Gearank Recommendation
The Roland A-49 appeared on our recommended list for 49 Key MIDI Controller Keyboards when we published the first edition back in February 2016 where it remained until April 2020 when it was removed due to being out-ranked by other keyboards.
Overview
The Roland A-49 has achieved high enough ratings to continue to be recommended by us for a third year in a row.
If you want a 49 key MIDI controller for your iPad then the Roland A-49 is a good choice because it shouldn’t need additional USB power to work with the iPad because it only draws 98 mA.
Its unique feature is the D-BEAM controller which lets you wave your hand above it to send control data.
This will suit you if you primarily want a simple yet effective MIDI input device, rather than a full featured DAW controller.
Specifications
- Keys: 49 with velocity sensitivity.
- Pads: No.
- Arpeggiator: No.
- Motorized Controls: No.
- Octaves: Up and Down buttons.
- Bundled Software: Cakewalk SONAR LE – only for Windows.
- Power: USB powered.
- Connectivity: USB, 5-Pin MIDI, and 2 x TRS input for an expression and a sustain pedal.
- Control Hardware Directly: Yes.
- Compatibility: Mac OS X and Windows. Also iOS via CCK.
- Dimensions: 32.91″ x 7.17″ x 3.31″
- Weight 5.56 lbs