AK-7 Core MIDI Keyboard app for iPhone and iPad

4.2 ( 1122 ratings )

Productivity Music
Developer: Saitara Software

1.99 USD

Current version: 1.0, last update: 6 years ago
First release : 24 Feb 2012
App size: 17.37 Mb

*** This is a Universal App ***
***Buy once and install on all your devices ***

AK-7 Core is a wireless MIDI keyboard controller for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. It features a full-size realistic 3d piano keyboard which you can zoom and slide around to find the range of notes you want to play.

It works great with Apples Garageband, MainStage and Logic as well as any other DAW which supports MIDI input.

It also includes a switchable piano sound set for practicing anywhere without a MIDI connection.

There are options to change the view between 3d and 2d views, as well as standard MIDI options such as transpose, MIDI channel select etc.

Velocity is adjustable and is based on the position you hit each key. There are pitch bend and modulation sliders on the main screen too. (these only affect the MIDI output, not the onboard sound)

The wireless MIDI works using CoreMIDI so so additional drivers are needed on a Mac. Windows users will need to use a driver such as "rtpMIDI".

On an iPad, its possible to use the Camera Connection Kit and a USB to MIDI cable to make a direct wired MIDI connection to your music workstation if theres no wifi available.

Due to the smooth 3d graphics, it needs fairly modern hardware...

Supported devices:
iPad 1 and iPad2
iPhone 3GS or newer
iPod Touch 3rd generation or newer

If you are using an older device, wed recommend you use our older "AK-7 Midi Keyboard" app instead.

Pros and cons of AK-7 Core MIDI Keyboard app for iPhone and iPad

AK-7 Core MIDI Keyboard app good for

Dnno why, but the 3D keyboard feels most comfortable. And perfect slider control. Thats why Ive chosen this app. One star less for not changing the iPad orientation - how to get the piano feel if you cannot use it angled with the iPad cover? Nonsense.

easy to use and configuring. I use it as a midi keyboard and it’s what i was looking for so it’s ok!

Some bad moments

On my iPad 2, and my 2,0 gHz quad i7 MBP with 8gb RAM, where all other midi apps work flawlessly, I get unreliable triggers and unpredictable latency. A total no-go if you need to play with any kind of rhythm.

poor graphics and options. keyboard is small and unconfortable. many bugs. they used Unity to creat this app. midi controller doesnt work in any daw.

Im using the newest ipod touch and it has a slight lag from the local piano sound. I cant even figure out how to connect it WIRELESSLY. Also its hard to hit the black keys. They need to update and have better customer support. (give us links to drivers/programs we need to download). MAKE IT EASY

I dont know whether its just too simplistic, or perhaps the developer expects every potential buyer to know how to troubleshoot CoreMIDI WIFI issues without instruction, or even a FAQ, but I couldnt get this app to do anything useful. Since there is no documentation or support available I would have preferred to blow the $1.99 on a bad gas station cup of coffee brewed two days ago, or just lost it in the street somewhere. At least I wouldnt feel robbed, violated, and embarrassed for deliberately giving this developer my money. Oh yes, as it turns out their website has been down since December 21, 2012 stating that they are updating, and will be back online in a few days. Six months later, here I am...just another victim of yet another example of terrible software. The developer would be well advised to invest some resources in usability testing prior to asking people to actually pay money for this garbage.

Set up very quickly- intuitive midi keyboard with nice options to zoom in and out and move up and down the keyboard. Nice price, too.

Ive had this for quite a while, its due for an update. I hope these apps dont get abandoned.

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