The Keystation Mini 32 II from M-Audio is a MIDI keyboard controller designed for sequencing music and playing virtual instruments on a Mac or Windows computer. It features 32 velocity-sensitive mini-size keys and a series of controls that expand the range of playable notes, with onboard octave buttons providing access to the full melodic keyboard range, so you may play bass lines, piano harmony, and lead melodies. You'll also note the prominent volume knob for smooth crescendos, and a sustain button for sustaining single-handed chords or harmonic clusters.

Relatively lightweight and mobile at 1 lb, the controller is suitable for traveling musicians who use music software during live performances or for producers who wish to add an intuitive MIDI controller with a small footprint to the studio. The unit is USB-powered, class-compliant, and supports USB-MIDI connectivity. Additionally, iOS connectivity is supported using a separately-available Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit. With this kit, you can perform and compose with audio apps on an iPad or another iOS device.

The keyboard ships with two pieces of software, Pro Tools | First (M-Audio Edition), and Air Music Technology Xpand!2. Pro Tools | First is an entry-level copy of an industry-standard DAW, one that comes with Unlimited Busses, Elastic Time/Pitch, Offline Bounce, and 1GB of free cloud storage. Xpand!2 is a multitimbral workstation with four active sound slots per patch; this lets you load different sounds into different MIDI channels, so that you can play multiple sounds in one patch.