Best Mini Pianos

oh hey what’s up so it seemed like a
good time to do another the best MIDI
keyboards video this will be my 3.0
installment and there’s some new stuff
out there’s some stuff that I haven’t
talked about on the channel before that
I wanted to get into and I wanted to
focus today’s installment on portable
MIDI keyboards because I think that’s
what most people are really interested
in right now you want something that you
can use in the studio but also take with
you on the go
most of these are affordable as well so
that’s always a plus I think there’s
more great options than there’s ever
been for people who are looking for a
portable MIDI keyboard now as you can
see we got quite the stack to get
through today so I’m gonna try to keep
this as short and to the point as
possible so in this video I’ll go over
my favourites to talk about some pros
and cons hopefully help you find the
keyboard that is right for you and as
usual I will be doing a giveaway you’re
gonna pick multiple winners details for
the giveaway will be at the end of this
video so stay tuned for that but I think
that’s enough intro let’s get into the
video alright so starting us off today
is the latest offering from my friends
over at our Toria this is the new micro
lab and I just gotta show love
Vittorio’s software cents have been one
of the main cornerstones of my
songwriting process for years now and
more recently I’ve started using their
MIDI keyboards and have just been
completely satisfied I think the thing
that really sets their keyboards apart
is the keybed itself which in my opinion
just offers some superior playability
and just an overall better experience
this micro lab is a stripped down and
slightly more rugged version of the mini
lab mark – you can see here the size
difference and some difference in
features obviously the mini lab mark –
gives you some drum pads and all of
these programmable knobs which are
really great to have but if you’re
looking for the most compact option the
micro lab does offer the same key bed
that is in the mini lab mark – which is
great you got your pitch Bend and
modulation strips which function really
well you’ve got octave buttons you have
a sustain button and then you’ve got
this button that allows you to play one
finger chords so what you do is you hold
the button to play a chord and then you
can trigger that chord with any No
not necessarily a feature that I’m
personally gonna use too much but
definitely worth mentioning well the
most notable things about these a Toria
MIDI keyboards is that they come
packaged with some great included
software most notably in my opinion is
analog lab light analog lab light is a
vintage keys and vintage since plug-in
suite which gives you access to over 600
presets and sounds it’s a great
introduction into the world of notorious
synth and keyboard sounds which are some
of my favorite and most used plugins the
micro lab also has a built-in USB cable
and it wraps around the MIDI keyboard
nicely too always got a cable with you
and it keeps it nice and organized
personally I love that they included
this I feel like when I’m on the go I’ve
got dozens of cables that I need to keep
track of and this is one less thing that
I have to think about this rubberized
edge is really nice too and it comes in
a few different colors but the micro lab
is substantially more lightweight than
the mini lab mark – the thing that I
really like about this mini lab is it
feels super professional and sturdy and
heavy the plastic is really heavy-duty
I can’t really say the same about this
micro lab but I think that that’s okay
because this one is geared more towards
the person who wants the ultimate
lightweight portable option so if you’re
interested in Vitoria you want to try
out some of their plugins and you’re
looking for the most portable
lightweight and inexpensive option check
out the micro lab these are some one on
the Amazon right now for writing on each
box and I’ll be sure to include a link
in the description for those of you who
are interested but I think that’s a
steal you get this great key bed you get
some great included software you get a
nice portable yet rugged package that
fits nicely in a backpack you really
can’t go wrong this has been my main
on-the-go MIDI keyboard for the past
month or so you can see already got a
little bit of wear and tear on ER but
I’ve been totally happy this does
everything that I needed to do I don’t
really miss the drum pads all that much
because you can play all your drum
sounds right on your keyboard but if you
do want something that’s still
lightweight and portable a little more
heavy than the micro lab of course you
get drum pads and you get some
programmable knobs check out the mini
lab these sell for right around a
hundred bucks on Amazon and I still
think this is one of the best MIDI
keyboards on the market so I wanted to
bring it up for you guys
I’ve already done a pretty extensive
review of this keyboard I’ll be sure to
link a video up for you and even with
the micro lab coming and I still think
this is my mini MIDI keyboard of choice
but that’s gonna do it for our look at a
Tori of MIDI keyboards alright so next
up is the keyboard that I was probably
most excited to check out this is the
new launch key mini from Novation ya
know
fancy that I my first try – all right so
all right so oh all right so next up is
the keyboard so next up is to keep
alright so next I hope it still works
because I haven’t filmed any other demo
stuff yet nothing shakin on the inside
so that’s not a good sign I’m just
kidding that took me like a lot of tries
as far as the previous launch key minis
were concerned I was just a little bit
more impressed with some of the other
options that were available but this is
the latest this is the mk3 this is the
third installment of this launch key
mini and I think they really added some
stuff to this keyboard that makes it
worth considering so let’s talk about
that up until now I think the undisputed
champion of size portability features
was this guy the Akai MPK many everybody
seen this a lot of people use this one
and it was just kind of the best
all-around option if you were looking
for something small and portable but
also with quite a few features and then
this guy came along which little size
comparison very similar in size the
launch key mini is just slightly thinner

• and it definitely feels like the
  launch key mini is coming for this crown
  so size of portability right out the
  gate eight plus this is gonna have no
  problem fitting in any bag that you have
  for my guitarist friends this will
  probably fit in the front pouch of your
  guitar bag so if you’re going to like a
  writing session or a jam session or
  whatever you can kind of just bring
  everything in one bag which is always
  dope even though the plastic is pretty
  lightweight and I definitely wouldn’t
  want to drop this thing this doesn’t
  feel cheap it has a nice enough weight
  to it and just the overall design of the
  product makes it feel kind of premium
  for the price tag now the only thing
  that I’m not so crazy about is this key
  bed there’s not a whole lot of key
  travel if there’s a little bit like
  you’re playing a toy the velocity
  sensitivity in my experience works just
  fine so there’s no issues there it’s
  just that the playing experience on this
  keyboard isn’t the greatest which listen
  this keyboard offers a lot of other
  great features which we’re going to get
  into so the keypad not being the best
  isn’t a deal-breaker at all for me now
  anybody familiar with the Novation
  launch key line knows this this is a
  product that is
  mostly geared towards Ableton Live users
  now I’m not in Ableton Live user so I’m
  not going to be able to download that
  for you I will be sure to link in the
  description below in proper demo of how
  this controller links up perfectly with
  Ableton Live but I’m hoping to make a
  case for this keyboard as a great option
  no matter what dog you’re using this
  launch key mini has 16
  velocity-sensitive RGB backlit pads but
  even for as small as these drum pads are
  I have been super impressed at how well
  they function we got this fixed cord
  control which like the micro lab that we
  looked at will allow you to program a
  cord and then trigger it with a single
  note we’ve got our pitch and modulation
  strips over here on the side we’ve got
  eight different programmable knobs
  we’ve got octave controls we have a
  transpose feature and on the back
  they’ve not only included a sustain
  pedal input but they’ve also included
  this MIDI out jack which will allow you
  to connect and control other made
  devices which is pretty crazy because
  you usually don’t see that feature and
  the device at this price point and then
  I think the feature that people are most
  ghast about is the arpeggiator because
  it’s pretty complex it can do a lot and
  it’s kind of the first built-in
  arpeggiator that has taken a swing at
  the built-in arpeggiator in the Akai MPK
  mini which is also very good but I think
  Novation takes it a few steps further
  the launch committee also does come
  bundled with some great included
  software most notably Ableton Live Lite
  which is the intro version to Ableton
  Live so you buy this MIDI keyboard and
  you have a da W to get started with
  making your music so the launch
  committee is just jam-packed with
  features and for my money I do think it
  has the slight edge on the Akai MPK mini
  as the ultimate portability plus
  features champion the Akai MPK mini is
  still a really solid option and if you
  want more information on this keyboard I
  will be sure to link up the video where
  I do a little bit more of an extensive
  review of this keyboard but I do really
  like the new kid on the block sand
  ovation launch key mini mark 3 is here
  to stay I think if you’re in Ableton
  Live user this is the option for you
  this is the way to go
  so that is the Novation launch key mini
  mark 3 so next up I have the complete
  control m32 MIDI keyboard from Native
  Instruments and not a first glance this
  may not look like the best option if
  portability is your top priority and
  that’s because this keyboard offers 32
  keys as opposed to 25 which is what you
  normally get in the smaller size MIDI
  keyboards I will say this will fit in
  most bags or backpacks but yeah if
  portability is your ultimate priority
  this is the biggest keyboard that we’re
  going to talk about today what I like
  about this mini keyboard though is that
  it is still small enough to be
  considered portable but it’s also big
  enough that it doesn’t feel like you’re
  working on a tiny little keyboard when
  you’re in your studio the key bet is
  really really nice to play really great
  velocity sensitivity in the keys the m32
  offers some great dock controls right on
  face at the keyboard it has these eight
  programmable knobs which can easily be
  dialed into perfection with up of this
  little LCD screen that will give you a
  readout for whatever parameter you’re
  controlling with your knobs
  and this keyboard will integrate
  perfectly with any instrument found in
  Native Instruments Komplete software as
  well as any nks instruments like a Toria
  output and you heat this keyboard also
  comes bundled with some incredible
  software including Ableton Live Lite to
  get you started making music again
  Ableton Live Lite is a great intro
  version of Ableton Live you also get
  some great native instrument staples
  like Maschine essentials and monarch as
  well as the complete control software
  just to name a few
  the f32 also comes with Native
  Instruments Komplete start which
  technically anybody can go and download
  it’s a lot like what a Toria has done
  with analog lab lite complete start is
  kind of an intro into the world of the
  native instrument sounds so all things
  considered the keyboard its playability
  its functionality the included software
  the size and portability but still it’s
  got some extra keys than the other ones
  do the price tag however is a little bit
  higher than some of the other keyboards
  that we looked at today the m32 right
  now is selling for about one hundred and
  thirty dollars on amazon so just have to
  decide if these extra features and the
  included software are worth the price
  mark up for you but in any event the
  complete control + 32 is a great option
  especially if you’re looking to get into
  the world of native instruments so
  lastly I’ve got kind of an interesting
  device that I want to check out with you
  guys this was a product that was sent to
  me recently from a company here in New
  York and they asked if I’d be willing to
  share some thoughts and so far in my
  limited use of this device I’m pretty
  impressed this is the morph from sin
  sole and as you can see
  it’s soups portable super thin now for
  as small as this packages the morph
  boasts some pretty impressive technology
  the morph has 20,000 pressure sensors in
  it which is really just a fancy way of
  saying that you will have a ton of
  dynamic range to play with but
  technically speaking this isn’t just a
  MIDI keyboard it’s intended to be an
  all-in-one control surface for artists
  and the control service changes its
  function with the swapping of these
  silicon overlays so if you want to play
  keys you have an overlay for that
  if you want to play drums you have a
  separate overlay for that and there’s
  even a separate overlay for music
  production with some drum pads and some
  piano keys this one’s actually really
  cool but they also offer silicon
  overlays for video editing and for your
  computer keyboard so in theory this
  device really could be kind of a
  one-stop shop for all of your computer
  video editing music production needs the
  thought of throwing just one super thin
  device in my bag along with my computer
  knowing that kind of all my bases are
  gonna be covered is ideal to say the
  least there’s no question that I think
  the technology is there for this device
  and I think it functions really well
  personally I would see myself using this
  music production overlay probably the
  most the keyboard overlay definitely
  functions just fine but I definitely
  missed the feeling of actual physical
  keys with that key travel underneath
  maybe I’m too old-school maybe I’m set
  in my ways but that’s just something
  that I’ve missed but again it’s like
  what do you expect from a piece of
  rubber it’s actually kind of remarkable
  that this control service is registering
  notes the same way a MIDI keyboard would
  if you’re a creative professional or
  even an aspiring one I think this is a
  really interesting device to consider
  whether I’m reading music or producing
  or editing video the thought of being
  able to have some nice controls right at
  my fingertips is really interesting I do
  think the $250 price point is gonna
  steer a lot of people away from this
  that 250 gets you the control surface
  and an overlay of your choice each
  additional overlay is thirty five bucks
  so the sense of morph might just be the
  ultimate compact portable versatile
  control
  for creatives and musicians but it’s
  simply going to come at a slightly
  higher price tag than some of the other
  options that we looked at today so you
  will just have to determine if this is a
  good device for you all right so we
  covered a lot today that’s quite the
  ambitious undertaking by your boy
  Patrick so I’m frankly exhausted and
  definitely sweating so let’s get into
  the giveaway details and we’ll wrap this
  thing up so if you want to be entered to
  win one of the MIDI keyboards that we
  talked about today all you need to do is
  subscribe to this channel and hit that
  notification bell and leave a like and a
  comment on this video let me know in the
  comments below which one of these MIDI
  keyboards is your favorite and why and
  yes I am gonna pick a couple winners for
  this giveaway I pick the first winner
  when the video hits 500 likes and the
  second winner when the video heads a
  thousand likes so good luck to all of
  you thank you guys as always for your
  support of this channel these giveaways
  are just a small way for me to show my
  gratitude so until next time guys my
  name is Patrick I’ll catch y’all soon
  all right peace