- For Ableton Go to the “Preferences” menu. Select the “MIDI Sync” tab. Look for your keyboard in the “Control Surface” section and select it for Input and Output. You will probably have to create a MIDI track before being able to hear some sound.
- Features: -MIDI Player -Multi-track MIDI file select -Change Key -Change Tempo -Pull key from MIDI file -Pull tempo from MIDI file -Ability to set key -Audio Player (AIF, WAV, MP3) -Slow Down Audio and keep the same key/pitch -Change Key of Audio without changing tempo -Play MIDI with Aud.
The 14 best MIDI keyboards available today 1. Nektar SE25 MIDI keyboard. If you’re someone who’s always making music on the move, a pint-sized MIDI controller. Novation Launchkey Mini Mk3 MIDI keyboard. Developed primarily for Ableton users and newly updated, this pocket. Akai MPK Mini Mk2.
The trouble with the traditional way of learning to play the keyboard…
The majority of people learning to play the piano or keyboard will give up within their first year. There are three main reasons why people quit:
They don’t have the time or patience to practice consistently.
Too much practice is required to see progress. Practice becomes boring and repetitive, and it becomes easier to just stop.They don’t connect with the music they’re playing.
If you don’t love the music you’re practicing, it isn’t fun! Nursery rhymes and classical music isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.They get overwhelmed and confused by it all.
There is a tonne of information out there – but not all of it is relevant to you and what you’re specifically trying to achieve.
Melodics has been specifically designed to help you overcome these major barriers and take your skills on your MIDI keyboard to the next level.
Here’s why 250,000+ musicians love learning with Melodics.
- 1
It’s fun & addictive.
Practice goals, streaks, rewards & challenges – Melodics plays like a game, but is built on a foundation of solid music education principles. This keeps you coming back to practice and makes music a part of your daily life. - 2
Relevant modern day content & lessons.
Melodics™ lesson content is based on modern day music, not classical. With Melodics™, you’ll be learning from over 800 lessons, courses & exercises from genres you love, and artists that are relevant to the music you’re creating. - 3
It’s easy to get started & you’ll see results quickly.
We know the classic way of learning the keyboard can be slow and painful. Melodics breaks down traditionally confusing concepts and simplifies them. Melodics take the “but where do I start?” out of learning to play the keyboard and shows you what to play, and how to play it. - 4
A personal music tutor right there with you 24/7.
Melodics gives you instant feedback as you’re performing – Early? Late? Perfect! After every step you get feedback on how you performed, and you can track your progress over time to see your improvements. Practice wherever and whenever you’re ready.
Here’s what other musicians have to say about Melodics.
“In just a few lessons, the skill that I have gained in using Melodics has definitely helped in my music production. I swear, It’s almost like magic. I finally learned to play the keyboard with both hands thanks to Melodics!”
Kelsey – Melodics subscriber
“Learning keys can be pretty monotonous. The great thing about Melodics is that very quickly you can be playing tunes that you’ll actually relate to. It’s stealth learning – you’re having fun, but picking up really important skills as you do it!”
Mark de Clive-Lowe, – Melodics artist
“Musicians know that practice is the key to success. The magic of Melodics is that you can get lost in it. You’re practicing without even thinking about it.”
Gerhard Behles – Ableton CEO
As featured in:
Here’s what you actually get with Melodics.
- Access to over 230 keyboard lessons (new lessons added each week). Start with a genre you love, or a technique you want to master. Whatever your skill level, there’s something there for you.
- Jump into one of the 23 different courses that will take you on a journey, teaching you what you want to know about a genre or concept (scales, chords, basslines and much more).
- Over 70 different exercises that focus on developing muscle memory and orientation to musical patterns such as notes, scales and intervals.
- Interested in learning the pads or drums as well? With Melodics you also get access to lessons and courses for those instruments!
Practice mode: setting the loop & adjusting the BPM.
All of the practice tools to help build your skills on the keyboard.
- Slow things down and drop the BPM to make it more manageable. Auto BPM is there to automatically increase the speed as you get better and better.
- Set loop points to focus on a specific bit of an arrangement.
- Wait Mode is there to help you get used to an arrangement, it pauses the performance until you hit the correct note to progress.
Melodics™ works with any MIDI capable keyboard, large or small. Every skill level, from total beginner to advanced player.
Plug & play support for the most popular devices on the planet. Custom remapping for everything else.
Co-signed by the industry.
FAQs - Honest answers to the most common questions about Melodics.
Is this really an effective way to learn the keys?
Our approach to music education is this - confidence is key: positive reinforcement and building good habits around practice creates a really powerful feedback loop. A simple but really powerful idea here is that greatness isn’t born, it’s grown.The word practice, can leave a bad taste in your mouth, at least as it’s used musically. It raises images of endless scales and aching hands trying to get the fingering right for an CMaj7♯11 chord on the guitar.For many of us - brought up on hip hop / techno / jungle / EDM / a million other micro-genres, that approach doesn’t fit with what we feel in the music. The energy. The fun.However – practicing by repeating something over again is still the best way to improve, and that’s as true of learning to play music as it is anything else.So with Melodics™ we make your practice fun using motivational mechanics and practice goals.But don’t take our word for it, check out what some of our happy customers are saying here.Will Melodics teach me to read music?
The padre bar. Our Melodics lessons relate to the wider world of written music. You may notice that the design of these hints at the bass and treble clef of piano sheet music. This is designed to sub-consciously develop your spatial recognition of key interval structures and make it easier for you to transfer your learning between different contexts.What payment options are available?
You can pay within the app with a Visa or Mastercard credit / debit card, or via PayPal.What if I’m unsatisfied with Melodics and want to stop?
If you find that you aren’t making the progress you’d like and Melodics isn’t for you, you can pause or cancel your subscription at any time within the app. Or if you’re paying via PayPal, you can cancel your subscription from within your PayPal account. You’ll still have full access to everything until the end of your payment period, and you can continue to play all the free lessons after your subscription has ended. Your progress won’t be lost!I don’t have a MIDI device - do I need one?
you can use your computer keyboard, but it doesn’t cover a full range of keys and you won’t be able to complete many lessons, but it’s enough to give you an idea of how awesome Melodics is.Will my controller work with Melodics?
Ready to start your journey to mastering the keyboard?
Take it for a spin and access 20 free lessons straight away.
2 Plug in & Play.
Compatible with most MIDI devices. Custom remapping for everything else.
3 Get results in just 5 minutes.
You’ll get something from your first 5 minutes. Take it straight to your next track or performance.
So often these days, home recording is a one-man-job.
Because as technology improves, and more things can be “faked” with virtual instruments and software modeling…
Jobs that used-to require an entire team of people…
Can now be done with just you, a simple audio interface…and your trusty old MIDI controller.
Of course, some controllers are MUCH better than others…
Education templates for pages 2 1 download free. Which is why in today’s post, we’ll look at 8 of the Best MIDI Controllers on the market to see just how they compare.
Let’s begin…
1. Alesis Q
![Record Record](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/aplusautomation/vendorimages/985da757-0f00-468b-a8f8-ec2a823e51f9.jpg._CB485925448__SL300__.jpg)
For basic home studios, that only want something something small, versatile, and easy-to-use…
The first MIDI controller I’ll recommend is the Alesis Q.
Despite its super-low price, it has everything you’d expect from a keyboard controller, including:
- USB bus power
- pitch and mod wheels
- sustain pedal input
- Both USB-MIDI and traditional 5-pin MIDI out
While it may not have the fancy features we’ll see in some the later models…
If you don’t use that stuff anyway, it’ll only get in your way. So if you’d rather keep it simple, you’ll love the Alesis Q.
Click below to see the prices and reviews for each size:
- 25 Key – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 49 Key – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 88 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
Up next…
2. Akai Professional MPD218
Besides keyboard controllers, the “other” common type of MIDI device you’ll find is the pad controller.
Made popular by the original Akai MPC’s from back in the 90’s…
These pads have since become standards for making drum beats, and controlling almost any type of percussion-based virtual instruments. Bbedit 12 1 – powerful text and html editor version.
While the early MPC’s where intended as full “Music Production Centers“…
The one I’ll show you today: the Akai Professional MPD18…is more of a stripped-down “pad-only” version that offers:
- 16 velocity/pressure backlit sensitive pads
- Ableton Lite
- iOS compatibility
- 6 assignable potentiometers
- Plug-n-play USB connectivity
So for a cheap and simple option to pound-out some beats, I highly recommend the MPD218.
- Click to see current price – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusicianF/Thomann)
Midi Keyboard – Play & Record 1 0 300 Blackout
Up next…
3. M Audio Oxygen
Rather than needing separate controllers for both keyboard and percussion…
Many people now use these new “hybrid” designs, which combine both functions into a single unit.
And many versions, such as the M-Audio Oxygen, even feature DAW control/plugin control as well, with a collection of knobs and sliders.
If you’re like most musicians and you hate programming MIDI…the M-Audio Oxygen is also great because it auto-maps to all major DAW’s.
And while most controllers these days have that feature as well, there are very few that have iOS connectivity for iPads, iPhones, and iPods.
But the M-Audio Oxygen does. Check it out…
- 25 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 49 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 61 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
Up next…
4. Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII
While MIDI controllers typically come in multiple sizes to accommodate different users…
There are some controllers designed specifically for the “mobile-musician”…
Like the Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII, which crams a wealth of great features onto a device so small, it fits your backpack.
In addition to the standard tools, the MPK Mini also offers:
- a unique onboard arpeggiator for synth users
- a one-of-a-kind thumbstick that combines both pitch and mod functions onto a single control
…and comes with the following software:
- Akai Pro MPC Essentials
- SONiVOX Wobble
- Hybrid 3 by AIR Music Tech
As you can see, the MPK Minioffers huge value for an incredibly low price. Check it out…
- Click to compare prices – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
Midi Keyboard – Play & Record 1 0 300 Kb
Up next…
5. Korg NanoKey2/NanoPad2
Unlike the MPK Mini, which combines keys and pads onto one device…
The Korg NanoKEY2 and NanoPAD2 are actually two separate devices designed to work in-tandem…
Or in-combination with the “control surface” model in this series: the Korg NanoKONTROL2.
If you like small, you really can’t do much better than this “Nano Series” of controllers, which sit perfectly, right in front of your laptop.
To save even more space, the NanoKEY2 also has a sustain button, eliminating the need for a separate foot pedal.
As you can see, these models save on space (and cost) by eliminating all but the most essential control features. And while that can be bad if you need those features…
It’s great if you don’t, because the simple layout is insanely easy-to-use. Check them out…
- Korg NanoKEY2 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- Korg NanoPAD2 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- Korg NanoKONTROL2 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
Up next…
6. Novation Launchkey
While most MIDI controllers are designed to work with allmajor DAW’s…
The Novation Launchkey is among the few designed for just one.
While its “InControl Technology” does automap to other DAW’s as well…the very best features of this controller are tailored specifically for Ableton Live.
The pads for example, can be used to trigger loops, call up presets, and conform to just about any control you want.
As a bonus, it includes an entire suite of software including:
- Launchkey/Launchpad iPad apps
- V-Station and Bass Station Soft Synths
- Ableton Live Lite
- Loopmasters Sample Pack
While I wouldn’t recommend the Launchkey to everyone, it’s the obvious choice for users of Ableton Live.
- 25 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 49 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 61 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 25 Key Mini – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
Up next…
7. Novation Launchpad Pro
While you might call it the “pad-counterpart” to the Novation Launchkey…
The Novation Launchpad Pro is really an entirely unique control surface, unlike any we’ve covered so far.
Despite its resemblance to MPC’s of decades past…the pads of the Launchpad aren’t really designed to play two-handed rhythms like you would with most pads…
But instead, are used more like buttons, to serve a wide-variety of functions such as:
- manipulating clips
- triggering loops
- mixing
- firing-off effects
Just like the Launchkey, the Launchpad is intended primarily for Ableton Live…but also works well with other “electronic DAW’s” such as FL Studio and Reason.
Perhaps the greatest bragging right of the Launchpad is: it’s one of the few controllers regularly used by musicians with unlimited budgets…and is even used by many of the top names in music today.
- Click to compare prices – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
For two similar options, also check out:
- Novation Launchpad Mini – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann), which offers most of the same features of the Launchpad S, but is significantly smaller.
- Ableton Push 2 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann), which has rave reviews, and is undoubtedly the most advanced (and also most expensive) pad controller on the market.
Up next…
8. M-Audio Axiom AIR
So far, all the controllers we’ve seen were designed with the primary goal of “staying small“.
But in larger studios, where that isn’t a high-priority…
“Big” goes from being a problem, to a luxury…because more space also means more features.
And perhaps the best example of a controller “built-big” is the M-Audio Axiom AIR.
The latest generation in a long line of M-Audio Axiom controllers…the Axiom AIR is quite likely the coolest looking controller on the market, and backs up its good-looks with some impressive performance as well.
It has all the standard controls you’d expect from a full-featured MIDI controller, including a wealth of:
- knobs
- keys
- wheels
- pads
- sliders
- transport controls
And its Hypercontrol automatic mapping technology easily syncs with all major DAW’s.
If you’ve got the space for it, there are few MIDI controllers out there as advanced as the Axiom AIR. Check it out…
- 25 Key – (Amazon)
- 49 Key – (Amazon/GuitarC)
- 61 Key – (Amazon)
- Mini 32 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
Another good option is the Akai Professional MPK.Compared to the Axiom AIR, it has all the same basic features, but offers the added bonus of semi-weighted keys on ALL sizes. (The Axiom AIR 61 is the only semi-weighted version).
- 25 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 49 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 61 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
And finally, also check out the Novation SL which has more controls than either of the two previous models, and many unique functions specific to Ableton Live.
- 25 Key – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 49 Key – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
- 61 Key – (Amazon/B&H/MusiciansF/GuitarC/Thomann)