The beautiful days are here, the sun is shining and you have finished planning your vacation that you have been waiting for for months. But as a musician, it is out of the question to do without musical creation during your travels. Unfortunately, the means to take your workstation or your home studio on vacation are still very limited today.

Fortunately, there are a multitude of compact, light and transportable MIDI keyboards that you can take anywhere and take out at any time: whether at the beach, in the mountains, at the hotel or even on the train or the plane.

What is a MIDI keyboard?

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) technology allows you to play sounds from a computer or tablet through an instrument that sends / receives MIDI messages. Therefore, in most cases when we talk about a MIDI keyboard we mean that it can only be played with a program launched from an external device.

The MIDI keyboards presented here are small and compact models with 25 or 32 keys, at very attractive prices. They allow you to control programs on PC, Mac or laptop, or more ideally for the holidays: on Android smartphone, iPhone, iPad or other tablets!

Let’s discover together some superb little keyboards that will allow you to give free rein to your inspiration or simply strum a few notes at any time.

Akai MPK Mini MK3

The new version of Akai’s bestseller, the MPK Mini MK3 is probably one of the most popular compact MIDI keyboards. With improved ergonomics, an LCD screen to see your parameters / patches, 8 intensity-sensitive pads and a joystick that stands out from its predecessors, it is without hesitation one of the best mini MIDI keyboards for quickly creating superb sounds. Also available in black or white themes!

Akai Mini Play MK3

Love the Akai MPK Mini but forgot to charge your smartphone or tablet? Instead, take the Akai Mini Play MK3 on board: it brings the same features as its comrade but with a beautiful collection of integrated sounds and a small speaker to be able to play it independently.

In terms of connections, the Mini Play goes straight to the point: an audio output to connect your headphones, and a USB socket to connect your PC / Smartphone or Tablet (remember to take the right cable or adapter for the connection to your device).

Novation Launchkey Mini MK3

The Novation Launchkey Mini MK3 is a great choice when it comes to compact MIDI keyboards. It features plenty of programmable controls with lighted pads, pitch bend and mod bend via comfortable sliding pads, and works smoothly with all major DAWs. An ideal keyboard for beginners as well as for seasoned producers!

M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3

The Keystation Mini 32 MK3 was designed with two ideas in mind: lightness and comfort. Its 32-key velocity-sensitive keyboard is very pleasant to play despite its small flat-panel keys. It’s a great choice for composing melodic lines and quickly recording them to your DAW. Here no pads or sliders, we have 3 assignable buttons and a joystick to modulate your sounds, all in a sober design that goes straight to the point.

Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol M32

Ultra portable and lightweight with a sleek look and solid controls that give you everything you need in a mini MIDI keyboard, these are the qualities of the Komplete Kontrol M32 from Native Instruments. The little extra? The Smart Play function which allows easy mapping of chords / arpeggios. A nice feature for beginners in the process of learning.

CME Xkey Air

A futuristic keyboard that will not leave IOS musicians indifferent. The CME Xkey Air has been designed to be used with Iphone or Ipad in bluetooth, without any cables! For those who are worried about the latency due to bluetooth, it is undetectable and there is no noticeable difference with wired models. The CME Xkey Air is a controller that is perfect for the studio or on the go, with 25 or 37 comfortably sized keys with aftertouch and polyphony.

Dualo Du-Touch S

The instrument that stands out in this list, the Dualo Du-Touch S is a curious machine that is reminiscent of a digital accordion due to the positioning of the keys and the arrangement of its notes. But on closer inspection, we discover a superb 100% portable musical production instrument. It integrates multiple sounds of all types (keyboards, percussions, basses, orchestrations …) and allows you to stack melodic loops to create a complete song. Also usable in MIDI, you can control your favorite VSTs and record your creations on your DAW favorite.

You can find all these small keyboards directly on our site, or discover them on display in our store.