Samson’s (http://www.SamsonTech.com) Carbon 49 USB MIDI Controller, designed with the iPad in mind, is now available for US$89 .
The Carbon 49 offers players a semi-weighted keyboard comparable in feel to that of pro-level instruments, according to the folks at Samson. Its 49 velocity-sensitive keys allow you to capture the full dynamics of a performance. In addition, the Carbon 49’s dedicated Transpose and Octave buttons, as well as its classic Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels, allow you to expand the keyboard.
The Carbon 49 boasts an assignable data encoder and volume slider. For editing, players can use the shift key to adjust up to 14 performance-related control parameters. Also, the Carbon 49’s 3-digit, 7-segment LCD, displays the behavior of every function in real-time. For added versatility, the Carbon 49 includes traditional MIDI out, sustain pedal input and USB connections.
The Carbon 49 features an integrated iPad slot and can be used with your favorite MIDI apps via Apple’s iPad Camera Connection Kit. The Carbon 49 can even be directly powered by the iPad. In addition, the Carbon 49 comes with Native Instruments’ Komplete Elements software, offers a selection of sounds, effects and tools for modern music production, composition and sound design for your Mac OS X or Windows desktop.