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

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Above the pads, you will find 8 encoders. The entire right side consists of your DAW controls such as recording, stop, play, and more. If you’re unfamiliar with DAWs, you can actually find some good free DAWs now. One thing I particularly appreciate about the design is that there’s no Shift button. The only secondary functions are the Arpeggiator settings. If I was looking for things that are missing, I’d say a regular MIDI output. I’d never normally expect this on a mini controller, but Novation changed that rule with the Launchkey Mini III. Pads & Encoders Setting it up with my preferred software was a breeze, and the included software bundles are a fantastic bonus. The inclusion of MPC Beats and AIR Hybrid 3 greatly expands my sonic palette.

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.Musical inspiration can happen anywhere and MPK mini Play mk3 is the perfect portable companion to capture those melodies and harmonies, anytime and anywhere. With battery-operated performance at 14+ hours, MPK mini Play users

MPC Beats can also be used as a plugin with your favorite DAW and comes with VST, AU, RTAS, and AAX versions. 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.Akai includes its MPC Beats software, a quality DAW (digital audio workstation) that can be a great tool for music production. Also included is VIP 3.1, full of VST instruments and effects that integrate seamlessly with MPC Beats.