AKAI Professional MPK Mini– 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with 8 Backlit Drum Pads, 8 Knobs and Music Production Software Included

Product Information

There’s not a lot happening here as far as inputs and outputs. Everything is controlled and powered over a single USB MIDI connection, using a standard cable you probably already have lying around. There’s also a quarter-inch sustain pedal input. The keys are fine, they can seem a bit stiff if you're used to other minikeys, but personally I like these. The velocity settings are fine and get better if you twiddle with them a bit to suit your preference, but out of all the minikeys I've tried these have a great response. If you can stand mini keys this'll do just nicely, they're quite plastic, but that's to be expected.

It also lands on just about every meta-review of mini MIDI keyboards out there. (And sure enough, we included it as one of our top 25-key choices in our review, The 12 Best Mini MIDI Keyboards for Your Mobile or Home Studio.)Although I just mentioned this above, the MIDI out is probably the greatest feature in my opinion. The other features are great, however, this is something that you don’t usually find from mini controllers. Sustain Input If you’re a keyboard-trained musician looking for a powerful yet compact way to make beats, basslines, chords, melodies and more, an MPK Mini can be an invaluable part of your arsenal. It’s especially useful for musicians who know they want at least some ability to use both a conventional piano keyboard layout and MIDI drum pads in the same device. I recently acquired the AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3, and I can't help but sing its praises! This compact MIDI controller is marvelous. Boss has delivered the RE-201 Space Echo and BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble preamps in a single pedal for the BP-1W booster

Keep in mind that this code will license Hybrid, Mini Grand, and Velvet so you only need to redeem it once in iLok. In addition to the velocity-sensitive keyboard, both models have eight large drum pads as well, plus assignable knobs that can control various features, sounds, or fx in your DAW. When the CC button is active, the MPK mini's pads will send MIDI CC messages instead of MIDI Note On messages. MIDI CC stands for " continuous controller," which will transmit a command (volume, pan, sustain, etc.) and a range of values (0-127). CC messages are a major factor in bringing dynamic life to any MIDI performance. Akai also suggest that you turn off the internal sounds when using it with your computer, so you don’t get sound out of the keyboard at the same time as using a virtual instrument. It’s essentially turning Local off, which makes sense except that if you want to use the internal sounds with your DAW the speaker is now disabled, and the volume in the headphones drops massively. It’s just strange. When you look from left to right, you are met with a pitch-bend strip and a modulation strip. I will get into this in more detail a little further into the review.Though there are only eight pads, you’re not limited to only eight assignments. With two banks, you can toggle between two sets of assignments with the touch of an A/B button. In need of some fresh new instruments and effects? Our friends at Reason Studios have you covered. Registered customers can now get a 6-month FREE subscription to Reason+. The arpeggiator found on the MPK range has always been a great feature, and although it largely remains the same, the addition of the endless encoders allows for you to control things such as arp rate, movement, octave, swing etc while using the keys with minimal fuss. Further settings and behaviours including MIDI channel, specific CC assignments, knob behaviour and aftertouch are set in the desktop editor app (MPK mini 3 Program Editor). As producers, you struggle to get inspired if you're using the same thing. A lot of times, a piece of analogue gear can break you out of that rut" – Shaun Lopez on crafting synth sounds for the long-awaited second album from Crosses

This keyboard controller is plug and play on Mac and PC. You don’t need any drivers or special software to plug it in and start controlling your existing audio software. Talking of the pads, they can’t be faulted. Lifted straight from Akai’s category-leading MPC range, one glance at the Mini Play’s sharp OLED screen with its accurate, real-time readout of velocity and values shows just how sensitive they are, both to velocity and aftertouch. In this respect, the MPK Mini Play all but warrants its price tag with its pads alone, and indeed Akai has enjoyed success with pad-only mini-controllers such as the LPD8. Having a sensitive and tactile set of keys is essential when looking to capture emotion or feeling from a performance. A lot of smaller keyboards tend to have issues with the keys feeling awkward or unnatural, but the MPK Mini manages to succinctly and effectively avoid the ‘toy box’ vibe that plagues many other units that I won’t name. Upgraded Pads

The MPC Beats installer is located in the i nMusic Software Center and does not require an authorization code to use. Simply install the software and start making music!

First, the keybed is new (Akai’s Dynamic Gen 2 design) and although I’m not a massive fan of mini keys in general, this is solid, responsive and mechanically quiet. From the moment I unboxed it, I was impressed with the build quality. Despite its small size, it feels incredibly sturdy, and the keys and pads have a satisfying tactile feel. You have successfully logged in to your inMusic Software Center.You will now be prompted to begin your MPK Mini 3 setup. Yes! The AIR plugins will install their own standalone applications that can be used on their own without MPC Beats or a DAW. You can access the standalone Hybrid, Velvet, or Mini Grand software in your computer's Application or Program folder.Of course, if a pitch bend toggle is high on your list of concerns, you may not agree with me here. I have this keyboard for two months now and I am super happy about it. I use it as a small and mobile input to my MIDI setup and to create short melodies and sometimes just to have fun.