Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Create Music with the Korg nanoKEY2

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It was quite a musical Christmas for our oldest son. The bulk of his Christmas consisted of  the Korg nanoKEY2 and the Korg nanoPAD2. Both conveniently hook up to our laptop and help him produce great music! (They can also hook up to an iPad or iPhone, but he doesn't have either of these)

Today, my son is sharing all about the Korg nanoKEY2, so if you have kids who love creating music, this is definitely a more affordable option than buying a bunch of instruments. :)





 
     Image Credit: Amazon

What it is: A USB midi controller 

What is included: a USB cable (nice and long), free software downloads for Ultra Analog Session, Lounge Lizard Session, Strum Acoustics Sessions, and Toontrack 64 so you can start making music right away. Also includes a coupon for Ableton Live.

Specs: Available in black or white. Has 25 velocity sensitive keys, octave up and down shift buttons (provides full range of a normal piano), pitch up and down shift buttons, a modulation button, and a sustain button (the most unique and useful tool in my opinion).

Personal Review: Korg always delivers high end, quality products, especially when it comes to midi controllers. But sometimes they can be a little pricey . . . that is not the case with the nanoKey 2! It costs around $50, so it can fit into nearly any budget!

What surprised me most about the Korg nanoKey 2 was its size. Sure, I knew it was going to be small, but actually, it's width is smaller than that of my laptop, so it can easily fit onto any desk. Also, it slides into my backpack, so I can produce music when I'm over at my friends' houses.

This midi controller is also super user friendly! No set up is required. You just plug in and play. If you don't already have a DAW or midi interface, it comes with some really cool and useful software you can download online. The nanoKey2 works with nearly any DAW or or software like ProTools, Reason, FL Studios and so forth. I, myself, use Mixcraft 6.

The Octave shift buttons give the 25 key controller the full range of a normal piano, and the pitch bend and modulation buttons function exactly like pitch and modulation wheels. This midi controller also provides the option to sustain the notes you play by holding down a button like you would a sustain pedal on a full-sized piano. This function is very useful and unique in small midi controllers. 

Overall, for the price, size, and playability, I would definitely recommend investing in the Korg nanoKey 2!

The Korg nanoKEY2 works for my son! Linked to WFMW.

Review by Mullin
Edited slightly by Brandi Raae

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