

Features

• Dimensions of 18.1 x 31.8 x 4.4 cm.
• White edition, comes with 25 synth-action keys and octave up/down buttons.
• Four way thumbstick.
• A built in arpeggiator.
• USB powered.
• Ultra compact design.
• Eight backlit velocity-sensitive pads.
• Downloadable software included.

Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII Review

Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII provides maximum portability and is our pick for that best keyboard for live performance. For someone who needs versatile functions yet small size, MPK Mini MKII is the way to go.

5. M-Audio Axiom AIR Mini 32 MIDI Keyboard Controller

 (Best for User-Friendliness)

Like the Akai MKII, The M-Audio Axiom Air Mini 32 is perfectly designed for people who prefer portability and ease of use over everything else. This model provides excellent intuitive content creation tools with a decent range of mixing provisions.

It comes with some of the market’s top rated editing and mixing software suites all ready to be used. If you are searching for a keyboard that is easy to use and provides a wide range of remixing tools, this is the device for you.

It has dedicated buttons for navigation, transport and modulation so that you can do everything on your keyboard with a minimal focus toward the hardware and full focus on your creativity.

Features

• Dimensions of 39.62 x 3.81 x 19.56.
• It weighs 1.13 kg.
• 32 velocity sensitive keys.
• Eight knobs with three dedicated transport buttons and five navigation buttons.
• Octave/transpose buttons available.
• ProTools | First M-Audio edition, Eleven lite, Ableton live lite, Air music tech’s Xpand!2 software suites integrated.

M Audio Axiom AIR Mini 32 Review

M Audio Axiom AIR Mini 32 model is perfect for someone looking for practicality along with portability and comfort. The wide range of editing software makes it effortless to produce music on this keyboard.

6. Nektar SE49 49-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best MIDI Keyboard for Pro Tools)

For music production setups, Nektar’s SE49 provides all the essential features you need. It is compact in design, pretty much stable and convenient to use. Functions are easily adaptable; hence it gives you a sense of enhanced workflow.

It is lightweight and comes with 49 velocity-sensitive full-sized keys and also offers seven switchable velocity curves. It is USB powered, works with any MIDI music software on Mac, Windows or iOS. BITWIG 8-Track is also included, so that is another benefit it provides. 

Features

• Dimensions of 84.99 x 24 x 10.01 cm. 
• Weight of 1.8 kg.
• 49 Velocity Sensitive Semi-weighted Synth Keys.
• 7 Switchable Velocity curves. 
• Four buttons (Octave up/down, Transpose up/down)
• Multi-colored LED indicators. 
• USB enabled.

Nektar SE49 49-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Review

Considering the intriguing features of SE49, it is the best MIDI keyboard to use with pro tools. It is convenient, works with any MIDI music software, and can be best suited for intermediate or advanced level producers.

7. Alesis Q49 Desktop MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best MIDI Keyboard for Home Recording)

It does not matter if you wander a ton or usually just stay at home; if you want to play some music, Alesis Q49 has got you covered. It is a plug-and-play, regular-sized, and lightweight keyboard that can easily fit in your suitcase. So even while traveling, you won’t miss your practice days. Forty-nine keys let you play it with both hands, and velocity-sensitivity adds more delicacy to it.

Alesis Q49 functions with almost all the music software. The keyboard comes with a full complement of controls to enhance your playing. Ableton live lite Alesis edition enables you to be creative in your music production.

Features

• Dimensions of 19.05 x 49.53 x 5.72 cm.
• Weight of 1.41 Kilograms.
• USB-MIDI and traditional MIDI jacks.
• The full complement of controls (Pitch, modulation wheel, octave buttons).
• Sustain pedal input and MIDI output.
• Single USB connection.
• Comes with Ableton Live Lite, Alesis Edition software.
• One year warranty.

Alesis Q49 Desktop MIDI Keyboard Controller Review

Ales Q49 Provides you with easy assignable controls, comfortable playing and enough portability. It is also the Best MIDI keyboard for home recording. Its features justify its price, so all in all, it is an excellent economical product.

8. Samson’s Carbon-49 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best MIDI Controller for iPad)

Samson’s Carbon-49 USB MIDI Controller is easy to use, portable, and versatile keyboard controller. It is well-suited for light playing, stage, and studio as it provides all the essential basic features. If you require an expendable instrument for outdoor gigs, Carbon-49 would be the best option.

Carbon-49 has a semi-weighted keyboard equipped with velocity-sensitive keys that provide fairly consistent sensing. It has all the usual onboard MIDI tools and is Ipad and bus-powered. In its price range, it is the best way to go. It has the usual connectivity boxes covered with MIDI Out, sustain pedal, and USB connection included. All in all, it is a smart buy at an affordable price point.

Features

• Dimensions of 27.94 x 84.46 x 12.7 cm.
• Weight of 3.67 kg.
• 49-key semi-weighted keyboard.
• Velocity-sensitive keys.
• Assignable data encoder, volume slider and edit key.
• 3 digit, 7 segments LED display. 
• Includes MIDI Out, sustain pedal input and USB connection.

Samson’s Carbon-49 USB MIDI Controller Review

Our pick for the best MIDI keyboard for iPad with a dedicated slot and an excellent keyboard at a steal of a price compared to the earlier picks.

9. Alesis V-Mini | Portable 25-key USB-MIDI Keyboard Controller with Pads

(Best MIDI Controller for Drum Pads)

As a beginner or intermediate level producer if you are looking for a reasonably portable MIDI keyboard, Alesis V-mini would be the best way to go. It has an elegant small size with 25 mini-size velocity-sensitive keys and octave up/down buttons. 

Connect it with your Mac or Windows computer via a single USB connection and produce tracks on the go.

It has such a compact design that lets you keep it in even your laptop bag or purse. Its built-in controls and features make it incredibly easy to use. Moreover, the included software Xpand! Two plugins from Air Music is a bonus.

Features

• Dimensions of 14 x 31.75 x 3.8 cm;
• Weight of 500 Grams.
• 25 velocity-sensitive mini-size keys.
• 4 backlit velocity-sensitive drum pads.
• 4 backlit assignable knobs.
• Keyboard mainstays (Octave, Pitch Bend, Modulation, Sustain buttons).
• Powered through a USB connection.

Alesis V Mini Review

Alesis V Mini is the Best MIDI Keyboard for drum pads in India. Its compact design and availability at a low price are two plus points that cannot be ignored. In terms of portability, it is the perfect choice you can make.

10. M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3 | Ultra-Portable USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

(Best MIDI Keyboard for beginners)

M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3 | Ultra-Portable USB MIDI Keyboard Controller in terms of a great overall starter device, if your intentions are just to learn, Mini 32 MK3 is a great choice. It is reasonably portable and is location independent. As it is bus-powered, just plug it in your laptop or Ipad anywhere and start grooving.

It has selectable velocity curves, four assignable knobs, which makes it reasonably flexible in performance, and included Sibelius First software makes it easy for you to write and play your favourite melodies.

Features

• Dimensions of 41.76 x 1.83 x 10.67 cm.
• Weight of 698.53 Grams.
• 32 mini-size natural feeling velocity-sensitive keys.
• Octave range buttons (fully assignable).
• Dedicated pitch bend and modulation buttons.
• Volume knob and sustain buttons.
• Supports USB MIDI connectivity.
• Supports ios connectivity
• Includes a premium software suite.

M-Audio Key station Mini 32 MK3 Review

From an entry-level perspective, It is the best MIDI Keyboard for beginners. It is compact and easily configurable. In its price range, this controller seems like a fair deal.

Buyer’s Guide

While some of the technical aspects of MIDI keyboards are beyond the scope of this review, let us go through a few other factors that would influence your decision.

Key Count

Key Count may range from 25 to the full 88 keys of your classical pianos. In this particular predicament, more is not always better, and everything depends on your individual needs.

If you are triggering the old fashioned instrumental libraries, you may need the full gambit of 88 keys. But if you value portability and would like something that can be controlled with one hand, a 49 or 25 key device should suffice.

You could still send a variety of notes by modifying the octave switches. 

Key Size

As the number of keys, the size of keys is also significant to know. 

There are the mini keys if you want a MIDI keyboard just for basic chords and simple bass and drum beats. These are, of course, on the more affordable side of the spectrum and are also much more compact and portable, giving you more space to work with.

Other musicians may be uncomfortable with those small keys. They can go for the full-sized piano keys that give you an authentic feel.

Portability 

Do you need a keyboard to play at your studio, or do you need the Best MIDI keyboard for live performance? You should be clear about the portability you want since you can rarely get both qualities in one.

The Professional grade MIDI keyboards are rarely portable and often need a decent amount of space in your workspace. The more beginner-friendly models have lesser keys and can be easily used in live performances.

Action

The action of keys is all about how they feel to you. Are you a professional who likes his keys to feel just like a piano? Then a realistic or weighted hammer action would be a great choice as it would feel natural to you.

On the other hand, it may feel too heavy for people still learning the trade. Instead, they may look for unweighted or semi-weighted keys. 

Connectivity 

Most modern MIDI keyboards have the USB connection to transmit signals to computers and other devices. Some professional keyboards similar to pianos have the sustain pedal input, while some come with the conventional 5-pin MIDI out ports, and the much smaller MIDI TRS out ports are also gaining popularity with time. 

Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheels 

These two controls are beneficial in your MIDI keyboard. The pitch bend, as the name indicates, is used to change the pitch in a continuously varying way. This wheel is usually loaded with a spring and stays in one place unless it is moved.

The Mod Wheels are used to modulate the various elements of a synth sound and is a significant need for producers that need consistency in the product that they offer.

Future of MIDI keyboards 

The world of MIDI keyboards is undergoing significant changes and advancements every year. The makers want to cater to every single demographic, so if someone asks for the best MIDI keyboard for guitarists, they provide a Keytar.

Similarly, a lot of advancement is happening in this field, and in the coming times, you can expect MIDI keyboards to become a separate entity independent of the need for a computer device. It is the case with many models already, but it will become the norm in the coming years.

FAQs

A MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) keyboard is used to send MIDI signals to the computer or any other MIDI-enabled device. MIDI, as many of you may know, is a standardized language like our QWERTY keyboards for music. 

Once you press a key on your MIDI keyboard, it sends a MIDI message to the connected device, either through a MIDI cable or a USB.

Now, this MIDI message can be changed to sounds by any music creation software that helps provide the sounds. Once you give the input, that sound effect is then recorded and played as or your requirements. You may use a decent bookshelf speaker to play your music.

Different sound templates can be bought from the Internet with free and paid packs available to make music production easy.

A MIDI keyboard is used to send MIDI signals to your computer. Essentially it replaces a piano in a DAW (Digital Audio Workplace) where it hits the same notes you would in a piano but instead of producing sound, sends it as a digital signal to the MIDI-enabled device.

The candid explanation to this question would be that it depends. Are you a beginner trying to learn the tricks of the trade or someone who wants to take music production to the professional level.

For beginners, starting without a MIDI keyboard is not only okay but recommended. There are virtual keyboards in DAW (Digital Audio Workplaces) where beginners can learn the basics before jumping in and spending a significant amount on a keyboard.

For professionals, buying a MIDI keyboard may become imperative since it makes the whole process a whole lot easier and the tactile sensation of sensing the keys is a cathartic feeling.

In theory, they can, but MIDI controllers can not. Let me explain.

So there are MIDI keyboards that are MIDI enabled themselves and can play by converting the MIDI signal to music themselves. But MIDI controllers do not function without a computer and need the computer to convert the signals to music.

Yes, a MIDI keyboard can, in theory, be used as a piano. But the caveat is that the keyboard should be MIDI-enabled so that it can change your input through the keys into music. 

The usual MIDI controllers can not play music themselves and need a computer to play the music. That being said, both can be used as you try to learn the piano.

For beginners that want to learn the tricks of the trade, we like the M-Audio Key station Mini 32 MK3. It has 32 keys and is an easy-to-learn option for beginners. 

There aren’t overwhelming functions in front of you, just those that you need as a beginner. And with the lower price point, you can get started without spending a significant amount of money. A win-win situation is what we see here.

The M-Audio Axiom AIR Mini 32 offers the most user-friendliness. That is because of its easy controls that are simple to master and the 32 keys are easy to handle even in the outdoors.

The Novation MK3 has the best three year warranty which is better than the usual one year warranty seen with other MIDI keyboards.

In our list, the MIDI keyboard that comes with the best build quality is the Novation Launchkey 61MK2.
It weighs 4.2kg, which is higher than others on the list, and the build quality of the keyboard has gotten rave reviews from users.

Conclusion

So this was our guide for the Best MIDI keyboard in India. We tried to keep things simple for you so that your purchase becomes all the easier.

If you ask for our recommendation, we like the Novation MKIII for its incredible functionality, Alesis V-Mini for users on the go, and the M Audio MKIII for beginners.

We hope you learned from this review. If you have any suggestions for us, please do leave them in the comments below.

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