AKAI MPK 25 MIDI controller
The MPK25 has been the perfect addition to my production set up. The device comes with pre-programmed MIDI maps for most DAWs so straight out of the box you can plug in and play. I have been using it with Ableton which I believe is the most compatible DAW with the device's presets. (you are able to map everything manually yourself though with any DAW I imagine).
The build quality is solid. The knobs are smooth to use and the semi-weighted keys are nice to play. There are two banks which means you actually get 24 programmable knobs and 4 pad banks which gives you 48 pads you can assign things to. When I was comparing similar products in this price range the reviews I read said the build quality surpasses its competitors. I haven't used the pads much because I am using it in combination with an MPC but they seem fine for programming beats and samples. The pads aren't as good quality as the MPC's but that is expected given the price and the fact that they aren't the main feature.
All in all this is a great product which I have already racked up hours of fun with. The two octave keyboard is perfect for me too because I wanted a compact device. Messing around with synth parameters with the knobs and the keyboard is far more enjoyable than adjusting the on screen knobs with your computer's mouse. I am just starting out producing music but this immediately made my work flow faster, better and loads more fun! I would highly recommend this as the first hardware purchase for any aspiring producer.
If anyone is interested I have almost finished my first track using the MPK which you'll be able to hear here: www.soundcloud.com/cameron-maskew
The build quality is solid. The knobs are smooth to use and the semi-weighted keys are nice to play. There are two banks which means you actually get 24 programmable knobs and 4 pad banks which gives you 48 pads you can assign things to. When I was comparing similar products in this price range the reviews I read said the build quality surpasses its competitors. I haven't used the pads much because I am using it in combination with an MPC but they seem fine for programming beats and samples. The pads aren't as good quality as the MPC's but that is expected given the price and the fact that they aren't the main feature.
All in all this is a great product which I have already racked up hours of fun with. The two octave keyboard is perfect for me too because I wanted a compact device. Messing around with synth parameters with the knobs and the keyboard is far more enjoyable than adjusting the on screen knobs with your computer's mouse. I am just starting out producing music but this immediately made my work flow faster, better and loads more fun! I would highly recommend this as the first hardware purchase for any aspiring producer.
If anyone is interested I have almost finished my first track using the MPK which you'll be able to hear here: www.soundcloud.com/cameron-maskew
6 augustus 2014
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Cameron M.
