WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD » Akai MPK MINI Midi Controller

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!

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