MIDI Controllers

Some synths sound great, but lack hands‑on control. That’s where the Patch Editor comes in...

As its name suggests, the Nucleus is designed to be the core of your studio. It’s ambitious, but if anyone can pull it off, SSL can...

Livid Instruments' new control surface boasts not only an unusual flexibility — courtesy of its custom editing software — but also some fine handmade wooden end-cheeks...

Looking for a compact controller keyboard costing not much more than a bag of chips? Look no further...

Fed up with the vagaries of pitch-to-MIDI guitar, but don't have time to learn to play a keyboard? The Ztar offers clean, keyboard-like MIDI from an instrument that guitar players can relate to instantly. It could be just what you need...

Offering hands-on DAW control and a 32-input analogue console with bus compressor, Audient's latest mixer is very impressive indeed — and it's not as expensive as you might expect...

Does a 'boutique' approach to building outboard have to mean inflated prices? Not according to this manufacturer...

The Faderfox controllers are bijou and boutique, and theres five of them to choose from.

The Ableton controller race is hotting up — so how does the latest contender, the Akai APC20, compare to the competition?

The follow-up to the revolutionary Eigenharp Alpha is designed to make the essence of the Eigenharp experience more accessible and affordable. How well does it succeed?

M-Audios Oxygen 49 offers competitively priced control over your DAW.

The Ohm64 is the latest in a recent rash of grid-based control surfaces. Does it stand out from the crowd?

Are Akai's mini MIDI controllers the perfect partners for your laptop?

After an extensive programme of selective breeding, Novation have created the Nocturn 25 — an affordable, touch-sensitive controller keyboard.

Novation have brought their control surface expertise to bear on Ableton Live. The result is the Launchpad: a low-cost, colourful and pleasingly idiosyncratic way to get hands-on with Live.

Its makers describe the Eigenharp as “the most revolutionary new musical instrument in 60 years”. Could this bold claim be justified?

The Axiom Pro showcases M-Audios controller keyboard know-how and debuts their brand-new Hyper Control technology, which is designed to make adjusting software parameters quicker and easier.

The tiny MPK25 goes beyond knobs and buttons alone, offering MPC-style drum pads for added versatility.

Akai and Ableton have collaborated on the APC40, to bring tightly integrated, hands-on hardware control to Live.

The piano keyboard is so widespread and familiar that we take it for granted. But, as C-Thru Musics Axis 49 demonstrates, its not the only option out there.

The challenge was to add yet more features to Live without compromising its legendary ease of use. Have Ableton succeeded?