Small MIDI keyboard controller for Monotribe?

madbeatzyo111 · Post by **madbeatzyo111** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 5:23 pm

Just got a Monotribe (loving it) and plan to add MIDI to it with an upgrade kit. After that I just need to find a small portable keyboard controller to use with it (2-3 octaves). However, all the small ones these days are targeted towards laptop users and only have USB connectors not MIDI.

For example, this one would be PERFECT if it had a MIDI connection:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboard ... controller

Suggestions?

MarcusCarab · Post by **MarcusCarab** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 5:53 pm

The M-Audio Radium line has both USB and traditional MIDI. It's discontinued now, but they are pretty easy to find second hand - there is a 49-key and a 61-key, I believe. The Akai MPK line also has midi ports - they come with sample pads and sliders that you may not want/need, but they are slick little controllers starting at 25 keys. The Edirol stuff, like the PCR-30, has midi ports too.

You could also look at actual standalone keyboards that also have MIDI - I believe some of the lower-end Yamahas and Casios include it, but I'm not sure.

madbeatzyo111 · Post by **madbeatzyo111** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 6:47 pm

Thanks for the suggestions Marcus. I did some more digging around and found two possibilities:

1) Alesis Q25 (http://www.zzounds.com/item--ALEQ25)
2) Behringer UMX-250 (http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHUMX250)

Both are 25-note keyboards with MIDI out. I like the Alesis because it's slightly smaller and $50 cheaper (!), but the Behringer can run on batteries which is huge advantage in terms of portability. I'm a little torn between the two, but leaning to the Alesis. I just wish all the tiny controllers like the microkey and LPK25 had MIDI!

roblabs · Post by **roblabs** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:20 pm

Can you do us a favor and post back after you try this? I'm very interested to know if this will work with the monotribe. Personally I can't stand ribbon keyboards, especially how small they are on Korgs mono series. If it weren't for this I would have grabbed a monotribe ages ago.

Thanks

chad9477 · Post by **chad9477** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:14 pm

+1 for M-Audio ... I've been using an Oxygen-8 MIDI keyboard for years with gear and it still works fine. Very inexpensive when it came out, probably more so now.

madbeatzyo111 · Post by **madbeatzyo111** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:00 pm

I just discovered a device called the iconnectmidi (http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2012/ ... e-of-midi/). Among other things, this would allow me to use a USB controller on the monotribe--without a computer! This means I can use the microkey or the LPK25, both of which are preferable due to the small form factor.

The iconnectmidi also lets you use an ipad to control any hardware plugged into the MIDI ports and/or USB. Not cheap though ($179).

hazabikit · Post by **hazabikit** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:06 pm

madbeatzyo111 wrote:The iconnectmidi also lets you use an ipad to control any hardware plugged into the MIDI ports and/or USB. Not cheap though ($179).

The one problem with the iconnectmidi is that it doesn't power the iPad/iPhone through the dock connector, so you're always going to be running on battery power.