Looking for keyboard suggestions, I just can’t find what I’m looking for. Criteria are:
49 key keyboard, slim keys are fine:.
With on board sounds, can be basic pianos etc, doesn’t have to be a full on synth, just something I can noodle on without having to connect extra gear.
USB AND trs/5pin midi connection. Bluetooth midi a bonus.
Power supply separate from usb connection.
Basically a 49 key keystep with onboard sounds. Or like an old Yamaha portasound but with 5pin/trs&usb midi.
TRS midi on a 49 key is unlikely but someone might prove me wrong on that.
Yamaha MX49 is maybe a little expensive for what you want but it’s 49 keys and has usb and physical DIN midi plus a pretty comprehensive set of built in tools.
Korg x50 is old but it’s a beast of sounds. Multitimbral, external editor, massive sounds. I have microX with the same sound engine. In fact, I think it’s Triton engine. It sounds impressive.
And gotta say, I’m impressed Shig could find an instrument that fit the OP’s needs. Surveying the field, what I see is a lot of potentially affordable old synths and romplers—but 61 keys and sometimes no USB MIDI. At the other end of the spectrum, there are many nice but pricier current instruments with DIN/TRS and USB MIDI, and a smaller footprint (MPC Key 37, Hydrasynth Explorer)—but they’re all 37 keys.
There just doesn’t seem to be many modern 49 key sound generator keyboards with USB and TRS/DIN Midi that are not also expensive synths.
The order of the limiting factors would be good to know here from the OP - e.g the options open up a lot of 61 keys could be ok.
A fallback option is to get a small cheap sound generator to go with one of the many 49 key midi keyboards. This is probably what I’d do since the requirements given really limit the options. Doing this would allow for a huge range of choice for both keyboard and sound generator. E.g
Keylab
MPK249
Nektar Impact GX49
Etc
Roland Sound Canvas
Midi plus piano engine
iPad mini + your choice of apps
Etc
So I’ve found 49 keys is the minimum to be able to play two hands, bass and treble clef with a footprint small enough to be on my desk with a couple of boxes next to it. And having built in sound is so I can flip it on and play instantly without having to think about it. I almost want to be practicing scales and chords absent minded while working. Found turning on the iPad finding the app connecting audio/midi etc takes too long when inspiration hits. But a sound module might be good shout. Also midi port to use with hardware and usb to use with daw etc…
Yeah lots of controllers (annoyingly many without midi port) and lots of cheap pianos without midi.
Thanks for the responses guys, love this forum so much
I used to work in a school and we ordered a load of the Startone keyboards for classroom duties. Velocity responsive with midi out on USB only. Decent piano sounds.
There’s also this 61 key (but still compact) offering that again only has USB midi out but does have Bluetooth and likely great piano sounds and decent keybed:
but the keys don’t look like they’re velocity sensitive and no trs midi obviously
