Small midi keyboard for logic

[JacoBirdTrane]

I’m an older musician - fairly clueless about DAWs.

I had planned on “triggering” Logic Pro with my hardware based keyboard . But now I’m thinking “triggering “ Logic MIDI with one of those small keyboard I see all over the place. 

 

the biggest issue is latency. I prefer no more latency than a hardware keyboard. Virtually none 

and a decent action that a keyboard player ( organ too ) can live with   Aka a “musical” MIDI keyboard . 

I’m planning on only recording midi -   Audio is downstream 

right now I drag my keyboard in Starbucks with phones ! 
 

if you can bring up any aspects to this I should know - please do.

I assume the new Mac book battery will function without need for AC?
 

the quality of the small keyboard is a question for any keyboard players here. 
 

Thank you all 

 

[MikeRobinson]

Your "hardware-based keyboard" probably uses "hardware MIDI" which needs a "MIDI adapter" (and microphone cables ...) to plug in to your (USB or USB-C based) Macintosh. Most modern keyboards also support direct USB connection, although they continue to use the MIDI protocol across that (much better and more reliable ...) communication channel. (And, often, still provide microphone-cable ports for backward compatibility.)

You should experience "no latency" with either approach. The computer will "instantly" recognize your every move, no matter how you choose to talk to it.

As far as which keyboard to choose – be it wide or narrow – I suggest that you find a local music store where you can actually go in there ... bring your Macintosh with you, if you like ... and play it.  Different hardware designers necessarily have different "customer targets" in mind, and these may or may not be "you." Well, "there's only one good way to find out," and that good-way isn't a catalog. You need to use your own fingers.

(P.S.: I also had a similar experience with regards to "bells and whistles, knobs and dials." I bought such a unit once – then found that I(!) never actually used any of the "fee-churs" in my workflow. Some legitimate features that may be of great importance to other people might be irrelevant to you.)

Of course "you can adapt to whatever you've got," but when purchasing new equipment I think that you should put your hands on it.

Your Mac should run for many hours on battery, although there are always plenty of electrical outlets available at any coffee shop.

Edited October 24, 2023 by MikeRobinson

[yarns]

i rig keys is great, and i got mine for $20