- MIDI keyboards are a great way to explore music production.
- However, it’s pretty useless without MIDI keyboard software.
- We look at the best free MIDI keyboard software for all platforms in 2023.
Just bought your first MIDI keyboard, but not sure of which software to pair it with?
Thankfully, there is an abundance of professional MIDI keyboard software now available for all platforms.
Before even considering the options on our list, you may want to check to see if your MIDI keyboard comes bundled with any free software (this is quite common nowadays).
However, if you’re still stuck — no fret. In this article, we take a look at the best free MIDI keyboard software in 2023. We’ve compiled various options across multiple platforms, including:
- Mobile devices (iOS and Android),
- Web-browser-based apps
- Full standalone software (PC & Mac).
Note! Throughout this guide, you’ll see the term ‘DAW’ used. This is short for ‘Digital Audio Workstation’ and is the software you use to make music on a computer. So, many of the best MIDI keyboard software options fall into this category.
What Is The Best Free MIDI Keyboard Software In 2023?
| Software | Platform | Features | Who it’s best for |
| GarageBand | Mac | Built-in MIDI editor, includes virtual instruments and effects | Apple users |
| BandLab Cakewalk | PC | Built-in MIDI editor, includes virtual instruments and effects | PC users |
| MidiEditor | Mac and PC | Basic MIDI editing tools | Users who want a simple and free MIDI editor |
| Pianu.com | Web-based | Interactive piano lessons via your MIDI device | Those who simply want to play piano and use their MIDI keyboard online |
| Perfect Piano | Mobile (iOS and Android) | Virtual piano keyboard, includes lessons and games | People who want to use their mobile device as a MIDI keyboard and learn piano |
| Piano Time | Mobile (iOS and Android) | Virtual piano keyboard, includes lessons and games | People who want to use their mobile device as a MIDI keyboard and learn piano |
For Apple users, Garageband is hands down the best free MIDI keyboard software out there. It has all the modern DAW features found on much more expensive packages such as Ableton Live or Logic Pro, but for free! If you’re on PC, we recommend BandLab by CakeWalk.
For on-the-go functionality, an iPad or iPhone with GarageBand installed can be like having a multi-track studio on the road with you when paired with a mobile interface like a RØDE AI Micro.
Here are the 6 top free MIDI keyboard software options we’ll be covering:
- GarageBand by Apple (Our Pick For Apple users)
- BandLab CakeWalk (Our Pick For PC users)
- MidiEditor
- Pianu.com
- Perfect Piano
- Piano Time
1. GarageBand by Apple
GarageBand is the clear winner of this roundup and is one of the best free music apps period. As you may already know, it’s only available on Mac computers, but Windows users can check out our list of free Windows alternatives to Garageband.
GarageBand was one of the first widely available apps to download for free, making music production accessible to everyone.
Starting life as a simple sequencer app, GarageBand has evolved into a very sophisticated DAW with MIDI capabilities over the years. GarageBand can be considered the younger sibling of Apple’s flagship Logic Pro, with a more beginner-friendly feature set.
With built-in lessons for both piano and guitar, GarageBand can help you become a more competent musician, and explore the features of your new MIDI keyboard.
In addition, you can use many of the included instrument effects to record, edit, remix, or lay down your latest beats. I have often used GarageBand on my iPad, or even iPhone, to edit my latest production on the way to the next gig!
If you already own an Apple device, it’s likely you have GarageBand already installed – if not is easy to download from the App Store.
Pros
- Large selection of built-in virtual instruments like piano, organ, synth, and more
- Quality organic sounds good enough for professional use
- Easy to publish any projects
Cons
- Only available on Apple devices.
- Add-on packs can be expensive.
2. BandLab CakeWalk
If you are looking for more of the Garageband experience but are on a Windows PC, this free MIDI keyboard software is a complete music production package.
As one of the first DAW software solutions for recording artists, Gibson produced the software for many years until handing it over to BandLab who made it a free app.
Although initially a software used for recording the guitar, CakeWalk supports many virtual instruments and also includes a large selection of built-in sounds.
For keyboard players, all you have to do is drag and drop your MIDI keyboard into the mixer and start producing.
Being a previously commercial paid-for DAW, CakeWalk has all the features you would find in many of the upmarket DAWs, including sequencers, effects, loops, and multi-instruments.
One of the best features is the highly customizable interface with many templates for mixing and arranging.
Pros
- 64-bit mix engine and mixing console combine for a sleek mixing experience.
- Help Module makes learning the different DAW functions simple and quick.
Cons
- Only available for 64-bit Windows.
- It is not as suited to live performance as paid-for software such as Ableton Live or
Logic Pro .
2. MidiEditor
Looking like a throwback to the days of MIDI in the 2000s, MidiEditor is a capable DAW with MIDI features available for both Windows and Linux.
The no-nonsense graphical interface actually reminds me of MIDI software on the old Atari ST range of computers – one of the first home computers to feature professional MIDI inputs!
A large number of patches are readily available on the web to add a selection of virtual instruments to the already built-in virtual piano and drums sets.
Unfortunately, this is more of a workhorse DAW and doesn’t offer the lessons found in many of the other free MIDI keyboard software packages we have looked at.
For Windows users, this is, without a doubt, one of the best recording software apps available for free to use with your MIDI keyboard.
If you find the user interface not as creative as you need, you can always export the MIDI files into another DAW for added functionality.
Pros
- An intuitive and simple DAW for for playing the keyboard, recording, and editing MIDI data.
- A great introduction to some of the more advanced techniques (such as the quantize feature).
Cons
- Notes are not shown on the screen when recording, which can be hard to get used to.
- There are no built-in sounds to test other than a basic piano.
3. Pianu.com
If you are looking to play your MIDI keyboard without the fuss of downloading any software at all, then Pianu.com is a great option. As a browser-based app, you can use this on virtually any platform you like.
This is perhaps the most simple software to use that we have looked at – head to the pianu.com/keyboard address and plug your keyboard into your device.
Once you have pressed the “Detect My Keyboard” button on-screen, you are ready to go.
Pianu.com is not a complex DAW software like Garageband, but it is great if you want to focus on the basics and play the piano.
What Pianu.com is really designed for, though, is learning the piano with many built-in lessons starting with the basics.
What I really like about this app is the ability to play along with songs from contemporary artists such as Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and Lady Gaga, to mention but a few.
It’s a breath of fresh air from the usual fare of Amazing Grace or Ode to Joy.
Pros
- No need for any downloading.
- Simple to set up with better latency than expected from a web-based app.
Cons
- Not a strong enough sound for recording or live performances.
- Notes don’t fully ring out and can sometimes stop suddenly.
4. Perfect Piano
This app is one of the few available for Android devices that supports the standard MIDI protocol.
With many of the newer Android tablets and phones now sporting USB-C slots, connecting a MIDI keyboard is simpler than ever. A converter cable that has a traditional USB-A or B female connection will work for most MIDI keyboards.
This extremely versatile free MIDI piano software features many functional modes, including single or double row, dual players, and multi-chords.
One feature we particularly like is the online multiplayer mode – where you can participate in weekly events like online chat, competitions, and song challenges.
Like most of the apps available, the sounds are not recorded from a real instrument but rather are preprogrammed.
Surprisingly, for a free app, the sounds are quite impressive, and you can even download additional instruments such as synth, strings, and horns for free.
Pros
- “Learn to play” mode and online features make playing the keyboard like a game.
- The flexible interface allows for several keys on the screen to be changed.
Cons
- Pop-up adverts can get annoying, although you can upgrade to the premium version for $2.99/month.
- Latency can be an issue with less powerful or older Android devices.
6. Piano Time
We finish with a free MIDI piano software app for Windows for those merely wanting to play the piano and very little else.
Piano Time is very simple to plug in and start with a new keyboard. It recognized my Novation MIDI keyboard with no difficulty and I didn’t even have to go into the settings.
As you might guess from the name, Piano Time is designed to mimic the sound of a piano. You can’t really add other virtual instruments or add reverb or delay, but the sound is pretty convincing.
With the ability to record and save clips this is the ideal MIDI keyboard software for beginners.
Preloaded with a few basic tracks for you to play along with, there are also some simple scale exercises to try. Supported keyboards will even light up the keys to show you how to play along.
Pros
- Very simple and easy to use – perfect for kids learning to play the piano.
- The record feature allows you to play multiple tracks simultaneously.
Cons
- Sound quality isn’t perfect – lower notes can sound quiet and often merge.
- Recorded files can not be exported unless you upgrade to the paid version.
What Is MIDI And Why Do You Need MIDI Keyboard Software?
MIDI data conveys information about a musical performance. Most notably, which notes are being pressed, how hard they are struck, and how long they are held for. Many of the controllers DJs use will also utilize MIDI to communicate with apps like Serato or Traktor.
In the analog world, instruments make sound as soon as we strike them. With MIDI keyboards, it’s not that simple, and they can’t really be considered instruments per se as they do not produce sound themselves.
A MIDI keyboard or MIDI controller only produces a digital control signal that tells MIDI-equipped synthesizers what notes to play, amongst other things.
If you are interested in music production and synthesizers, you will have no doubt come across MIDI before.
However, some might be thinking…
“Why do I even need software to use the keyboard?”.
That’s because MIDI (Musical Instrument Device Interface) is a language, and it needs something to talk to.
Developed in the 1980s, it was designed to help music gear communicate and perform together with as little difficulty as possible.
Initially, MIDI cables were used to carry this data and patch together MIDI-compatible devices so they could talk to each other. While this is still common, nowadays, many synths can send MIDI over USB, and MIDI can also be used entirely ‘in-the-box’, as is the case with many DAWs. So, you don’t necessarily need a MIDI cable to use MIDI.
So your computer or DAW may recognize the MIDI keyboard as a plug ‘n’ play device, but you will still need something to send the MIDI to that will produce sound (like a VST synth).
Before You Go…
At the end of the day, with the correct software for your MIDI keyboard, it can become a powerful tool to take your productions to the next level.
Check out the following articles for recommendations of our favorite MIDI keyboards:
Excellent article
“What is MIDI and ….”
Like so much technical writing this is of little use:
A beginner will not understand much of it, and other people will already know what it is trying to say.
It mixes up MIDI keyboards with MIDI data with MIDI controllers and the fact that Djs use it to communicate with apps.
Then we are told it is a language, even that it needs something to talk to.
Apparently many synths can send MIDI over USB. Who would have thought it?
IMHO this section could have described MIDI by likening it to something beginners will probably already understand – a music score.
A midi keyboard “writes” the score. Beginners will then know that it does not produce sound; that you need an “orchestra” to convert the MIDI into sound.
Conversant with most apps used to record midi the difficulty for me is finding an app that produces a good score. By a good score I mean basic notation I can hear without ground breaking effects I don’t want! Logic combined with the BBC orchestral app produces the goods but Logic’s musical score is difficult to manage. I’m an old fashioned composer who writes in silence and experiences sounds imagined later. Most modern day apps cater for group musicians who have their own way of working, quite valid and producing some interesting works, but not requiring the same musical approach.
Is there an app out there that can satisfy the needs of the ‘old school’ composer?
This read Was how i found midi editor. Im oldschool coming back from 25 years. I know midi inside and out. Have lots if old gear. Looking for software that records and plays back via pc. Without the huge learning curve and mountains of menus of audio stuff i dont need. Midi editor almost does it BUT… It doesnt record multiple incoming channels and keep it as multi channel data.
It jams it all together on one channel. Totaly useless It will play back on multi track and multi channel. But you have te recore each track at a time. Just not doable