I’ve found the Goldilocks of portable MIDI controllers

我找到了便携式 MIDI 控制器的“黄金平衡点”

The Arturia MiniLab 37 balances size, price, and playability. Arturia MiniLab 37 在尺寸、价格和演奏性之间取得了完美的平衡。

I have tested more portable MIDI controllers than I can keep track of, and I will tell you right now: 37 keys is the ideal size. While Arturia’s 25-key MiniLab MK3 is a solid controller that easily fits in a backpack, it feels a bit claustrophobic. The new $149 MiniLab 37 adds another octave, giving you much more room to play bass and lead simultaneously, or just play more expansive chords. 我测试过的便携式 MIDI 控制器多到数不清，但我现在就可以告诉你：37 键是理想的尺寸。虽然 Arturia 的 25 键 MiniLab MK3 是一款可以轻松装进背包的稳健控制器，但它用起来总让人感到有些局促。新款售价 149 美元的 MiniLab 37 增加了一个八度音阶，为你提供了更多空间来同时演奏低音和主旋律，或者仅仅是弹奏更宽广的和弦。

Physically, the MiniLab 37 isn’t very different from its smaller sibling. It’s got the same solid (if slightly springy) keybed, eight pads, eight endless encoders, four faders, a pair of touch strips, USB-C, and a full-size five-pin MIDI DIN out on the back. It’s also got the same rounded plastic build. It feels a bit cheap, and it’s not gonna win any design awards, but it gets the job done and feels resilient enough to take a few bumps in a backpack. 在外观上，MiniLab 37 与其较小的同门产品差别不大。它拥有同样稳固（虽然略带弹性）的键盘、八个打击垫、八个无限旋转编码器、四个推子、一对触控条、USB-C 接口，以及背部一个全尺寸五针 MIDI DIN 输出接口。它也采用了同样的圆润塑料机身。手感略显廉价，也不会赢得任何设计奖项，但它能出色地完成任务，且足够耐用，足以承受背包里的几次磕碰。

The big change is that it’s just not as cramped as the standard MiniLab, and it’s not just about having more keys. With a wider expanse to work with, Arturia was able to rearrange the other controls for easier access; the whole controller is shallower. You no longer have to reach over the pads to get to the knobs, or the touchstrips to change the octave. Instead, everything is laid out in a straight line, with the primary encoder and small LCD right in the center. It’s just a much more pleasurable and intuitive experience. With the MiniLab MK3, I always felt like I was searching before reaching. On the 37, things are just where I’d expect them to be. 最大的变化在于它不再像标准版 MiniLab 那样拥挤，而且这不仅仅是因为按键更多。由于操作空间更宽敞，Arturia 能够重新排列其他控件以便于访问；整个控制器变得更浅了。你不再需要越过打击垫去调节旋钮，也不必为了切换八度音阶而去够触控条。相反，所有东西都排列成一条直线，主编码器和小型 LCD 屏幕位于正中央。这是一种更令人愉悦且直观的体验。使用 MiniLab MK3 时，我总感觉在伸手操作前需要先“寻找”一下。而在 37 上，一切都在我预期的位置。

Integration with Arturia’s software synths is part of the appeal of its controllers. The MiniLab 37 comes bundled with Arturia’s Analog Lab Intro and Ableton Live Lite so you can get straight to making music out of the box. But keep your expectations in check. That tiny screen means you still need to reach for the mouse or keyboard to browse through presets efficiently. And it also makes using some of the controller’s more advanced features a bit cumbersome. For example, the built-in arpeggiator is great, with a ton of options considering this is a portable, budget-minded MIDI controller. But the rate, the mode, the gate, etc., require scrolling and clicking through them one at a time. It’s a slog. 与 Arturia 软件合成器的集成是其控制器吸引力的一部分。MiniLab 37 捆绑了 Arturia 的 Analog Lab Intro 和 Ableton Live Lite，让你开箱即可直接开始创作音乐。但请降低你的预期。那个微小的屏幕意味着你仍然需要借助鼠标或键盘来高效浏览预设。这也使得使用该控制器的一些高级功能变得有些繁琐。例如，内置的琶音器非常棒，考虑到这是一款便携且主打性价比的 MIDI 控制器，它提供了大量的选项。但调节速率、模式、门限等参数时，需要逐个滚动和点击，过程非常耗时。

The MiniLab also gives you basic control over your digital audio workstation (DAW), allowing you to start or stop recording or loop specific parts of your session straight from the controller. If you’re patient, you can manually map it for even deeper control of your recording session, but it’s never going to match something like Ableton’s Push or even Serato’s Slab, which have far more hands-on controls and out-of-the-box mappings for their respective DAWs. MiniLab 还为你提供了对数字音频工作站 (DAW) 的基本控制，允许你直接从控制器上开始或停止录音，或者循环播放会话中的特定部分。如果你有耐心，可以手动映射它以实现对录音会话更深层的控制，但它永远无法与 Ableton Push 或 Serato Slab 等设备相提并论，后者拥有更多的物理控件，并为各自的 DAW 提供了开箱即用的映射。

You can also control hardware synths using the MIDI port on the back. You could even build a whole DAW-less setup with multiple instruments on different MIDI channels. Though if your instruments don’t have MIDI out or thru ports, you’ll need to add a MIDI splitter to your setup. 你还可以使用背部的 MIDI 接口控制硬件合成器。你甚至可以构建一套完整的“无 DAW”设置，在不同的 MIDI 通道上连接多个乐器。不过，如果你的乐器没有 MIDI 输出或直通接口，你需要在设置中增加一个 MIDI 分配器。

The MiniLab 37 isn’t the smallest MIDI controller. It’s not the most luxurious. Nor is it the cheapest. What it is, is the perfect balance of ergonomics, portability, and price. Especially if you’re already using Arturia’s soft synths. MiniLab 37 不是最小的 MIDI 控制器，也不是最奢华的，更不是最便宜的。但它在人体工程学、便携性和价格之间取得了完美的平衡。特别是如果你已经在用 Arturia 的软件合成器，它会是你的不二之选。