K Multimedia

The mini keyboard controller has been with
us for many a year, but nowadays there seem
to be more reasons than ever to own one.
There’s the rise of mobile music-making through
your phone, iPad and laptop, of course. Or
there’s the lack of space after so much great
hardware has infested your desktop. Or, mostly,
it’s the seemingly constant falling in price of
most computer music accessories. The new iRig
Keys 2 Mini is the latest in the iRig Keys range
and seems to ofer a low-cost solution no matter
what reason you have ticked above.
Rigging it
First, though, let’s have a quick recap of the iRig
Keys range as it can be a little confusing. iRig
Keys 2 is the second range of IK’s compact
keyboard controller range. Keys 2 Mini is the
smallest and cheapest, with 25 mini keys. Above
it sits iRig Keys 2 (37 mini keys, €159) and iRig
Keys 2 Pro (essentially the same as Keys 2 with
proper keys and a €183 price tag). Two further
iRig Keys models, I/O 25 (€244) and I/O 49
(€366) ofer up the full-sized keys option plus
full hi-res audio interface functionality. Keys 2
Mini then is very much the smallest of all
options, but no slouch in functionality.
At 580g and just 324 x 139 x 54mm it’s light
and small enough to carry around, but not so
light you’ll end up pushing it around a desktop. It
also features direct connection to iOS devices –
no connection kit needed – another mobile plus.
Controls include a headphone Volume dial (to
control volume from your apps), plus Octave Up
and Down buttons that also enter Edit Mode
when held together. Here you can assign MIDI
CCs to the controls, change MIDI channel,
velocity sensitivity and much more using the
actual keyboard keys to select parameters.
There are also Prog Up Down buttons plus four
assignable knobs over two banks (switchable
with the 58 button), a Set button (to call up one
of four Sets for diferent instruments or live sets)
plus a useful assignable push-button Data knob.
In use
The keyboard is not exactly a player’s dream
but nor is it the almost push-button afair that
other companies have produced – it’s solid and
well sprung. There are no dedicated pitchbend
and modulation dials and again ‘proper’ players
might ind this unforgiveable, but if this is
important there are workarounds when you dig
deeper. And you do this with the Edit Mode, in
which you’ll have to get used to a certain set of
key presses and data entries to make
assignments. To change the MIDI CC per dial for
example, enter Edit Mode, press the keyboard
Knob button, then the number of the Knob you
want to assign, Enter and the value. That’s a lot
of key presses, but it is easier than it sounds
once you get used to it.
Conclusion
We criticised the bigger iRig Keys 2 for being a
tad expensive but this more compact version
ofers much of the functionality of that
keyboard, over a smaller footprint, with the
same sized keys. If you can live with less of
them – and what’s an octave versus portability
– Keys 2 Mini represents a well-spec’d keyboard
controller for less cash. So if you have any of
those limitations we opened this review with, it
checks all the boxes, and there’s a decent
software bundle (see box) too.
Web ikmultimedia.com
K Multimedia
iRig Keys 2 Mini €122
IK Multimedia deliver one of their dinkiest computer music-making
keyboards, and it might be just what your mobile production needs
Verdict
For Lots of features for the cash
Decent build quality and playability
Good software bundle
MIDI I/O and audio output
Editing becomes second nature…
Against … but takes a little learning
No pitch and mod wheels
Many of the features of its big sister – bar
some keys and two dials – and for less
cash. A very good control package
8 / 1 0
Alternatively
Novation Launchkey Mini
£93
More of a DAW controller and
excellent with Live. We looked at
the bigger version last month
Native Instruments M32
270 » 10/10 » £93
Gets you into the Komplete Kontrol
arena for a minimal outlay. A
spectacular package for the price
A controller purchase can be made or lost
depending on the girth of the software
bundle that comes with it. Novation and
Native Instruments have the software
pedigree to throw in a lot and IK Multimedia,
of course, have that background too, so Keys
2 Mini comes with a good bundle. It’s also one
which straddles the formats that the
keyboard can control. For iOS users you get
SampleTank for iPhone/iPad – a cutdown
version of IK’s amazing ROMpler – plus some
ine piano sounds care of iGrand Piano and
iLectric Piano. There’s also another cutdown
version of a great in the form of Steinberg’s
Cubasis LE. Desktop Mac and PC owners have
the most, though. On top of their versions of
SampleTank they get The Grid and ive free
sound libraries for it, plus 25 credits to spend
at the IK shop. Android owners only get
iGrand Piano and iLectric Piano. We’d have
liked more third-party titles but it’s a decent
spread for the various formats.
Software please
74 / COMPUTER MUSIC / Autumn 2020
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