A MIDI keyboard sends note and controller data to a computer rather than making sound itself, playing virtual instruments from 25-key compacts up to 88-key controllers.
A MIDI keyboard sends note and controller data to a computer rather than making sound itself, playing virtual instruments from 25-key compacts up to 88-key controllers.
About MIDI Keyboards & Controllers
A MIDI keyboard sends note and controller data to your computer or hardware rather than making sound itself, letting you play any virtual instrument inside your DAW. Alongside keyboard controllers, the MIDI controller family includes launchpads and pad controllers with velocity-sensitive pads for finger drumming and clip launching, plus dedicated DAW controllers with faders and transport controls for hands-on mixing.
The SWAMP range runs from compact 25-key MIDI keyboards that fit beside a laptop through to full-sized 88-key controllers, with semi-weighted options for a more piano-like feel, from brands including Novation, Nektar, iCON and Donner. Every controller connects over USB and integrates with any DAW software. Pair yours with an audio interface for recording, add a sustain pedal for expressive playing, or grab MIDI cables to connect hardware synths. After an instrument that makes sound on its own? See our digital pianos and keyboards.
A MIDI keyboard is a type of MIDI controller with piano-style keys. MIDI controller is the broader family that also covers pad controllers, launchpads and DAW control surfaces. All of them send MIDI data to software or hardware rather than producing sound themselves.
25 keys suits producers writing melodies with one hand and saving desk space. 49 or 61 keys give room for two-handed playing, while 88-key controllers suit pianists who want the complete range. Octave shift buttons let smaller keyboards cover the full note span.
Yes. A MIDI keyboard sends data over USB straight to your computer, so nothing else is needed to play virtual instruments. An audio interface is still worth adding for low-latency monitoring and for recording microphones or instruments alongside them.