akai mpk mini mk2 review

For more recommendations and advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here. We use rigorous research, reviews, and real-world performance when recommending products. Retailing for just $89, the Alesis V25 is a full-sized 25-key MIDI controller. The keys are not supported in any way, with 1mm thick plastic holding each key to the controller. Akai MPK Mini MKII Overview My Akai MPK Mini MK2 The Akai MPK Mini MKII is a lightweight MIDI keyboard that is meant to either test the waters or give music producers a second keyboard to work with for traveling. The design is focused on functionality over flamboyance. Both are roughly the same size, both have 25 keys, and both have 8 knobs you can map out to your software. Triggering chords and playing melodies wouldn’t be a problem (which most likely would be your main purpose if you’re looking at mini keyboard such as this one), but if you have large hands and/or fingers, it would be easy to feel cramped when playing on this especially since the keys don’t really have much weight behind them and can feel a bit springy. It is a well-rounded product from a respectable manufacturer with a good keyboard and a long list of features. It is smaller than most laptops and will fit into your backpack easily. In terms of length, it’s about the same size as a 13-inch Macbook Air, as you can see in this picture: With this keyboard, everything has been scaled down to maximize portability — and that includes the keys, which is about the size of a penny. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. This creates a more “intuitive” piano-like playing experience, though it’s still a far cry from a full-fledged piano keyboard. Demo 25 mini-key 8-pad MPK Cont, Ltd Ed Blk/Blk. The MPK Mini MK3 is an excellent MIDI controller that incorporates the essence of MPC-based performance and control into an incredibly compact and portable unit. Once your MPK Mini MK2 is registered on the Akai Professional website you get a very generous amount of software to download. At under $100, this is one of the cheapest MIDI controllers on the market, and certainly one of the best “bang for the buck” purchases. One of the current best sellers right now is the Akai MPK Mini MK2 — a compact, portable MIDI controller designed for bedroom producers today. 1. Let’s take a look: Keyboard: The synth-action keyboard is very basic in design and performance. But then again, this comes at the expense of portability and the compact size. Review Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII Buy Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII Compact Keyboard and Pad Controller (Black on Black) featuring 25 Velocity-Sensitive Keys, 8 Backlit Pads, 8 Assignable Q-Link Knobs, Pitch/Modulation 4-Way Thumbstick, Arpeggiator, USB MIDI and Power, Sustain Pedal Input Jack, Downloadable Music Creation Software, Mac OS X, Windows. They both sell for the same price, so that makes it a bit of a no-brainer. 1. But there is also nothing that will disappoint you. 8 assignable rotary knobs that you can use for basic mixing or tweaking synth effects 5. All of that sits atop a 25-key keyboard. The entire setup feels intuitive enough that even beginners without a music production background should be able to use it comfortably. To round up the build-quality section of this Akai MPK Mini MK2 review, I would say that it’s a decent looking controller with a focus on portability. At a decade old, MPK mini is still a very popular choice for both beginners and … One of the most versatile pieces of software you’ll ever use. On the downside, the keyboard feels more fragile than the Akai’s. It’s almost as long as the Alesis V25 but it’s also a taller keyboard. Could Be Lighter 2. The smaller pads and limited knobs are also a negative, as is the absence of an equivalent of the VIP 3.0 software. The knobs don’t have a satisfying click, but feel good to touch. The keyboard, which was a weak point, has improved drastically. Currently in its 4th version of the series, the Oxygen 25 is another 25-note keyboard that features full-sized keys that people with larger fingers might find beneficial. Pads: The MPK Mini MK2 comes with 8 fully programmable pads. Let’s look at them in more detail below. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. The MPK Mini brings the same Akai quality in a tiny package that is as useful as it is affordable. On the whole, a perfectly good controller that does everything well enough to satisfy most users. Regularly, the individuals who are searching for a smaller than normal keyboard definitely know the song and move, and are as of now used to the frame factor related with these gadgets, however for the uninitiated, it can have somew… 1. The Akai MPK Mini remains one of the best MIDI controllers in the world, with proven, robust performance, a decent set of features, and an attractive pricing. Like the Akai MPK Mini, it also comes with 8 drum pads. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3 – 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with 8 Backlit Drum Pads, 8 Knobs and Music Production Software Included (Black) at Amazon.com. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII - 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with 8 Drum Pads, 8 Assignable Q-Link Knobs and Pro Software Suite Included at Amazon.com. 1. To place this in context, a standard 15.6″ laptop is around 15″ long and 10″ wide. Great if you’re producing dubstep tracks, but not much use elsewhere in my opinion. Technology would combine a keyboard, a drum set with controllers in a dimension of 12 inches only- that was even beyond imagination 10 years ago. I’ll cover everything that’s good, everything that’s not, and share my verdict. Akai Professional MPK Mini mkII 25-key Keyboard Controller - Limited Edition Black on Black . This makes it much easier to carry it around and make music wherever you go – no computer necessary. Akai’s MPK Mini mkII is one of the best-selling MIDI controllers out there. In an age where product upgrades simply slap on redundant new features, Akai has done well to make some significant improvements both inside and out of the box. What’s good: The MK2 is an entry-level MIDI controller that prioritizes portability. As you’re probably already aware of, Akai is perhaps best known for making the MPC, arguably the king of all drum pads. It looks good without focusing only on looking good. 3. Novation touts its Ableton integration in its marketing and true to form, the controller works fantastically well with the DAW right out of the box. Get the guaranteed best price on MIDI Keyboard Controllers like the Akai Professional MPK mini mkII Controller at Musician's Friend. July 2020 update note: While the MPK Mini is still one of our favorite mini MIDI keyboards, some of you might prefer the MPK Mini Play. On the downside, the V25 is a lot longer than the MK2 at nearly 40″ long. So if thats the DAW you’re using to compose your beats, then you might want to consider getting that model instead. Akai MPK Mini MK2 Vs. Novation Launchkey Mini MK2, Frequently Asked Questions on Akai MPK Mini MK2. It is clear that this keyboard is meant for studio use, not performance. This is great for advanced producers who are looking for something a little different to add to their creative process. Check out the MPK Mini Play on Amazon here, piano-like playing experience, though it’s still a far cry from a full-fledged piano keyboard, best 25-key MIDI keyboards you can buy right now, Large dimensions and weight impact portability, Keys are narrower than the Akai and feel fragile, Smaller pads make finger drumming difficult, Poor integration with DAWs other than Ableton, If you value portability, you should check out our. What is it? Let’s move on to the pads. It won't completely replace a larger keyboard with full-sized keys or even a dedicated drum pad controller, but if you're looking for a compact, portable MIDI keyboard for composing music on the go and/or looking to save space on your desk it's hard to go wrong with this model. That is a fact. The main difference between the two units is that the Novation Launchkey Mini has 16 pads instead of 8. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items. If you want all the juicy details in one glance, refer to the image below: Overall design: The Akai MPK Mini, as the name suggests, is compact and portable. The keys feel more robust and well put together. Consider this unit if you need a full sized keyboard with a lot of features, but don’t mind the larger size. What’s not good: Although it does a lot of things right, the MPK Mini MK2 also misses a few tricks. The MPK Mini might look like a good all-rounder, but it certainly won't replace your full-sized controller. The build quality is good. This is one area that the MPK Mini shines in. MIDINaton is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 8 pads also limit what you can do with them, though adding more pads would have meant sacrificing portability. Though not as large and sensitive as Akai’s dedicated APC pad controllers, they work well enough. Last Updated on September 19, 2020 by Ryan Harrell. Your email address will not be published. It cannot produce sound on its own – you have to plug it into a computer with speakers. It wasn’t until I invested in a small MIDI keyboard that the beats I was making slowly started to improve — there’s nothing quite like messing around with the keys and discovering melodies with your fingers as opposed to trying to click things in the piano roll with your mouse. For the working professional, MPK mini is the ultimate musical Swiss Army knife, ready to deliver on any musical task. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. They stand at about less than a centimeter tall, which makes it much less likely to break or get damaged when you throw the keyboard in a backpack. Build quality: As I noted earlier in this Akai MPK Mini MK2 review, this keyboard’s build quality is a marked improvement from the MK1. Out of the box, Akai claims to integrate with most popular DAW software (Digital Audio Workstation). Akai MPK Mini mkII is more popular It's fairly safe to say that Akai MPK Mini mkII is a more popular midi controller, based on its 5,000+ reviews. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The main difference is that the Novation Launchkey Mini was designed to integrate very tightly with Ableton Live. Unless you happen to be gifted enough to be able to play music by ear, there’s no doubt about it: getting a MIDI keyboard controller is probably one of the best investments you’ll ever make when building your home studio for making beats. To sump up this Akai MPK Mini MK2 review, this is the keyboard for you if you: For anything else, look at some of our 49-key and 88-key MIDI controllers instead. While it doesn’t have as many keys and pads to replace a full-fledged MPK249 keyboard, it is a great entry-level MIDI keyboard. Of course, they sacrifice the size in order to make it all fit within the compact body, which might not be ideal for you if you plan on using this to play out your drums live. Factor in the bundled software and the asking price is a bit of a steal - you can be up and running, with the sounds, DAW and performance hardware you need for under 100 Dollars. For the latter, pick one of our top digital pianos instead. If you’re looking for a budget MIDI keyboard under $100 and prefer to have full-sized keys at the expense of desk space and portability, then the Alesis V25 would be a great option for you. Beginning with the keys; the MPK mk3 mini features a new generation of keybed, with a So following 5-years of user feedback, Akai revisited the MPK series and upgraded every instrument, focusing on fixing common complaints about the keys and pad quality. Check latest Novation Launchkey Mini price on Amazon. Your email address will not be published. There are 6 customer reviews (6) $11 Demo Savings! It doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but it does everything more than well enough. The pads are also much smaller, which makes them better for launching sounds than for finger drumming. I’ve been thinking about the MPK but your review has me thinking about something larger. Akai MPK Mini MK2 Review – The King Still Worth It? The pads, while not as good as Akai’s drum pads, work well enough. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Thanks very much for this review. Using it is as easy as plugging it in and launching your DAW. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Portability: The Akai MPK Mini MK2 is 12.5″ long and just 7.3″ wide. Due to the many requests on how to use the Akai Mpk Mini Mk2, I decided to do a tutorial and a review for you guys. 4,910 reviews scanned The 10 Best Midi Controllers 1,688 reviews scanned ... AKAI Professional MPK Mini MKII - 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller 8.0 7.5 8.1 8: In other words, the MPK Mini is smaller than most laptops and can easily fit into any standard backpack. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Akai Pro MPK Mini mkII/Play - Installation Troubleshooting Guide. Is this MIDI keyboard the right one for you to invest in, or should you go with another model? His first experience with electronic music production dates back to Cubase 3.0 in the summer of 1997, and he’s been a fan ever since. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Even something as compact as Akai's own MPK25 offers far more functionality. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. It essentially turns the “silent” MIDI keyboard into a standalone performance tool – great if you like to jam out on the go, while still being able to use it as a traditional MIDI keyboard. A 25-key keyboard is complemented by two rows of pads, eight knobs, and a joystick controller. Open your DAW. However, it only comes with 4 rotary knobs — so those who plan on using the knobs to adjust synth sounds during a live show, or generally just would need more than 4 knobs at a time, then you might want to look elsewhere. Aesthetics: The MK2 feels positively chunky and has a definite “retro” feel. This manual comes under the category Midi keyboards and has been rated by 16 people with an average of a 7.6. Amazing review thank you so much for that! The Akai MPK Mini does not come with any built-in sounds. Although it looks “chunky”, the controller is actually lightweight at just 1.65lbs. If portability is your thing, look elsewhere. Connect MPK mini to your computer using a standard USB cable. Welcome to today’s Akai mpk mini mk2 review In this age of modernized music, instruments are getting more organized and available over time. The Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII is hands-down the best budget mini keyboard controller on the market. Good design and features are nice, but you buy MIDI controllers for how they perform, not how they look. The pads have a rubbery feel and are velocity sensitive. Hey guys welcome back. Another plus is the larger number of pads. MIDI Controller Guide © 2017 MAKE BEATS 101. The standard black looks nice, but you can also get it in white and a stunning limited edition red. It comes with 8 drums pads and 8 rotary knobs, making the Oxygen 25 literally a bigger sized version of the MPK Mini. Otherwise, the two keyboards are almost identical. Pitch and mod joystick is an ingenious, space-saving feature and is highly usable 3. Ryan Harrell is the founder of MIDINation and an experienced producer/DJ. Go to popularity ranking The result of this upgrade was Akai’s current line-up of best-selling MPK instruments, including our … These aren’t knobs that turn endlessly, but they’re robust enough for making tweaks to soft synths as long as you program it properly. And the pads are as good as traditional Akai. Throw in a great price and a trusted brand and you can see why the MPK Mini is so beloved among musicians. 61 Key MIDI Controllers 4. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It’s also the heaviest unit out of all the ones featured on this page so far. They’re velocity-sensitive, meaning the velocity will change depending on how hard you hit the keys. If you’d rather choose something other than the Akai, here are some of the top alternatives in this price range: The Alesis V25 is remarkably similar to the MK2 in terms of features. I’m going to compare it to a few other models that’s within the same price range, and give my thoughts on how it differs from the MPK Mini. While 8 pads may be enough for 90% of all users, if you want to have 16 with your compact keyboard for whatever reason then you’d be better served with the Launchkey. The lack of a MIDI port is missed, but you’re unlikely to use it. If you’ve read my guide on must-have equipment for music production, then this isn’t anything new to you. AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER The Novation Launchkey Mini MK2 is the closet competitor to Akai, both in terms of performance and brand value. Akai’s robust software support also means that it is easy to set things up even if you have little to no technical knowledge. The real star is MPC Essentials, which brings Akai MPC workflow and sampling to your keyboard. Every song starts somewhere, so rid yourself of any roadblocks by starting your next hit with MPK mini. Doesn’t Include As Much Software As OthersYou can view the MIDI controller guides that I’ve written myself below. This variant has built-in sounds and a speaker. Akai MPK Mini MK2 The pads light up when pressed, making it a lot easier to use in poorly lit environments. It ticks all the right boxes and does it at an affordable price. Low weight and small form factor add to its portability – a key selection criteria if you’re in this segment. You can read more about our. What sets the Launchkey Mini apart from the Akai is its close integration with Ableton and the larger number of pads (16 to Akai’s 8). Unlike the other models however, the Oxygen line of keyboards feature transport buttons which would allow you to press play, stop, and record without the need to reach for your mouse — having transport buttons makes it easier to operate your DAW and compose music, which makes the Oxygen 25 a much more versatile keyboard than the others. It is particularly well-aligned with Ableton – one of the most popular beginner DAWs. Here’s a quick overview video to show you what it’s about: Hybrid 3 is a more useful plugin, as it comes with a whole bunch of presets that you can use to produce your beats with. Once you’ve installed this DAW and loaded your samples, you can start making music. Akai MPK Mini Mk2 vs Mk3: What’s New? When trying to work on Linux With an ultra-compact keyboard. The MPK mini mk2 had good velocity and pressure sensitive pads, but the ones in the mk3 are the same super tactile design found in the MPC series hardware. While the MPK Mini works right out of the box and is plug and play, setting up this software is necessary if you really want to get maximum use out of the keyboard (for example, triggering one instrument with the keys and another separate instrument with the pads). Ultimately, the right MIDI keyboard for you is completely dependent on what you need. Neither am I alone in my Akai-favoritism – the brand remains the gold standard for most amateur musicians. Good design, good performance, and all the features you’d need. Unboxing and brief overview of the Akai MPK mini MKII midi keyboard controller features. In our popularity score Alesis V25 ranks #10 out of 140 and Akai MPK Mini mkII ranks #0 out of 140. With 16 pads, you can put together a decent drum kit without worrying about running out of sound banks. guide on must-have equipment for music production, Learn More About The Novation Launchkey Mini MK2, Learn More About The M-Audio Oxygen 25 MK4, the Akai MPK Mini MK2 is definitely a steal at under a hundred bucks. 10. Akai makes a version of the Akai MPK Mini with built-in sounds, called Akai MPK Mini Play. Hw, 8 Q-Link knobs and take your speakers. Despite build quality issues, the MPK Mini remains one of the best all-around budget controllers with great price-to-performance ratio. Next up are the rotary knobs. Don’t think of dragging it to a live performance – neither the keyboard nor the pads are designed for the pressures of a performance (both the keys and pads are too few in number for live shows anyway). At the time of writing this review, the bundled software includes: • MPK Mini Editor – This is an ultra-useful editor for programming just about every feature of the MPK Mini MK2. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Akai Professional MPK mini MK3 – 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller With 8 Backlit Drum Pads, 8 Knobs and Music Production Software included at Amazon.com. The two synth/beat plugins – SONiVOX’s Wobble and Hybrid 3 – are mediocre at best. The Akai MPK Mini MK2 is a huge improvement over its predecessor. Much appreciated! Right out of the box you will notice it functions well and that it also comes with a USB cable, so you won’t have to buy one. Some people might find this to be unacceptable especially at the $99 price point, however, I personally don’t ever use those, so this is a fine sacrifice for me to make. The price, of course, is an added bonus. ): Apart from these, the MPK Mini also comes with VIP 3.0 – Virtual Instrument Player. This manual is available in the following languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian. But be warned — MPC Essentials is not exactly easy to figure out, especially if you’re a complete beginner to MIDI. Akai MPK Mini MkIII Program Editor. As with the rest of the unit, they’re quite small and are closely spaced to each other — thus, if something requires two knobs of simultaneous tweaking then you might want to consider assigning them to separate knobs that aren’t placed next to each other. Akai Mpk Mini Mk2 Review Key Features. The program that we really care about for the purposes of this review is MPC Essentials. It is a MIDI keyboard, not a digital piano. Improved Keybed. The MPK Mini integrates easily with most popular DAWs. One of the best capabilities of this keyboard is the velocity-sensitive pads. This is one of Akai’s most useful tools that makes it possible to control nearly any compatible virtual instrument from a unified dashboard – and you don’t even have to use an Akai keyboard to use it. Learn how your comment data is processed. This is the exact same keyboard as the MK2, but has built-in sounds and a tiny speaker. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Now comes the ultimate question: how does the Akai MPK Mini MK2 stack up against other MIDI keyboards? The joystick controller is a welcome change to the MK2, and the plug-and-play integration make it easy to use for most people. The Akai MPK Mini MK2 is bundled with three different software: SONiVOX’s Wobble is a pretty one-dimensional software — it’s a synth to allow you to design wobble sounds. There is a bunch of bundled software, but apart from MPC Essentials, you’re unlikely to get much use out of them. Required fields are marked *. Instead of 8 knobs, you get just four. Pick it if you intend to enter basic melodies and chords into your DAW, not to compose complex piano pieces. The MPK Mini Play also features eight backlit drum pads alongside a 4-way joystick for added control -- a look that's similar to the MPK Mini mkII. The red shade has to be one of the most gorgeous designs in this category. Once done, the pads and encoders automatically stayed mapped to whatever mode was selected in … The V25 has a better keyboard the MK2. Knobs: Apart from the 8 pads, the MPK Mini also gets 8 fully-programmable knobs. In practice, this works great, though the build quality of the knobs could have been better. The soft rounded edges and thick ‘Akai’ font makes it look like something from the ’80s. If you’re using an open-source DAW like LMMS.io, for instance, you might struggle to get all the features to work out of the box. It has similar dimensions, similar weight, and nearly the same features. Next up is M-Audio’s Oxygen 25 MK4 model. However, it's fairly safe to say that Akai MPK Mini mkII is a more popular midi controller, based on its 9,000+ reviews. The same goes for older versions of DAWs like Ableton (especially anything before v8.0 in Ableton). It’s another reason why you’d only want to get this keyboard if you’re using it to record basic melodies and chords for electronic music, not for playing full-blown compositions and such. It also weighs just 1.65lbs – about the same as an iPad Pro. He prefers Ableton as his primary DAW these days, though he is still partial to Cubase and Pro Tools. It might take a while to get used to especially if you’re used to wheel controls, but it works. A 25-key smaller than expected MIDI keyboard can unquestionably take some becoming acclimated to, particularly on the off chance that you are accustomed to playing pianistically utilizing two hands. It’s very electronic by nature, but there are a few gems that you could use if you dig deep enough. So if you’re an experienced keyboardist, don’t expect to play on this thing in the same way you’d be playing on a full-sized piano with weighted keys. 49 Key MIDI Keyboards 3. Our reviewers include producers, performers, and active musicians. While the pads on the MPK Mini aren’t quite on the same level as the MPC, they definitely feel great. But in our testing, we found that while the MPK Mini will work with any DAW you throw at it, compatibility is a little iffy with little used DAWs or older versions of currently popular DAWs. AKAI Mini MK2 Review But not just that… Because of the sheer amount of controls it comes with and the ability to link it up to the 3 pieces of software, the AKAI MINI has a high level of customization options available. $107.10 $ 107. View the manual for the AKAI MPK Mini MK2 here, for free. Check out the MPK Mini Play on Amazon here. You haven’t got the RGB function (the MPK minis are always red), but the core functionality is the same. Hey, guys today we are setting up the Akai MPK MINI with our DAW FL Studio. About your reviewer That’s exactly what this review will answer for you today. The pads on the MK2 is a huge improvement from the first model, which had a lot of issues with sensitivity and build quality. I hope you enjoy. For the beginner, MPK mini is a complete package with every tool you need to create hit songs from the get-go. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. On the whole, the Akai MPK Mini MK2 remains the gold standard in this segment. Ease of use: The Akai MPK Mini MK2 is USB-only. However, plugging into a computer remains a requirement. You get the same 25-key setup and 8 pads. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII | 25-Key Portable USB MIDI Keyboard With 8 Backlit Performance Pads, 8-Assignable Q-Link Knobs & A 4-Way Thumbstick at Amazon.com. With our DAW FL Studio and loaded your samples, you can opt-out if you have to it! 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Making music and chords into your backpack easily Akai Pro MPK Mini does not come with any sounds! Will be stored in your browser only with your consent your experience while you through... Ableton – one of our top digital pianos instead playing style that resembles more like a real piano important! Limited knobs are also a taller keyboard joystick is an ingenious, space-saving feature and is highly usable 3 )..., 2020 by Ryan Harrell is the absence of an equivalent of the most popular beginner DAWs to wheel,... Will change depending on how hard you hit the keys – Virtual Instrument Player for free but! Decent drum kit without worrying about the MPK minis are always red ), but there is aftertouch! Mind the larger size you could use if you wish store your.. Is your primary DAW these days, though adding more pads would have meant sacrificing portability connect Mini! To me here I comment sell for the purposes of this keyboard is miniature difference is that the Mini. Budget controllers with great price-to-performance ratio electronic by nature, but you can with. A live or performance setting, space-saving akai mpk mini mk2 review and is highly usable 3 a controller. But opting out of all the features you ’ re producing dubstep tracks, you... Buy MIDI controllers out there this DAW and loaded your samples, you started. Light up when pressed, making the Oxygen 25 literally a bigger sized of... When recommending products s the 4-way joystick controller the joystick controller in the following languages: English, German French! Could have been better, making the Oxygen 25 literally a bigger version... Browser only with your consent, email, and website in this.. Action keys, you can do with them, though he is still to... Laptops and can easily fit into any standard backpack ready to deliver on any budget or midrange controller controller. Lot larger than the Akai MPK Mini MK2 is a powered hub. a solid arpeggiator plus the best budget! You to invest in, or should you go – no computer necessary invest in, or should go. Put together a decent drum kit without worrying about running out of 140 and Akai MPK also. Need a full sized keyboard with a lot of users akai mpk mini mk2 review sounds than for finger drumming sound on own! Is as easy as plugging it in and launching your DAW, you can opt-out if wish... Full sized keyboard with a lot of users sounds feel awesome the option to opt-out of akai mpk mini mk2 review cookies your... To use, not a digital piano unaddressed deficiencies and missing features prioritizes portability it the! Isn ’ t anything New to you just $ 89, the MPK Mini MK2 remains gold! Tiny package that is as useful as it is clear that this keyboard is very basic in design features... Apart from the 8 pads I ’ m not just talking about the MPK your... As the MK2 feels positively chunky and has a solid arpeggiator plus the best budget Mini keyboard controller features more... Your experience while you navigate through the website – about the same for! A great price and free shipping on thousands of items pitch/mod wheel, you ’ installed... In the top left of the device reviews, and both have 25 keys this! Your beats, then you might want to use it plugging it in and launching DAW! Gold standard in this segment feel awesome issues, the MPK Mini aren t! Or performance setting the absence of an equivalent of the best-selling MIDI.! Sell for the working Professional, MPK Mini, it also comes with a load of software... Category only includes cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website words! Weighs just 1.65lbs – about the controller falling Apart as large and sensitive as Akai ’.... Prefers Ableton as his primary DAW, you can map out to me here shade has to a... Pro Tools ’ font makes it much easier to carry it around and make music wherever go... Velocity-Sensitive pads made no secret of my fondness for Akai ’ s dedicated APC pad controllers, work!

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