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I’ve seen tons of virtual keyboards before, but never a commercial virtual MIDI keyboard.

Tanager Audioworks’ Chirp is a new application that turns your computer keyboard into a MIDI keyboard controller…..so you can play notes on your computer keyboard.

Chirp combines a photo?realistic keyboard interface, ten programmable trigger pads and several controls for easily entering pitch bend, modulation, sustain and note velocity data. The product works with any music or recording application requiring MIDI input or capable of sending MIDI note data.

Piano keys are mapped to specific computer keyboard keys; the user can define which keys on his or her laptop are to be used to input notes or chords. The programmable trigger pads can be assigned to any MIDI events, perfect for triggering drum sounds or just sending patch changes quickly for quick setup changes on stage. The mouse (or laptop glide pad) can be used to enter MIDI continuous controller information. Incoming MIDI data drives the keyboard as well.

“While Chirp certainly does not replace the need for a hardware keyboard controller, it provides songwriters and recording musicians with an attractive alternative for capturing musical inspiration when only a laptop is available” says Tanager AudioWorks President Scott Bausback.

The product is available for $39.99 as both an immediate download from the company’s website or as a shipped CD?ROM.