Akai MPC Key 37 vs MPC Key 61 - Which is Better?
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- Опубликовано: 10 мар 2024
- In this video I break down the differences between the new Akai MPC key 37 and the original MPC Key 61! From the hardware, to the inputs and outputs, to the control surfaces and included plugins, I talk through each area and show you the differences.
Both the MPC key 37 and the MPC Key 61 are great boards, but which one do you think is better?
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Thanks for watching and comment below with any questions you have and I will answer them as soon as I can! 
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I will wait for the 49 key edition, when Akai considers all the feedback.
It would have been nice to compare a "reference project" on both devices: What about loading times, CPU usage, free RAM?
Dude thank you for being honest and straight forward with this review. The keyboard eel and functionality is so important and can be quite a deal breaker.
You should buy the 61 in the first place as it is fully loaded with sounds, which sounds you will eventually buy any way, as with more music production this is a natural way. Then you will end up with 37 (final price even more than 61) which hardware wise is much lower than 61. Not many people understand the tricky game akai played with the 37 release. Just send 37 back and get 61 instead.
@@defcreator187 You completely missed his point. The key 37 is only cheaper because it doesn't come with the plugin suit the 61 comes with. the key 37 with the plugin suit actually cost more than the 61. why would you get the 31 if you don't plan on getting the plugin suit? you might as well just get the MPC one. That is the point he was making. Basically, if you remove the plugin suit from the 61, the keyboard would actually be cheaper than the 31, but you would still get more for your money.
I would not buy the 31 as this does not exist :) But on the 37 if I want to buy additional 5 plugins, each for 100£ (as he mention) then you adding 500£ more on the top of 37 price, which today is over 700£. Simple math, 700 + 500 = 1200, you can find a shop where you can get the 61 for that price, no brainer (better hardware and quality) read with understanding next time. @@kroser1983
Just to clarify, if you base in the UK the key 37 cost 770£, if you are going to add 5-6 plugins to 37 in the future (which soon or later will happens, if you ever made music you know that, soon or later you will buy additional sounds) this is additional 500-700£ to the price of 37 key, this means you gonna pay finally 1470 with 7 plugins, or 1270 with 5 additional plugins. Consider this facts, because in this price range you can buy brand new key 61, which is definitely more functional and has better hardware.@@kroser1983
@@kroser1983 "why would you get the 37 if you don't plan on getting the plugin suite?" I originally got the 37 because I have tons and tons of VSTs and samples (would be superior sounding to Akai's options), so I was going to load it up with keygroups of those and also use it as a midi controller. Its entirely reasonable to avoid the Akai plugins when other options are available.
I did end up returning it though. It ultimately doesn't quite suit my setup and the keys feel pretty bad IMO. I might be a bit spoiled by the feel of my 88 key weighted controller.
@@EulogyfortheAngels 🙌 I agree, I too prefer my keygroups. I have so many, from Korg Kronos, Roland stuff, EMU and so many more. I do love the 37 key.
I would never advise anyone to use internal storage for projects. Buy a USB stick or SD Card for your projects. People have had problems when they filled up the internal storage.
Get started from day one using some other storage for your projects.
So right.
Why not just install an SSD the way they intended
@@jzznup8664 That's what I did plus I use a external hard drive.
Installing a Solid-State Drive in the Key 61 allows onboard storage without compromising space/resources. There Is nothing special about 20 year old SD card technology.
wise move........ but was wonderimg can we use a thumb drive inserted into one of the 2 usb type C slots i see at the back?...wil the machine recognise the thumbdrive?...say 64 or 256gb?
A usb SD card reader solves the sd card problem for the 61. Personally I always install the addition SSD. To update it you simply put the thing in controller mode and transfer files just like an SD card
💯 I'm baffled at the fact that so many people seem oblivious to the fact that these engineers/designers clear thought we would be able to simply use the USB and/or install internal SSD. Once again people... Buy a USB with SD/micro SD adapter and stop spending time complaining about the lack of a SD card slot. I say this with all due respect!
Is it possible to connect a standard external HDD to one of the USB ports on the Akai keys 61? Like importing samples from that disk, saving projects on the disk etc. Standard external HDDs are a bit cheaper than a SSD. How do you connect the SSD drive btw? Is there only SSD you can connect below/inside the 61?
Thank you for the breakdown I’m a go with the 61 …. I’m not a traveler it will mostly be in my studio with daw ….. and it has was more sounds and plugin adapters and phantom power
Hands down best comparison I've seen, and I've watched a few... considering I'm about to drop $ on one of the other. Thanks a lot! Great content. Liked and subscribed! And just my 2¢.. u need a computer in life anyway right? So buy the 37.. enjoy the advantages of portability and use it to control the MPC software on your computer when u want to control more plugins, and also allow u to use 3rd party plugins...and that will negate the 2 gig RAM limit..etc..for much less paper.
Great info. Thanks Dude 😊
WOW ! BEST VIDEO, THANKS ! THE PHANTOM POWER IN THE 61 - IS WHAT ATTRACTS ME MORE
CAN WE BUY SOUND BANKS SECOND HAND ?
Akai really needs to make the record volume knob more accessible. I’m always adjusting mine.
Just traded my X for the 61! Its amazing!
Do you miss your X?
@@BobbyWashingtonvlog not at all bro! Love the 61 it's amazing forreal. I still got a live 2 when I'm on the go but that's the only time I use that lol
@@REMRODFILMS I ended up keeping my MPC one ☝️ after purchasing the 37 Key lol 😂
Can you tell much of a difference in the smaller pads? I have a Live and played around with the Key 61 today at Guitar Center. The pads felt smaller but honestly more responsive.
@@draglinedrummerI really can't tell the difference at all, the sound output is much louder out the 61. Quality sounds better I love the feel of the smaller pads
Space is a little bit of an issue. But I’m leaning toward the 61 for my first MPC. Just seems like a better bang for your buck. Gonna use your Zzounds link for whatever I chose. God bless
Great review tank you; i guess i will wait to pull the trigger. I wanted the 37 but 2gig ram vs 4 is a big deal. After i get all the plugins is like i spent the price for a 61. So far the 61 looks like a better deal...and is black
Hi! Thanks for sharing, some useful info there. I'm looking at buying the 37, but other than home use, I'm looking into also using the Keys 25 for live use in a band, no sequencing, looping or syncing. If you have some time, I'd really appreciate your input...
1. I see that I can layer 4 sounds & switch them off/on via the pads. Can another midi keyboard be added, and be used to play one or two of those parts (using midi channels etc?).
2. Is the input at the back suitable for a mic (I see the gain knob), or would a preamp be recommended (Shure SM58, but could get another mic, even USB mic).
3. Does that then give access to simultaneous vocals live? (I'd definitely be interested in the vocal effects pack for harmonies etc). If so, is that also something that could be muted via the pads if there was some feedback or something?
4. I see mention of a set-list setup. If the above were feasible, could each song then carry it's own mixture of instruments, and send midi program changes to a second keyboard too?
Thanks very much, Gary.
For me, having the SD Card ability came in clutch. I can take it out, bring it to my friend's studio, insert the SD Card on his PC and we can both share song ideas and creativity. Portability is also an important factor. My friends and I love to do meetups at this local cafe that actually lends us their private room to simply get together and have fun with our MPC products and let our imaginations loose on the table. Okay, I lied, my friend owns the cafe, which is why we get to have the meetup/ jam sessions we have. He's soundproofed the walls in the 15' x 19' room, installed a converter table that can extend from a hexagon to an octagon that can allow all 8 of us creators/ producers collaborate, and heck, have beat battles as well. It's because of the portability that I happily purchased the Key 37. Honestly, it's my very first MPC product that I've ever purchased. I've had the NI Maschine Studio, and when they came out with the Maschine+, I got that as well because it was a standalone, but there was always something missing, and that was a keyboard. I could've gotten the Key 61 but my friends started bringing their MPC One+'s with mini midi keyboards, and I finally purchased the MPC One+ with the Akai MK3 mini keyboard, and then what happens? The very next morning, Akai announces the Key 37, and I was even able to purchase it the very same day of the announcement and returned the One+ and MK3 micro mini keyboard. Having a similar button layout to the One+, and with having a built-in key bed a lot bigger than the MK3 micro mini keyboard, I couldn't pass it up. Two other of my friends of the Octagon Table (The Round Table), had just gotten their Key 37's over the weekend, and we all can't wait to get together at the Cafe on Wednesday for our weekly meetup, music cypher and collaboration!
wud a thumbdrive inserted into the usb type C slot at the back of the 61 do the same thing?.....ie store n transfer files and share...thus portability?
Definitely the 61 👍 best of both worlds
the 8 plugin limitation isn't due to them not "letting" you have more, but more because it's a processing limit. Each plugin is a synthesizer and takes up a lot of CPU power. They both have the same processor, so it wouldn't make sense to allow more plugins on the new one unless it had a stronger processor.
Is the 8 plugin limitation per track or the while project?
The whole project. Each plugin track gets tied to a plugin program and you can have 8 plugin programs. You can associate more than one track to a plugin program though.
I bought 37 and I follow your channel mainly thanks to the great videos and translation of Akai 37. Can you compare plugins between 37 and 61 and which plugins from Akai should we buy/in what order should we buy plugins from Akai to get the most out of 37?
Which plugin *you* choose is dependent upon what you like, want, and make. What kind of music are you trying to make? What instruments will you need to make the music you are trying to make? You provided insufficient information for anyone to advise you on what makes the most sense for you.
There are plenty of reviews of MPC plugins already on RUclips. I would start with those. I would consider the type of music you’re interested in making and what additions would help. Better yet, start making music with the base plugins and determine if they are sufficient for your needs instead and add more as you determine what is missing for you.
You should buy the 61 in the first place as it is fully loaded with sounds, which sounds you will eventually buy any way, as with more music production this is a natural way. Then you will end up with 37 (final price even more than 61) which hardware wise is much lower than 61. Not many people understand the tricky game akai played with the 37 release. Just send 37 back and get 61 instead.
might b a good idea to sell the 37 and just get the 67..... the difference in savings is minimal....but u get so much more of a machine wth the 61
Are these keyboards the same width, Like the side panels?
????
I would recommend Akai's The Vault 2.0 expansion pack. It comes with alot of loops, Drum kits 5 gbs of sounds
wil The Vault 2 come installed on the 61 version?
61 it is👍✌️
Hello Douglas,
I hope this message finds you well. I'm reaching out after discovering the high-quality content of your videos because I'm eager to embark on a musical journey, starting with the piano. My goal is to create music for personal compositions, incorporating all layers of sound (bass, tempo, vocals, melody, etc.).
As a beginner, I'm contemplating the best approach: using software to add all the sound layers and sequence them, or opting for a keyboard, microphone, and loop station. At this stage, I'm instinctively inclined towards a keyboard like M-AUDIO with a loop station. Could you advise me on the equipment to acquire, considering that I don't want to be too limited in software possibilities in the long term, yet remain budget-conscious since music is not my primary profession? I aim to have quality equipment for straightforward and easy work.
I'm reaching out to you as a professional to share my passion and gain some efficiency in my research. I hope you can provide insights into my inquiry, and I appreciate your time and consideration. Thank you for the valuable content you create.
Best regards
I just bought the Key37, and have a long way to go with it before finding its true potential
can you not use a thumb drive inserted into one of the 2 type C usb slots visible at the back to store or transfer files?
Is there any announcement to a MPC Key 49?
Can you download "Arcade Sample " directly to the machine? I'm sorry it's been a very long time since I made beats. The last thing I used was a mc 505
I'm confused on the 8 plug-ins. Can you use 8 tracks containing a different plug-in on each track? Or is it only 8 tracks period no matter if you use 1 plug-in?
Each track is tied to a plugin program (when the track type is plugin), so you can have 8 different plugin programs. You can have more than 8 tracks, but you would have to associate the extra tracks to the same plugin programs as other tracks or choose a different track type such as drum.
Can’t you just connect any sd card reader into the 61 key? Sd card resolved?
100%
I have no idea why people bitch about an SD card reader as if adapters don't exist.
Or just a usb 3 thumb drive. They make them tiny now.
@@jzznup8664 yeah.....the 2 type C slots at the back of the 61 can be used....correct?
Can you use an USB hub on either one to extend the number of devices you can connect?
Yes
Douglas can I use a Yamaha sustain pedal on the MPC or do I have to buy one with reverse polarity? Thanks in advance man
The Yamaha FC5 has been reported to work with the Key 61. I would buy one that allows me to switch polarity but that’s me.
You can switch polarity in the MPC keyboard settings menu so it does not make a difference. Any pedal will work
yeah it can only be a top keyboard right now for live performance, the delay in loading presets & 8 track minimum is tough. I use the 61 for small gigs
u refering to the 37 about the delay in loading presets and 8 tracks?....or the 61?....
@@HonorV2ultimate1tb yes I am referring to the 61
This is just the question I was facing. I do more old school music somI need the extra plugins. I ended up with the 61. Adding the plugins to 37 would have made them the same price. If I end up selling it, I doubt I could get the plugin cost back. They are overpriced, 200eur/usd would have been ok.
Didn’t hit 32GB limit yet??? Did you download all the plugins? I can’t install 4 sound plugins and 4 FX because it says I’m at a limit even tho it’s new out of box
37 or 61 key?
Mpc 37 is better form factor for my setup since I already have 2x 88 key and 2x 61 key and 1x 37 key
61 key is better if standalone but if you have other synths 37 key makes more sense
Nice comparison.
My only gripe is that in previous renderings of the MPC Key 61 you didn't criticize the keyboard, as much as you did, in this rendering.
Keyboard is really bad.
I asked you (in comments of some other clip) a question, to which you have not answered me, how I can save settings in "keyboard settings".
Thank you for everything.
there is no opportunity for me to test the 61 keybed where i am.....but wud u say it is so bad as to be unacceptable...or just in comparison to another keyboard you may have grown accustomed to?.... i try to use keybeds as they come......i find the arturia keylab 88 mk 2 keybed to be really a challenge....mushhy no matter how i tweak the velocity
I have hydrasynth, komplete Mk3, others and actually think the 61 is a better keybed
I agree
I am thinking of buying the 61 and like the Arturia mk2 keybed and was hoping this would be similar ? On this review it's now described as toy like by Douglas and the cheaper 37 is much better ? This does not sound inspiring at all 😵 I shall have to visit a store to trial it. Does any one know whether they may have updated it since 1st release to be the same as the new 37 key ?
@@Timborob ever had Arturia keyboard besides Microfreak, always wanted one. But again, I think you definitely need to try out the 61 because it really feels good.
@@GirlfightClub Thanks for the reply and I shall go check one out and as you have a Hydra and complete mk3 I believe it is good then 👍 Can I ask how long ago you purchased your MPC 61?
@@Timborob only around Xmas time
Douglas I'm lost I just got my Akai MPC Key 61 I'm completely new to anything MPC Or synthizer related my first electric keyboard was a Yamaha from Radio Shack which I used to my own version of Techno & Dance Music I got the Key 61 to make more professional sounding dance Music I'm having a very difficult time learning how to record, make beats ect I need some pointers and help
There are plenty of videos on getting started on the MPC on YT. He has videos on getting started on the MPC. What is your specific issue that all these starting videos aren’t helping?
If all the getting started videos don’t help, some will do one on seasons (for a price) to help you get started but with the wealth of getting started videos already made on RUclips, you should be able to get started recording without a one on one.
me too.... i am 68 and rareing to jump in the deep end... survive or drown thing.... wil order mine as long as i dont read anymore bad reviews about the 61
Why do you have both the 37 and 61?
I got it with the hopes that I could keep the 37 and sell my 61, but there's just enough difference between the two that I'm going to hang onto both for now.
Cause He's Da Man!!! LOL
Haha thanks! 😎
@@DSoundman I can relate. I was going to initially sale my MPC One ☝️ and use the money to pay for my 37 key, but I just could pull myself to getting rid of it. So now I have both lol 😂… MPC must have a spell on us lmao 🤣
@@monogee lol 😂
Just to clarify, if you base in the UK the key 37 cost 770£, if you are going to add 5-6 plugins to 37 in the future (which soon or later will happens, if you ever made music you know that, soon or later you will buy additional sounds) this is additional 500-700£ to the price of 37 key, this means you gonna pay finally 1470 with 7 plugins, or 1270 with 5 additional plugins. Consider this facts, because in this price range you can buy brand new key 61, which is definitely more functional and has better hardware.
2 - 4 gb ram in 2024 it is a joke
61
The 37 should’ve been portable, that would’ve sold me.
wow i am nepal
2GB IN 2024? Come on Akai quit rewrapping the same product!! This goes way beyond Keeping the cost down on your products. Musicians need better competent tools to create with. Not things that hinder their creativity with limitations.
No XLR input on the 37 👎
One + midi keyboard.
I wish they would have kept the BROWSER button on the MPC Key37
Its called "LOAD" on the 37.
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