Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
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+. Good overall and looks fantastic! However pads are not as responsive as expected, need hard hitting.. To load a preset, hold down the Prog Select button and press the pads to select the corresponding program number (1–8). The MIDI out option is such a great addition to this controller as there aren’t many options that have this. You can control your favorite hardware synthesizers from your controller with this feature and a lot of synth players will appreciate this. The whole purpose of mini controllers is to be portable and convenient for beginners or producers on the go. I know a lot of musicians who carry mini controllers with them when they’re traveling or on tour with their band. Software
You have a pretty standard arp with the MK3, however, there aren’t too many mini controllers with arps out there. The AIR team has released standalone software versions of the Hybrid, Mini Grand, and Velvet plugins. These apps will install on your computer when you run the plugin installers from the MPK mini Software Manager. These standalone programs are great to play with if you're not looking to use a DAW and just want to plug in the MPK and make some noise! On the other hand, Akai has found a cheeky way to work within limitations more effectively than anything else I’ve been exposed to recently. Keep in mind that this code will license Hybrid, Mini Grand, and Velvet so you only need to redeem it once in iLok. One of my favorite new upgrades between the Mk2 and the Mk3 minis is Akai’s complete rehaul of their ‘pots’. We now have 8 assignable ‘endless encoders’– knobs which turn infinitely in one direction or the other, rather than hitting a maximum position when turned all the way either left or right.
Key Features
The arpeggiator can adjust in three ways: resolution, range and mode. You can get a surprising variety of lines out of it, enhancing your creative potential. 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. Overall, for a mini keyboard, it's good for what it is. If you have no need for the onboard sounds, definitely go for the regular MPK mini as it has better knobs (infinite vs. the 270° ones this has because of the features) and no real estate is lost to the speaker - plus you get other colors! I wish these were available in the different colors the regular MPK mini - I really don't like the color of this thing and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna paint the plastic case.
Why is this good, you ask? It allows for more freedom of expression when recording automation or performing live by giving you effectively zero physical limitations on movement. Keys are a bit on the small side, but it’s not a huge issue unless you’re expecting real piano keys. I don’t play “real” piano, so I don’t care much, but my significant other, who’s a pianist, absolutely hates the size of the keys. 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.
If you need a backpack-ready controller keyboard, there’s almost too much choice, but Akai's latest is pretty special
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. READ MORE: The Big Review: Even at lower specs, Apple’s Mac Studio is an immense machine for creative pros
Great Deal 
New Comment