The 6 Best Mini MIDI Keyboards
Having a reliable MIDI keyboard that’s portable is an important and useful piece of gear to have. That’s why I’ve put together this list of the best mini MIDI keyboards perfect for travelling with, producing on the go & for anyone with limited studio space.
Check out these compact MIDI keyboards and decide which one would be best for you.
Akai: MPK mini MKII
Top Pick!
A light-weight and super portable midi keyboard packed with everything you need.
Amazon.com - $97.99
Who’s it for?
The MPK mini MKII by AKAI Professional is for those looking for the ultimate combination of portability and versatility in their midi controller. The 8 big Akai drum pads make it comfortable to use even two fingers on them, a thumbstick to control pitch bend & modulation, built in arpeggiator and convenient octave up and down buttons, this midi keyboard has everything you need at a very modest price.
Pros:
Large pads
light-weight
Cons:
Small keys
Quick Specs
25 velocity sensitive Keys
8 Large Velocity Sensitive Backlit Pads
8 assignable knobs
Joystick mod/ Pitch bend
Octave Up/ Down Buttons
Full sized sustain pedal jack input
USB Bus-powered - Full sized USB Type-B
1.65 lbs
Arturia: MiniLab MKII
Runner-Up
The MiniLab is a small but solid piece of gear with quality weighted keys & 16 smooth knobs to play with.
Amazon.com - $99.00
Who’s it for?
The Arturia MiniLab MKII is for those who want a compact MIDI keyboard with slim quality keys, but can sacrifice the comfortability of playing the velocity pads for more rotary knobs.
This MIDI keyboard has a very solid build, its has a bit os weight to it at 3 lbs, but makes it feel more sturdy and quality than some of the other mini MIDI controllers.
Pros:
Lots of knobs! 16 quality mappable knobs
Mod wheel & pitch bend touch strips
Solid Build
Cons:
Small drum pads
Quick Specs
25 velocity sensitive keys
8 velocity sensitive backlit pads
16 assignable knobs
2 touch strips for mod/ pitch bend
Octave Up/ Down Buttons
Full sized sustain pedal jack input
USB Bus-powered - Full sized USB Type-B
3.3 lbs
Novation: Launchkey mini MKII
Best for Ableton
Another lightweight mini midi keyboard with 16 velocity sensitive pads and 25 keys. This midi keyboard integrates very well with Ableton in particular, but with many other DAWs as well.
Amazon.com - $79.99
Who’s it for?
This mini MIDI keyboard is for the Ableton Live user who needs a compact on-the-go controller. Built with Ableton Live in mind, the Novation Launchkey mini MKII gives you full control over your DAW with 16 velocity sensitive pads which can be used to launch clips or play beats. It also auto-maps controls to FL Studio, Pro Tools, Logic & Cubase so you can skip the hassle of a tedious setup
This controller is USB Bus-powered so this MIDI controller doesn’t need an external power adapter, just plug & play.
Pros:
Integrates well with DAWs enabling you to launch & control clips from the actual pads
Cons:
Micro USB
Quick Specs
25 velocity sensitive keys
8 assignable knobs
16 velocity sensitive backlit pads
2 Track buttons [<,>]
2 Navigation/ Scene buttons
Octave Up/ Down Buttons
USB bus powered - Micro USB
2.38 lbs
KOMPLETE: Kontrol A25
Also Great
A clean looking midi keyboard with 25 full sized and semi-weighted keys. This keyboard is bigger than the rest, but has a real comfortable feel while playing.
Amazon.com - $159.00
Who’s it for?
This MIDI controller is for those who don’t want to sacrifice the size of their keys, but still want to save space with a compact design & have full control from within the unit. The Komplete Kontrol A25 features 25 full sized & semi-weighted keys, giving it an comfortably authentic playing feel.
This MIDI keyboard is USB bus-powered and has input for a sustain pedal. It’s not as portable for travelling with than the other controllers on this list, but it takes up little desk space and isn’t too bulky.
Pros:
High quality, full sized keys
Solid build
Cons:
Not as mini & portable
Quick Specs
25 Full sized and semi-weighted keys
8 assignable knobs
Pitch bend & Mod wheel
Mini OLED display
Full sized sustain pedal jack input
USB Bus-powered - Full sized USB Type-B
5.3 lbs
Roli: Seaboard Block
For the Experimental
A non-tradition controller great for shaping sound with pitch bend & vibrato by just sliding along the controllers surface.
Amazon.com - $299.95
Who’s it for?
This is for anyone who may already have a mini keyboard or larger scale MIDI keyboard and wants to open up their creativity in production with an new type of instrument. The Seaboard Block is for the experimental producer who enjoys smooth transitions, atmospheric sounds, and trying new production methods.
Pros:
Lots of control over sound & pitch manipulation
Cons:
Feels noticeably different than playing a keyboard
Quick Specs
25 velocity/ touch sensitive keywave playing surface
USB Bus-powered - Mini USB Type-C
Wireless bluetooth connectivity - 15 meter range
1.43 lbs
M-Audio: KeyStation Mini 32
Also Great
Great plug and play device if you don’t care for drum pads but want some portable keys at a fair price.
Amazon.com - $49.00
Who’s it for?
If you only need keys and have no use for extra knobs and pads, this 32 note keyboard is perfect. M-Audio’s Keystation Mini 32 is Super light, compact and this MIDI keyboard gives you more notes than the others on this list, giving it a comfortable playing feel.
Pros:
Light-weight
Great value
Cons:
Limited features & controls
Quick Specs
32 velocity sensitive keys
Pitch Bend & Mod buttons
Volume control knob
Octave Up/ Down Buttons
USB bus powered - Micro USB
1 lbs
Conclusion
So, we’ve covered the top mini MIDI keyboards on the market and can get a feel for our options.
These compact MIDI controllers are perfect for travelling and producing on the go. All of them weigh under 5 pounds and connect through USB without need for an external adapter.
At the end of the day, it mainly comes down to your production style and what you want or need - knobs, drum pads, mod/ pitch wheel, etc. As well as price.
This is why the AKAI MPK mini MKII takes the win as best mini MIDI keyboard.
What’s your experience with mini MIDI keyboards? Which one would you recommend?