Gregory
First off, I'm not a musician and I'm just learning to play, thankfully I have a friend who plays keyboards in a band so I had him check it out today. He really liked the feel of the full-sized keyboard which he thought was very good for the price and played well. He also liked the extra buttons, wheels and drum pads which he thought he could get good use of once they were patched into the software he uses. My impression was similar, the keys feel nice and have good action, the velocity and aftertouch I can hear, but I'm not good enough to really take advantage of them yet. The keys are weighted, not quite as heavy as a real piano, but are way better than your average cheap synth keyboard.
Be sure you understand that this is a MIDI controller only, it does not make sounds on it's own, you have to connect it to a computer, tablet or phone with music making software to use it. I tested it out by plugging it directly into the USB-C port of my iPad and found that not only did it work but that the iPad powered the whole keyboard, lights and all, without any complaints. It worked immediately with GarageBand on the iPad for playing and recording music which was great! I expect it will work with any device that has music software and a USB-C port. So this teamed with a compatible phone or tablet makes a pretty good portable music machine.
If you are an absolute beginner, the keyboard part of this will probably work immediately with any software. But to get every feature of on this thing working and really dialed in you need to go to Donner's website and download the PC or Mac software for setting it up. I haven't used it yet but looking over the documentation it gives you a lot of options for customizing how it works. Note that you will find the software in the Electric Piano section of their download page under MIDI keyboards.
All these options may be a bit daunting for a beginner, but from my experience with the iPad you CAN just plug it in and play it like a piano. It just takes some customization to get all the dials, buttons and drum pads to do what you want.
Even thought the keys are full sized, the whole unit is still fairly compact and easy to carry around. I really wish they had included a carrying bag or at least a dust cover with it though.
On the back there is a 1/4 inch jack to attach a pedal (not included), a standard 5-pin midi out and a USB-B jack. They include a USB-B to USB-A cable and an A-to-C adapter. You can do MIDI through the main connector or through USB. There is NO bluetooth option and no batteries, it gets it's power through the USB port.
So overall, a really nice MIDI controller, fully configuring it for your software may take a little work, but even beginners should be able to use the keyboard part right away with whatever music software you have.
Strecker
I am a dedicated Cakewalk/Sonar person who is in denial that they have been out of business for some time. The programs however are still great to use being that not much has advance in relation to home studio technology over the last ten years. I remember reading an article not too long ago with a popular legendary electronic musician talking about using programs from like fifteen year ago or so so this is normal.
It is understandable that i was happy to see the Donner company making this neat little midi keyboard compatible with Cakewalk/Sonar DAW's. It is listed right there in the instructions which broke the suspense of me worrying it would not be compatible. This acknowledgement of a defunct brand that is top notch, shows the people at the Donner brand are All about real musicians and know the inside info about what to take part in.
This keyboard functions exactly how I wanted it to. I use an Aturia key-step for the cv port for modular hookups and the sequencing. I needed a small controller for use with capturing track lanes and segments from the Sonar program. It is nice to segment off drum track then play them in a way that is more freeform that having to clear out a loved sample from my Roland sp555 bank. This keyboard can work as a way to workshop samples to then move over to a main sample like an sp unit. I often find myself finding a sample from a film or something only to erase banks in the heat of the moment only to regret it later. This keyboard can give you a relaxed way to workshop an idea. You can also, throw an octave onto the keys of a synth from inside the program. I am always open to using any unique sound and am not just an analog person, though I try to lean in that direction. This mini keyboard then allows you to yse it as an actual instrument as well as a controller. The function keys and knob mechanism contribute to the instrument approach. Another example would be for retro drum machine reboots such as the tr808 which i just purchased. The traditional 808 only has like a dozen or so instruments, so this keyboard could easily fit the whole drum kit within its available 25 keys.
To summarize I like this keyboard and think it is a good lower priced non-padded style of the midi variations. I recommend this for electronic musicians, or people looking to use a keyboard based tool for sampling.
Stephanie
This MIDI keyboard is good for beginners. It’s easy to bring with you so good for travel. Sound quality is good. Not a bad keyboard at all. Perfect for someone new to playing piano.
Sheryl
I have been able to use this keyboard connected to a PC and to an ipad using the usb C connector cable. Works fine for help with composing music and hearing what tunes sound like. Small and compact so easy to carry. For the intended purpose, the small keys work fine.
Dannette T.
This is a cool keyboard. It’s easy to use and great for beginners.
The Stig
This is a great little keyboard if you are looking for something that's plug and play and will save you desk space (and not cost an arm and a leg). They keybed is velocity sensitive, the keys are not weighted (would not expect that at this price) but the springiness is just right. They are not hard to push and spring back quick. The keyboard is easy to use and was plug and play with Logic Pro with no issues. The controls on the left side all feel nice too. I will mention though, this keyboard does NOT have a sequencer. Its an arpeggiator. Its a good feature, but the button says sequencer not arp, I spent 5 min trying to figure out how to program the sequencer that isn't there.
Overall, if you are looking for an affordable mini midi keyboard that has velocity sensitive keys, this is a good option, but I will say if you spend a little more there are some better options with better build quality and more features. I do think this is a good value for the price.
zefie
Plugged this into my Windows 11 PC and Mixcraft saw it right away and everything just worked. No drivers, no hassle. I am not a pro but I like playing with MIDI synth for fun. This does the job. A few things Some things I noticed and would change though are: - left/right axis not used on joystick - manual states joystick "mostly" (quote) used for pitch shifting, but that is the only use I could find. - Chord and Sequencer modes are fun, but why not both? It can only do one or the other. Aside from that, everything is as advertised, and works great. I also like that it is compact enough to fit on my desk by just moving my PC keyboard back a little. Overall if you are looking for a keyboard to work with your existing DAW, this is nice. But remember it is not a standalone synth or keyboard, and requires MIDI-compatible software to work with, it may work with actual synthesizers with the 3.5mm MIDI out but I do not have the means to test this.
CJ
This is a great little MIDI keyboard. It's compact enough to easily be carried but has several useful functions built in.
The keyboard has 32 keys, but using the Octave buttons, you can adjust the note range easily to accommodate for every normal key on a full 88-key piano. The other button functions are relatively easy to learn and allow you to modify the sound as well, giving you great flexibility.
Using the provided USB-C to USB-A cable, you can connect to a computer easily (no driver download required in Windows) and start using the MIDI controller right away. Using FL Studio, I was able to set up the controller quickly and it works very well. I had to adjust the velocity, since the key velocity is very sensitive, but that is a good thing depending on your use.
Overall, this is a fantastic MIDI controller with a lot of functionality packed into a small, easy to carry package.
Sa2
Keyboard does not come with a midi cable that is 3.5" so keep that in mind when purchasing this. I have a drawer full of Korg, Akai and other weird combinations of 3.5" midi out cables that I just plugged in one and it worked like it should. Keys feel solid and in fact the whole keyboard feels good in the hand and doesn't feel cheap. I was looking for a micro keybed and looked at a few but the others seemed to overly complex and I have a midi in synth that is just a desktop module with no keyboard and this allows me to use that keyboard. Keys are velocity sensitive which is really nice and the pitch bend is not a wheel but a joystick which works really well. I have not tried the other features of the keyboard just yet as for I need to download the software from the site. Overall, keyboard feels solid and is a competitive product to the other offerings, the manual leaves a lot to be desired, but eventually I want to get the sequencer working on it.
Marilyn
This MIDI is a great keyboard for anyone who wants to get into making music using an iPad or computer without dropping a small fortune on a keyboard. With 32 keys you have plenty to work with - the unit is very easy to setup and get running, and the keys are not cheap and thin - they are nicely weighed. The whole keyboard itself is built well and sturdy, but still compact and uses every part of itself productively, if that makes sense. The keyboard is compatible with Ableton and GarageBand - have used it with both and it works flawlessly. It is truly plug and play. You can program up to 4 banks, and you get a lot of options with this keyboard, including pitch bend and sustain, something you don't find on too many MIDI keyboards unless they are expensive, which this one is not. The pitch bend contains a feature called "breathing light" which is sort of unique and helps to get a cool visual experience too while working with that and the modulation. And best of all, this is a feature rich keyboard that is not big, so you can take it anywhere. Highly recommend this for users of all ages and skills - it's easy enough to use for a beginner, can definitely be used by a more advanced musician or professional too, and it's a fantastic price. Two thumbs up!
The Stig
This is a great little keyboard if you are looking for something that's plug and play and will save you desk space (and not cost an arm and a leg). They keybed is velocity sensitive, the keys are not weighted (would not expect that at this price) but the springiness is just right. They are not hard to push and spring back quick. The keyboard is easy to use and was plug and play with Logic Pro with no issues. The controls on the left side all feel nice too. I will mention though, this keyboard does NOT have a sequencer. Its an arpeggiator. Its a good feature, but the button says sequencer not arp, I spent 5 min trying to figure out how to program the sequencer that isn't there. Overall, if you are looking for an affordable mini midi keyboard that has velocity sensitive keys, this is a good option, but I will say if you spend a little more there are some better options with better build quality and more features. I do think this is a good value for the price.
eric
This little keyboard is fantastic. It's extremely lightweight and connects instantly to a Mac or Windows PC. I tried this on 3 different DAWs and it detected it right away as "Donner N32". The keys feel good for how small they are and the little display on top gives useful information. There's a dedicated volume knob as well as transpose and octave buttons. There are also "chord" and "sequencer" buttons that work with some software. The controller only weighs about a pound but doesn't feel cheap when playing it. One of the more interesting features is the little multi knob at the top left. It mostly acts as a pitch bend and modulation controller but you can assign other functions like filtering which makes it useful for both recording and live use. I'm really impressed with the quality, ease of use, size, and features on this little controller. It's so small that even the larger 32 key size can easily fit in my laptop backpack. A nice braided USB-C cable is included and no other power is required for it to work, making it excellent to use with a laptop for use with a portable music creation studio. I have no complaints about this controller and I have a feeling it's going to be extremely popular, like a lot of Donner's music products.
Eric San Juan
As MIDI keyboards go, this one functions well and is responsive, though perhaps its biggest advantage is portability. This is slim, small, and light enough to slip into almost any day bag or carry-on bag. That's a pretty nice plus. The keyboard itself is fairly stripped back, with a compact-sized keyboard layout, good response (including some solid velocity response), and a good feel. It was compatible with my PC with no issues at all. Overall, solid stuff and another affordable piece of equipment by Donner.
Chris
The media could not be loaded. This is a great little MIDI keyboard. It's compact enough to easily be carried but has several useful functions built in. The keyboard has 32 keys, but using the Octave buttons, you can adjust the note range easily to accommodate for every normal key on a full 88-key piano. The other button functions are relatively easy to learn and allow you to modify the sound as well, giving you great flexibility. Using the provided USB-C to USB-A cable, you can connect to a computer easily (no driver download required in Windows) and start using the MIDI controller right away. Using FL Studio, I was able to set up the controller quickly and it works very well. I had to adjust the velocity, since the key velocity is very sensitive, but that is a good thing depending on your use. Overall, this is a fantastic MIDI controller with a lot of functionality packed into a small, easy to carry package.
