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As a complete beginner, I would like to learn to play the following melody:
My budget is VERY restricted, so am thinking connecting a midi keyboard to GarageBand may be my most accessible means of recreating a deep church organ sound.
My question is would a 25 key controller be enough to play this melody or do I need more keys?
Seems to me a visual about ranges would be instructive.
We can use vocal ranges - soprano, alto, tenor, bass (SATB) - as a rough standard for a "full" range along with several keyboard ranges...
49 keys would seem to be workable especially if transposed by octave any passages too high or too low. But a lot of the 49 key models I see are toys or have small scale keys. Go to 61 keys might make sense for more full size key options as much as to get the extra octave range. Prices are under $150 for new.
The lowest note, in the last bar, is G. Go up one octave to G in top space of bass clef, then another octave to G on 2nd line of treble clef, then half an octave to the highest note, D, in the 2nd line of music. That takes us to two and a half octaves, or around 30 notes.
So you've run out with a 25 note controller! And it might be that the low G isn't actually at the very left of the controller, leaving you needing even more!
A 61 note midi keyboard would set you up for most future stuff. I found one (working) at a car boot sale for £15. Your budget ought to cover that, I'd hope!
25-key (2-octave) keyboards are suitable for inputting MIDI melodies (or percussive rhythms), with assumption that you accept the necessity to use octave transpose buttons frequently and/or record shorter segments. Perhaps they can be used for performing some very limited range parts (e.g. melodies or bass lines you compose yourself with the instrument range in mind), but in principal they are meant to be a compromise, providing keyboard feel while taking less space and costing less.
The piece you quote could not be even played on a 37 key (3 octave) keyboard. The lowest note is G2 and the highest is D5. Small keyboards typically cover full octaves from C to C, so you would need 4 octaves to play it. It would fit if you transposed it e.g. by a major 2nd down... but if the piece is meant for singing, that might not be a good solution. You will very quickly find other pieces, even on a beginner level, that don't fit in 3 octaves.
49-key (4 octaves) would be on the edge of usability for learning and performing on an entry level. Possibly you would be able to play lot's of beginner repertoire, maybe sometimes skipping some notes, or transposing them. 61-key (5 octaves) would be a better choice for longer run. For reference, standard piano keyboard has 88 keys (8⅓ octaves).
You write that your budget is tight, but you should consider also quality of the keys. Mini keys and synth action keys provide less control of dynamics, which is something you should be practicing when learning to play piano. Full size weighted keys are much better but also expensive. Semi-weighted keys might be a reasonable compromise for entry level practicing. I would say that 49-key semi weighted keyboard might be better practice instrument than a 88-key synth action.
Yes, you can make this with 25 keys, if you transpose the 2nd phrase (end of 1st line and beginning of 2nd line) an octave down and the final bass tone an octave up.*1)
The melody has a range of a 7th (about 13semitones) - the accompaniment and melody have a range of 2 octaves + 1 whole tone=27: you'd need 2 keys more!
*1) imagine e.g. a band or orchestra playing the tune in 2 sections divided in upper and lower parts (violins and cellos, cornet and euphonium). This is often done by arrangers. Yes, and sung by woman and men voices, girls and boys - of course.
