Tiny keyboard recommendations

[Anthony White]

I’m looking for a tiny keyboard, and wondered if anyone can make any recommendations.

I have a full grown-up 88 key Kawai digital piano.

And I have and love a Yamaha Reface CP. This is close to what I need - the 37 keys mean I can play chords and melody simultaneously most of the time (24 keys I find are too few to do this). But, it’s chunky, and not portable enough. It’s too long to slip in a backpack, it weights just under 2kg.

I want something that I can use independently - without plugging into an iPad - so need a headphone jack, and an onboard speaker is an added bonus. I want to use it for practice - for ear training, for checking my vocal pitches, for learning jazz tunes (chords and melody at the same time) on the go (for example, sitting on a park bench while my kids are in the playground).

I’d really like something that is:

• 37 mini keys (but I‘ll go to 25 keys if I need to - smaller is better if it meets the other requirements)
• no longer than the keys of the keyboard
• as small in every other dimension as possible
• solidly built - so I can throw it in a backpack, carry it anywhere
• self contained - I can plug headphones in and play
• has a cool sound or two built in. really, a single useable electric piano sound will do what I need, but a few extras would be nice.

Does such a thing even exist? There are plenty of midi-controllers, but they mostly seem to have midi or USB/USB-C outputs only, no headphone jack, so I would need to start plugging devices together to get it to work.

 

[Winslow]

I don't have a clue, but maybe our stealth keyboarder @FilterFunk will see the bat-signal and swoop in...

 

[FilterFunk]

(cue the superhero music) HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAAAAAYYY!!!

I bought the Yamaha PSS-F30 just because I randomly clicked on a YouTube demo. It's the only mini-keyboard I have any experience with, but I like it a lot. You'll have to check the specs to see if it's a good size for you, and it is a little longer than the keyboard keys, but it seems to check your other boxes. It definitely has usable electric piano tones, and some really nice synth/string pads. And if you love cheesy (but good!) '80s tones, this is the keyboard for you! It's advertised as a beginner keyboard, but it really does have some solid sounds in it, and it seems pretty sturdy. And it's only $59.99 new.

Here are links to the product page, manual, and specs:
PSS-F30 | Yamaha Corporation.

https://usa.yamaha.com/files/download/other_assets/4/1275394/pssf30_en_om_b0.pdf

PSS-F30 - Specs - Yamaha - United States

And there are plenty of YouTube demos. Hope this helps!

 

[MD]

Check piano world if you haven't already.

Piano World Piano & Digital Piano Forums - Forums powered by UBB.threads

 

[Winslow]

(cue the superhero music) HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAAAAAYYY!!!

LOOK!! Up on the screen!
It's a meme!
It's a cat pic!
It's... FILTERFUNK!!

 

[Anthony White]

Thanks for these thoughts.
I'm actually leaning towards this thing: A CME Xkey 37.

Because it really is as small and portable as 37 keys can be. Nothing but keys!
Yes, I'll have to use it as a controller for my iPhone, which involves carrying a couple cables, but that feels like a manageable compromise given the other boxes it ticks.

 

[Anthony White]

Well, just pulled the trigger on the 25 key CME Xkey. With bluetooth.
The 37 key was still longer than an average backpack, so still not as portable as I want.
I don't know how the bluetooth is going to work out - if the latency will be too great. Reviews say that it is okay in most circumstances. But it can be plugged in for wired response times if I need to.

If anyone is interested, I'll update when it arrives.

 

[Tom Bomb]

Looks the part ^ Love to get an update

I just picked up an Alesis Q49 which looks positively palatial, in comparison. But I needs the keys
​

 

[Anthony White]

I’d promised to update on this when I had received it and used it a little, and then life happened.
XKey CME 25 key Bluetooth. It works pretty well. The velocity sensitivity is effective. The keys are a quite clacky, but not intolerably so. Keys are full size, but they so different in feel from a full size piano or synth keyboard that this doesn’t matter. I would prefer mini keys so I could have 37 mini-keys rather than 25 full-size keys.

Interesting about the bluetooth - the latency is fine with one Bluetooth connection, but too great with two. So Bluetooth from the keyboard to my iPad - latency is fine. Keyboard plugged into my iPad, and then Bluetooth headphones - latency is fine. Bluetooth from the keyboard to the iPad and then iPad to headphones - too slow. Predictable, but interesting.

You need to download a midi-app to your device to run the thing by Bluetooth or cable. I used midimittr. Which isn’t a problem, except it isn’t in the quick-start instructions, and I had to search the internet to work it out.

Syncs perfectly with Garage Band, which has some great and good keyboard and piano sounds. The Xkey app itself has weak keyboard and piano sounds. There are no sounds in the keyboard itself - it is purely a midi controller.

Pretty happy with it as a device. It’s not Apple seamless, but it works really well for my use-case.

 

[Tom Bomb]

My keys purchase fell through. Coronavirus got the vendor. I think I'm still going to go the way of the wires, on the strength of this, whenever I finally get around to doing it Thanks for the update.

I’d promised to update on this …

 

[turf3]

Casio makes a wee little keyboard with narrow keys. I bought one when I had a thumb injury and couldn't play bass. I can't remember the model number (SA46???), but it was something like $75 or less, tiny built-in speakers, battery or AC, and an output jack. Did the trick. I donated it so I don't still have it (the house I'm living in, I have to step outside to change my mind, no room for nuthin' nonessential). For someone with a little bit more room than I have, it would make a great tool for writing or arranging tunes while traveling. The onboard tone selections weren't many in number but they were pretty good.

 

[Anthony White]

I have Casio SA46 for my kids. They broke all the black keys off. The thing is, it’s still big. The keys are small, but all the surrounds are big - speakers, other controls, etc.

I also have a Yamaha Reface CP. Which I LOVE. It’s a real musical instrument, velocity sensitive keys, great on-board tones. And the surrounds are still big.

What I wish someone made is something like the XKey CME, with mini-keys. Velocity sensitive mini-keys the size and feel of my Yamaha Reface, but with the keys just sitting on an aluminium chassis with nothing extending more than 10mm beyond the edges, like the XKey CME.

But I know how product development goes, and I’m just one guy with one weird use-case, so I don’t expect it to happen.

 

[Lobster11]

I have Casio SA46 for my kids. They broke all the black keys off. The thing is, it’s still big. The keys are small, but all the surrounds are big - speakers, other controls, etc.

I also have a Yamaha Reface CP. Which I LOVE. It’s a real musical instrument, velocity sensitive keys, great on-board tones. And the surrounds are still big.

What I wish someone made is something like the XKey CME, with mini-keys. Velocity sensitive mini-keys the size and feel of my Yamaha Reface, but with the keys just sitting on an aluminium chassis with nothing extending more than 10mm beyond the edges, like the XKey CME.

But I know how product development goes, and I’m just one guy with one weird use-case, so I don’t expect it to happen.

Bah, who needs black keys anyway? Just play everything in C or Am.

As for mini-keys, be careful what you wish for. Have you played a keyboard with mini-keys? Like playing a bass on which the string spacing is too tight. Personally I'd rather have fewer full-size keys than more mini ones. (YMMV, of course.)

 

[turf3]

I have Casio SA46 for my kids. They broke all the black keys off. The thing is, it’s still big. The keys are small, but all the surrounds are big - speakers, other controls, etc.

I also have a Yamaha Reface CP. Which I LOVE. It’s a real musical instrument, velocity sensitive keys, great on-board tones. And the surrounds are still big.

What I wish someone made is something like the XKey CME, with mini-keys. Velocity sensitive mini-keys the size and feel of my Yamaha Reface, but with the keys just sitting on an aluminium chassis with nothing extending more than 10mm beyond the edges, like the XKey CME.

But I know how product development goes, and I’m just one guy with one weird use-case, so I don’t expect it to happen.

OK, so you want REALLY tiny. Too bad they can't make something like the pictures you showed (being pretty much nothing but the keys would allow you to have more/fuller size keys, in a smaller package) except with enough amp power to drive headphones, and a few tone selections. Instead you have to fiddly-dick around with this app and that driver and a tablet or laptop computer - when all you want to do is just plug in some damn headphones and play.

 

[turf3]

Bah, who needs black keys anyway? Just play everything in C or Am.

As for mini-keys, be careful what you wish for. Have you played a keyboard with mini-keys? Like playing a bass on which the string spacing is too tight. Personally I'd rather have fewer full-size keys than more mini ones. (YMMV, of course.)

When I had my wee little Casio, the minikeys were constantly throwing me off, since all my music keyboard experience for the last 55 years is on normal piano keys. Even the slightly narrower keys of an accordion mess with my muscle memory.