AKAI MPK Mini Evaluate
The AKAI MPK Mini controller is born out of combining two formerly launched AKAI products, the LPK25 and also the LPD8. It attributes 25 mini keys, 8 pads, eight knobs, arpeggiator and several other functions, all in a little bit more than thirteen inch instrument, perfectly ideal for a notebook (consequently the slogan “Laptop Production Keyboard”) or for using it in tight spaces with out forgoing the AKAI excellent.
PACKAGING
The packaging is actually basic, also to your controller we discover an USB cable, the cd when using the PDF manual plus the application editor for OSX/Windows, the security instructions and guarantee details in addition to a coupon to obtain a price reduction on possibly Ableton Are living or Ableton Suite. We shot a brief video to indicate the unboxing in the AKAI MPK Mini, you’ll be able to look at it beneath:
USE
We’ve been testing the product or service both equally on the Pc with Windows 7 and on iMAC with OSX Snow Leopard using two program plans by Native Instrument more often than not: Substantial and Kontakt. You only really need to connect the USB cable for the laptop and within seconds, without any should set up any extra motorists, the MPK mini is able to send MIDI indicators to the preferred sequencer/DAW. Staying it a mini-USB connector as in the a lot of the compact controllers (put simply, because Nano series by Korg), it is a good idea to become watchful not to use far too a lot stress to the input and or stop any impression which could injury this kind of connector. During the exam, and subsequent times of use, there have been no functional troubles nor components nor program.
The keys, however mini, are extremely excellent and allow enjoying with no a lot of restrictions. Regardless of its selling price, they have nothing to perform with tiny price range mini-keys; the action is de facto good, the only real flaw could be the response inside the 0-40 velocity array which entails some abrupt jumps, but all items viewed as it leaves you quite happy.
The pads, alternatively, are unquestionably fantastic. The dynamic reaction is excellent and there’s no likelihood you could drive them unintentionally as it transpires with as well delicate affordable pads. It can be crucial to notice that pads mild up in red any time you press them, in all probability owing to esthetic rationale fairly than genuine usefulness.
The knobs, (definitely no infinite encoders) are neither much too tough nor as well tender. Inspite of their dimensions, they can be properly spaced apart and those who will be genuinely into knobs can consider their hand at controlling two of them simultaneously quite effortlessly with just one hand. Really should we be definitely nit-picking we’d say it lacks the representing figures underneath the knobs (which can be there as a substitute for your pads)
Capabilities
Within the still left facet you can find 10 buttons to make it possible for many features. Through the bottom, on top of that on the common octave up and down, to be able to alter the octave array you might be taking part in, we discover a Sustain button (which will work as a substitute of the maintain pedal) plus a Software button which permits to recall the four normal presets of the MPK mini (selectable by pressing and keeping down simultaneously the Program button and one of the keys labeled Prog 1-4, from A to C about the 2nd octave). Every preset is assignable with a various CC/NOTE for that pads as well as the knobs. The presets is usually effortlessly modified by the provided software program editor or downloadable immediately from AKAI’s web site)
Planning upwards, we discover two buttons which command the arpeggiator, and that is, for my part, an incredibly beneficial operate for this kind of controller. The On/Off button, moreover enabling and disabling the arpeggiator, can be utilized to pick out (keeping it down) quite a few capabilities for the arpeggiator (together with within the preset/program, it only requires checking out the label close to the keys): the velocity of the arpeggiator expressed by values like 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 ., the best way the arpeggiator performs such as Up (ascending), Down (descending), Inclusive (from ascending to descending order repeating the notes). Special (up and down without the need of repeating them), Random (random buy in the notes which have been played), Purchase (the precise get which the notes have already been played) and it is usually potential to select how many octaves the arpeggiator need to be used for through the use of the keyd labeled ARP OCT 0-3. Next to them we also find a Tap TEMPO button on the arpeggiator that will be disabled provided that from the editor one particular chooses to match the tempo with the MPK mini when using the among a host like a sequencer or even a DAW.
EDITOR
The editor is very simple to use to be able to personalize the MIDI indicators sent from the Knobs/pads. The very little guide in the cd (or downloadable with the AKAI’s website) quickly explains its use which is fairly intuitive. It needs to be claimed, because of the way, that almost all of your digital instruments available for sale gives the chance to utilize the Midi Study (the chance to assign a CC MIDI in the controller into the parameter of the virtual instrument or perhaps the effect) and therefore the employing the editor could turn into unnecessary considering the fact that there may be a lot more quickly use together with the knobs.
CONCLUSIONS
Pros: Fantastic quality/price ratio, very good controls, compact and straightforward make use of
Cons: Missing a pitch bending control, the dynamic response in the keys inside the 0-40 velocity array isn’t exact.
Details
Producer: AKAI
Design: MPK Mini
http://www.ageofaudio.com/en/hardware/akai-mpk-mini
http://www.ageofaudio.com
Related Posts
Tags
Share This
Recent Comments