Midi Keyboards with 16 Pads

Eric Mendes

As much as I prefer Native Instruments over all others, I’ve been troubled with the fact that NI does not have a midi keyboard with pads, preferably 16 pads like Akai, LaunchKey, and everyone else who has that feature, This forces us to use two devices M32 and the Micro MK3 paired together. Either make the M32 larger to accommodate pads or the micro mk3 to accommodate keys. I’m hoping it’s a serious oversight Respectfully, please get with the program and make it happen, it’s long overdue already. Thanks a Million.!!

BIF

Even as a Komplete Kontrol MK3 owner, I can highly recommend a Novation SL MK3. But the Launchkey has both pads AND faders too, and is quite nice in its own right. Plus, it's only 20% the cost of an SL. And that SL 37 in white is just gorgeous. I get it though…I want a new version of Maschine Studio, but I'm probably not going to get it. I might be better off buying a new Push instead.

I really doubt anything NI could do to "add" pads to the KK would make it that much better of a keyboard controller than what's already available from Novation and a half-dozen other makers, especially not at Novation's price points.

Alternatively, you could wait it out and see if Novation is going to come out with a MK4 version. After all, the MK3 version has been out for 8 years. They could be working on a new generation.