Buying guide
MIDI controllers: play and control your instruments
Our controllers and MIDI range covers 244 products from 52 brands, including . MIDI controllers make no sound themselves: they send notes and control data to software instruments, your DAW or hardware synths. This guide explains the main types and how to connect them.
Types of controller and MIDI tool
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MIDI Keyboard Controllers
131
Keyboards that play software instruments and control your DAW, from 25-key mini models to 88-key weighted controllers.
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MIDI Control Surfaces
19
Knob, fader and button controllers for hands-on control of plugins, synth parameters and live performance.
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MIDI Pad Controllers
18
Velocity-sensitive pads for finger drumming, launching clips and triggering samples.
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DAW Control Surfaces
11
Mixer-style controllers with faders, transport and channel controls for hands-on mixing and recording in your DAW.
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MIDI & CV Sequencers
15
Hardware sequencers that drive synths, drum machines and modular systems with MIDI and CV, without a computer.
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MIDI Interfaces
25
Interfaces, hubs and converters that connect MIDI gear to computers and to each other, including MIDI-to-CV.
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Before you buy
- Decide what you will control: software, hardware or both
- Choose keys, pads, faders or a combination
- Check for 5-pin or TRS MIDI out if you use hardware
- Look at DAW integration for your software
- Make sure it is USB bus-powered if you work on the go
Frequently asked questions
Does a MIDI controller make sound?
No. It needs a computer with software instruments or another instrument to make sound.
Can I connect a MIDI controller to a synthesizer without a computer?
Yes, if the controller has a 5-pin or TRS MIDI output. Connect it to the synth's MIDI input.
What is MPE?
MIDI Polyphonic Expression: each finger sends its own pitch bend and pressure, so notes in a chord can move independently. It needs an MPE controller and an MPE-capable instrument.
Do I need a MIDI interface?
Only to connect 5-pin MIDI gear to a computer that has no MIDI ports, or to route MIDI between several devices.