Akai Professional MPK Mini Plus 37-key Keyboard Controller Reviews
Akai’s MPK Mini Plus is proof that big things come in small packages. This 37-key MIDI controller fits in any backpack or gig bag, which makes it a cinch for studio producers of live musicians on the go. Regardless of where you play, you’ll have access to every aspect of your sound with pitch and modulation wheels, eight drum pads and rotating parameter knobs, a set of DAW transport controls, and more. Complete with both USB and MIDI connectivity, using your hardware gear or DAW is as simple as plugging it in. Best of all, the Mini Plus comes bundled with a copy of Akai’s MPC Beats DAW, allowing you to instantly come up with your own creations as soon as your controller arrives at your door. If you’re looking for a portable, sturdy controller with ample audial control, the Mini Plus is sure to suffice.
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Highest Rated Reviews
Great Midi Keyboard - Free Beats
I purchased this just to use with some music notation software. But let me tell you, this will do so much more than that. This is exactly what you need to start making 'beats' on your own. It comes with a bunch of free sounds and beats to get you started. I installed 21 different beats, sounds, synths, etc. for free with this thing. I don't really use it for that but if you are looking to make your own music, this is a great place to start.
Travel Bag Must
I bought this keyboard for my new travel rig and have taken it on countless adventures around Los Angeles, Austin, NYC, and the greater Boston area. I ended loving it so much that I downsized from my trusty old Axiom Air 61 (just gave it away!) and put this on my desk. It's slightly longer than the apple magic keyboard with numeric keypad but has the perfect size to sit right in front of my keyboard anywhere I go. I really wanted a keyboard with more than 25 keys that would fit in airline carry on sized bags and this fits the bill.
Features: The spring loaded pitch bend was a big must for me at this size. The pads feel nice when using with Ableton Live drum racks (I'm used to NI Maschine Studio) and the Ableton Live 11 script loads right up and works really well with the encoders. The transport controls also work really well.
Immediate first thoughts: The unit feels well built and sturdy with an almost metal feel. It was plug and play with Ableton Live 11 and Pro Tools 2023.
My next purchase will be some sort of 88 key weighted controller to keep in the studio but this will stay on my desk. Don't think twice... this is the one.
Great Midi Keyboard controller
So I bought this sucker to replace a MPK mini mk 2 and Arturia Keystep. The Arturia was 32 keys, so getting the extra 5 keys is very welcome. The Mini Plus packs a lot of features, some of which I won't use much like the sequencer. The keybed feels much better than the mini Mk2 and the pads are great MPC style pads. I like the pitch and mod wheels and you also get the joystick from the mini series as well. I use this connected through a Tascam Model 12 to my MPC One and it works perfectly. I'm able to map the knobs to certain parameters on the MPC One like pan and volume for programs, etc. I haven't figured out how to map the transport controls yet. I'm very happy with the purchase and I plan on selling the Arturia Keystep to someone as I no longer have a need for it. You won't regret picking this thing up. Look up a review on Youtube for detailed info on the different features and you'll be pleasantly surprised as what this thing packs in it. I'd give it 10 stars if I could!
I love this midi controller. Great when paired with a newer model MPC!
So I bought this keyboard to replace my Akai MPK mini mk2 and my Arturia Keystep. The keybed on this midi keyboard feels just as good as the one on my Arturia keystep. The pads are MPC pads and feel great. The other little features like scales and chords are great on it. I haven't really messed with the sequencer, but I've seen it used in videos and it looks like a nice feature as well. You can download the program editor for it from the advanced area in the software you get off your inMusic profile when you register it. You can map the midi how you want and its very versatile and flexible. The build quality feels amazing. I have a MPC One with a Tascam Model 12 plugged into its USB port. The Model 12 has 5pin midi in and out, so I have the midi out of the Mini Plus plugged into the Tascam and the MPC recognizes it with that config. I'm able to map the knobs to volume and pan type parameters in my projects. I haven't figure out how to map the transport controls on the Mini Plus with the MPC One yet. I'm very happy with my purchase and if you're an Akai fan like myself you won't be disappointed with this keyboard. It ticks a lot of boxes and the extra little features really put it miles ahead of the MPK mini mkX series of keyboards. It's got 37 keys which is plenty for what I do when making music. The pitch and mod wheels are great and do their job. Most music equipment is very similar so it's about the vibe you get from the equipment and that tends to make you WANT to use it. I love working on this midi controller when making music. I give it 5 stars and I may buy one for my buddy who is also into making music.
Mini Keys???
I bought this to do some simple recording, including using it as an actual keyboard. I was pretty disappointed when I opened the box and saw tiny keys like a toy piano you'd buy for a 6 year old. If you're a keyboard player, I don't know how you could move from chord to chord without hitting bad notes. I tried and couldn't rely on muscle memory to move around the keyboard, so I sent it back the day I got it.
Slim keys means slim
Was debating between this and the minilab 3 for a new small keyboard that had knobs and pads and the xy stick won me over. Unfortunately I think I chose wrong. I'm no stranger to slim synth style keys, it's what I was looking for in fact, but these are too small. Constantly hit the wrong note. I have small hands but this feels designed for children. The velocity sensitivity is also not great. Softest hits cut out at somewhere around 50/127 so if you aren't hammering you may not trigger a note. I'm sure that's a firmware fix down the line but... meh. Honestly the negative feelings I have is just that the keys feel like a toy and not a midi keyboard. Couldn't get transport controls working in bitwig but I won't hold that gets this since it's not on bitwig's supported list.
Could be amazing, but-
Advertised as compatible with the Akai MPC software.
1. It does not map properly even with updated firmware and software. The pads are all over the place, the q-links are all random. I know its not me, because I use the MPK mini 3 and it maps fine. I have the MPK mini plus selected. Program change set to MPC software.
2. There is only one bank of 8 q-link knobs. In the software there are 16 q link knobs. How are you supposed to "seamlessly" control knobs 9-16 with only one bank of 8 knobs from the controller without having to reconfigure every time?
Akai needs slow down with new releases and focus on improving the integration between the software and hardware.
Im hoping Akai addresses these problems as the controller itself is really awesome. Build quality is nice, all the knobs and pads feel great.
