Disagree on your take on portability - the MPK Midi Plus is big winner here as it is the most portable 37 key controller at 18 inches long. The Novation 37 key and Arturia 37 keystep pro or both over 20 inches long. The difference is huge because the 18 inch long MPK Midi Plus can fit in backbacks and carry on bags while the Novation and Arturia cannot (too long.) This is a deal breaker if you are traveling/flying.
@@kirkwilliams4942 You can always power it from a USB power bank, like he does in the video. One less internal battery to die after a few years of use. And it's a MIDI controller (not a standalone synth), so you're plugging it into something else anyway (computer, synth, etc.), so you can power it from that, or power everything from the same USB power bank.
MPK Mini Plus having 37 keys and being noticeably more compact than most other comparable controllers is a big advantage and the main reason I got mine. I can still fit it in my travel backpack and not be confined to 25 keys.
The thing about the portability though is that while the mini plus is slightly larger then might be convenient, you can still take it places, like you might just need to buy a slightly bigger backpack, but they make those. The plus gives you options beyond committing to a desktop controller, I think it's a no brainer, it's the only controller that has extra keys for doing your pianoing good, good drum pads, the sequencer, the midi out, good build quality, and is still theoretically portable.
Great point about if a controller doesn't fully detach you from the computer keyboard, then you're more likely to just use computer keyboard shortcuts for transport and other functions. Been trying to get my head around why I tend to never end up liking MIDI controller DAW controls. It's because I've yet to get a full comprehensive set of controls on board, so I just use my computer keyboard, cause frankly, it's got EVERYTHING I need built in, and customizable!
Hi from France Teatro, great channel over time. I'm very surprised with your comment @7:20 'cause i got the MPK mini 3 and I CAN SYNC IT WITH ABLETON for the arpeggiator to work with it. here's how : Just hold on the 'on/off arpeggiator' button and turn the 'sync' knob so that the MPK screen shows "BPM:EXT", then in ableton préference > midi, for the 'out: MPK' selection row, enable 'sync', now if you activate " the big play button" in ableton, you can see a blue dot blinking on top left showing that ableton send sync control to the MPK, just activate the on/off arpeggiator and you're ready to go, and changing the tempo in ableton automatically adjust the arpeggiator on the MPK. It works perfectly for me !!! regards.
Thanks a million for all your vids! You convinced me to buy MPK Mini Plus. It has all great features from Mini MK3 plus everything we missed in there and more. BTW your MIDI setup during external synth test was probably wrong - when connected to laptop, Mini Plus creates new MIDI device in laptop and you should set correct MIDI out device in your DAW. So yes, your keypress goes to DAW and then back to Akai and out to the synth. See user's guide. And you discovered that when running on battery, MIDI goes to DIN connectors on MKP Mini PLus - this is just great! My parcel is on the way and I can not wait to go through your vids again with my rig in my hands. 🙂
I found your channel since a while and everytime i watch one of your videos i discover and learn something new, i've been having the mini plus for 2 weeks and thanks to you I learned some features which i didn't discover myself ! cheers and big thanks from France.
Basically a very good video! However, some things would be "overlooked": You can probably have two sequences running at the same time and the Arp on top of them! You can also control up to three devices at the same time, one via MIDI, one via CV Out and one via USB (if you connect a power bank via adapter!) I think the new Mini Plus is better than its predecessors! However, they should have installed a battery compartment! and of course put the rotary potentiometers on the right side! Namely left! As a right-handed person, I always get a knot in my arms when I want to play the old MPKs with my right hand and turn the pots with my left!🤪 the pads and other controls can move to the right! The bottom line is that the new keyboard is definitely better, the few centimeters are not a problem! The additional features are very welcome (37 Keys, midi sockets, sequencer, wheels and joystick etc) continue to have a great time 😊
if you enjoyed this video please consider donating to our fundraiser this month!! Raising money to create free music programs for teens across the country :) Any amount helps, click DONATE on the video. Other ways to donate: beatober.com/donate
This is almost what I've been looking for. 37 keys in roughly the same footprint as my KK M32, scale/chord modes that aren't bound by software, and actual pitch & mod WHEELS rather than strips. Just wish it had a power switch like the Keystep 37 so I don't have to unplug it to avoid OLED burn in. I'm very close to buying this!
Great job Akai, I ordered mine. I love it. The chord and scales function is pure genius. The design and layout is really good. This is much better and more progressive than the Arturia.
Not exactly. The Keystep 37 can record tied (longer) notes live... which is a big selling point. You can tweak the note lengths after the fact on the Mini Plus but it's nowhere near as fun.
The BPM sync would annoy me too, should be just be plug and play these days! Personally I think the joystick just makes it look like a toy as well, always puts me off! The Arturia mini lab mk 3 is way better looking in my opinion. The M32 is still my favorite, great with Ableton and komplete kontrol , just fits in my backpack!
He's not turned on syncing to an external tempo on the MPK mini, so it isn't doing it. If you turn it on once, it will continue to do it. This explains how - ua-cam.com/video/mQBsBtT1CHY/v-deo.html
I just cant stand the clicking of M32. I do have it and I have MPK MK3. The M32 is more functional because of direct integration but I enjoy using MPK waaay more. They all work, maschine stuff spark inspiration for me but Akai with MPC always wins my soul. Akai is not perfect but you must love it.
Hi Taetro great video, I have recently bought an MPK mini 25 and now wish I had waited for this I still like you think they can do better, love the idea of a 37 key controller. The points you made about a better transport mechanism is 100% spot on as is the doing away with 4 of the knobs, I would add getting rid of the joystick and putting a slightly larger screen on it.Your comment about adding the play feature is spot on what a versatile keyboard that would be it's portable enough to carry around you could Jam by the campfire another thing it could have is bluetooth out for a portable speaker you could power the keyboard the a USB battery pack, and would be still powerful enough for home editing.
You can sync the note repeat to ableton tempo, atleast I can on my MPK mini mkiii by holding down the NOTE REPEAT button and turning the SYNC knob till it changes to "ext". You may have to turn on the SYNC in output to your MPK in midi preferences. I just tested it, it works fine.
Can not thank you enough for this. Even with you love for Akai the review was still non-bias and informative. Was originally debating between an MPK Mini and the Oxygen Pro Mini. This was mainly due to the transport controls and actual wheels as opposed to the joystick. Upon seeing the MPK Mini plus I got a bit more excited. I was also getting worried since I have seen some horror stories about the Oxygen. This has pushed me a bit further to the MPK Mini Plus. I also love what you said about just cause it doesn't make sense logically doesn't mean you should rule it out. Now, As long as the dimension work in my laptop bag haha. Thank you as always!...Now where is my measuring tape...
Unfortunately, the M-Audio Oxygen pro Mini causes problems! When you turn the controls there are often note hangs! Overall, the workmanship and feel are not as good as the Akai's! Unfortunately!
I'm glad looking at reviews after buying this off of vibes and feature lists hasn't made me regret the purchase. I know jack shit about MIDI controllers and synths so I think this looks like a good option as someone who currently wants to stop complaining about how long it takes to program all my tracks with a mouse but wants something flexible for when I eventually decide that I want to fuck around with more of the useful composition features.
Great vid, thanks. I'm just getting back into production after an 8 year gap and just purchased the Mini Plus. I will be following up on your other bids.👌
I often wish my mpk mini had more keys. You make some great points on the other keyboards having some better features. I think the mpk will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first keyboard I've ever made music with and I believe it was the cheapest option for entry. The mpk software does have cool sounds but I have barely used it. I need to find a way to hook my korg kaossilator pro. I wish they would come out with a new one of those that has better connectivity.
As many people here in the comments in Arturia's one, I just bought my mpk mkiii and even tho I would have loved to buy this version if I had the chance, I think I'm not missing anything big beside those transport controls which I substituted by buying a Worlde Easycontrol 9 which helped with the things this control offers plus even more (6 transport dedicated buttons plus 11 more to map as I please).
Taetro! I just found and subbed today. Thanks for going in depth on the Plus. But now that I've watched your reviews on this and the Play and the regular MK3... I have no idea which one I should start with. hah! I really thought I'd go with the Play because I can get away from my computer buttttt i'm going to outgrow that so fast. i cannot decide! I love the extra keys here and the sequencer and the midi out but i'm not sure it's the right place for a total newb to start.
midi controllers aren't necessarily something you'll "outgrow" - they're just tools you can use for different uses. if you know eventually you'll be using external gear, start with the plus. If you're unsure how far you're going to go, the smaller keyboard will not be a waste to start with
Brother, can you ask me another question? Is it also not possible to use the midi output and at the same time the USB connected to an app on the iPad? Thanks again
Thanks for your honest review. Personally for me the size is alright: if you want 3 octaves it is quite impossible to find something smaller. What worries me a bit is the keybed quality: I have the akai mpk play and honestly it is not that good. How is the keybed on this model? How does it feel?
I think Akai came up with a very usable product. To compare the Akai with the bulky Novation Launchkey is comparing apples with oranges. The Launchkey is like twice the size with full size keys. If the size suddenly doesn't matter then the Launchkey has no match compaired to keyboards with 49 and 61 keys. For a 37 keys keyboard the Akai is super compact but still playable. For the typical hiphop producer using samples and playing a few notes 25 keys or 37 keys doesn't make a huge difference but if you can actually play a keyboard 37 keys make a huge difference. Then you can actually play the keys and not just use them like a trigger machine. I like compact keyboards that I can take with me in a bag or sit in a sofa and the Akai is perfect for that. The Arturia and the small Novation 37 key have ridiculous pitch and modwheel track pads but the Akai has a real standard pitchbend and modwheel. On top of that none of the others has as good drum pads as the Akai has. As for the joystick it's probably there for the people that has gotten used to it and like to use it with pitch or modulation with filters etc. It's not like it makes any harm being there in a non intrusive place.
@@Taetro The reason why there is transport controls on the Novation keyboard is because its twice the size. I'm sure that you could assign the keys on the Akai to trigger play and stop. No matter what the Novation keyboard can't be used as a total substitute for a laptop keyboard.
Maybe off topic but for future I'd like a basic mic/guitar input too that could digitize in the DAW - one less item on the desk for laying in scratch vox or acoustic instruments.
Hey nice video. I got a question. I have the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. I figure it out that I cannot plug a Akai MPK Mini to it but this Akai MPK Mini Plus has an USB port to connect to my laptop. Is it worth it buying the Akai MPK Mini PLus? Can I play it on my DAW? Im using FL Studio. Thanks!
Thanks for the video my man. Seen a number of your joints, you're good at it! Its appreciated. Im new to all of this but Im interested in learning and would like to make make beats. Dont know where to start as far as what to purchase. Should I get the MPK MINI with the MPC ONE or just one piece of equipment in the MPC Key 37? Thanks in advance for help and or advice.
If you are just starting I would buy a simple midi controller like the MPK and use your computer with whatever daw your fav artists are using OR a free one like BandLab. MPC is a very specific workflow and if you’ve never made music before, it will be much easier to learn the foundations on a computer
As much as I do like this my launchkey 37 has more features and those features translate to live and logic. So ditching the launchkey 37 isn't happening...but I may get rid of my launchkey mini mk3 for this...but they sh uld have set those encoders up so they can also be used for mixing levels! Both,y launchkey will let me use the knobs like a mixer which is awesome, in general I just think it's hard too beat the launchkey line at the moment...they could have easily done it here, they had the time but the didn't execute
Very nice Presentation! My main criticism of the Mini plus is that the controls are still on the wrong side! The potentiometers belong on the left side! Like most keyboard players, I'm right-handed! So I mostly play the keyboard with my right hand! and would like to control the sounds with my left hand! The pitch bend wheel and modulation wheel are on the left on all synthesizers! Unfortunately, Akai got it wrong again! They had it right with the MPK Miniplay 3! My dream device would be a mix of all MPK's: 3 octaves, 8 knobs on the left side and 8 pads on the right side! And of course a new improved sound generation! Best 248 good quality sounds! Have a nice time 😊
I think its great that they made it 37 keys its still can be portable. That said for Abelton users i do think Novation is still better due to transport controls. I also dont want to be touching mouse if i am performing a peace. I think AKAI missed this opportunity. I have the Akai Mini Pro and i love the kyes feel and most of the features but its very comborsome to use with Ableton for live performances.
The issue with the Arturia Keystep and key step pro it it has no keyboard transpose. That makes it extremely frustrating to use as someone who lives in C.
Actually, you can launch different media sequences by the drum keys. Just save your media sequence to a drum key, safe anatomy sequence to another drum key and then switch between them. You even can play dams on channel 10 and keyboard on channel one at the same time and you have two sequences one for and one for key on each safe bank.
Great video as always...honestly this video made me wanna buy the lemon drop lmao. I'd like to see a full side by side with the novation launchkey 37 and I think that would help me and others decide between different 37 key midi keyboards. Keep up the great work!
the biggest difference is endless encoders on the akai and pots on the novation. some people prefer pots and "takeover mode" whereby they don't activate until you cross the threshold of the current param setting, but most people prefer endless encoders because they will adjust the param immediately from the position they are currently in. Arturia are endless encoders too, but I don't like the feel of them at all, kind of clicky indents on them. Endless encoders always take more setup and have more compatibility issues, but that aside, once you get them figured out, they are gold.
I loved my MPK Plus but with no touch sensitivity for the keys it wasn't very useful in the long run. I assumed it would have that feature since the regular MPK Minis have it but it doesn't.
I'm actually unsure which one i should buy first. I was a keyboarder 2+ decades ago and wanted to start anew again. I have the AKAI Mini MK3 and the Mini Plus chosen, since i would call myself still a beginner. Which of them both wouldn't be too complicated to use for the start? Do i really need the more functions of the Mini Plus?
There’s so much that the Arturia and the launchkey are missing, the MPK plus gives us both. Yeah sure it’s got watered down abilities of both but I mean it’s still solid.
Great stuff mate! BUT I am a pianist and I want to know about what I think they call is the 'key bed'. For example, the KORG Micro I have decided is a tiny bit too flabby in the keyboard for me. What do people think?
Love this, ready to buy, the red is just not my style. Any idea how long it took Akai to release the black and white versions of the standard "mini"? Hoping new colors are coming to the plus soon!
Hi I am between this and the novation mini i tried the novation 37 and i loved It but it's too big and i Need something portable. From this akai i love the sequencer, the size and the 37 keys and the endless encoders. From the novation i love the pads and programmability and the generative arpeggiator... what you would pick between this and the novation mini?
I want to make music but i feel overwhelmed looking at all the functions and hearing all the terminology of all these different devices. Seems so daunting.
Just got myself the Minilab mkII because of your video on it... I wanted it for years and found it brand new for half price... Even so, I feel like I should have waited for the Minilab 3 and this guy here. Wish I knew they were coming a month ago >
Hey man congrats on getting it you should not regret it. If its something you wanted and got it for a good price it shouldn't bother you what happens next. There will always be a new thing.
Hello Taetro, I bought the launchkey 37mk3 after viewing your review great piece of gear, i love it, but i use it only when i m on the road (because i have bigger midi keyboard at home)...the little problem is that it s a bit bulky to carry, so the mpk mini plus could be a good answer for those like me who really wants/needs 3 octaves+pads, in the smallest form factor to travel...my only concern: are the mini keys playable enough to enjoy them? ( i wish the launchkey 37 had encoder instead of pots, note repeat with tempo sync with daw). Compared to the novation launchkey 37 price i find the akai mpk mini plus a bit expensive. Thank you for your thoughts and reviews .
My question is the same, I love this concept but I’m just unsure if the keys will be too small to reliably play for live performance, any comments here appreciated
Can anybody who has used these mini keyboards before confirm whether these keys can be reliably used for live performance? I’m worried that the smaller keys almost guarantee error unless you’re a very very accurate pianist, thanks for any comments!
Great presentstion once again. While the Plus is great, apart from transport controls being mapped in Ableton, I"m struggling with it auto-mapping with Ableton's built in instruments which the previous versions of Akai mini automatically did. I have to now manually map each of the rotary controls.
I want something like this. Battery operated with a speaker. Just something to take outside or on the bed and not worry about carrying a laptop around. I know the play has that but the pads seem useless without loop ability. Any other options??
Akai leaked mpc key 37 full size keys exact scale and model of mpc64 but with 37 keys full touch screen and 16 mpc pads with encoders and i believe sliders too
@SonicVibe has said it already, but in a comparison with the keystep, the Akai (and many other controllers) loses mostly because of it has no (channel) After touch. Though many people won't miss that feature, and that may or may not be b/c they don't even know what it is or how to use it.
please akai do not touch the knobs, i am soft synth person, i just want to use the 8 knobs on 8 banks to have 64 live programmable features.I have it and is really nice, on a big bag fits perfectly, and i do not care about keys to control the daw, because i need to bring my logic pro with macos with me, and so is really easy to press shortcuts WITHOUT touching the mouse at all , undo would be command+Z
one of the syn (arp or seq) was delinked for performance purpose. MPC way of beat making is driven by dynamic performance flexibility - since seq and arp and keyboard can play at the same time.
@@montanamaxxamillion It's easy to miss, the Akai user manuals aren't always the easiest to navigate. I also guess there's a time pressure to deliver the review on release day. Taetro evidently used the MPK mini a lot and for a long time, and apparently never saw that feature, so it may not be obvious.
At 4:46 you have a dedicated Controller Remote Script for the Mini plus. Do you create this yourself? I own Ableton 11 Suite and this script is not available in my version 11.2.6. I use the MPK49 script for transport control.??
How did you get the MPK Mini Plus to show in Control Surface? tried everything and can't seem to get it to show? I'm on the latest version of Ableton too...
thanks Taetro for your informative content. IT is really helpful man thanks, I was loooking for a midi controller with MIDI I/O, and I found it, I am going forward with this midi! looks good. looking for a more than 25 bu less than 49 keys, I don't care about the portability but other options like the step sequencer, really smooth! what do you prefer? this or the AKAI FIRE? In this scenario I want to connect my YAMAHA S 08 to the midi controller and play guitar and triggering beats on the sequencer while playing live and producing, so do you recommend it to me? I already have a VOLT 4 for its purposes. thanks man
I do think you can save a sequence to a pad according to the demo on Andertons. That’s a gamechanger for me as a songwriter. I use my Trio+ for guitar to do this, but to have a MIDI version would be fun as hell.
Thank you so much for this. If you could only pick one, what would it be? A MPK Mini Plus or the Arturia 37 key Step? I'm literally debating on which one to get. I have a small home studio, record my band, write songs via midi, wife is going to be recording midi as well. I currently have a old MPK mini and use Logic Pro.
@helijim 9 hours ago This keyboard is lacking the 'program change' button though which I think is a shame as it's on both of the other MPKs. I've lost 8 pads now as I have assigned bank B for 'program change' Maybe there's another way to do this but it's what I came up with.
Hi! Nice review - but how is this on the keys contra the Akai MPKmini (wich in my humble opinnion suxx)? I feel like I need to use brute force to get the tones out of the keys -and the pads for the drums are very over sensitive imo. - Please let me know as I am looking to upgrade soon. -KK from Norway
This may be a dumb question but I'm new to producing. How does the sound get from your Midi to your DAW once you unplug it? Is it because your Lemon drop also plugged into your computer?
Yeah, I wish the smaller models, mpk mini, lpk25 and lpd8 had MIDI out as well, I don’t understand why they don’t include that, at least trs midi out please! 😢
If I already have a full size piano with MIDI would the MPD218 be a better choice if all I need to do is finger drumming? Any advantages that I'm missing from mini 2?
Thanks for sharing! Dig it but already have akai mpk mini and mini play and a Novation mini nova synth. Wish it had an external speaker that would have been cool!
Disagree on your take on portability - the MPK Midi Plus is big winner here as it is the most portable 37 key controller at 18 inches long. The Novation 37 key and Arturia 37 keystep pro or both over 20 inches long. The difference is huge because the 18 inch long MPK Midi Plus can fit in backbacks and carry on bags while the Novation and Arturia cannot (too long.) This is a deal breaker if you are traveling/flying.
NO BATTERY. SO NOT portable.
@@kirkwilliams4942 bro
@@kirkwilliams4942 You can always power it from a USB power bank, like he does in the video. One less internal battery to die after a few years of use.
And it's a MIDI controller (not a standalone synth), so you're plugging it into something else anyway (computer, synth, etc.), so you can power it from that, or power everything from the same USB power bank.
@@kirkwilliams4942 It doesn't need a power supply, why should it need batteries?
MPK Mini Plus having 37 keys and being noticeably more compact than most other comparable controllers is a big advantage and the main reason I got mine. I can still fit it in my travel backpack and not be confined to 25 keys.
what backpack do you have that can fit this thing!
@@Taetro The MSI gaming backpack. I believe the one I have is called MSI Hecate G Series.
I have the magma dj controller bag.
omg I'm drooling over the pitchbend and mod (wheels) omg i love it
and 37 keys is a big deal for my needs
Broke my joystick top off, so I glued a marble on the post 😑🤘
Lmao that is a brilliant fix
Any woman will tell you to be nice when you're in DJ mode 😉 Hella fix tho
The thing about the portability though is that while the mini plus is slightly larger then might be convenient, you can still take it places, like you might just need to buy a slightly bigger backpack, but they make those. The plus gives you options beyond committing to a desktop controller, I think it's a no brainer, it's the only controller that has extra keys for doing your pianoing good, good drum pads, the sequencer, the midi out, good build quality, and is still theoretically portable.
Great point about if a controller doesn't fully detach you from the computer keyboard, then you're more likely to just use computer keyboard shortcuts for transport and other functions. Been trying to get my head around why I tend to never end up liking MIDI controller DAW controls. It's because I've yet to get a full comprehensive set of controls on board, so I just use my computer keyboard, cause frankly, it's got EVERYTHING I need built in, and customizable!
Hi from France Teatro, great channel over time. I'm very surprised with your comment @7:20 'cause i got the MPK mini 3 and I CAN SYNC IT WITH ABLETON for the arpeggiator to work with it. here's how :
Just hold on the 'on/off arpeggiator' button and turn the 'sync' knob so that the MPK screen shows "BPM:EXT", then in ableton préference > midi, for the 'out: MPK' selection row, enable 'sync', now if you activate " the big play button" in ableton, you can see a blue dot blinking on top left showing that ableton send sync control to the MPK, just activate the on/off arpeggiator and you're ready to go, and changing the tempo in ableton automatically adjust the arpeggiator on the MPK. It works perfectly for me !!! regards.
Thanks a million for all your vids! You convinced me to buy MPK Mini Plus. It has all great features from Mini MK3 plus everything we missed in there and more. BTW your MIDI setup during external synth test was probably wrong - when connected to laptop, Mini Plus creates new MIDI device in laptop and you should set correct MIDI out device in your DAW. So yes, your keypress goes to DAW and then back to Akai and out to the synth. See user's guide. And you discovered that when running on battery, MIDI goes to DIN connectors on MKP Mini PLus - this is just great! My parcel is on the way and I can not wait to go through your vids again with my rig in my hands. 🙂
I found your channel since a while and everytime i watch one of your videos i discover and learn something new, i've been having the mini plus for 2 weeks and thanks to you I learned some features which i didn't discover myself ! cheers and big thanks from France.
Basically a very good video!
However, some things would be "overlooked":
You can probably have two sequences running at the same time and the Arp on top of them!
You can also control up to three devices at the same time, one via MIDI, one via CV Out and one via USB (if you connect a power bank via adapter!)
I think the new Mini Plus is better than its predecessors! However, they should have installed a battery compartment!
and of course put the rotary potentiometers on the right side!
Namely left!
As a right-handed person, I always get a knot in my arms when I want to play the old MPKs with my right hand and turn the pots with my left!🤪
the pads and other controls can move to the right!
The bottom line is that the new keyboard is definitely better, the few centimeters are not a problem!
The additional features are very welcome
(37 Keys, midi sockets, sequencer, wheels and joystick etc)
continue to have a great time 😊
if you enjoyed this video please consider donating to our fundraiser this month!!
Raising money to create free music programs for teens across the country :)
Any amount helps, click DONATE on the video. Other ways to donate: beatober.com/donate
This is almost what I've been looking for. 37 keys in roughly the same footprint as my KK M32, scale/chord modes that aren't bound by software, and actual pitch & mod WHEELS rather than strips. Just wish it had a power switch like the Keystep 37 so I don't have to unplug it to avoid OLED burn in. I'm very close to buying this!
It will not burn in Akai have screen saver on all their OLED after few minutes.
@@MS7.7 Good to hear! GG Akai.
Great job Akai, I ordered mine. I love it. The chord and scales function is pure genius. The design and layout is really good. This is much better and more progressive than the Arturia.
Just learn chords and scales lol
Not exactly. The Keystep 37 can record tied (longer) notes live... which is a big selling point. You can tweak the note lengths after the fact on the Mini Plus but it's nowhere near as fun.
And it has CV output for modular. 🤘👽👊🛸
This is why I choose this one
great job? u need two accounts to activate its a pain in the ass...
I’d love to see a comparison with the mini plus and the minilab mk3 🎉
yup needed, currently cant find a comparison against the new oxygen 32 nor the minilab e
The BPM sync would annoy me too, should be just be plug and play these days! Personally I think the joystick just makes it look like a toy as well, always puts me off! The Arturia mini lab mk 3 is way better looking in my opinion. The M32 is still my favorite, great with Ableton and komplete kontrol , just fits in my backpack!
He's not turned on syncing to an external tempo on the MPK mini, so it isn't doing it. If you turn it on once, it will continue to do it.
This explains how - ua-cam.com/video/mQBsBtT1CHY/v-deo.html
I hate the mk3 has so few keys. I love the idea of 37 keys!
@@iainmcguire7190 thanks!!!
I just cant stand the clicking of M32. I do have it and I have MPK MK3. The M32 is more functional because of direct integration but I enjoy using MPK waaay more. They all work, maschine stuff spark inspiration for me but Akai with MPC always wins my soul. Akai is not perfect but you must love it.
Hi Taetro great video, I have recently bought an MPK mini 25 and now wish I had waited for this I still like you think they can do better, love the idea of a 37 key controller. The points you made about a better transport mechanism is 100% spot on as is the doing away with 4 of the knobs, I would add getting rid of the joystick and putting a slightly larger screen on it.Your comment about adding the play feature is spot on what a versatile keyboard that would be it's portable enough to carry around you could Jam by the campfire another thing it could have is bluetooth out for a portable speaker you could power the keyboard the a USB battery pack, and would be still powerful enough for home editing.
You can sync the note repeat to ableton tempo, atleast I can on my MPK mini mkiii by holding down the NOTE REPEAT button and turning the SYNC knob till it changes to "ext". You may have to turn on the SYNC in output to your MPK in midi preferences. I just tested it, it works fine.
You have to change the MIDI out settings in Ableton to allow remote for the MPK mini plus then it will sync automatically
Which control surface do you have selected?? I've been trying to get it to work for days
Great review, thanks for you work :) will receive mine tomorrow after 1,5 years with an LPK 25
Can not thank you enough for this. Even with you love for Akai the review was still non-bias and informative. Was originally debating between an MPK Mini and the Oxygen Pro Mini. This was mainly due to the transport controls and actual wheels as opposed to the joystick. Upon seeing the MPK Mini plus I got a bit more excited. I was also getting worried since I have seen some horror stories about the Oxygen. This has pushed me a bit further to the MPK Mini Plus.
I also love what you said about just cause it doesn't make sense logically doesn't mean you should rule it out. Now, As long as the dimension work in my laptop bag haha. Thank you as always!...Now where is my measuring tape...
Unfortunately, the M-Audio Oxygen pro Mini causes problems! When you turn the controls there are often note hangs! Overall, the workmanship and feel are not as good as the Akai's! Unfortunately!
@@dingdong7562 so I actually read a lot of similar issues after I made this post. I wound up deciding on the MPK Mini Plus and couldn’t be more happy.
I'm glad looking at reviews after buying this off of vibes and feature lists hasn't made me regret the purchase. I know jack shit about MIDI controllers and synths so I think this looks like a good option as someone who currently wants to stop complaining about how long it takes to program all my tracks with a mouse but wants something flexible for when I eventually decide that I want to fuck around with more of the useful composition features.
the reason for me to upgrade is simple and obvious: THREE OCTAVES
and still be mini (doesn't take too much space on a desk)
Great vid, thanks.
I'm just getting back into production after an 8 year gap and just purchased the Mini Plus. I will be following up on your other bids.👌
Thank you. I think this is the one for me. It's backordered at Sweetwater, but that will give me time to make sure I want it.
I often wish my mpk mini had more keys. You make some great points on the other keyboards having some better features. I think the mpk will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first keyboard I've ever made music with and I believe it was the cheapest option for entry. The mpk software does have cool sounds but I have barely used it. I need to find a way to hook my korg kaossilator pro. I wish they would come out with a new one of those that has better connectivity.
Wild….i bought the MPK MINI PLAY now im looking at the Plus and you tell me now to buy it lol
Thank you so much for your honest review. Now I can go for the Novation Launchkey 37 without a bad conscience.
I have been considering this. Thank you for the review.
I just love the vibe of your vids keep it up man
Agree
Great review, better than most for this AKAI; thank you.
As many people here in the comments in Arturia's one, I just bought my mpk mkiii and even tho I would have loved to buy this version if I had the chance, I think I'm not missing anything big beside those transport controls which I substituted by buying a Worlde Easycontrol 9 which helped with the things this control offers plus even more (6 transport dedicated buttons plus 11 more to map as I please).
Your not rlly missing the transport controls. They don’t even work with FL.
Im thinking about copping this
Taetro! I just found and subbed today. Thanks for going in depth on the Plus. But now that I've watched your reviews on this and the Play and the regular MK3... I have no idea which one I should start with. hah! I really thought I'd go with the Play because I can get away from my computer buttttt i'm going to outgrow that so fast. i cannot decide! I love the extra keys here and the sequencer and the midi out but i'm not sure it's the right place for a total newb to start.
midi controllers aren't necessarily something you'll "outgrow" - they're just tools you can use for different uses. if you know eventually you'll be using external gear, start with the plus. If you're unsure how far you're going to go, the smaller keyboard will not be a waste to start with
Brother, can you ask me another question?
Is it also not possible to use the midi output and at the same time the USB connected to an app on the iPad? Thanks again
I’m definitely getting one of these.
Thanks for your honest review.
Personally for me the size is alright: if you want 3 octaves it is quite impossible to find something smaller.
What worries me a bit is the keybed quality: I have the akai mpk play and honestly it is not that good.
How is the keybed on this model? How does it feel?
I think Akai came up with a very usable product. To compare the Akai with the bulky Novation Launchkey is comparing apples with oranges. The Launchkey is like twice the size with full size keys. If the size suddenly doesn't matter then the Launchkey has no match compaired to keyboards with 49 and 61 keys.
For a 37 keys keyboard the Akai is super compact but still playable. For the typical hiphop producer using samples and playing a few notes 25 keys or 37 keys doesn't make a huge difference but if you can actually play a keyboard 37 keys make a huge difference. Then you can actually play the keys and not just use them like a trigger machine.
I like compact keyboards that I can take with me in a bag or sit in a sofa and the Akai is perfect for that. The Arturia and the small Novation 37 key have ridiculous pitch and modwheel track pads but the Akai has a real standard pitchbend and modwheel. On top of that none of the others has as good drum pads as the Akai has.
As for the joystick it's probably there for the people that has gotten used to it and like to use it with pitch or modulation with filters etc. It's not like it makes any harm being there in a non intrusive place.
Comparing a better designed transport control, and better daw integration is fair. Doing so will help to make your future mpks better.
@@Taetro The reason why there is transport controls on the Novation keyboard is because its twice the size. I'm sure that you could assign the keys on the Akai to trigger play and stop. No matter what the Novation keyboard can't be used as a total substitute for a laptop keyboard.
Great videos, watched a few looking for a MIDI which help ALOT......now I'm also buying this lemon drop synth lol.
Thanks for the video brother. How did you customize that controller?
Maybe off topic but for future I'd like a basic mic/guitar input too that could digitize in the DAW - one less item on the desk for laying in scratch vox or acoustic instruments.
the irig keys is really good for that
Thank you very much for your video!
Do you know if I can use it with android devices?
Thank you very much.
Regards.
Hey nice video. I got a question. I have the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. I figure it out that I cannot plug a Akai MPK Mini to it but this Akai MPK Mini Plus has an USB port to connect to my laptop. Is it worth it buying the Akai MPK Mini PLus? Can I play it on my DAW? Im using FL Studio. Thanks!
Thanks for the video my man. Seen a number of your joints, you're good at it! Its appreciated. Im new to all of this but Im interested in learning and would like to make make beats. Dont know where to start as far as what to purchase. Should I get the MPK MINI with the MPC ONE or just one piece of equipment in the MPC Key 37? Thanks in advance for help and or advice.
If you are just starting I would buy a simple midi controller like the MPK and use your computer with whatever daw your fav artists are using OR a free one like BandLab.
MPC is a very specific workflow and if you’ve never made music before, it will be much easier to learn the foundations on a computer
As much as I do like this my launchkey 37 has more features and those features translate to live and logic. So ditching the launchkey 37 isn't happening...but I may get rid of my launchkey mini mk3 for this...but they sh uld have set those encoders up so they can also be used for mixing levels! Both,y launchkey will let me use the knobs like a mixer which is awesome, in general I just think it's hard too beat the launchkey line at the moment...they could have easily done it here, they had the time but the didn't execute
Excellent review.
Very nice Presentation!
My main criticism of the Mini plus is that the controls are still on the wrong side!
The potentiometers belong on the left side!
Like most keyboard players, I'm right-handed! So I mostly play the keyboard with my right hand! and would like to control the sounds with my left hand!
The pitch bend wheel and modulation wheel are on the left on all synthesizers!
Unfortunately, Akai got it wrong again!
They had it right with the MPK Miniplay 3!
My dream device would be a mix of all MPK's: 3 octaves, 8 knobs on the left side and 8 pads on the right side!
And of course a new improved sound generation! Best 248 good quality sounds!
Have a nice time 😊
mos def will be getting this. nice to see you calling out the shortcomings. for sync you need to set your daw to transmit clock to the mini.
I think its great that they made it 37 keys its still can be portable. That said for Abelton users i do think Novation is still better due to transport controls. I also dont want to be touching mouse if i am performing a peace. I think AKAI missed this opportunity. I have the Akai Mini Pro and i love the kyes feel and most of the features but its very comborsome to use with Ableton for live performances.
Is the novation recommended for ableton? I have an og mpk mini and it’s a hassle having to assign knobs every time
@@Tofa_illo yea the novation is build around Abelton so it would be mine choice for that DAW. Taetro has fa comparison video on it.
@@VelezBiH cool thanks for the reply. ill have to have a look at that vid
The issue with the Arturia Keystep and key step pro it it has no keyboard transpose. That makes it extremely frustrating to use as someone who lives in C.
God bless you! Tryin’ to decide between the novation 37, arturia and mpg mini plus now lol. Lord willin’ I’ll find a solution soon!
absolutely, more freedom
Once they release one with the reverse color keys, I'll consider buying one.
Actually, you can launch different media sequences by the drum keys. Just save your media sequence to a drum key, safe anatomy sequence to another drum key and then switch between them. You even can play dams on channel 10 and keyboard on channel one at the same time and you have two sequences one for and one for key on each safe bank.
Great video as always...honestly this video made me wanna buy the lemon drop lmao. I'd like to see a full side by side with the novation launchkey 37 and I think that would help me and others decide between different 37 key midi keyboards. Keep up the great work!
the biggest difference is endless encoders on the akai and pots on the novation. some people prefer pots and "takeover mode" whereby they don't activate until you cross the threshold of the current param setting, but most people prefer endless encoders because they will adjust the param immediately from the position they are currently in. Arturia are endless encoders too, but I don't like the feel of them at all, kind of clicky indents on them. Endless encoders always take more setup and have more compatibility issues, but that aside, once you get them figured out, they are gold.
I loved my MPK Plus but with no touch sensitivity for the keys it wasn't very useful in the long run. I assumed it would have that feature since the regular MPK Minis have it but it doesn't.
are you talking about velocity sensitivity?
velocity and aftertouch
I’d like to see it’s FL implementation..if it’s stellar in comparison to Novation’s then maybe I’ll pick one up
I'm actually unsure which one i should buy first. I was a keyboarder 2+ decades ago and wanted to start anew again. I have the AKAI Mini MK3 and the Mini Plus chosen, since i would call myself still a beginner. Which of them both wouldn't be too complicated to use for the start? Do i really need the more functions of the Mini Plus?
There’s so much that the Arturia and the launchkey are missing, the MPK plus gives us both. Yeah sure it’s got watered down abilities of both but I mean it’s still solid.
Well finnaly something new from akai
Great stuff mate! BUT I am a pianist and I want to know about what I think they call is the 'key bed'. For example, the KORG Micro I have decided is a tiny bit too flabby in the keyboard for me. What do people think?
Love this, ready to buy, the red is just not my style. Any idea how long it took Akai to release the black and white versions of the standard "mini"? Hoping new colors are coming to the plus soon!
Painted my keys black haha . This things the shit for the smaller device size
Hi I am between this and the novation mini i tried the novation 37 and i loved It but it's too big and i Need something portable. From this akai i love the sequencer, the size and the 37 keys and the endless encoders. From the novation i love the pads and programmability and the generative arpeggiator... what you would pick between this and the novation mini?
I want to make music but i feel overwhelmed looking at all the functions and hearing all the terminology of all these different devices. Seems so daunting.
Just got myself the Minilab mkII because of your video on it... I wanted it for years and found it brand new for half price... Even so, I feel like I should have waited for the Minilab 3 and this guy here. Wish I knew they were coming a month ago >
Hey man congrats on getting it you should not regret it. If its something you wanted and got it for a good price it shouldn't bother you what happens next. There will always be a new thing.
Sell it, break even , and upgrade!
@@cinepost I was thinking that... But then last night I spilled Lemonade on it 😭 so I have to see if it still works... Just letting it dry properly!
I totally agree with what you said at the end of the video
Hello Taetro, I bought the launchkey 37mk3 after viewing your review great piece of gear, i love it, but i use it only when i m on the road (because i have bigger midi keyboard at home)...the little problem is that it s a bit bulky to carry, so the mpk mini plus could be a good answer for those like me who really wants/needs 3 octaves+pads, in the smallest form factor to travel...my only concern: are the mini keys playable enough to enjoy them? ( i wish the launchkey 37 had encoder instead of pots, note repeat with tempo sync with daw). Compared to the novation launchkey 37 price i find the akai mpk mini plus a bit expensive. Thank you for your thoughts and reviews .
My question is the same, I love this concept but I’m just unsure if the keys will be too small to reliably play for live performance, any comments here appreciated
Can anybody who has used these mini keyboards before confirm whether these keys can be reliably used for live performance? I’m worried that the smaller keys almost guarantee error unless you’re a very very accurate pianist, thanks for any comments!
Great presentstion once again. While the Plus is great, apart from transport controls being mapped in Ableton, I"m struggling with it auto-mapping with Ableton's built in instruments which the previous versions of Akai mini automatically did. I have to now manually map each of the rotary controls.
I want something like this. Battery operated with a speaker. Just something to take outside or on the bed and not worry about carrying a laptop around. I know the play has that but the pads seem useless without loop ability. Any other options??
novation circuit
Do Arturia KeyStep 37 have a better keybed then Akai? Most videos on UA-cam are talking about that.
Great job Akai! $169 price and we got wheels.
Does this have built in sounds that you can use straight out of the box?
Akai leaked mpc key 37 full size keys exact scale and model of mpc64 but with 37 keys full touch screen and 16 mpc pads with encoders and i believe sliders too
2:06 Some synths like D50 have this joysticks, many synths have mode wheels.
@SonicVibe has said it already, but in a comparison with the keystep, the Akai (and many other controllers) loses mostly because of it has no (channel) After touch. Though many people won't miss that feature, and that may or may not be b/c they don't even know what it is or how to use it.
please akai do not touch the knobs, i am soft synth person, i just want to use the 8 knobs on 8 banks to have 64 live programmable features.I have it and is really nice, on a big bag fits perfectly, and i do not care about keys to control the daw, because i need to bring my logic pro with macos with me, and so is really easy to press shortcuts WITHOUT touching the mouse at all , undo would be command+Z
one of the syn (arp or seq) was delinked for performance purpose. MPC way of beat making is driven by dynamic performance flexibility - since seq and arp and keyboard can play at the same time.
Shift sync and select EXT for daw sync
I hate when ppl do reviews and don’t rtm or show the correct functionality
@@montanamaxxamillion It's easy to miss, the Akai user manuals aren't always the easiest to navigate. I also guess there's a time pressure to deliver the review on release day. Taetro evidently used the MPK mini a lot and for a long time, and apparently never saw that feature, so it may not be obvious.
At 4:46 you have a dedicated Controller Remote Script for the Mini plus. Do you create this yourself? I own Ableton 11 Suite and this script is not available in my version 11.2.6. I use the MPK49 script for transport control.??
How did you get the MPK Mini Plus to show in Control Surface? tried everything and can't seem to get it to show? I'm on the latest version of Ableton too...
thanks Taetro for your informative content. IT is really helpful man thanks, I was loooking for a midi controller with MIDI I/O, and I found it, I am going forward with this midi! looks good. looking for a more than 25 bu less than 49 keys, I don't care about the portability but other options like the step sequencer, really smooth! what do you prefer? this or the AKAI FIRE? In this scenario I want to connect my YAMAHA S 08 to the midi controller and play guitar and triggering beats on the sequencer while playing live and producing, so do you recommend it to me? I already have a VOLT 4 for its purposes. thanks man
I do think you can save a sequence to a pad according to the demo on Andertons. That’s a gamechanger for me as a songwriter. I use my Trio+ for guitar to do this, but to have a MIDI version would be fun as hell.
Thank you so much for this. If you could only pick one, what would it be? A MPK Mini Plus or the Arturia 37 key Step? I'm literally debating on which one to get. I have a small home studio, record my band, write songs via midi, wife is going to be recording midi as well. I currently have a old MPK mini and use Logic Pro.
The joystick would be useful for a bunch of native instruments stuff
@helijim
9 hours ago
This keyboard is lacking the 'program change' button though which I think is a shame as it's on both of the other MPKs.
I've lost 8 pads now as I have assigned bank B for 'program change'
Maybe there's another way to do this but it's what I came up with.
I love your content. Do you use the PUSH 2?
The should have placed a speaker where the modwheels are and add a sound bank, a battery port and make this stand alone.
No
Hey! I just bought one and I have to hit my pads pretty hard to get a decent response. Any way to adjust the pad sensitivity? Thanks
Hi! Nice review - but how is this on the keys contra the Akai MPKmini (wich in my humble opinnion suxx)? I feel like I need to use brute force to get the tones out of the keys -and the pads for the drums are very over sensitive imo. - Please let me know as I am looking to upgrade soon. -KK from Norway
Holy MOLLY I need this one asap !
This may be a dumb question but I'm new to producing. How does the sound get from your Midi to your DAW once you unplug it? Is it because your Lemon drop also plugged into your computer?
I love that you have a suitcase of MPKs!
So I'm assuming the midi in will allow me to plug in my full size midi keyboard using the Akai only as USB converter ??
Yeah, I wish the smaller models, mpk mini, lpk25 and lpd8 had MIDI out as well, I don’t understand why they don’t include that, at least trs midi out please! 😢
could you do a video about the mini plus and how it integrates with MPC? also, great review!
If I already have a full size piano with MIDI would the MPD218 be a better choice if all I need to do is finger drumming? Any advantages that I'm missing from mini 2?
From 6:26 on your audio goes out of sync for me, really difficult to follow then. Great video otherwise!
Yes exact same thing happened to me
same here 🙃
Is this better than the oxygen pro mini?
?
Thanks for sharing! Dig it but already have akai mpk mini and mini play and a Novation mini nova synth. Wish it had an external speaker that would have been cool!