Akai MPK Mini Play mk3 - Initial Thoughts // Review
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
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Mine arrives on Friday! I feel like the stand-alone will be great for just learning how to use a synth and drum pad. And for playing it with my 3 kids out and around. And I can still use it as a controller for my music! It’s perfect for what I need.
Definitely looks like they improved some things from the original MPK mini play but I really wish they had added a chord mode too so I could easily play around with chord progressions one-handed.
I know it's not particularly good for most people, especially those in a studio, but I agree that it can be fun to just throw in a backpack without a computer and still noodle around with some musical ideas. (I take my old one to work and use it in the car when I'm out in the field.)
Nice to see you back more often. Love everything you two do. 🙂
Thank you Peter! Yeah agreed, chord mode would’ve been nice.
the casio keyboard of the 2020s, damnit i want it now
Great vid, bro. Super helpful and chill, as always. I noticed you browsed through and "Gunshot" and "Applause" appeared. One thing that companies need to get with, regarding the standard GM MIDI soundsets is.... MODERNIZE THE DAMN THINGS!!! No one wants gunshot, applause, helicopter. The entire soundbank is probably less than 64 kilobytes. How about a realistic, usable Rhodes, Wurly, pluck/thumb piano stuff, and actually usable sounds? These 1985 general MIDI soundsets taking up less than 64kb are for the birds, truly.
As for the batteries, I recommend you getting energizer rechargeable batteries; you'll save money in the long run. Especially if you use your mpk mini play 3 on its own.
Love your reviews! Thank you for keeping it real. ✌️
Works great for a BOSS 505 on the fly. You will be looping away with those pre loaded sounds, thats why I wanted one. And the boss can twist mix up the samples even more.
Dawless wise, this thing is pretty useful with some sort of looper if you're a guitar player and singer. It's nice you can tweak the sounds pretty good with those controllers. But I'm surprised there's no MIDI IN so you could also use it as a sound module controlled by a full size keyboard, that would be really cool. Could this be hacked somehow?
Ooo...thought time. This seems like a device that would be ideal for noodling. If the next version had the ability to record MIDI data to an SD card to throw onto a DAW, you could jam around and come up with ideas to be further refined later.
Thats a great idea
Been waiting for 30 years for that, if I knew the people, well, had money it would have been done.
No the cell phone dosent work for me
That’s exactly what I thought too, I wish you could record that’d make it so sweet to lug around everywhere with me
Man I think I’m gonna have to do a beginners purchase and buy this one since I don’t have any thing except an iphone
An experienced artist or musician like me could also have use for this on the go... when you need to write something or get an idea going. Just plug it in your phone using bandlab or something and get busy on the go.
Awesome review! Thank You!!
Heres the thing, no I wouldnt really use the onboard sounds (except some of the hip hop drums are really good) i dont think it was even designed for that, this defeats having to buy a keyboard to noodle around with (and drum pad) and then buy a separate midi controller. I use it for midi controlling in my daw and producing, and then after a long day, i sit on my bed and noodle around with it and come up with ideas to implement later in the daw with the sounds I really want to use. Plus, using my regular midi controller on the go with my phone. I cant use the drum pad and keyboard at the same time, with this you can. I think its a great two in one. For two separate things.
I have a Akai mini, plus their Mpc218 and Clip launcher. I don't have a lot of money but they were affordable.
Cool review... The best part of it was the background music starting at approx 10.00 mins in. What's that cool music, yours? - if so, where can I hear more... send link to e.g.: Spotify, Geezer, Soundcloud etc. Please... Thanks man. Love that synth sound in the background!!!
I was watching this and if I would buy a keyboard from those choices I would choose "Play". It's not that much more expensive that I would make me think that other one is a lot cheaper. I like a small keyboard which also works as a stand-alone keyboard so you can easily take it with you and don't need laptop or MPC to play with it.
Fantastic video. I’m just discovering your channel. I wonder if you had a recommendation for me. I have the MPC Live II but want a small keyboard controller to use the Live II on my sofa while I’m watching tv… when I just am too burned out from working my actual job at the desk that has my full DAW/synth setup.
Thanks! The Mini mk3 is fantastic for this (not the Play mk3, but the Mini mk3). The Live 2 already has speakers so you don’t need the Play version. We use the Mini mk3 with the Live 2 all the time. Just one USB cable and you’re good to go on the Live 2 battery.
Hi just a question please.
Like when you play...to save and record your songs???
I know this is an old video, but can you change what midi channel the mini play sends to on the device similar to the arturia mini lab?
But... The Play is not supposed to be just a MIDI keyboard. If I just want a MIDI keyboard, I would probably go for the Arturia, but the AKAI Play is great on-the-go. In my opinion, there are at least two different uses for these keyboards.
Easiest method to record??
I am looking for a mini standalone keyboard for live performance for small chord progressions and solos in a reggae band. It should run via USB power or batteries, have good onboard sounds. What do you recommend?
Hi! With the akai mini play mk3 can you control a hardware synthesizer like the Korg electribe 2?
What are those square pads? are they drums? that's what I want to here!
Can I play the in-built sounds and use the in-built speakers with USB power or do I need to put in the batteries?
In the both which one should buy.. mini or mk3
Two questions.
Does this keyboard have a headphone jack? Does this keyboard also use Bluetooth to transmit sound?
Looking to get it for my daughter so that she can play it in the backseat of my truck. Would like her to be able to use the internal speaker on occasion, sometimes on headphones, and then sometimes transmit through the truck Bluetooth
Headphone jack, yes. Bluetooth, no.
Would be an excellent traveler keyboard to play around with 👍
What is the best mini keyboard if you want to be able to use it with AA batteries to jam with musicians around a campfire but still be heard? (Eg: on board speaker or option to connect it to a bluetooth speaker by wire or wireless? 😁😁😁😁
You can use the headphones output jack to connect directly to a powered speaker
So only batteries no plug in option
Does this new version have the same sounds as the previous one?
Yes 👍
Keyboard Touch response is very good than keyboard mk3 Normal
Is there a list of the 128 sounds?
All are GM MIDI sounds so it’s the same list and order as available on any GM MIDI compatible device. Any GM MIDI you find is the same.
4 track sequencer at minimum
Oh yes, the USB Connector of the Keystep is awful. Actual I use the paddleboard powersupply and the DIN Midi Connectors. The MPK Mini Play is not mine. To small keys, the sound is no fun and no other connection option than usb. To many lacks for the money I think.
Whammy bar er stick
Korg-style
14 hours on battery
Usb powerbank
💪🎹😃
I got one of these for christmas and all It's done is made me feel like an idiot. I don't understand any of it and I feel Like I need a college course just to understand it. I had to look up what DAW meant and even understanding that I make heads or tails of the software. It's all too involved. TOO much reading. NO youtube videos made to help a beginner. I think I'm going to return it. Its' just too much to understand.
Great video thanks. I bought the mini play mk3 a couple of months ago. Really like it apart from a couple of annoying things like the way the knobs pick up (or don't!). Check my review which includes a really cool feature! ruclips.net/video/AVUsbnWqYis/видео.html
There has to be a market for these. It's not for me, but I can see why it's made. Excellent for brand loyalists to give to kids or entry level musicians
Yup, if you fit in that market then it’s an excellent option!
I work in Audio professionally and I just bought one what else can you get to throw in a backpack like this?
Waiting for people to hack the firmware to add a full synth to it :D
@@rafbass “a full synth”? Its got great sounds. Even the cheesy RadioShack Casio ones are kind of refreshing being they are so long ago.
Yes. My nephew wants a synth but had not laptop or speakers . He just wants something to take anywhere and just play. If you know of other that have built in speaker and are small to carry around let me know. Not buying that $1k op1 or whatever is called. 😆
Was looking at this as an option for a second keyboard to bring to gigs because I don't currently have a laptop fast enough to use for sounds in a live setting and I'm looking for lightweight options to set on top of my other keyboards. Don't think it will be a good fit for me since you said the sounds are not the best and also there's only a headphone out rather than quarter inch. Thanks for the review!
If anyone has ideas for my setup please let me know!
The sounds sound far worse over video, remember, putting a microphone up to a speaker distorts the sound, and the filter settings he has are not the default. The default doesn’t sound horrible, it’s actually better sounds than MuseScore or finale has built-in.
Presumably you could use a headphone to 1/4” adaptor to plug into a PA for small guitar gigs where need good portable synth sounds etc?
Something for the grandkids
Man, beautiful work , the image is beautiful, u did a great job with the lighting and the information is on point. VERY WELL DONE thank you🌸
You'll be seeing (hearing) that low speaker volume as a plus when you kid(s) get their hands on it.
On the back you have a selector for battery or usb power so can run it from a usb charger. Glad I watched this as I was going to but the mpk mini 3 but watching this I be getting one of these as it's lap size. Appreciate the video
Akai needs to improve the sound library and include a basic sequencer for the drums ...
I have the Arturia keystep 37, I really love it. I use it with my op-z and op-1, however it bugs me that it always needs to be plugged in. Having the extra sounds makes it also easy to brainstorm and not just a raw midi-controller and finally the biggest seller for me is the portability with the batter. Thanks for the review. Very helpful before I make the purchase. Instant subscribe.
I’m waiting for the longer keyboard 🎹 with the screen built in with top notch sounds effects vst built in the keyboard an then you can hook 🪝 it up too you mpc live or daw an use it lol 😆 my dream 💭
What is the polyphony of the internal sounds? I think a use-case could be in conjunction with a sampler - are the sounds good enough to sample? I have a Polyend Tracker I've had a hard time connecting with, and this could be cool as a sound/sample source as well as a midi controller for that or some other sampler or groove box. It is obviously not serious studio kit, but maybe fun for loungeroom or vacation jamming.
I would love to hear the direct out.
I just wish we could choose between battery and plugged in, then after maybe an infinite scroll on the knobs would be awesome. Hopefully they can max out the potential in the next few years
Nice review~ Yeah I wasnt a fan of the jotstick either I am waiting on mines now so I can do a full review as well 👍
I wonder if they intend to fix the connector issue on these products. I bumped my Mark II slightly while moving it around and the USB port became loose. So I replaced the port altogether, when I noticed that behind it there was a tiny power diode which got scraped off thanks to the USB port assembly bumping into it when it became loose. Needless to say it wouldn't work without that diode and I couldn't find a replacement. The MK 1 had this same diode completely redundant, but not mark II and mark III apparently. Now I'm afraid to take it with me or to even breathe on it knowing how flimsy that USB port on the back is and it's a real bummer. I'm not sure if things are the same for the "Play" series but if they are - beware. When you have your cord sticking out the back - don't bump it or pull by the cord, in fact better buy a special L-shaped USB -B plug one whose body can be flush against the body of the MPK Mini.
If it had even the most basic of sequencers it would be a cool lil sketch pad. I would even pay a bit more for that. But in and of itself, kinda useless for anything other than noodling/practicing. Not for me if I can’t actually get an idea going while staying self-contained. I might even pay an extra $100 for basic sequencer, stereo speakers and maybe a few more sounds.
Otherwise, it’s the new improved Casio VL-Tone 🤷♂️
So, just to be clear, there's no way to sequence drum beats without connecting it the software?
Is there?
Does anyone know if you can create your own sample sounds with these?
Dope video,, I forgot this was a thing!I'm waiting on the 61 Key Workstation...Its coming!
i think it's good if the user is a singer songwriter...
Super disappointed you didn’t do a sound review without talking, maybe a future video?
I for one would buy this for my four year old to experiment on so he can learn the Akai software and generally play around without destroying an MPC costing more.
Can it be powered over usb and run on a battery bank?
Many thanks x
Honestly didn’t do a sound review because it’s basic at best. If you have an iPad with GarageBand, you have better sounds already. Plain and simple. HOWEVER! For a four year old, this would be incredibly perfect. And it runs off of battery OR usb, so best of both worlds right there. But again, not sure how long the battery life is on three AA batteries.
last 15-20 hours on battery its the illest
Hmmm. 😮 So there is no looping? Like in the Go:Keys? Man, it looks so cute!
Ill buy my sons one each
So there's no chord mode on it? Thanks for the honest review
can this thing do a decent impression of an early 90s house piano and can it accept midi in via usb? looking for a cheap and dirty sound module for house piano.
Joystick so you can pretend your playing a video game
Thank you for the video,
On the battery note, I’ve had the same 10AA and 8AAA rechargeable batteries to power my digital devices for over 10yrs now. It requires planning and more effort but they’ve been fantastic.
I appreciate the your guy’s work. Thanks again.
Usb powerbank also great
Sonicware is better
i'm looking at this for on the go music with my sp-404mkii for the keys/sounds - the addition of being able to adjust the filter, reverb, chorus eq and attack/release is really cool
The double A is a joke…. Needs at least a built in batt to charge
Thanks for the video. This could be super useful in my live looping rig. Does anyone know if you can reassign the drum samples to whichever pad you want? The default layout is not ideal for the way I finger drum
Having watched Akai's own videos I still have a hard time understanding the usecase of this device. Even if you're an absolute beginner you will get tired of the built-in sounds extremely quickly and probably within days you will find yourself hooking this up to your iPad or laptop. But that kinda defeats the purpose of this device because as you said, there are simply better controller options out there that can also run off a battery with the USB connection.
It simply doesn't hold up as a standalone device which is really the only reason to buy the Akai MPK Mini Play mk3. If you're absolutely looking for a portable standalone music-making device as a beginner, save up for something like the Novation Circuit. Otherwise, you're just way better off with a dedicated midi controller hooked up to your laptop or iPad.
Yeah it feels more of a niche than a workhorse. I could see someone growing with this keyboard though. Starting out with an iPad and a Mini Play, writing ideas, getting better at chords/keys etc.
@@TeftyMeems If you start with music-making using an iPad, a dedicated midi controller like the regular Mini mk3 is simply the superior option. The Play doesn't even have a sequencer built in, so you basically need to use it as a midi controller anyway if you want to put a track down.
@@TeftyMeems That's exactly my thought for my daughter. Get the Play as the first step, then introduce her to GarageBand and have the option of using the Play as a MIDI controller. Other than endless knobs and $40 (which, let's be honest, isn't that much in the grand scheme of a hobby), not much is sacrificed by going with a Play vs. the standard Mini.
I just got one for my EDC (Every Day Carry) and it’s absolutely perfect. It fits in my backpack it works great and the pads feel great for finger drumming. For making music on the go, totally worth the $180 AUSD
Yo! Love your vids and was wondering if you could give me some advice on using my MPK261 with my MPC One. I don’t know why it has to be so difficult, but basically I can get the pads, keys, and expression wheels working no problem. But when I try to use the transport controls, oh no. Even if i fiddle for hours, they barely communicate. I’ve gotten stop/start functioning and that’s about it. No record button, no ffwd/rew. Any suggestions for where I could read up on this or if you have recommended settings, it would be greatly appreciated!!
150$ for plastic toy with cheap speaker and outdated GM module ? No, thanks.
These companies are greedy as hell. They just don't want sell you a device that size with sound fonts uploading possibility and 8 track looper with few patterns for every track. That would be too good for you and they wouldnt ear as much as they want.
I have the mk1 and whilst not the greatest Keybed it’s reasonably solid and sturdy… it’s perfect for mobile noodling or, as I use it, clamped and Velcro’s down to a mic stand tray so I can play live and switch between keys and guitar onstage quickly without having to move. And it doesn’t take up much real estate
was looking for something to use with my daw and another small one to bring with me with sounds for inspiration when I travel. So this is perfect. 2 needs in one! :) Will probably buy something bigger for my daw later, but can still use this for my travels.
s there a way to transpose the keys in semitones +/- on the Mini Play MK3 without using the computer? I can see the Octave +/-, but how do I transpose in semitones on the hardware itself?
Can you tell me it work with fl studio? I think between this and mini mk3
Can’t wait for mine ti come this week 🙌🏾🙌🏾
Got the whole set up coming including the APC mini MK2 DAW
Can anyone tell me the reason for bank A/B selection (red/green) as both banks contain the same sounds and it has nothing to do with editing as edited sounds are saved to pads.
what does it sound like via direct out? i.e. plugged into your interface from the headphones out?
Seems it would have more to offer than what we’re hearing thru that little speaker
Can you connect this 'mini play 3' directly in amp without connecting to PC or Laptop? Or without Laptop it isn't possible to do some live music?
Got one recently for 100 UK pounds decent price 👍and its all that I need. I'm a drummer and just wanted to mess with some sounds
I got one because I want to run it through my guitar pedals (Boss SY-200, EHX 9 series) and amp.
If you could load samples even if it was limited in changing once its put on sd card.....it would be soooo much better
Would this work for live performance at all? Using the headphone as the out - like, no, right?
Is this not double up if you have say the MPC studio 2
Im entering into college as a music composition student and this really helped me decide on a good portable synth keyboard! Thank you for the review it was very helpful :)
HOWCOME YOUR AKAI MK3 LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM MINE??? MINE HAS 8 KNOBS ON THE RIGHT!!!
Thanks for sharing! Already have the white mini mpk3. Kinda interested in giving this one a test run! 🤔
Best review so far! Thanks!
I was hoping to hear all the sounds recorded truh a daw
Does this have a transpose function??
Is there a way to amplify the sound?
They look 👀 the same anyway!!
🤔 I just bought one🔥🔥🔥
Do you know if we can add more sounds or samples into it? Tks
Nope, pretty sure it's just a basic set of sounds that can't be updated.
Thank you very much !!!
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