AKAI Professional MPK88

The AKAI Professional MPK88 is a professional performance keyboard controller with MPC production controls. The first-of-its-kind keyboard controller draws on the design of its predecessor and is ideal for performance. You can get started with a premium, fully weighted, hammer-action keyboard, adding MPC pads, Q-Link controls and a selection of MPC technologies. The AKAI Professional MPK88 is born for the stage and is equally at home in the studio.

The device places dedicated transport controls within your reach for easy control of some of the most important tracking and editing controls. For expressive musicality, this keyboard controller also has modulation and pitch-bend wheels and two assignable footswitch inputs enable you to connect an expression pedal or other continuous controller and a footswitch for momentary controls like patch change or start/stop.

The keyboard controller provides an 88-key keyboard and 16 genuine MPC pads. The hammer-action keyboard is fully weighted and features aftertouch for expressive melodic control. The MPC pads are pressure and velocity-sensitive to capture every nuance of your creative concepts. The pads can access four banks of sounds, so you have 64 samples at your fingertips with the touch of a button.

One of the most important input devices on an MPC is its Q-Link assignable control section. A massive collection of Q-Links were built into the MPK series. The AKAI Professional MPK88 gives you eight virtual knobs that are assignable to control nearly any software parameter. You can control three different parameters per knob thanks to the knobs' three-bank selection, totaling 24 parameters of instant, hands-on control. Like the virtual knobs, eight virtual faders and eight virtual buttons also control three banks of parameters each, so you get 24 virtual faders and 24 virtual buttons. That's 72 Q-Link controls!

Two technologies built into the MPK series are MPC Note Repeat and MPC Swing. These note-modifying features can be heard in many of the most popular tracks over the last two decades. MPC Note Repeat is a capability that enables the MPK (or MPC) to automatically play a rhythm pattern, such as 16th notes on a hi-hat, for accuracy and speed of entry. MPC Swing is sometimes referred to as "the heart and soul of hip hop" because it turns perfectly aligned sequences into human feeling time alignments. You can specify exactly the degree and timing of swing you want to apply for the perfect feel.

The AKAI Professional MPK88 has Key Split, enabling you to control two different sounds from the same keyboard. On top of MPC technologies, the keyboard controller has its own arpeggiator, which enables you to create quick, creative riffs in seconds. Just pick a note or chord and a rhythm pattern in the arpeggiator's library and the MPK will play your notes in the rhythm and sequence you choose.

The MIDI-controller also has MPC Full Level and MPC 16-Level on its pads, as well as Tap Tempo and Time Division so you can nail the tempo, timing, and dynamics exactly as you hear them in your head. This MIDI controller sends its MIDI values over USB. It is bus powered, so all you need to connect and power this keyboard controller is the supplied USB cable. Because it is MIDI compliant, the AKAI Professional MPK88 works with most MIDI recording, sequencing and performance software for musical performers from keyboard players to producers to DJs and even VJs!

One of the most popular and powerful performance and production programs in the world, the Software Ableton Live Lite Akai Edition, is included in delivery. Ableton Live Lite enables musicians to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise and edit musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment. Hit the stage with the only keyboard designed to enable you to perform the way today’s music is made.

Features

88-key fully weighted, hammer-action keyboard with aftertouch for expressive melodic creativity
16 genuine MPC pads with pressure and velocity sensitivity
MPC pads access four banks each for instant access to 64 samples
Control up to 72 software parameters with 24 assignable Q-Link knobs, buttons, and faders
Key Split enables two different sounds from the same keyboard
MPC Note Repeat, MPC Swing, and arpeggiator aid in creative process
Transport controls for use with sequencers and DAWs
MPC Full Level, MPC 16-Level, Tap Tempo, and Time Division assist with tempo and dynamics
MIDI output over USB, bus powered, class compliant: plug and play with one USB cable
Comes with Ableton Live Lite Akai Edition software
Works with virtually all MIDI recording, sequencing and performance software

Specifications

Number of Keys: 88 + 16 x 4 banks of drum pads
Type of action: Fully weighted hammer action
Aftertouch (Channel)
Computer Interface: USB/MIDI
Displays: Custom LCD
Footswitchable Patch Changes: yes
Number of Independent MIDI Ins/Outs: 1
Programmable Continuous Footpedals: 1
Programmable Footswitches: 2
Programmable controllers: MMC, MIDI START/STOP, MIDI CC
System Real-Time Controls: MMC, MIDI START/STOP, MIDI CC
Dimensions (WxDxH): 51.7” x 14.9” x 5.2”
Weight: 67 lbs

System Requirements

Macintosh: 1.25 GHz G4/G5 or faster (Intel Mac recommended), 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended), Mac OS X 10.4.11 (10.5 or later recommended)
Windows: 1.5 GHz Pentium 4 or Celeron compatible CPU or faster (multicore CPU recommended), 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended), Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP, Windows compatible sound card (ASIO driver support recommended), QuickTime recommended
Available USB Port

Content of delivery

AKAI Professional MPK88 keyboard controller
USB cable
Software CD
Quick Start guide