Portable Keyboard with Speaker?

Nola

Well-known member
Hey guys. My band is going to be playing live soon, and I wanted to know the smallest possible keyboard to use live. We only need it for a few parts and don't want to lug around a ton of gear. Thanks!
 
What kind of parts you're expecting from that keyboard ? If it's too minimal, you can even get away with a midi controller and some iPad apps.
 
What kind of parts you're expecting from that keyboard ? If it's too minimal, you can even get away with a midi controller and some iPad apps.

Yeah I was wondering if I could use a midi controller, but didn't want to bring my computer. Do the apps have samples? Do you plug the midi controller into the Ipad and run it off USB power? Mine is a Korg MicroKontrol that I power via USB. How do you route the output? The parts are pretty minimal, yeah.

If we wanted a step up from a midi controller, what would be the next best thing in terms of portability?
 
I just started using apps a few months ago. All you need is an iPad or even iPhone (I haven't tried Android devices just yet), Apps of your choice, a midi controller and a midi interface.

For midi interface I have both IK iRigMidi2 and Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter. The lightning adapter is great because you can charge the iPad at the same time, but it doesn't work with older iPads I think. iRigMidi2 gives you a pair of 5 Pin dyn midi jacks.

That's pretty much all there's to it. Here I have posted some short demos of this exact set up:

Demoing Korg Module App | Korg Sound Module (Acoustic Pianos
 
That's awesome.
So on my midi controller, I'd run the USB output into the Apple Lightning's input. Then what? You have to have the software you wish to use for say organ tones loaded on the Ipad, right? And how do you run the output into a PA system for playing live? How bad is latency?

Thanks!
 
That's awesome.
So on my midi controller, I'd run the USB output into the Apple Lightning's input. Then what? You have to have the software you wish to use for say organ tones loaded on the Ipad, right? And how do you run the output into a PA system for playing live? How bad is latency?

Thanks!

I haven't tried wireless keyboards, but with direct connection there's no noticeable latency. For apps, there are some free ones or you can buy whatever you like. There's a great Facebook group for iPad musicians. That's what they discuss all day. Highly recommended! In the videos I've recorded, I'm getting the audio out from the headphone jack.

There are 3rd party solutions such as :

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Korg/5-Pin-MIDI-to-Lightning-Interface-for-iOS-with-1-4-Stereo-Audio-Outputs-and-optional-USB-Charging-1500000020928.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=CjwKCAjwqarbBRBtEiwArlfEIPa-Z6mj7JJPk9wO9O5D5sEnuMtf2lDG5AIz6DKRiCXUxNtQgV4XnBoCtiwQAvD_BwE&kwid=productads-adid^57619015002-device^c-plaid^143950371642-sku^1500000020928@ADL4GC-adType^PLA

I haven't tried this one, so in terms of sonic quality, I'm not sure how much of a difference this one makes.
 
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