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We've spent a lot of time covering IK Multimedia's line of iOS accessories for guitarists. And with good reason: the original iRig for the iPhone and iPod Touch was one of the first dedicated music accessories for the mobile musician, helping to launch a whole cottage industry of hardware and apps that transformed iOS devices from consumption to creative devices. And with the recently released iRig Keys, IK has extended that line to keyboardists as well.
The iRig Keys is a 37-key mini keyboard and MIDI controller. It works as a Core MIDI device for iOS and a USB class compliant for seamless use with any app or software which supports MIDI devices on both Mac and PC. The device is complete with wheels for modulation and pitch bend and has an input jack for a sustain pedal, along with various buttons for changing octaves or volume. All of the keys are velocity-sensitive, meaning that a lighter touch will result in a softer notes while the opposite is true when hammering out chords.
I tried out the iRig Keys on both my iPad Mini and Mac. Using the Lightning adapter worked great and the Garageband App detected the keyboard, no problem. I pulled up a previous project and started playing with the pianos, organs and other MIDI instruments Garageband offers. It was a truly plug and play experience that let me focus on making music and, again, brought out the fun that Garageband is capable of. The velocity sensitivity wasn't as good as on full-sized keyboards, and certainly those with fully weighted keys, but those complaints must be taken with a grain of salt; there is plenty of variability for making expressive performances.
IK Multimedia also publishes two great apps that serve as companions for the iRig Keys. The first is SampleTank which contains over 500 instruments over 16 categories including drum samplers, a wide range of electronic and orchestral instruments. SampleTank is free with various instrument packs unlockable with in-app purchases. The second app is the iGrand Piano, which has the most faithful piano samples I've ever heard on iOS. With pianos ranging from Classical and Grand Pianos to various uprights and even a fun Saloon piano, the app offers an incredible amount of range. Each piano is customizable with options for adjusting volume, ambience, and lid position and the automatic release of keys when not using an expression pedal are phenomenal. Both apps are compatible with the iRig Keys along with a dedicated iOS-compatible MIDI adapter called the iRig MIDI, so you can bring your own MIDI keyboard if you'd like.
Overall, I feel that IK Multimedia has a home run on their hands with the iRig Keys and the supporting apps they've created. They're smartly designed, work well together and they sound incredible. Any keyboardist who's been jealous of all of the products out there catering to their guitarist friends finally have an equally portable solution for practicing, writing and performing.
Wired: Extremely portable and feature rich with velocity-sensitive mini keys and convenient buttons to activate features in equally rich first-party apps. Flexible use with both iOS and Mac or PC.
Tired: All plastic construction has some flex and feels a bit cheap. Unlocking the full potential of the apps is relatively costly. Separate iPhone and iPad apps.
iRig Keys ($89 Retail)
All images from ikmultimedia.com
