Best Budget Friendly MIDI Controller Keyboards

Music Radar has put together a great list of what they believe to be the 12 best MIDI controller keyboards under $150. To be honest, I can't say I disagree with any of their recommendations when it comes to this class of controller.

They've done a fantastic job of presenting the reader with a great resource when it comes to making music on a budget. We all know playing MIDI notes with the home row of our keyboard is frustrating, spend a little time with this article plus a few bucks and you'll be tickling the ivories (errr plastics) in no time.

The 12 Best Budget MIDI Controller Keyboards

Awesome Custom Ableton Live Controller

Here is a video of an awesome customer Ableton controller from Ander.  The knobs overlaid above the LED's add an especially cool touch to the units.  Ander does an excellent job explaining his work in the video below so I'll let him do the rest of the talking.  Enjoy!

Madeon Mashup with Novation Launchpad

I first heard of Madeon after one of my partners at the EasyLove Music Blog featured some of his work in a post, I was Immediately taken back by what I can only call extremely enjoyable house music.  Madeon must take cues from fellow Frenchmen Daft Punk because their styles are remarkably similar. That is, Daft Punk & Madeon both seem to invoke similar emotions, for me at least.  Madeon has managed to add his own flair however and it is no doubt the key ingredient that has helped launch him into the spotlight.  He's currently the undisputed champion of young guns in the dance music world and the video that you're about to see below will only add to his credibility within this ever changing scene.  Madeon's Pop Culture mashup video already has over a million views on youtube and it's steadily climbing the hit ladder towards two million.  The video is a single shot of Madeon jamming out to 39 separate samples using his Novation Launchpad and Zero MkII to control and organize the madness.  The end result is a spectacular dance music mashup that must be seen and heard to be believed.  Enjoy! Thanks for reading & happy geeking!



All the best,

Nick

4midiLoop a Fader Fox Design DJ Controller

I haven't done any posts on German MIDI controller manufacturer Fader Fox yet but, if you know me, you know... I love FaderFox! Quality MIDI control, something that's a rarity in the audio industry. You've got Livid Instruments & FaderFox doing honorable work in the MIDI world, beyond that you have to get very boutique or DIY to give yourself reliable controls capable of MIDI.

Even though it seems bleak for you MIDI guys it's not all darkness. in 2009 when Traktor Pro was introduced a DJ by the name of DJ Mole switched from his timecode vinyls to a custom MIDI controller he built with the help of FaderFox. The popularity of this unit was quickly picked up on by the YouTube masses and DJ Mole saw an opportunity to create a product. Thus, Glanzmann Digital DJ Solutions was born. They set to work creating a new fully functional DJ Controller they could sell to the public. Glanzmann Solutions joined forces with FaderFox and together the two companies set out to build the finest DJ MIDI Controller ever created. Fader Fox has made a name for itself by creating rough & tough portable MIDI Controllers for DJ's & Producers. They've dubbed their controllers the MicroModule line and that's exactly what they are. Everything they make is professionally designed and built in Germany for customers demanding precise and tactile MIDI control.

Now that we know a bit more about Glanzmann Digital & FaderFox we can take a closer look at their collaboration for the digital DJ world. The 4midiLoop is a completely functional and customizable MIDI controller specifically designed for Traktor Pro. It features 4 sections complete with everything you need to control each of Traktor Pro's 4 tracks. Each section features its own: EQ, Transport, FX, Seek/Scratch, Looping & Cue sections all designed to work with Traktor Pro. I haven't seen a controller with as much control over a program as the 4midiLoop has. Sure, some can control everything that the 4midiLoop can but... they can't do it without hitting some sort of "shift" button. Every single thing you need to control your DJ set is right in front of your face with the 4midiLoop. No need to worry about switches or shift buttons, if you need to control it, you can quickly access it on the 4midiLoop. The 4midiLoop features 47 knobs, 5 Faders, 152 LED's & 166 Buttons plus, the whole thing is USB bus powered. You don't have to be worried about being rough with this beast, it's designed for the road as all FaderFox products are.

Give the 4midiLoop a look, the price is a bit steep considering it has no interface but all in all I feel it's a pretty fair mark. Would I buy it over the Xone DX? That's debatable but, it certainly wouldn't be an easy decision. Hopefully I can get my hands on one of these for a review, until then be sure to check out the 4midiLoop & FaderFox websites for more information regarding this truly savage DJ controller.

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Synthesizer

I first saw this little beast on Livid's facebook page, the product has since been made more famous, post its appearance in Sweedish House Mafia's video for One. You know that madness in the beginning of the song? That's all from the OP-1. You're intrigued now, might as well keep reading.

The OP-1 is a portable synthesizer that also features MIDI & Teenage Engineering's exclusive "tape" feature. Inside is multiple types of synthesis (8 to be precise) including a form of analog emulation for you tone lovers. Most of you are used to controlling synthesis through the basic ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelope which is obviously built in to the OP-1. But, the OP-1 also features other types of envelope forms giving you even more control and customization over the sounds you create on the OP-1. Add to this a built in sequencer and sampler for creating drum loops and small samples of program info. The synthesis and drum sampler are all cool enough but, that isn't really what sets the OP-1 apart.

What does make it quite unique is the OP-1's "tape" emulation function. With this little tool you can record and manipulate sounds you've created to the tape function (HD) in real time. It's a 4 track tape recorder that's capable of capturing sound from the built in synth/sampler or from the inputs available with the OP-1's audio interface. A tape machine can in fact be a very cool sounding instrument. The first time I hit play on a 24 track I instantly re-wound the tape to record the sound of the tape starting up. It's truly an epic sound and while the OP-1 obviously isn't a Studer, it does it's best to emulate the effects of one.  There are a ton of unique sounds you can concoct using the tape feature that will surely set your music apart from the masses. There's a small built in mixer so you can easily blend the sounds between the 4 tracks you've built up while jamming on top of the OP-1. The OP-1 connects to your computer via USB and shows up as a storage device. This allows you to easily pull material you've created onto the OP-1 right into your DAW for mixing and placement into your songs. The USB functionality also enables the OP-1 to act as a basic MIDI controller.

The built in audio interface features in's & out's via 3.5mm jacks @ 24bits & 96kbps. The OP-1 also has a small built in speaker so you can jam anywhere, did I mention the unit can be battery powered. Another neat feature of the OP-1 is it's G-Force motion sensor. This allows the user to shake or move the OP-1 complete with an effected audio response from the OP-1. Shake this beast and the sound will in turn shake as well! There is even rumors from Teenage Engineering that you will be able to connect multiple OP-1's for jamming with your friends without wires. That's what I just said, wireless digital jam sessions! The OP-1 might be worth buying just to keep in your glove box for long road trips with people like me who don't shut the hell up.

The OP-1 has gotten incredibly fantastic reviews from the audio world and if it's good enough for Sweedish House Mafia it's certainly good enough for all of us!  You can't buy the OP-1 yet but as soon as you can I'll surely let you all know via ZeSoundSuite!  Check out the video below of the OP-1 in action and for more information on the OP-1 & the company behind it; Teenage Engineering be sure to check out their webstie! 

Dj TechTools Handbuilt MIDI Fighter

Buttons, Good... MIDI Buttons, better... Arcade Style MIDI Buttons, INSANE!  DjTechTools.com is a blog/resource/store for DJ's based around the equipment, techniques & tricks of the Digital DJ world.  Fear not producers, they haven't forgot about you.  Case & Point: The MIDI Fighter.   This piece was originally sold out but, as of October 1st, 2010 DJTechTools.com is now taking orders for this beast once again.

The MIDI Fighter is a hand built, completely customizable MIDI Controller for use with any software that accepts MIDI messages.  The MIDI Fighter features a high quality sturdy frame sporting 16 spring loaded durable & smooth Japanese Sanwa Arcade Buttons & blue LED's.  If you've ever used any type of spring loaded controller button you know how absolutely epic they are for bouncing between cue points, loops and firing samples.  Allen & Heath's Xone DX features 4 tiny spring loaded buttons for memory cues and this was hands down my favorite feature of the controller.  I'm getting all turned on thinking about 16 massive spring loaded buttons to jam on.  The MIDI Fighter isn't some cheap crumby standard MIDI Controller, quite the contrary in fact.

Each one of these controllers is completely hand built and unique from the acrylic base plate up.  DJ TechTool's store allows you to customize your controller in real time on the web and see exactly how it will look before your purchase it.  They can build your controller for you, for an extra $15.00 (a very fair shake I must say, props) or you can have it shipped to you in pieces and you can build it yourself.  No need to worry about soldering either, none is required with their DIY MIDI Fighter kits.  Don't forget that since these are built DIY style in pieces your MIDI Fighter is also completely customizable and ready for an upgrade anytime you feel the urge.  The main board comes with an extra 8 inputs. (4 Analog, 4 Digital)  This means you can add your own controls aside from the Sanwa Buttons (IE: Faders, Knobs, Ribbons etc) thus turning your MIDI Fighter into a truly one of a kind machine.  If you're still skeptical about the whole DIY idea, don't be.  DJ Tech Tools put together a great video to help you out and guide you through the process step by step.  I feel like I could show my 8 year old niece this video, give her the pieces and she could build it.  Plus, think how much better you'll feel about your controller knowing you built it yourself.  That's worth the DIY time right there not to mention you save 15 bucks.

Worried about mapping this controller to your software? You worry to much... no need to trip DJTechTools.com has taken care of that for you too.  At their site they have mappings available for Traktor Pro & Serato Scratch.  Mapping in Ableton is beyond easy and it's also a program that's used in such a variety of ways by each user it's obvious they don't have a map for it.  I know three people who use digital lighting software to control their DMX capable stage lights, I have to say that I think the MIDI Fighter might be the perfect option for those lighting guys looking for a durable controller to orchestrate their light shows with too.

Lets re-cap this thing really quick.  Hand Built, High Performance/Quality, DIY Option, Customizable, Upgradable, Supported, Versatile MIDI Controller.  It also has quite the community of passionate and dedicated digital geeks standing behind it to ensure you're never left in the dark if you have questions regarding the MIDI Fighter.  What are you waiting for? Go buy one! Even I must admit that I had given up on spending money on DJ/Production equipment so I could save up for more engineering based analog gear but I think I'll be breaking that little pact with myself to grab one of these before they're sold out again.  For more information regarding the MIDI Fighter check out the video below and visit DjTechTools.com.



Best,

Nick

Traktor Kontrol S4 Available November 1st Pre-Order Now Available

Hey everyone here's a little quickie for all of you.  Native Instruments just announced they would be releasing their Traktor Kontrol S4 on November 1st 2010 & NI just started taking pre-orders on it today.  While I did just do a post on Allen & Heath's Xone DX & The HoloDesk proclaiming their greatness, this piece of hardware is also another quality controller option.  While Native Instruments doesn't have the reputation for software control & DJ equipment that Allen & Heath does, they did create Traktor and I'm sure the Traktor Kontrol S4 will be quite the beast when it comes to MIDI talk with Traktor.  The 24bit/96k audio interface shouldn't be a slouch either.  There isn't much to say about it yet, just check out the video below and follow the link for more info from Native Instruments.  When this product does become available I'll surely get a review out to all of you as I am a big fan of Traktor Pro and can't wait to see what this MIDI Controller can do!  Plus, for $999.99 including a specialized copy of Traktor Pro this thing is a pretty damn good deal!



Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 Product Page
 

ICE AV's HoloDesk The Future of Digital Software Control

You've all seen holographic displays before, they are very prevalent in Hollywood movies and often now used by news anchors and sports casters on television. However, they aren't quite as prevalent in the musical performance scene. Kevin Andreassend is the inventor of the HoloDesk and he's looking to change that. Kevin was kind enough to leave a comment on ZeSoundSuite and helped me promote this place by linking ZSS to some of his sites. I figured I would return the favor by doing some research on the HoloDesk and preparing a post for all of you to enjoy.

ICE AV is a company from the New Zealand that has created the HoloDesk for DJ's and digitally based performers. The HoloDesk is a holographic 2D touch sensitive display that projects images on both sides of the unit. This gives the audience a front row seat to whatever is being displayed on the HoloDesk. The crowd can now see all the madness the DJ or Performer is manipulating in their software during the show. Obviously the HoloDesk can be put to more uses than just DJing but for now being that it's so new to the market that's all we have a preview to at the moment. The HoloDesk can convert your hands touch into MIDI messages which can then be sent into your DJ software to manipulate the various parameters and controls.  Imagine being able to see exactly what the DJ is doing as they're doing it. The HoloDesk has the ability to connect the artist and the crowd in new ways never before thought of. A live performance is all about the connection and the HoloDesk will certainly be that link between performers and audiences as it gains popularity in the industry.

Currently you have to purchase a DIY kit to get your own HoloDesk but, a plug & play complete version from ICE AV is in the works currently.  However, a DIY kit does give you the advantage of choosing from a variety of options ICE AV offers.  There's no doubt within a few years we will all of seen this live and in use as DJ's & Performers from around the world are itching to get their own HoloDesk.   ICE AV is even working on a 10.2" LCD Touchscreen computer running Windows 7 for use with DJ Software as well.   The basic function of the HoloDesk is simple, you touch it and your computer responds just like any other MIDI Controller. The difference being that this is coolest looking most epic MIDI Controller ever created! If you're interested in a HoloDesk you can contact ICE AV Directly or do some more research on your own at their website. Check out this video of a user putting Traktor Pro to work with the HoloDesk and you'll understand why the the HoloDesk is indeed the future of live performance!

Allen & Heath Xone DX ZeSoundSuite Review!

A couple weeks ago I was lucky enough to have an Allen & Heath Xone DX in my possession.  Naturally I knew I'd be writing a little review up on it so I tried to master the controller as best as possible in the short time I had it.  I used the Xone DX with Traktor Pro because to be honest Serato's Itch is just not appealing to me whatsoever.  Itch's GUI just instantly turns me off to it.  I don't care what anyone says, a solid looking pleasant GUI is beyond important.  Serato is for Turn Table DJ's not Controller DJ's.  GUI stands for graphical user interface by the way, it's essentially just a fancy & nerdy way of describing how the software looks on your screen.  Enough of talking about the crumby bundled software, lets get down to the grit.  

Allen & Heath created a special .tsi file for Traktor (4 different mappings to be exact) that allows the Xone DX to be instantly MIDI mapped to Traktor without any fuss.  Once the Xone DX .tsi file is loaded you literally don't have to touch your computer again.  The browsing section controls located on the Xone DX is fantastic and makes selecting and loading songs from your library a breeze, all without ever having to touch your track pad.  Keep in mind the Xone DX was not built in collaboration with Native Instruments.  Allen & Heath just did the MIDI mapping perfectly and certainly had Traktor Pro in mind when they designed and built the Xone DX.

I'll keep this review as short as possible whilst still remaining concise, I'll explain to you all what I really liked about the Xone DX and also the features I think they could improve on.  Let's start with the sweet stuff first though, this should also tell you right off the bat my overall impression of the Xone DX.  My favorite feature hands down is the build quality, this thing is built like a tank! Not much to say about this to be truthful, it's no secret the DJ MIDI Controller market is flooded with a bunch of garbage that feels like a playschool speak & spell.  Allen & Heath left this idea in the dust when they built the Xone DX.

The knobs feel absolutely beautiful and you would swear you're touching an actual analog mixer.  The faders are equally as sweet, they're smooth yet feel quite solid.  You don't have to worry about breaking these beasts while slamming tracks together they can surely handle it.  They didn't build a pitch fader into the DX, instead you control pitch with a click able knob.  I'm sure this will no doubt turn some DJ's off but if you want to be smashing 4 tracks at once together you're not beat matching anyway.  Let's all be honest, the audience has no idea and you can give them 50 times the show if you're using an auto sync feature.  Not to say beat matching isn't an important skill and art, it's just that it's the future now and using auto sync to create a more interesting set will take over.  I could still be using a rotary telephone because it's "classic" but, I don't.  Allen & Heath definitely thought about this when they built the DX and it's quite evident seeing as how the DX lacks pitch faders.

The 4 decks can be independtly controlled with a simple button that allows you to switch between two decks for each side of the DX.  I had decks 1 & 3 on the left side and decks 2 & 4 on the right, the different MIDI maps Allen & Heath created allow you to set this up in any way you'd like however.  Another feature I was really pleased with were the cue buttons.  I honestly wish there was more of them, they bounce back fantastically and make bumping between cues to create cool jumps and loops inside of tracks incredibly easy.  This is a great feature and allows you to unlock all kinds of creativity you didn't knew you had inside of you.  It's a controller so as expected, the XD doesn't have nice & solid large jog wheels.  But, neither does it's big brother the 4D, and the 4D is good enough for the biggest names in EDM Production & DJing so... yeah, you could say they most likely get the job done regardless. The next thing I'll touch on are the 2 groups of 4 effect knobs located at the top of the DX.  The first 3 knobs are all fantastic, the 4th knob is another click-able knob and while it is very useful for selecting and browsing between effects, it doubles as the 4th MIDI knob for Traktor's EFX section and it's a tad difficult to turn quickly and efficiently unlike the first 3 knobs are.  If you're familiar with Traktor you'll know this 4th knob is beyond important in the control and sync of your effects.  I wish they would've added a 5th knob that was click able for browsing and left the 4 you turn for your effects all the same.

Lets talk about looping... Allen & Heath nailed it! The looping creation and selection section on the Xone DX is beyond fantastic.  Creating your loops is painless and you can do it manually In/Out old school style or select a bar length and just turn the loop on & off with a single button.  Loop length can then be adjusted with a knob which makes creating those epic breakdowns building up to 1/16th tripping loops quite simple.  The looping section is yet another very usable and practical feature on the DX.

Alright so we know it feels great, we know the features make operating Traktor a breeze.  But.... How does it sound?  Well seeing as how that's pretty much all I care about you can be assured you're about to have an answer to that question in a few sentences.  Before I tell you I'll explain the interface on the back of the DX.  The DX sports a 10in/10out, 24bit/96kbps audio interface with your main outs being fed by XLR of RCA.  This is all fed via USB 2.0 from your computer.  If you buy one of these, be sure to spend a little extra money on a high quality USB 2.0 cable.  The DX will be sending a tremendous amount of audio plus MIDI info down the same pipe between itself and your computer.  Get a good cable to ensure audio quality is maintained from the beginning of your signal flow. (Your computer's USB O/P)  All of the inputs on the DX are RCA and so are the other outputs.  You do however have a mic preamp built into the front of the DX however that allows to connect any dynamic mic for yourself or your emcee.  This input also features a high freq. & low freq. EQ so you can dial back any unwanted frequencies that might be causing feedback.  It's always a good idea to just kill the highs & lows when you're talking through a mic while DJing anyways just to prevent the possibility of some nasty vibe killing feedback destroying your audiences ears.  That's all cool in all but... How does it sound??? IT SOUNDS FANTASTIC!  Unfortunately I didn't have a nice Pioneer or Dennon mixer to compare it to but I did have my M-Box (this contest wasn't even fair) The DX crushed the M-box on both my studio monitors and my Mackie SRM 450.  When I played a show with it through a system with some low end I was more than impressed.  Bass response was beyond thick and the highs were nice and sparkly without being ear piercing. (especially important if you're a heavy filter fan)  I'll put it this way... I'm not sure if it sounds as good as a Pioneer of even a Xone 4D sound wise but, it sure smashes any other controller's soundcards into the ground.  This actually has that analog mixer vibe in the sound, that's something that is honestly priceless in a controller.

So that pretty much sums it up without explaining every feature in detail, if you're really interested in buying one you should do that research on your own anyways, don't take my word for it.  Before I let you all go do your own digging I will tell you some of things I think Allen & Heath could improve on.  First off, yes the glitch you've seen in youtube videos is true.  If you tap in between the play & cue buttons the controller will sometimes send a midi message to computer activating the play/pause button.  It should be noted that it usually takes a pretty hard tap though.  This could still be  a problem though especially when playing on massive systems as the low end from these could also aggravate and create this pause glitch in the middle of your set.  Hopefully Allen & Heath will address this issue and fix it quickly.  Secondly it's a little small, my hands are fat but I feel like the size is still a bit of an issue. I understand them wanting it to be compact but if it had an extra 6 to 12 inches of width this this would be perfect size wise. (insert dick joke here)  Finally my last bit of advice to Allen & Heath regards the mixer section of the controller.  They should strip all the MIDI functionality of these and make it a true analog mixer.  That way your DJ software would run more smoothly not having to function as a mixer & EQ plus you'd have true analog faders & knobs creating what would truly be the dopest DJ Controller/Mixer hybrid on the planet.

Overall though I give the Allen & Heath Xone DX 3.5 out of 5 stars.  It could have a 4 if they fix that tap glitch and the only reason it can never get a 5 is because the Allen & Heath Xone 4D is the only true 5 star beast.  The Xone DX is hands down the best MIDI DJ Controller/Interface available on the market for the price.  It can't be beat!  Don't waste your time & money with Numark garbage, save your money and buy a DX.  You'll thank me later.  It feels like a real analog mixer, sounds like a analog mixer and controls DJ software with the greatest of ease.  Allen & Heath smashed it when they built the DX and I can't wait to see what the future holds for the DJ MIDI Controller market.