Carbon 49 MIDI Controller: Is Your iPad Ready For Its Keyboard Solo?

By

Carbon49_beauty_angle1.jpg

GarageBand’s velocity-sensitive drums and keyboards — which use the iPad’s accelerometers to know how hard you hit the screen — are nothing short of amazing. But just as you wouldn’t want to write a novel on a virtual keyboard, neither would a musician want to perform by trying to hit the little on-screen keys.

Enter The Carbon 49, a USB MIDI keyboard controller for the iPad. The controller, from Samson, connects to the tablet using your camera connection kit and has a slot up top to keep the iPad snug and safe as you play.

You can use the keyboard with any MIDI-compatible app, which includes GarageBand, and it can even draw its power from the iPad so you can take it busking. The keyboard has 49 semi-weighted keys (hence its name), various performance controls and has connections for MIDI-out, a sustain pedal and USB.

And at just $89, it looks to be something of a bargain.

Source: Samson

Thanks: Brad

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.