You never know what to expect in the world of electronic music instruments. First, inventors came up with analog synthesizers that were usually used to badly imitate traditional instruments. Then came virtual analog synthesizers, which typically are software imitations of classic hardware synthesizers. Now, the latest trends seems to be dedicated hardware to control the software imitations of classic hardware!

One of the first of these dedicated controllers was Korg’s Legacy Collection, which comes with a software version of the classic MS-20 and a reduced-size controller keyboard version of the MS-20.

Now MidiSoft has introduced the MidiMax Keyboard, a hardware controller for a software imitation of the classic MiniMoog.

The MidiMax Keyboard is a remote keyboard with 16 memory banks, 28 user-definable MIDI controllers, and 13 MIDI-switches. The keyboard is preconfigured to work with the Creamware DSP-based plug-in, MiniMax. It is also compatible with the Creamware Noah rack instrument. It can be used with other Minimoog simulations, but can also be used with any software instrument.

The MidiMax Keyboard has a natural wood body, and the panel is hinged, just like the original. The keyboard controller connects to a computer using a USB MIDI interface, and it also transmits its output at a MIDI Out port.

Additional information is available at the MidiSoft site.