WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

M-Audio has unveiled the Oxygen Pro USB/MIDI keyboard controllers. The venerable controller brand has been brought up to date. M-Audio Oxygen Pro MIDI keyboards offer smart features and maximum control. M-Audio has been producing Oxygen-branded MIDI keyboards for the best part of two decades, and now there is a new range of them – Oxygen Pro. This comprises 25-, 49-, 61 and 32 mini key versions, all of which promise to give you maximum control of plugin instruments and DAW.

All models are USB-powered and have an OLED screen, smart chord and smart scale features, auto-mapping, an arpeggiator and note repeat. The Oxygen Pro 25, 49, and 61 all have 16 RGB backlit velocity-sensitive pads, nine assignable faders (not include the Pro 25), eight assignable knobs and a 5-pin MIDI output; the Oxygen Pro Mini is more compact and gives you eight performance pads, four knobs and four faders.

In addition, the auto-mapping features apply not only to a range of DAWs – MPC Beats, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Studio One and Steinberg Cubase, but also the bundled Air Music Tech virtual instruments -Velvet, Mini Grand,DB-33, Boom, Vacuum and Xpand!2.

And the Smart Chord option, meanwhile, enables you to play full chords from a single key press, while Smart Key locks the keys to a selected scale so that you can’t play any wrong notes.

Features:

• Best-in-class, velocity-sensitive, semi-weighted keys with aftertouch and assignable zones
• (16) RGB, backlit, assignable, velocity-sensitive pads with Note Repeat for beat production, cliplaunching, and more (8 for Mini)
• (8) assignable knobs for controlling virtual instruments, mix plugins, DAW controls and more (4 for Mini)
• Preset and DAW buttons for auto-mapped DAW controls & plugin parameters
• Smart Chord mode enables playing of enharmonic or custom chord voicings
• Smart Scale mode eliminates wrong notes making it easy to craft a perfect song
• Arpeggiator with Type, Octave, Gate and Swing controls
• Ergonomically designed pitch and modulation wheels & ¼-inch sustain pedal input
• USB-MIDI connection and 5-pin MIDI Output for controlling external MIDI gear
• Intuitive layout featuring an OLED screen for quick control edits
• Includes MIDI editor software and a complete software production package

The Oxygen Pro series is available now, with prices as follows – Oxygen Pro Mini  $119, Oxygen Pro 25  $199, Oxygen Pro 49  $246.68 , Oxygen Pro 61  $299 .

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Behringer announced the MonoPoly synthesizer six months ago, and the MonoPoly is finally available for pre-order. The new Behringer MonoPoly synth is a long drawn out process after six months.

The Berhringer MonoPoly copies the general look and design of the original, but in a smaller format. The original Korg MonoPoly has 44-keys whereas new MonoPoly has 37 full-size keys, and the control panel can be tilted at three different angles or laid down flat. As you might imagine, it is a reboot of Korg’s MonoPoly, so you get four VCOs – each with a choice of four waveshapes – a 24db vintage filter, dedicated filter and VCA ADSR envelopes and dual analogue LFOs.

The new MonoPoly can be played in monophonic, unison and poly modes, with its paraphonic design – you can play up to four notes at a time. There is also a Chord function that enables you to trigger complete chords from a single note.

Other options include PWM and detune, and there is an effects section with cross-modulation and oscillator sync capabilities. It adds limited MIDI control via USB & DIN, but also offers CV/Gate control. As on the original, there is an arpeggiator, while round the back you will find trigger and CV connectivity, plus a full suite of MIDI ports.

Behringer MonoPoly Synthesizer

Pre-order the MonoPoly now.

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Yamaha EZ-300 arriving just in time for the holiday season.

The Yamaha EZ-300 is an electronic keyboard with a difference. The instrument is a light-up electronic keyboard that helps beginners learn to play. It has the usual built-in accompaniments and lets you trigger chords with a single finger, but its big USP is a light-up keyboard that promises to make it easy to learn to play, just by following the lights.

Choose from 140 built-in songs and add more as MIDI files:

You select one of 140 songs and you can then play along just by following the lights on the 61 touch-sensitive keys. Further assistance is at hand with the Keys To Success feature, which divides songs up into shorter phrases known as Steps, which enable you can literally practise sections a Step at a time, with the option to slow down the tempo to make learning even easier.

Built-in sounds include pianos, organs, synths, strings, brass, percussion and guitars, and there are also SuperArticulation Light Voices that add gestures – pizzicato plucks on a violin.

If you want more songs, you can download MIDI files from the Yamaha online shop and then import them via USB from a Mac or PC.

The Yamaha EZ-300 &  Yamaha EZ-300 Kit available now.