M-AUDIO Oxygen Pro Mini 32-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller for MacOS and WinOS, with Beat Pads, Assignable Knobs and Faders, and Native Instruments Sound Pack (NKS Integration)

I wanted a controller for sketching ideas while travelling around. I've tried other controllers - NI's M32 has a nice 3 octave keyboard, but that makes it a little too tall to easily fit into a rucksack. And I never got to grips with the slider pitch/mod controls. Then there was Arturia's Minilab, which is solidly-built with great keys - but only two octaves, and an unfortunate over-abundance of encoders. And now I've turned to the Oxygen Pro Mini, which I think hits the 'sweet spot' - it's small and light enough to fit into a rucksack. It has 2.5 octaves, which is more manageable in a musical sense. The keys are ok (this shouldn't really be a deciding factor though - we're talking about mini-key controllers, not weighted-key behemoths!). And joy of joys, fully-functioning pitch/mod wheels! There are enough controls for you to do some MIDI mapping, not too much to overwhelm. And the mapping software works well. Any down sides? None really for what it does. The pads aren't great, and probably better used as MIDI toggles than drum pads. If you lean more towards that, then maybe consider the closest competitor - the Akai MPC Mini. I've used this controller with some cheap speakers (Logitech Z210) which are portable and deliver a not bad (although fairly quiet) sound. I also use a cheap sustain switch (Alesis ASP1) and that does the trick. So, I've everything I need for making music on the go! It will never replace my 'full-sized' studio arrangement, but it's perfect for what it is. Well-recommended!

Nice little midi keyboard, very convenient. Happy with it

It is easy to use but the functionality of the faders etc. do not work on GarageBand neither do the transport buttons. I was disappointed with this but it is a nice keyboard for the money. Supplied software is a bit complicated and not great on a small laptop screen. The build quality is a bit cheap especially the volume control dials etc. As a midi keyboard that that triggers the functions on GarageBand it is excellent, the keys have a nice semi-weighted feel and it is a pleasure to play. The pads have a nice feel and are nicely backlit. For the money I’m pleased but not for GarageBand really if you want functionality. I’m sure there’s a way to get everything working but it’s a bit complicated and I couldn’t find any helpful videos on YouTube. ​Why did you choose this product over others?:​ Good price and had good reviews ​Midi controller:​ Keyboard.

Best thing: it comes with Ableton Live Lite, and set up is super easy. A few months after buying it (in Jan 2022) I thought the LED screen had died, but after a while it came back to life. Since the instructions say 'make sure that AC power is off while making any connections', the issue was likely that I only plugged it in (with my PC already on) when I needed it. After the incident, I plugged it back in permanently, and some time later I noticed the screen was working again. Personally, it could only be better if it had an extra octave.

I purchased the M-Audio Oxygen Pro Mini Keyboard as an 'upgrade' from my Akai LPK25 MK 1 and I was not disappointed. I already use Ableton Live on a Windows laptop and the keyboard worked straight away after plugging in and launching Ableton. The faders, buttons and knobs automatically control various functions in Ableton Live without the need to do any awkward 'setting up'. There is a 'quick start' guide supplied with the keyboard and a more comprehensive manual can be found on the M-Audio website in PDF format. The 32 keys are about half the size of normal piano keys (they are the same size as the Akai LPK 25). This makes the keyboard very portable and it can easily be transported with a laptop to a gig or friend's house. The 'onboard' functions are very comprehensive and should meet most needs for music production. For beginners there are Chord and Scale buttons/modes that produce complete chords with a single key press and also correct any 'out of scale' keys played. A standard keyboard sustain pedal can also be used. I have tried the keyboard with an Akai Force and the basic functions are available. The keys work as expected when used on a plug-in track, as do the pitch bend wheel, arpeggiator and latch buttons. The internal clock on the keyboard can also be used to clock the Force. In conclusion, The built quality is very good for the price and the keyboard is quite light. After registering the unit with M-Audio on their website, some software can be downloaded that includes 'MPC Beats' and a 'Lite' version of Ableton Live along with some 'Virtual' instruments. This is enough to get started with if you are new to making music using a computer.

In all honesty, i have not had time to delve into this yet. But just on build quality alone i have warn anyone about this product. . Not wanting to be flash, but i have owned a LOT of music equipment in the last 45 years, including a lot of budget MIDI controllers, and i have never come across anything before that feels this cheap and nasty. . Brand new out of the box, the keys look like the kind of crooked teeth that Family Guy always gives any British characters. And absolutely everything here feels like it's going to fall apart within a week. . Whats worse is that i still have my decades old Oxygen 8 and 25 still going strong. In fact the version 8 still feels newer than this despite being 19 years old now! . ''Budget'' does not have to mean ''Nasty''. Buy something else. .

Build and overall quality of the keyboard is great, however, i am currently using Garageband on with Big Sur and the keyboard part works fine, but none of the controls work with GarageBand (such as the play, record and loop functions) So it only works as a regular midi keyboard with all the control functions taken away. There may be updates in the future but for now it just doesn't work which is very annoying when i spent around £50 extra to get a keyboard with this functionality. Im the kinda guy who sees something that has buttons and knobs and sexy sliders, and gets a bit of a stiffy on, but they don't work with GarageBand at this time which is very saddening :(

Great product and quality, my son loves playing it