iRig KEYS adds MIDI keyboard to iOS devices
updated 10:05 pm EDT, Thu August 30, 2012
Also works with PCs, Macs
IK Multimedia has announced the iRig KEYS, a new MIDI keyboard. Unlike most such keyboards the KEYS is designed explicitly for iOS devices, although it can also be connected to a PC or Mac. When mobile it runs off an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch's internal battery; otherwise, it draws power via a USB port.
The keyboard itself has 37 velocity-sensitive keys, covering three octaves and an extra note. Wheel controls handle modulation and pitch-bending, and an input port allows the addition of a sustain pedal. The five buttons in the main control panel are backlit, of which one is a Set button, allowing up to four configurations for the wheels and volume/data knob. An Edit mode is invoked on the unit for tasks like transposing or changing the MIDI channel.
The KEYS should work with any app that recognizes MIDI input. IK says the peripheral should ship sometime in the fall for $100; preorders are being accepted at various online stores, including IK's.
