vmpk
VMPK (Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard) is an open-source MIDI event generator for macOS that turns your computer keyboard and mouse into a virtual piano keyboard. Built on Qt and the Drumstick library, it lets musicians and producers play MIDI notes and control synthesizers, DAWs, and other MIDI-capable software without needing a physical keyboard controller. Users can map computer keys to different octaves and velocities, making it useful for quick composition, practice, testing, or live performance in situations where a hardware controller isn't available. The app is free, cross-platform (Linux, Windows, macOS), and maintained on SourceForge.
Suggested Replacements
1 suggestionWe could not confirm from the available search results whether VMPK has been updated with a native Apple Silicon build. The SourceForge project page and GitHub mirror do not clearly document architecture support, and the latest release information is incomplete. If you rely on VMPK, contact the developer directly via the SourceForge project page to ask whether a native Apple Silicon build is planned or available. In the meantime, if VMPK does not perform well under Rosetta, consider alternative MIDI keyboard generators such as Blue Cat's PianoXY (available on the Mac App Store, runs natively), or any professional DAW or MIDI controller app that includes built-in keyboard input (most major ones like Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Reaper run natively on Apple Silicon). If you value the simplicity of VMPK, check back with the SourceForge project page periodically or request a status update from the maintainers.
Native version · Reported by in the community.
Sighting data is community-sourced — version availability and pricing should be verified with the developer.
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