M-AUDIO Keystation 49 MK3 USB MIDI Controller

Zero frills or special features, but this is A LOT of keyboard for a nice price. If you just want a few octaves of midi keyboard and don't need the feel of weighted keys, then this is a solid choice. Glad I didn't spend more. And best of all, this keyboard is plug-and-play with Reaper, which is kind of rare even among expensive keyboards and definitely not expected at this price point.

I purchased a discounted warehouse copy of this keyboard. The shipping box wasn't taped shut and there wasn't a lot of padding or airbags/peanuts to support the keyboard in the shipping box Amazon used. However, the keyboard seems to have arrived without any noticeable damage. I am coming from a Keystation II 61 that lasted through 11 years of use, but finally started to show it's age in an automatically detuning pitchbend. I will say, compared to the previous 2nd generation Keystation, the footprint of this 3rd generation is even more compact. I also appreciate that the controls are on the side, out of the way now. The key feel is about the same with slightly less key travel from the 2nd gen. The keys are quieter in this 3rd gen however as the 2nd gen would make a metallic springy sound in some of the keys in my copy. With this 3rd gen, the two, green octave lights are super bright, I will be using tape or something to mask those as I don't believe there is a means to dim them in the settings. Windows 10 automatically detected it once connected via USB and Cubase picked it up as well. In any case, this was a nice discount from a brand new model and looks like it was brand new. Even the instructions guide seems to be unopened. I hope this lasts another decade or more too!

This is a great controller. If you want a synth, look elsewhere. But if you have great software like Logic Pro, you'll never run out of sounds this thing can control. The pitch wheel is flawless, and the modulation changes the sound in subtle ways (or large ways if you want). I don't use this to control my software. I sit at a computer and create when using this keyboard. I just use it for the keys and the pitch/mod wheels, and that's it. And that will keep me occupied for a long time to come. The keys aren't weighted like the upright grand I learned to play on - but it's fine. The key actions are just fine. If you want realism, spend a LOT more money and go for it. The thing is, if you want to adjust attack etc. in MIDI, you have all the flexibility you want in the LP software. I didn't download any of the software they included with this as I have no use for it. YMMV. Overall I think it was money well spent and am quite happy with the purchase.

I just wanted a keyboard to use to play music. I am not looking to record it or anything fancy. Pros: I love the keyboard. It’s is light and portable. It is a perfect size, 4 octaves give room for each hand to play comfortably. I’m used to playing organ rather than piano, so the feel of the keys is exactly what I’m used to. And they don’t make any clicking noise when pressed as might be expected on a cheaper keyboard. This works with garage band on my iPad, and after great difficulty to set up, it works with my Windows 11 home PC. So far I’ve tried Piano 10, Organ 10 and Midi Piano on the PC. Cons: If you’re trying to set this up on Windows, buckle up. This device is apparently “class compliant”, meaning it should be plug and play. You should NOT have to install any of the software that comes in the box. I could not find good instructions to explain the process. Of course, they want you to install their software, but they don’t even explain what or how to install it. 👎 On two PCs I tried it with, it was not plug and play. It did show up under device manager/Sound, Video and game controllers; put none of the apps could see it. This is what finally helped me get it going: I went to midi-ox.com and did their download. I opened the program, selected Keystation 49 everywhere it showed up on the left side of the screen and ran it. Then I opened Piano 10 and it could finally see it. After that, the other apps could see it as well. I think/hope this was a one time setup. Here are some resources I wish I knew about at the beginning of this process: M-audio support is at: support.m-audio.com/en/support/home. “Contact support” opens a chat window that was pretty helpful. They recommended a helpful video on YouTube by “inmusic” titled something like “Troubleshoot class compliant midi” that gave instructions for Mac as well as Windows. 😢 The first keyboard I received was a “used-mint condition” for around a hundred dollars. After HOURS of working with it, calling Amazon tech support and using AI, it would never play a sound with either my iPad or my laptop. Amazon recommended I buy an APPLE BRAND adapter, which I did order but will be returning because it was not needed. Apparently the keyboard is defective, even though it looked fine physically. I ordered a new (not used) keyboard to replace it, and immediately it worked on my tablet but still no sound on Windows. A note about iPad- The keyboard powers through the cable connected to the device. So when it is plugged into the iPad, it is sucking its battery life down. That is fine for a short session, but if you would like to play for a while, an adapter that allows “pass-through charging” is useful. It allows the tablet to be charging while it is also connected to the keyboard. I found one by Anker that is supposed to be good for this for around $13.

Excellent product!! Quality 49 key and controller function. Works well will PreSonus Studio Pro 7 for Mac.

I am in love with keyboard, however the software set up was a little confusing. (probably my fault, lol.) I completely missed the "INPUT" device setting. I was able to fix this by closing the software and restarting so the program can SEE the device. (I recommend some tutorial videos if you are new to these wonderful devices.) Using the keyboard is very comfortable and the sound is amazing with a good headset, if that is your preference. Another recommendation would be a keyboard stand that can hold a 32 1/2" keyboard. (49-keys)

I have had nothing but good results with M-Audio controllers in the past and this one is the same. This unit doesn't have the 'real keyboard' appearance and stature like the Axioms, but it's well-built and plays/tracks VERY WELL. I'm getting clean midi takes and no double notes...! I wish it had a MIDI out instead of the USB only out, but for the price (and my budget) - I'm super happy with my decision. Especially, if you are trying to decide between this controller and a mini sized 25-key controller, then CERTAINLY buy this one! Every producer has their own work flow, but with mine, if this unit had 24 pads and a bunch of faders and knobs, most likely I would never touch them. Realistically, this is all the controller I will ever need, but I will probably get the Keystation 61 that DOES have the MIDI out.

This is an early review, so no comment on durability over time. Perspective: I'm old-guy, a hobbyist home recorder and I play any style other than "electronic music". I was looking for a MIDI keyboard controller that featured: * SMALLER FOOTPRINT- so I don't have to clear up much room on my desk, * LIGHT WEIGHT - so I can move on/off my desk with one hand, * KEY FEEL - I had no preconceived notions; I'd know it when I felt it I was prepared to trade off the pads and controls and faders, because I don't play electronic music or gig live and I'd rarely/never use those features. The M-Audio Keystation 61 is perfect for my needs/wants. It features an notably small footprint for full-sized keys, and it's relatively light-weight. I was pleastantly surprised by the key-feel. It's faster than a piano-action, which is useful for certain VSTs, while preserving a meaningful amount of the touch-sensitivity of a piano-action. The 61-key controller is much better suited to my needs than the 49-key. With 49 keys, not only was I running out of real estate on my playing, but some of my VST controls became too cumbersome (Native Instruments sets certain controls at the outer ranges of an 88-key board). Over the past 8 years, I've bought some used M-Audio gear and there's always been durability issues and low resale prices. Having played this for just a week, it's too early to judge those points.

I don’t usually write product reviews, but this MIDI controller genuinely surprised me. I’ve been struggling for a while to get back into writing music using REAPER. I used to write a lot when I was younger, and back then things were simple—most MIDI keyboards had built-in sounds, so you didn’t have to think about software instruments at all. Recently, I’d been trying to make things work using the ARIA Player that comes with Finale, and it was frustrating. It didn’t reliably pick up control data (like the sustain pedal), and it seemed to bog down my computer with lag. I picked up this keyboard mainly because I wanted more keys and the price seemed reasonable. I assumed the included software would be typical “freebie” stuff—limited trials or low-quality plugins designed to upsell you later. That wasn’t the case at all. At first, I installed Ableton Live Lite, which comes with the keyboard, but I didn’t like working in it. At that point I was fairly upset and was tempted to come here and give this 1 star. mainly because the keyboard does not have a speaker and requires a software synth to work. I felt stuck. But I pressed on. Then I checked whether the included virtual instruments would work in REAPER—and they did, seamlessly. The bundle includes three main instruments: Mini Grand (a piano with multiple variations) Velvet (an electric piano/synth-style instrument) Xpand!2 (the standout) Xpand!2 was the biggest surprise. It’s essentially a full general-purpose sound module, similar in concept to old General MIDI setups, but far more detailed. Instruments are organized into categories (strings, brass, reeds, bass, etc.), and each category includes a huge number of options—dozens of bass sounds alone. It’s incredibly flexible. What impressed me most is how easily everything integrated with REAPER. No complicated setup—just open a virtual instrument, and the plugins are there, ready to use. Everything worked immediately, including proper controller support. I had been considering spending a significant amount on something like Native Instruments, but the cost is extremely high. The fact that this keyboard—at roughly $130—includes such a capable set of instruments is honestly surprising. I hope M-Audio doesn't read this because they will probably jack up the price. Overall, this completely changed my workflow and removed a lot of the friction I’d been dealing with. Highly recommended.

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Very good Item Really satisfied

Me pareció de buena calidad aunque el material es plástico funciona a la perfección y me gustó mucho la respuesta y tacto de las teclas!

趣味で鍵盤を演奏、練習したくて購入。買ってよかったと思います。 以前はスピーカー内蔵のキーボードを使っていましたがPCがあるので余分な機能を全部カットしたものが欲しかった。 これは本当にシンプルでボタン類も少なくてスピーカーもないので以前使用していたものの半分くらいスリムで嬉しい。 鍵盤のタッチもかなり好きで、ピアノほど重くなく、スカスカしてるわけでもなく、趣味で練習する分にはちょうどいいです。 PCがあって、キーボードを置く場所が狭かったり頻繁に出したりしまったりしたいという方におすすめ。それでも61鍵はそこそこ重いですが。 外箱が若干汚れてましたが中身は問題なかったので自分は気になりませんでした。 白鍵にバリがあり、これだけ気になりました。