
What works for one producer might not be the most useful to another. After all, making music is a unique process for everyone. You don’t have to buy the most popular keyboard or whatever’s on sale at your local Guitar Center.

Think of MIDI as sheet music in that each message relays information about how the note is played and what note is played but doesn’t contain audio.įor the purposes of this guide, we will mostly talk about MIDI keyboard controllers and pad/button controllers. MIDI controllers themselves don’t make sounds - they trigger sounds to play in your Mac or PC, a plugin, or another piece of gear. No matter the form factor, all MIDI controllers work by sending “MIDI messages” to your computer. The right MIDI controller can streamline your production workflow and introduce you to new ways of arranging music that are harder to achieve by pointing and clicking on a screen. It can play software instruments, program drums, control your digital audio workstation (DAW) transport, automate plugin parameters while mixing, and more. They are most commonly keyboards, but can also be guitars, a drum machine with pads, or a wearable ring! Even fruit can be wired to a computer processor to become a MIDI controller.Ī MIDI controller is the Swiss Army knife of your studio.

Quite simply: if a device’s primary or secondary function is to send MIDI data to another piece of hardware or software, that device can be considered a MIDI controller. MIDI controllers come in all different styles and sizes.

Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned producer, figuring out how to buy a MIDI controller that’s right for you can be an overwhelming task.īefore we get into our guide, let’s touch on what a MIDI controller is. MIDI controllers are one of the first purchases in any home studio.
