Keyboard recommendation

This is the place to share tips, tricks and questions about Moog's controller products; the MP-201 Multi-Pedal and the EP-2. There are a world of applications for these expression enhancers. Explore...
Post Reply
User avatar
karldjboi
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 15, 2023 11:40 am
Location: Boston

Keyboard recommendation

Post by karldjboi » Mon May 15, 2023 11:46 am

Hi there! Can you suggest a good keyboard that I can use to connect with my iPad and play around with Moog apps like Animoog, Model 15, and Model D? I'd appreciate your recommendations. Thanks!
“Where words fail, music speaks.” positive words that start with s

FeelinDank
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2022 3:25 pm

Re: Keyboard recommendation

Post by FeelinDank » Sun Jun 11, 2023 3:12 am

On the cheap …any keyboard with 5 pin DIN MIDI Out you could find on Craigslist, eBay, Shopgoodwill.com (my lame, but sometimes hidden secret), FB Marketplace, etc etc. Find a keyboard for less than $40.00, get a camera connection kit and the MIDI adapter. Lots of Yamaha PSR, PS-380’s (etc etc …some of this range are “cheap” Yamaha FM synthesizers), YPG, YPT, DGX, Casio CT-series, W-series, CTK-series, Technics KN-series (synths w/ MIDI), SX-series, and Kawai FS-series keyboards have both MIDI jacks and some pitch bend / mod wheels as well. Maybe a forgotten-about/dissolved digital piano from the 1980’s/1990’s with MIDI is your next secret. Many of these kinds of keyboards routinely go unsold on Shopgoodwill.com (from my years of searching for things on the site) …they would be perfect candidates for such a simple setup. (Have fun searching and posting over on Reddit subforum /r/cheapkeys for really cheap scores).

I just bought a cheap ($15.00) MIDi OUT only controller to chop it up and attach it to the bottom of Hammond SK-1 organ. Plenty of nice Casio CT’s from the late 80’s would be fantastic for iPad apps.


Just make sure: 5 pin MIDI Out and it gets power from an AC-to-DC adapter (like a standard Boss guitar pedal or 12v DC adapter). Don’t mess around with USB-only keyboards for MIDI (guaranteed you’ll run into “class compliant” issues trying to get the setup to work. Just a waste of money with these “MIDI over USB” keyboards) and power the keyboard with easily found power adapters like Boss 9v DC or 12 volt DC (easily found in thrift / antique stores “bargain electronics bins / areas” for cheap cheap cheap). Pitch and mod wheels would be nice, but probably not 100% necessary since the iPad is a large touch surface.

Post Reply