AKAI Professional MPK mini Play MK3

The compact Akai Professional MPK mini Play MK3 makes it all possible: Producers and musicians can compose wherever they are with this device, which comes equipped with a selection of more than 100 drum and instrument sounds, as well as an arpeggiator. The variety of styles that the MPK can be used to create is almost endless, and in combination with a DAW, users can also control virtual instruments and record their ideas via the USB port. Running on four AA batteries, the Akai Professional MPK mini Play MK3 will let users compose for over 14 hours, wherever they are: In addition to the internal loudspeaker, the keyboard will also output sounds silently to headphones. Twelve keys, four rotary knobs, and eight MPC pads offer countless functions for every creative musical mind - in short, this USB keyboard is a great piece of compact hardware for true freedom when composing music.

Musicians play their melodies on the MPK using Akai's Gen 2 keyboard, which comprises 25 velocity-sensitive keys with a precise, accessible playing feel. The eight drum pads - taken from the familiar MPC series - are velocity-sensitive as well, and are responsible for the unit's rhythms and samples, while also providing visual feedback thanks to their RGB colour backlighting. The four rotary encoders control the parameters of the internal sounds, and can also be used to control virtual instruments via MIDI if a DAW is connected to the keyboard using the rear-mounted USB port on the back. The Akai MPK mini Play MK3 can output sound via either its internal speaker or external headphones, and for sustain, a pedal (sold separately) can also be connected.

The Akai MPK mini Play MK3 includes the MPC Beats software suite, which can be used to record and mix new tracks and contains a versatile selection of virtual instruments and effects for a wide range of genres. The instruments include the polyphonic analogue synth emulator Hybrid 3, the acoustic piano package Mini Grand, and the vintage electric piano Velvet from AIR Music Technology, with the latter two using real samples. To make it even easier to get started with the MPC workflow, the MPC Beats Academy software is also included, covering the essentials - from creating one's first beats to mixing and exporting full tracks. For even more practice sessions, the Melodics learning package comprises 60 lessons, helping new users learn how to play MIDI keyboards and drum pads.