PRESS RELEASE
The ultra-portable universal MIDI keyboard controller for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with 30-pin connector, and Mac/PC, gives users the freedom to play anywhere
October 26, 2012 - IK Multimedia, the leader in mobile music-creation apps and accessories, is proud to announce that iRig® KEYS, the first ultra-portable universal MIDI controller keyboard for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with 30-pin connector, and Mac/PC, is now shipping.
Small enough to fit into a backpack, iRig KEYS offers a unique combination of portability, playability and functionality. Because it's class-compliant on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac/PC, it's plug and play - no driver downloads or software or app installations are necessary. iRig KEYS is also entirely bus powered, via the dock connector on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, and the USB port on a Mac or PC, so it can be used virtually anywhere.
iRig KEYS works great as a mobile controller for all iOS MIDI compatible instruments and studio apps, including GarageBand; IK's iGrand Piano, the new concert-quality piano app; the iOS and Mac/PC versions of SampleTank; as well as any MIDI-compatible software or DAW plug-ins for Mac/PC.
Many of iRig KEYS' features are designed to allow keyboardists to play with the expressive techniques that they're accustomed to. To that end, the keyboard is equipped with mod and pitch wheels, 37 velocity-sensitive keys (enough for two-handed parts) a MIDI programmable knob, and an input for a sustain pedal or an expression pedal.
Five backlit soft-touch buttons are provided for editing, including Program and Octave up/down buttons, and a SET button for saving and recalling up to four user presets. In Edit Mode it's possible to transpose, select one of six preset velocity curves, set the MIDI transmit channel and program change number, and assign the knob to a particular MIDI controller.
iRig KEYS comes with free apps for iOS and software for Mac/PC. For the former, users can download SampleTank FREE from the App Store, which provides a collection of 68 sampled acoustic and electronic instruments, or iGrand Piano FREE, a great sounding piano app.
For the Mac/PC, iRig KEYS purchasers are entitled to a free download of SampleTank 2 L, a sampling workstation (plug-in or standalone), which normally retails for €59.99 ex VAT, and comes with a 2GB instrument collection.
Features
- 37 velocity-sensitive mini-keys (3 full octaves range plus one note)
- Modulation and pitch bend wheels
- Volume/data knob (assignable)
- Octave, Program Up/Down back-lit, soft-touch buttons
- SET button to store and recall 4 different customized setups
- Input for an optional sustain or expression pedal
- CoreMIDI (iOS) and USB class compliant (Mac/PC) - plug and play
- Bus powered on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch with 30-pin connector; and Mac/PC
- Comes with SampleTank FREE and iGrand Piano FREE iOS apps (download from the App StoreTM)
- Comes with free Mac/PC virtual instrument: SampleTank 2 L (download from IK site)
Pricing and Availability
iRig KEYS is priced at €74.99 ex VAT and is now available from musical instrument and electronic retailers around the world, and from the IK Online Store.
The SampleTank FREE and iGrand Piano FREE Apps are available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore
For more information and video demos, please visit:
www.irigkeys.com
www.ikmultimedia.com
About IK Multimedia:
IK Multimedia is a computer music technology company that offers a diverse range of affordable and easy-to-use music production tools with great sound quality and a realistic look and feel. With over one million installations worldwide, the IK range has been adopted by musicians of every level, from beginners to professionals, to gain access to high-end, studio-quality gear from their computers or mobile devices.
