The trial version of FL Studio has some saving limitations, though it's still totally capable of allowing you to produce sounds and tinker with plugins as much as you want. Otherwise, here are a few I'd recommend checking out. We mentioned Garageband, which ships free with any Mac computer. However, there are plenty 'lite' versions of these and some worthwhile free MIDI-controllable software that might be worth a look, if you don't have a DAW that you routinely rely on. Most of the software options we've mentioned so far are high-priced, studio-quality music production packages. There's also 25 and 61 key versions of the Impulse available. The 49-key version's retail price is usually just modestly higher than the used options. It's also worth mentioning that the drum pads are multi-functional, allowing you to launch clips (if you're using Ableton) in addition to their expected beat rolling and click tracks. Like the Novation Launchkey, the Impluse comes packaged with Ableton Live Lite, Novations Bass Station Synth and the Loopmasters sample pack.

It's one of the more comfortable and intuitive MIDI keyboards on the market right now. Once it's setup, you have all the expected MIDI keyboard features to work with:Īs a bonus, you get an LED screen that helps you keep track of your plugins and DAW settings. The system includes software that helps you quickly map controls to your DAW and start producing music. This makes it an excellent choice for those who might be used to an acoustic piano or a more natural-feeling keyboard, intending to use it more so in the context of a piano player or performer. One feature you get with the Impulse that I really like is responsive, weighted keys that feel much more like an actual piano.

Keyboard that plugs into computer