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Does anyone know of a compact travel keyboard? I have used an M-Audio 49 for this purpose, but it is larger than it needs to be (bell and whistles I don't use), plus you have to hook it up to a laptop. I would like a stand-alone keyboard easily packed, maybe foldable, to take on trips when I am unable to play my home piano.

Thank you.

You have to share you budget and specific needs, really.

If you want to go small, have built in sounds AND controller features for your computer... I think maybe the Yamaha MX49 or MX61 might be just what you are looking for. The 49 comes in at about $500, its slim, light, and doesn't need your laptop to play.

A little more info about what you want to do with it and what you want to spend.

Save up for the new VAX boards on kickstarter!

If you're OK with a synth-like action and small keys, check out the Yamaha NP-11.

Which model? Too wide, too deep, or both?

I would like a stand-alone keyboard that doesn't require a laptop. I need no bells and whistles. Just a simple piano sound would be fine. This is for practice only when I am traveling. The M-Audio 49 I currently have has two drawbacks: all the switches and buttons add unnecessary dimension and it must be attached to a computer to play. Price is no object.

Thanks again.

PS: I already have one of those roller keypads. I have travelled with it before. It is very hard to play, as the black keys are the same level as the white keys, but better than nothing, I guess.

I don't think what I am looking for is out there.

CME Xkey or Xkey 37.

Very small and flat. Keys are better than one of those roll up keyboards
. But not as nice as a synth action. Needs laptop though for sound.

EJF, thanks for the reference of CME.

To the OP - I travelled with an M-Audio Key 49... too big for carry-on, but did that anyway. A monumental PITA. Just left it behind on my return flight.

Really would be good if there was something else. Only other thing I found (doing research for something else) is:
http://www.miselu.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/miselu/c24-the-music-keyboard-for-ipad

Two (maybe more) of these can be put together. Small enough for carry-on. I have not used one and have no affiliation with the company.

Again, I don't know which M-Audio controller you're looking at, but some are smaller than others. It sounds like you still want 49 keys, yes? Look at these...
http://www.sweetwater.com/c1074--49_Key_Controllers

The only way to get smaller than some of those would be to go with fewer than 49 keys and/or mini-keys.

You don't need a computer per se to get sound... you can connect them to an iPad or iPhone or iPod Touch and get your piano sound that way. The latter two are small enough that you could probably velcro them to the board and leave them "permanently" attached if desired, so it's pretty much like having it built in. (You did say price wasn't an issue.)

The problem with the Miselu, is that they are sort of mini-keys, much smaller than standard keys.

Digitalguy, Oops! I was unaware of that - missed it. Thanks much.

If the problem is fitting in a "regular" suitcase (not some special one), there are large suitcases that can take up to 78 cm, and among the few 49 keys that fit there is the Korg Taktile, at 75cm, you can even have a version with sounds, the Korg Triton Taktile.

Yes, they look like regular keys in the website, but the 2 octaves are as long as 10 regular white keys. This is to fit the ipad size, What a pity, the concept is great, but while I can play and enjoy unweighted actions (if the sound is inspiring) without problems, I really can't stand mini keys...

Mini-Keys would kill my efforts to get the octave-sizes into muscle memory. I had a 67 key M-Audio for a few days, but too big. I am now using a roll-up, which is not stand-alone and not easy to play, but it is at least the same size as the real thing.

My first priority right now is to get finger-muscle-memory up to speed and have maximum portability. Roll-up keyboard is best for that, I think.

If the problem is fitting in a "regular" suitcase (not some special one), there are large suitcases that can take up to 78 cm, and among the few 49 keys that fit there is the Korg Taktile, at 75cm, you can even have a version with sounds, the Korg Triton Taktile. [/quote]

I will try my M-audio 49 in my large suitcase. I believe the keyboard is too long to fit, but I will try. Even if it does, you still have to bring along your laptop to make the keyboard work. If it would work with an iPad, maybe that's a go.

Thanks.

Sure, it will work with an iPad.

Again, if you're asking for something smaller than an M-Audio 49, it may help to know which M-Audio 49 you're talking about. There are many. Oxygen 49, Keystation 49, Axiom Air 49, Axiom 49, Keystation 49ES, Keystudio 49, KeyRig 49, and probably some I don't know about! Some of these are bigger than others.

I will try my M-audio 49 in my large suitcase. I believe the keyboard is too long to fit, but I will try. Even if it does, you still have to bring along your laptop to make the keyboard work. If it would work with an iPad, maybe that's a go.

Yes, the keyboard is quite too long to fit in my suitcase. I have a carrying case, a red one designed for the MX49 Yamaha. The M-audio 49 fits in perfectly. I have carried it onto airplanes. It will fit in longer overhead bins. But not in small commuter airplanes. I would not want to check it, since the case doesn't much protect the keyboard.

The Xkey 37 looks very interesting. It would fit in my suitcase. But it is only 37 keys.

Thanks

Kai C, shame you can't string two of the Xkey 37's (or the other size) together. That would have been quite nice. I also travelled with the M-Audio Keystation 49 (just a little too long for the suitcase - mod wheel and the other one made things just a little too long).

In general the solutions for travel are really lacking. I should have taken up the Violin - Hah!

You absolutely can do this!

SH, I don't see how without having a large jump to the other keybed. I assume one would raise the octave count of the second keybed to suitably match its key position.

So I see two problems:
1. physical positioning
2. cabling



Would be cool if there was a way to do this. Do you know of one?