MIDI

The problem with beginner instruments is many players outgrow them quite quickly. The ROLI LUMI Keys Studio is perfect for this problem as its modular design means you can upgrade it at any time. The colorful lights also manage to offer an appealing way to learn songs and these features mostly perform admirably. You will feel the sting of that price tag, but it sets a great foundation to work off. ROLI LUMI Keys Studio Edition Review: Price and availability(Image credit: Future / James Bentley)Coming in at $249 from the…

Arturia just announced the KeyLab Essential 88 mk3, a larger sibling to the previously-released As the name implies, this is a full-size 88-key controller that allows you to play the entire note range of a piano at the same time. There’s no need for changing octaves here.Just like the other entries in the KeyLab Essential line, the 88 mk3 is intended to be a budget-friendly alternative to the flagship KeyLab controllers. The build is solid, with semi-weighted keys, though slightly less premium than the standard KeyLab…

Dune: Part Two Star Florence Pugh Looks Surreal In Her Creamy Attire (Picture Credit: Instagram) Oppenheimer star Florence Pugh is one of Hollywood’s most stylish personalities. There’s never a dull moment on the red carpet with the young actress regarding fashion. She is busy promoting her upcoming film Dune: Part Two with her co-stars, including Austin Butler, Zendaya, and Timothee Chalamet. The British actress looked surreal in a chic white dress, and we are about to dissect her look in this article, so…

The original Erae Touch was one of the more interesting MPE controllers to come out in the last few years. But it's been on the market for less than three years. So it was something of a surprise when Embodme showed up to NAMM 2024 with Erae II, the next iteration of its customizable controller with significant upgrades and one unexpected new feature.Now, it's important to note that the version of the Erae II I was able to test out was very early prototype. There were a few bugs, the construction definitely had some rough…

Ableton’s simply-named Push MIDI controller, which is actually the Push 3 for those keeping count, straight from the manufacturer, bringing the cost down to $1,600 from that eye-watering MSRP of $2,000. This deal’s for the standalone version of the hardware, so you can make beats wherever you want.Ableton doesn’t do hardware sales too often, so this is worth considering if you’ve been on the fence about the Push controller. To sweeten the deal, the company’s also selling its DAW, Live 11, , bringing the price down to…

It was almost exactly three years ago that we were celebrating the relatively quick arrival of Ableton Live 11. Today, the company is unveiling Live 12, the next version of its popular digital audio workstation (DAW). In terms of release cycles, this is the shortest time between versions in recent memory, and it brings with it some exciting new features. The less fun news is that you won’t actually be able to get your hands on Live 12 until early next year, but there’s plenty to get excited about in the meantime.Usually,…

Akai's MPK Mini mk3 is a solid and affordable way to get into MIDI keyboard controllers, but there's still a chance you want more flexibility for your music-making sessions. Thankfully, the company now has a more powerful option that still keeps costs in check. The just-launched MPK Mini Plus offers more range by expanding from 25 to 37 keys, and introduces more advanced elements like a two-track step/live sequencer, chord and scale modes, DAW-friendly transport controls and wheels for pitch bending and modulation. You'll…

Look, there’s no shortage of affordable MIDI controllers out there. And if you stick to the big brands, it’s kinda hard to go wrong. Arturia itself even has multiple budget offerings that are all pretty solid in their own right. One of its most popular, the MiniLab is getting a pretty major update that includes changes to the controls, an arpeggiator, and the addition of a MIDI port – and full-sized one at that. The MiniLab 3 doesn’t look terribly different from its MKII predecessor. Its corners are slightly more rounded…

The third album by Black Midi is nothing if not wildly eclectic. You hear sleazy-sounding arrangements with tango-esque rhythms created under the influence of Kurt Weill; luscious, cinematic strings; ranting spoken-word passages delivered in a variety of mannered voices; discordant, stabbing piano chords; gently picked guitar topped off with free-blowing saxophone; florid cocktail-lounge piano; an equally florid faux-announcement of a boxing match; an interlude featuring accordion and what sounds like a melodica; frantic…

The third instalment in Black Midi’s war against being put on as background music is their most ambitious yet. A concept album broadly about death and the afterlife that also takes in wrestling and contract killings, it’s dizzying in its ambition, pinballing between genres within a single breath. The standout The Race Is About to Begin lifts the opening riff from the Minutemen’s Viet Nam before taking off in a high-speed free-jazz/prog/metal direction. Bravura musicianship treads a fine line between precision and chaos,…