The nanoKEY Fold is a 25 key MIDI controller in black that folds in half to roughly the size of a phone. Its membrane keybed makes no noise at all, and scale guides, chord assignment and an arpeggiator are built into the unit rather than left to software. Anyone writing on a laptop in a cafe, a hotel room or a shared flat is the target here.
A keybed that stays quiet
Membrane keys give a defined action while making effectively no sound as you play, which matters when a sleeping housemate is on the other side of the wall. Velocity response can be set across 13 levels, so a light touch or a firm one can both be dialled in. Octave shift covers four steps either side of centre, putting the full range within reach of 25 keys.
Scale guide and chord mode
Fifteen scales are stored, with LEDs lighting the notes that belong. Easy Scale mode goes further and makes every key press land in the chosen scale, which is handy if theory is not your strong point. Chord mode assigns whole chords to individual keys based on the scale and key you have selected. The two work together.
Sliders instead of wheels
Two touch strips handle pitch and modulation in place of the usual wheels. Each can be reassigned to a specific CC value, or set to play notes from the current scale as your finger glides along. Combined with the arpeggiator and its 15 rhythm patterns, that turns a small controller into a performance surface.
Split the board in two
Split lets the left and right halves run different modes at the same time. Chords on one side and melody on the other is the obvious use, though control changes and program changes can sit there instead. Set it up before playing.
Travel size and connections
Folded it measures 147 x 73 x 17 mm and weighs just 126 g. USB-C carries both power and data, and a 3.5 mm MIDI out jack connects to hardware through the supplied TRS to DIN adapter cable. A USB cable and quick start guide are also in the box.
See it in action
Specifications
| Keyboard | 25 keys. Velocity 1 to 13. Octave shift -4 to 0 to +4 |
|---|---|
| Scenes | 15 |
| Arpeggiator | 15 rhythm patterns |
| Chord mode | 15 scale types |
| Jacks | USB port (type C), MIDI out connector (3.5 mm stereo mini phone jack, use a type A MIDI TRS to DIN converter cable) |
| Power supply | USB bus power |
| Current consumption | 500 mA or less |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | Folded up: 147 x 73 x 17 mm / 5.79" x 2.87" x 0.67". In use: 282 x 73 x 14 mm / 11.10" x 2.87" x 0.55" |
| Weight | 126 g / 4.44 oz |
| Included items | USB cable, MIDI TRS to DIN adapter cable, quick start guide |
Specifications from Korg. Appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.
