Best MIDI Keyboards / Controllers for FL Studio

It has many designated functions to speed up the workflow while navigating windows. They even added quality pads that respond well to velocity, allowing you to create quality beats when used with FL Studio's super-tight MIDI response.

Another feature that I found super useful was the fact that you can access and choose plugins directly from the controller. It reminds me of the NI Kontrol that I often use. So, you can spend less time staring at the screen and more time being creative.

This controller is one of my go-to secret weapons when I DJ live. There are two main unbeatable features — one being that it comes bundled with the Novation Bass Station plugin modeled by the original creators.

The Bass Station is one of the most sought-after EDM and techno sounds in the world. Unlike the overused Moog bass sound, it's more modern. It still has grit and a great filter sound, but with tighter subs that translate beautifully on massive stage speakers like those at Coachella.

This feature is perfect for creating extended versions of tracks during your live set to surprise your fans. They've customized many functions that you can save as presets.

What I love to do live — and the crowd loves it too — is break down certain sections of tracks where I have stems, whether they're my own or someone else's. I'll play a new bassline over just a kick drum, add some filter sweeps, and create an extended remix on the spot.

I did this two weeks ago at a large warehouse gig in Los Angeles. I took Lady Gaga's new single "Zombie Boy" and broke it down into this minimal techno thing, then brought the track back after 5–6 minutes using the Novation's knobs to automate SoundToys FilterFreak as my main filter.

The musical keyboard and layout are so ergonomic and simple that it's amazing to use live.

The one aspect of the FL Key that could be better is the actual feel of the keys. I'm a pianist, so I might be more sensitive to that sort of thing, but they felt a bit stiff compared to other controllers.

Even though this controller isn't specifically for FL Studio, it has one feature that makes it perfect for it, the Smart Control section.  It has overlays for some of the most popular DAWs. And even if FL Studio isn't included, you can still customize this section and even make your own overlay.

Now, I'm all about sliders, especially since I'm also a film composer. And let me tell you, the Arturia sliders are the best I've ever used. Not only are they perfect for CC control, but they work wonders in FL Studio's mixer section.

When you see the new screen on this recently updated KeyLab, you're not gonna believe the difference from its predecessor, the Mk2, which was also a fantastic controller. They've also outfitted this new version with USB-C straight from the factory without any need for annoying adapters.

As soon as I heard about the Mk3's enhancements, I traded in my Mk2, since it's my go-to controller for remote production.

Though it's heavier than many other controllers, its incredible feature set makes it worth carrying wherever I need to produce.

One thing I always try to do with MIDI controllers is unlock their creative potential. I don't want to feel like I'm playing a MIDI controller — I want to feel like I'm playing an instrument, a synthesizer. That's why I love using what I call the "Brian Eno technique" with this Arturia.

Alessandro Cortini from Nine Inch Nails has been using this same technique with a Tascam Portastudio vintage cassette mixer. The idea is to assign each fader to a track containing a long ambient drone or stretched-out vinyl-style sample — the wobblier, the better.

You can use Mellotron sounds, weird reverbs, or even detuned background vocals from your own track. Then, capture performances by bringing these samples in and out with the faders, creating evolving pad-like sounds without touching the keyboard.

Why not just automate the volume of these tracks in FL Studio? Because performing with these amazing sliders will create happy accidents and quirks — that's the Brian Eno vibe. Listeners will wonder, "How did they do that? Is that a keyboard? A Mellotron? Is it a sample? It doesn't sound like a sample..."

It's unique and super cool, and out of all the controllers here, this is the one I use for that because it truly is like its own mixer. It's awesome. Try it out.

Okay, so here's my one small gripe: the aluminum build feels a bit cheap. Maybe it was made lighter for travel purposes, but it's kind of a bummer compared to the old Arturia controllers that felt way more solid.

Read more: our full Arturia KeyLab Mk3 review

The MPK Mini's arpeggiator is really good, no doubt about it. Akai is known for having good MIDI timing, and the creator of the MPC, Roger Linn, once said that he tried to make the early MPCs feel like a funk drummer. The arpeggiator might be very precise, but it still has a good feel to it.

It's no surprise that this has become a hit in the hip-hop and urban music production community. While not everyone is trying to recreate a portable MPC, its compact size makes it perfect for producers who use standalone beat-making units.

I personally use it alongside my Elektron boxes for techno live sets, or in the studio when I want to step away from the computer for a more hands-on, synth-like experience. What makes it great is that you can use it to trigger melodic notes from the Digitone with the keys, while setting different channels on the drum pads to trigger sounds from the Digitakt.

The controller's popularity stems from its size, convenience, and intuitive design. Having this controller fit right below both small groove boxes almost makes it a sort of hybrid workstation. It's like having a little hardware recording studio workstation, with two sequencers, an FM synth with inputs for effects, and an incredibly punchy drum machine — all playable with a keyboard and pads.

It's not just for producers either; I recently worked with a drummer who mounted it next to his hi-hat as a drum pad. He would trigger samples for song intros, play his regular beats, and occasionally reach over to play the keys before returning to his drum set.

Its lightweight design and responsive pads make it especially appealing to drummers.

Another excellent feature that's worth mentioning is the endless or infinite knobs. These knobs not only feel great but also do the job of not changing the setting stored in a preset. If you've used Roland vintage synths before, you know how frustrating it can be when the slider or knob doesn't match the preset. This little guy has solved that problem.

Now, my only gripe with this controller is the joystick. I don't like how the pitch bend and modulation are controlled by the same joystick. They're two different types of controls, and it can be a bit confusing. It's not like the filter cutoff and resonance, which work together. I don't understand why they made this design choice.

Read my full review: Akai MPK Mini Mk3

The transport, situated right of center with really nice-sized buttons, is probably my favorite feature. It's great to have a proper transport on a controller, which is missing from many others.

Another excellent feature is that the Nektar comes pre-mapped for many of the most popular DAWs, including Logic, Reason, Cubase, and FL Studio. This is fantastic since I found customizing FL Studio to be a bit complicated compared to Ableton.

The pre-mapping feature alone makes this keyboard worth adding to your gear collection.

Let me share how I use FL Studio instead of Ableton during film music recording sessions in Los Angeles. As a keyboard player performing alongside others — sometimes even with an orchestra — I often need to bring various gadgets, laptops, and equipment since you never know exactly what the composer or producer might request.

FL Studio excels in these situations. While many view it as just a DAW for urban pop or EDM, I consider it the ultimate environment for creating and managing ideas and clips.

It remains the most engaging and creative software for performing loop-based ideas live. This is where the Nektar becomes essential. Its ability to quickly switch between different MIDI CC settings is invaluable when recording multiple songs in rapid succession.

During sessions, we typically have only 2–3 minutes to prepare for the next song — it's an intense pace. Everyone must be ready immediately, and I can't waste time opening new laptop sessions just to adjust mappings.

For session or studio musicians who want complete control over FL Studio during live, in-person recordings, this keyboard is the perfect choice.

The control pots have very clear markings, so you know exactly where they are in rotation. While infinite knobs are still my favorite, it's nice that they assigned Filter Cutoff and Resonance dedicated pots for synth enthusiasts.

The pad section is the only weak spot for me. There are only 8, and the feel is not as responsive as some other controllers.

The obvious comparison is that this is to FL Studio what Push is to Ableton. Everything is mapped specifically to one DAW. Again, since FL Studio is less intuitive for customization, this makes it much more fun.

It's also great for live performers. Having that many options to play and manipulate sequences live is fantastic. Add to that the capabilities of navigating the Tool Bar and Channel Rack seamlessly, and you're set for next-level performance.

I also love the size of it. Making it rectangular instead of square like Push and Launchkey makes more sense for FL Studio since the layout is more familiar with what's on the screen.

The transport on the bottom is also a nice touch. It's clear and simple to stop and play with easy reach from a keyboard controller.

The Fire Grid Controller is my other favorite session weapon for recording with bands, pop artists, and — on occasion — instrumental music and adding flavor to modern jazz.

Unlike the Nektar, which I use when playing live with other musicians in a live-room setting, the Fire Grid controller serves more as a producer's instrument during sessions. I've previously discussed my love for FL Studio's clip launching capabilities and its excellent piano roll features for both writing and recording.

The Fire Grid takes that workflow to the next level. Its perfect size allows me to sit next to a traditional mixing console and use it as a transport control. I can also set up a small workstation in the room to audition samples on a laptop as they're being tracked into the main session.

I route the loops I create at my FL Studio workstation to the main master session — often in Pro Tools — for recording. Using this controller, I can quickly build templates with various clips and loops, then audition them for the artist.

This thing is also amazing for customizing generic sample library loops from the likes of Splice and Loopmasters. There's nothing wrong with using premade loops — I mean, if you listen to Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso," the intro loop is from a Splice pack by Oliver (see below), so everybody's using them.

That's also the problem: if everybody's using them, your music sounds kind of generic. Even that loop used in "Espresso" was treated with some filtering, some phasing, some kind of distortion, and it was well manipulated within the track.

For tasks like these, the Fire Grid is my go-to tool. Especially if I’m working with pop or electronic artists and bands.

My one wish would be to have a better screen though. This one is tiny compared to their Ableton competitors.

They even have a full 5-pin MIDI out in the back for use with vintage synths and drum machines.

I own the Keystep Pro and have always loved the fact that Arturia includes presets. This one has 500 of them! They also include a bundle of high-quality instruments from UVI, NI, and of course, their own Analog Lab.

The chord mode is what makes this controller perfect for FL Studio. It's always been popular with electronic artists, and the FL Studio layout works well for chunk-based MIDI.

Consider legendary DJ and electronic artist Steve Aoki, who released an album called "Pillowcases and his Airplane Chronicles." He produced this album using FL Studio and Ableton with compact controllers while touring globally.

This is exactly where the Arturia MiniLab 3 becomes essential, not just convenient. Whether you're producing on a private jet or in economy class on a commercial flight, space is always at a premium in the air.

Plus, think about all those hours spent in airports or coffee shops during flight delays. Staying productive and creative is crucial, and you can't do that effectively with just a laptop's trackpad or mouse.

Among all these controllers, this one is a must-have — even if you end up choosing another from this lineup. It's simply a no-brainer. While there are other solid compact controllers out there (the Akai MPK being a worthy competitor), the exceptional build quality and generous bundled software package make this one hard to pass up.

Also, if music like Steve Aoki or deadmau5 is your jam, the arpeggiator is also great for creating some sick electronic patterns, especially since you can output the notes to other hardware via the MIDI output in the back simultaneously. It's time to start feeling like Giorgio Moroder!

I can't help but wonder why they put piano-style keys on a mini 25-key controller, though. It kind of leaves me scratching my head. It makes it harder to program drums and basslines without really making a difference to a skilled pianist.

Read more: my complete review of the Arturia MiniLab 3