10 Best Small Midi Keyboard 2025 in the United States

The AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3 is a compact MIDI keyboard controller that is highly suitable for music production, especially for beginners and home studio enthusiasts. With its 25 velocity-sensitive mini keys, this keyboard offers a responsive playing experience, making it great for creating melodies and chords. The standout feature is its 8 backlit drum pads, which are perfect for beat making and triggering samples, enhancing your music production workflow.

One of the key strengths is its portability. Being USB powered, it’s easy to connect to your computer and take it anywhere, which is fantastic for musicians on the go. It also includes a built-in arpeggiator and a 4-way thumbstick for dynamic pitch and modulation control, giving you more creative options during your sessions.

The keyboard comes with 8 assignable knobs that allow for detailed control over virtual instruments and effects, making it suitable for mixing and adjusting sounds in your digital audio workstation. Plus, it offers a complete music production starter kit with software and sound content, which is a great value for those just starting out. The mini keys, while good for portability, may not be ideal for everyone, especially those used to full-sized keys. Additionally, the learning curve with the software and features might be steep for absolute beginners. Lastly, while the drum pads are responsive, some users may find them slightly small for extensive beat production. The AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3 stands out as an excellent choice for aspiring music producers and beat makers looking for a versatile and portable MIDI keyboard controller.

The AKAI Professional MPK Mini Plus is a versatile small MIDI keyboard, ideally suited for music producers looking for portability without compromising on features. With 37 keys, it offers a wider range than typical mini keyboards, which usually have 25 keys, making it more suitable for playing melodies and harmonies. The keys provide a responsive action, which is essential for expressive performance.

Connectivity is a standout feature here, with USB, CV/Gate, and MIDI I/O options allowing you to integrate it easily with various studio equipment, making it highly adaptable for different production setups. Whether connecting to a laptop or controlling modular gear or synthesizers, this keyboard offers the flexibility needed by both beginners and seasoned producers.

The included M-Audio BX3 speakers complement the keyboard well, providing a robust 120W output for clear and immersive sound. These speakers have a bass reflex design and a computer-optimized tweeter waveguide, which ensures balanced audio with deep bass. They are versatile enough to be used as DJ speakers, PC speakers, or studio monitors, thanks to their diverse input options.

However, portability might be slightly compromised due to the additional width from the extra keys and the need to transport speakers. Additionally, while the keyboard's compatibility with popular software like Ableton Live, Avid Pro Tools, and FL Studio is a plus, users reliant on other DAWs might need to check for compatibility.

As a bundle, it offers a comprehensive package for those setting up a home studio or looking to upgrade their existing equipment.

The Akai Professional MPK Mini Plus is a compact and versatile MIDI keyboard ideal for musicians looking for a portable controller with more than just basic features. It offers 37 mini keys, providing three octaves which is enough to play melodies and chords comfortably, though some might miss full-sized keys. The keys are responsive and designed for electronic music styles. It stands out with 8 RGB backlit MPC pads that feel solid and are great for finger drumming or triggering samples. You also get 8 assignable knobs to easily control volume, EQ, or effects in your music software.

Connectivity is strong with USB powering and MIDI/CV/Gate inputs and outputs, allowing you to hook up to computers, modular synths, and older gear, which is uncommon in this size category. The built-in 64-step sequencer lets you compose beats and melodies even without a computer, adding creative freedom on the go. It integrates well with popular DAWs and comes with MPC Beats software plus an exclusive Native Instruments sound package, which helps beginners get started with quality sounds.

Portability is a plus here, with the keyboard weighing just under 3 pounds and a slim profile, making it easy to carry between sessions. However, some users might find the mini keys less comfortable for long playing sessions compared to full-size keys, and while the controls are useful, this keyboard might feel a bit complex if you are brand new to MIDI gear. The MPK Mini Plus serves as a powerful yet portable controller offering a good balance of keys, pads, connectivity, and software compatibility, making it well suited for electronic musicians, beat makers, and producers.