Akai Professional MPK Mini MK3 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller With 8 Backlit Drum Pads, 8 Knobs and Music Production Software and Native Instruments Sound Package (NKS Integration), White

For several years I have fancied dabbling in music production and I wanted a MIDI controller that would be easy to use and have as much versatility as possible. For me this I meant having both pads and keys. I looked at several options but settled on the MPK mini as it appeared to offer the best combination of features and value for money. Firstly, it really looks the part, I have the black and white version which has a cool simplistic look with inverted black and white keys. Aesthetically I preferred this to the black/red or white/black options. Setup was easy but this is where a few people will find some difficulty. This is a MIDI keyboard which means that it will work 'out of the box' with almost ant DAW (digital audio workstation) software with no almost no configuration. Personally I use Ableton Intro and it is simply a case of plugging in the keyboard and selecting the MPK mini as the input device in the options. This of course, will vary depending on your software. The keyboard can then be further programmed when you have a bit more experience with your DAW. The keyboard does come with several software synthesizers and the basic version of Akai's own DAW, MPC Beats. The synthesizers can be a little tricky to set up as you will need to set up the authorisation system that they use. All I can advise is that you read the instructions carefully and it is fairly easy to do. You will need to register your keyboard with Akai but then you will have access to the installer which will help you install everything you need to get started. It is worth noting that these synths are not required for the use of the keyboard but will give you a really nice variety sounds to play with and I really do recommend you taking the time to install these. Personally, I use several Native Instruments synthesizers and sample players and this keyboard works really well with all of them also with little to no configuration. Both the keys and pads are velocity sensitive so the volume of my notes/drums will vary depending on how hard I press them. The infinite knobs (meaning the rotation doesn't have a start and end point) are really nice to use and can be configured to control almost anything within your DAW. The built in arpeggiator is a nice touch and is easy to use to create some cool note repeats, a great tool for use in EDM. The pitch/bend joystick control feels a little different to the traditional wheel controls but is really useful when you get the hang of it. The 8 drum pads are really nice to use, they have a really positive feel and react well to being tapped. You can also program a second bank of drums which can be switched easily giving you access to 16 different drum sounds. In my opinion the pads are on par with the pads on the (more expensive) Native Instruments Maschine Mikro beat maker. (I also own this controller and if you're into beatmaking I highly recommend it). This is a really great controller for the beginner, which I very much am. I really enjoy playing with it and I am constantly impressed with the quality and the features of the keyboard. Once you get past the installation of the synths, which is easy if you follow the instructions carefully, you can start making music almost immediately Spend the time to learn how it works - there are literally hundreds of helpful videos on Youtube that will assist you in getting started. I honestly believe that this is the best MIDI keyboard you can buy as a beginner and can't be beaten at the price.

The perfect mini mobile controller to complement my Hoton Ampero Multi Effects Pedal and BOSS RC-30 Loop Pedal. My principal instrument is electric violin, but also play guitar, mandolin, and ukulele. This Akai mini controller is perfect for creating rhythms and backing loops for my solo performance as a busker. It's fun to play with but also a serious piece of high quality kit for any musician using pedals, or a composer who needs a mini keyboard that's compact and has a rich pallette of sounds. The keyboard feels well made. It's NOT a guitar pedal that's used on the ground. The AKAI is an instrument that will be used and treated with care and respect like any other keyboard. So, it's build quality is comparable to larger keyboards like my Yamaha. I had no problem connecting the AKAI to my Smartphone and Tablet using a Piano App. Whilst the controller is designed to be used with a DAW on MAC or PC, I like being able to learn, practice, and experiment with chord inversions and progressions on the go, as I recently started learning keyboard with Pianote. The AKAI is not a substitute for a digital piano or keyboard but it's a very useful tool with a lot of potential. IMPORTANT! Don't use Bluetooth to connect to a smartphone or tablet as you'll have latency problems. Use a cable and there's no latency issue. (The age and quality of your PC, smartphone or tablet could issues. But it works fine with my Huawei P20 Pro, DELL XPS 17, and Neocore Tablet. There are plenty of YouTube videos that provide excellent instruction and reviews by professional musicians who give in depth, hands on analysis of the keyboard. Every review I've watched and read is full of praise for this MIDI Controller. Another 'best buy' for me.

As with any product of this type, make sure it fits your intended usage before you buy. For me, this product is excellent for the following reasons: - Build quality is solid - Small size is perfect for a minimal home studio (photo attached for indication of product size) - 25 keys ideal for simple leads and bass lines (you can switch up and down octaves with one touch to find the best range) - Plug and play is instant, works with stand alone synths or your DAW of choice (for me that's Cubase and it works great as expected). - 8 pads that are touch sensitive like the keys, great for drums/percussion (and can easily switch between 2 banks so effectively you've got 16 presets) - Control knobs can be assigned to DAW - Excellent synth bundled with the product (Hybrid3) Factors that were relevant to me: - I'm mainly interested in rock/metal and guitars, I just wanted the Akai to be a simple tool to control the rest - I'm not an expert on piano/keyboards, so I don't mind fewer keys and I'm perfectly happy with the feel of the keys on the Akai I also had to weigh up the Akai against an alternative product that offered potentially better out-of-the-box integration with Cubase (but that had less of a software bundle). In the end I decided I wanted the Hybrid3 synth more than the instant integration, as I'm happy to map the controllers myself (it's easy enough) so I went with the Akai. I'm glad I did as Akai feels perfect, and Hybrid3 is actually worth a few quid in itself. There are some excellent freeware synths out there, and I expected it to be like a good one of those, however it surprised me with just how good it is and how much I enjoy using it. It's a great synth offering modern blended sounds (effectively it's 2 synths blended together), it really takes things up a level. There is other bundled software: - Mini Grand and Velvet are 2 decent VSTs, but not necessarily my go-to instruments (Velvet's interesting, Mini Grand is fine but just doesn't really fit with what I'm trying to produce musically) - MPC Beats is a loop-based DAW and there are some sound/sample packs to support it. This could be a great beginner software kit if you're just starting out with loops, it has some interesting tools but doesn't really suit the rock/metal vibe I'm playing with, and my tool of choice is Cubase as mentioned earlier. Having said that, MPC will open as a VST in Cubase so it'll link in neatly if needed. - Also worth mentioning is 'MPK mini Editor' is available to download too (it's hidden in the download manager settings under "Advanced Software"). It will help with all the detailed controller mapping; as yet I've not explored in to too much detail here, for now I'm satisfied just using basic controls and it's good to know the functionality is there for when I'll want it later. Couple of points to bear in mind particularly if you're very new to digital music production: - This is a midi controller and it needs separate software to generate sounds. You get Hybrid3 and a couple of other VSTs which is an excellent start, so once you install them you can get on and make loads of sounds immediately with this package. You will need a DAW to record and mix the sounds (there are plenty at all price points -including free- out there if MPC Beats doesn't quite give you what you need). - The download and install process for the software is a bit extensive if you want all the associated products, but it's only a one-off, and is pretty straightforward. You'll need to make an Akai account online, and also as part of the install you need to create (or log-in with existing) iLock account to validate install. Overall: - Great plug and play product (with VSTs/DAW) - Excellent supporting software synth (Hybrid3) - A real no-brainer 5 stars from me as the MPK mini suits my needs perfectly, and the quality of the supplied synth exceeded my expectations.

I think some of the 1-star reviewers misunderstood what they were buying here. I purchased this to control an air instrument, it's true that the dynamics on the keys aren't great but it's a £70 MIDI controller. It's perfectly adequate for punching stuff in, I think some folks purchasing were under the impression they'd get a proper piano. Forget about playing Chopin on this, it won't happen. Yes, it's very easy to set up if you're new to this, no, it's not a piano you can plug in and play. You need to know your way around a DAW. This keyboard is a good compliment to that. Leaving the dynamic range of the keys aside, I had the keyboard up and running within minutes of unboxing it. The knobs feel good, the pads are surprisingly responsive, the XY controller seems good. It's a no nonsense good value for money controller with some decent features. Purchased to trigger air horns so I don't particularly care about dynamics, but I really like that if offers so many control knobs and the XY controller at this price where some of the other keyboards don't. I'll be using it to play around with my dubstep patches for sure.

Great for makeing house,drum and bass etc,great tool.

Good quality

Oh AKAI and the ongoing drum pad problem. In allover is a good cheap MIDI Keyboard, but you will more likely have to open it and place some additional tape on each drum pad to make it more responsive. Apart from that will once you buy it, you know you did not pay much as this is not premium quality product.

Perfect for bedroom artists, looks great and easy and straightforward to setup too! Drum pads are a bit unresponsive unless you really hit them but maybe that’s fixable with settings or just using them more