WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Information and updates on the latest and popular Portable Keyboards

Click Here!

Akai Professional unveiled the MPK mini, a USB keyboard and pad controller at the recent 2010 BPM EXPO in Birmingham, England. The Akai MPK Mini features 25-note Semi-weighted mini keyboard, custom LCD display; 8 back-lit, Arpeggiator, MPC-style pads, 8 assignable Q-Link knobs, Octave Up and Down, Tap-Tempo and Sustain buttons.

The Akai MPK mini strikes the perfect balance between portability and comprehensive software control by combining both the complete control with the grab-and-go convenience offered in its popular Akai LPK25 and Akai LPD8. The MPK mini keyboard is perfect for quickly entering notes and phrases into a computer additionally, is velocity-sensitive. The dedicated Octave Up and Down buttons instantly access different pitch ranges. The sustain button should take on all new uses, particularly for editing, with all of the pads to press and knobs to twist until that perfect sound appears. The built-in Arpeggiator is to create sparkling, staccato leads and driving bass-lines in a variety of time denominations and patterns. The eight back-lit, velocity-sensitive pads are great for firing one-shot samples and sequencing drum patterns. The pads can send note information, MIDI CCs, or even program changes, and pressing the Bank button will instantly toggle between 2 banks of pads to a total of 16 pads.

Additionally, the Akai MPK mini has 8 assignable Q-Link knobs to control virtually any software parameter. The portable keyboard works plug-and-play with Mac and PC and requires no software driver installation for operation. The ultra-compact mini-keyboard is very affordable. “Today’s music is constantly evolving, and that requires the tools for music creation to evolve similarly. The MPK mini is the perfect extension of the computer for making music in any setting.” Weighs slightly over one pound and less than 13 inches across, it can easily fits into your laptop case or backpack.  So, go mobile without losing control with Akai MPK mini!

Click Here!

Sam Ash Quikship Corp.
goat milk
incredibles

Click Here!

The immediacy of a hardware synthesizer combined with the flexibility of a software based solution. The Arturia - Analog Experience The Player is a compact MIDI keyboard controller. The Player comes in an aluminium and wooden case designed specifically for durability and cost saving. The compact, lightweight and rugged designed make the portable controller an ideal instrument for contemporary and mobile musicians. The Analog Experience - The Player features 25-key velocity-sensitive keyboard with full action effect, a cross-platform virtual instruments - stand-alone and VST/AU/RTAS plug-in, with 1,000 built-in synths sounds selected from Arturia Classic Synths line of virtual instruments, like ARP 2600V, CS-80V, Jupiter-8V, Minimoog V, Modular Moog V, Prophet V, and Prophet VS.

Analog Experience - The Player is a powerful and user-friendly instrument. Featuring the very best of Arturia’s signature sounds created using TAE ® sound engine, the sounds are filtered by instrument, type, style and characteristics. Besides, the controller is compatible with any MIDI hardware and software. With 1,000 presets sounds selecting the sounds you want is also a breeze. And user can also filter and organize presets view with ease. User can search sounds according to individual’s criteria by filtering base on instrument, type of sound , style or characteristics, and alternatively, find presets according to these filtered choices. Additionally, user can organize presets view by Name, Instrument, Type, Polyphony, CPU usage, Favourite or User Presets. The modulation joystick is easy to operate though most user would prefer wheels but, to save space and cost perhaps, it is the best alternative.

The Player is the best way to get these signature sounds at a budget. In fact, The Player makes the analog experience more available to the masses. In my opinion, an incredibly affordable package with a wealth of Arturia’s best analog sounds and the ease of accessing all the presets are the biggest immediate sell for this simple, small and lightweight portable keyboard.

Click Here!

Sam Ash Quikship Corp.
goat milk
creatives

Click Here!

CME introduced the UF-Classic, a new range to its best selling UF series Master keyboards. The CME UF50 Classic Master keyboard features 49-key Semi-weighted action keyboard with after-touch response, more than 20 user Template, Pitch and Modulation Wheels, Assignable Controllers; 8 control knobs, 9 faders control, 6 shortcut knobs, LED display, Control buttons; program, transpose, octave, channels and keyboard split, 6 sequencer remote buttons, data adjustment knobs, U-CTRL mode. Exclusive features include; NeoSynth24; Audio/MIDI expander with maximum 124-voices Polyphony, Waldorf Nano Synth Card.

The CME UF50 Classic is enhanced with new dedicated performance controls to keep all the needs of the performer close at hand and make your performance more expressive. You can produce subtle or drastic pitch changes, and use the octave button and transpose button to shift the pitch of the keyboard. Additionally, the controller keyboard exclusive features, like the Audio/MIDI expander provides high quality audio instruments and effects whereas, the Waldorf Nano Synth Card (one of its kind in the industry) with more than 1000 classic Waldorf Micro Q synth sounds enables the controller keyboard to be converted into an audio sound card, a tone module, and a full-on synthesizer, complete with real-time control. The UF50 Classic is class compliant for Windows 7, Vista and XP, and Mac OS X.

The Classic range comes in UF50 49-key, UF60 61-key, UF70 76-key, and all keybed sizes have velocity sensitive keys with after-touch. While the UF80 Classic comes in 88-note Hammer-action weighted keys with grand piano touch. The CME UF50 Classic portable keyboard weight merely 8.2 kg. The UF Classic Series are designed by musicians for musicians because they know best.

Click Here!

Sam Ash Quikship Corp.

Click Here!

World-renowned American company Open Labs has brought the Gen6’s Q series Professional Audio Production Instrument, Miko QC6 to the next level of realism. The result is a simple, all-in-one studio powerhouse and one-of-its-kind in music production. The Open Labs Miko QC6 is a robust Production Station built for studios, producers and artists-on-the-go, which offers over 10,000 high-quality sounds.

The Miko QC6 features 37-key semi-weighted Synth-Action keyboard, with after-touch response, powered by the 2010 Intel® CoreTM processor family, with more than 10,000 high-quality preset sounds, new Bump MP^TM ; includes fully assignable pads, note repeat, fixed level fader, transport controls, chromatic mode, hold, pad tune, multiple groove preset and eight engines with 24 patterns per engine, full DAW capabilities, Open Labs live virtual instrument host Riff^TM, 15-inch touch screen interface, and running Windows 7^TM OS.

The Open Labs Miko QC6 optimized on Windows 7^TM Operating System for true Open Platform Capability. Powered by 2010 Intel® CoreTM processor and with 15-inch LCD touch screen, 37-key, weight merely 39.2 lbs and running on Windows 7^TM OS, the Miko QC6 is specifically designed for maximum studio functionality and keyboard playability. The new Bump MP enables user to create beats and trigger any sound, loop or sample in real-time. Riff^TM is a multi-effect and multi-instrument rack for sound designers and musicians to create any number of virtual controls in real-time that can be mapped to various effects and other parameters.

The Open Labs Miko QC6 can also be use as a real time multi-effect processor. Imagine having your studio at your finger tips while performing live. The ability to work from anywhere in the world on a single piece of equipment helps keep artists, musicians and producers flowing smoothly and creating a recognizable personality in their music. Load your Open Labs Miko QC6 portable keyboard with the instruments, samples or loops and effects that you love, and make it your own!

Click Here!

Sam Ash Quikship Corp.

Click Here!

Kurzweil latest workstation, Kurzweil PC3K8 is an upgraded PC3 and a new addition to Kurzweil’s workstation and family. The PC3K8 features 88-keys keyboard, with the addition of 128 MB of sample memory, real-time control over volume and sound parameter, basic sample editing and full keymap editing, a USB host port to support the use of thumb-drives for data loading and storage as well as OS updates. Not forgetting, the PC3K8 also features all the presets and features of it’s predecessor PC3, including anti-aliasing VA oscillators, improved KB3 Mode, Classic Keys, Orchestral and String Sections sound sets, the renowned Kurzweil Grand Piano, Cascade Mode, 16 independent Riffs and arpeggiators, Song Mode and QA mode, unparalleled MIDI control, and many more.

The PC3K8 non-volatile user sample memory can load your user samples, turn the unit off and the samples are still intact. This is especially applicable for keyboardists who use samples in a live setting. This new feature has been most sought after by musicians and professionals alike for at least a decade. The ‘K’ implies backward compatibility to Kurzweil K-Series from K2000, K2500 to K2600 keyboards. All the K-Series samples can be loaded in the PC3K8 with 100 percent compatibility whereas, the K-Series programs have about 70 percent compatibility. However, users will have to tweak the sound a little in order to have the exact sound. The keyboard can be set up with up to 16 zones and layers.

With the new Kurzweil  PC3K8 ability to load legacy K-Series sample patches and almost two decades of programmes with almost full compatibility  via  Dynamic V.A.S.T. synthesis engine, once again underscoring Kurzweil commitment to non-obsolescence by design.

Click Here!

Sam Ash Quikship Corp.