Akai Pro MPK61 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

by Akai Pro

Product Features

• 61-key semi-weighted 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 48 samples
• MPC Note Repeat, MPC Swing, and arpeggiator aid in creative process
• Comes with Ableton Live Lite Akai Edition software

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 35.6 x 2.7 inches ; 22 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 27 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002M897SE
• Item model number: MPK61
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #546 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
  • #13 in Musical Instruments > Recording Equipment > Computer Recording > MIDI Controllers

Product Description

The MPK61 is a keyboard performance MIDI controller that expands the popular MPK line. Each MPK controller combines a piano-style keybed with a bank of genuine Akai Professional MPC pads, assignable Q-Link controllers and key technologies from the iconic MPC family of music production workstations. Producers, performers and DJs will appreciate the MPK61’s mix of 61 semi-weighted keys with aftertouch, 16 MPC pads with velocity and pressure sensitivity, 72 assignable Q-Link controllers, MPC Note Repeat, MPC Swing and an arpeggiator. The MPK61’s size is ideal for performers who need a larger keyboard than the original 49-key MPK49 offers, but also prefer the lighter weight and associated portability of a semi-weighted keyboard. The MPK61 retains the key split features from the MPK88, enabling you to divide the keyboard into two zones for performing with two different programs at once. Like its 25, 49 and fully weighted 88-key siblings – the MPK25, MPK49 and MPK88, respectively – the MPK61 empowers you to create and manipulate melodic, harmonic and rhythmic content and inspires creative production with its arpeggiator, MPC Swing and MPC Note Repeat technologies. The MPK61 comes with Ableton Live Lite Akai Edition software, one of the most popular and powerful performance and production programs worldwide. Ableton Live Lite enables musicians to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise and edit musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment. The MPK61 is a MIDI controller that sends MIDI data over USB for plug-and-play performance with Mac and PC. Because they are MIDI compliant, the MPK series works with virtually all MIDI recording, sequencing, and performance software for musical performers from keyboard players to producers to DJs and VJs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Akai made some design errors on the MPK61, April 14, 2010

By 

Hammster (Herndon, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Akai Pro MPK61 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller (Electronics)

I've seen only two reviews on the MPK61 having looked all over the net. Both complained of the feel of the keyboard. I'll get to that shortly.

I bought mine based on reviews of the MPK49. I also bought an On-Stage stand for it and a Behringer expression pedal. It was a quick setup - but I found almost immediately that two adjacent notes were not playing - unless I really hit them hard. So it got RMAed - no problem - the next unit was fine.

Pros:
The controls and pads were much bigger than I thought they would be - I just hadn't picked up on the size from the photo. So they are large and very smooth.

The pitch bend and mod wheels are well built (and lit up!). It doesn't look like the pitch bend would ever bias like some controllers.

The unit can run on USB power only. For all the lights on this thing you wonder how 500 milliamps manages it all. If a USB connection is not established the MPK will send controls out the MIDI connector - yet still run from USB power (say your computer is in standby but still provides USB power - actually I'm passing through a USB hub). This is useful if you just have a sound module connected to it.

If USB is established, the MIDI in connectors will pass another controller or keyboard to the computer. This keyboard actually establishes three USB MIDI connections with your computer.

Aftertouch works well.

Generally you have a lot of control over sensitivity of the keys and pads. So you can adjust things the way you like. Except....

Cons:
The guy was right about the feel of the keyboard. To be more specific - it is supposed to be a semi-weighted keyboard but the spring in the keys requires every bit of force (or more) than a fully weighted keyboard. The spring fights your fingers down and up as well. But worse, the keys are about an inch shorter than they should be - so hitting a black key requires a lot of force if you're towards the back of the key. Be prepared to learn how to play just for this keyboard. Akai should really rethink this - much less spring and longer keys.

Those two reviews also complained about the pads not working well. But I find that they work just fine as long as the sensitivity and sensitivity curve are adjusted properly - I use 14 w/curve A.

Considering I had to return the first keyboard - Akai has some quality issues.

Finally, one annoying firmware bug - a bank value of 127 for the MSB in a program change is excluded only if you try to assign it to a key. Why? For me it is a pain since all my drum kits use MSB=127.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Weak Keyboard, Great Everything Else, December 8, 2010

By 

christopher reis (east newark, new jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Akai Pro MPK61 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller (Electronics)

I've had my Akai MPk61 for about three months and my hopes that my playing would adjust to the keyboard have all but vanished at this point. The MPK61 has excellent knobs and sliders, but the action of the keyboard is just terrible. Keys feel springy in both directions. This means that getting consistent velocity response is difficult. I've tried all the different keyboard velocity settings and none suit me well. This keyboard seems to have been designed for someone with an extremely light touch, with moderate hits registering full velocity. And this is with the keyboard velocity scaling adjusted as best as possible (Akai needs more options here).

As for the pads, you can purchase MPK61 pad upgrade kits and DIY a fix for them, but until you do so, the pads are just as useless as the keys. But, after upgrading the pads, they work surprisingly well (unlike the keys, which your stuck with). I don't detract any points for the pads for this reason.

Now, this unit does have some Pro's. The knobs, sliders, wheels and buttons feel great. No complaints there. The feature set is quite impressive with a built-in MIDI arpeggiator, note repeat, and several other MPC based options that come in handy when using this to control software based beat boxes.

In short, if having good keyboard response is key, look elsewhere. When playing samples and physical models of real instruments, it's just too hard to coax even velocity response out of the MPK61. If you're more interested in the pads, while note having much interest in anything other than a basic keyboard for playing synths, then get this unit and upgrade the pads.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding controller keyboard. Great key action., March 26, 2011

By 

Liqmaticus - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Akai Pro MPK61 USB MIDI Keyboard Controller (Electronics)

I bought this after narrowing down to two controllers. I was looking at the Novation 61 SL MKII or this. Price ended up tempting me. I bought this for a mere $380.00 on sale here at Amazon compared to the Novation's $599 price tag. I must say this controller keyboard has great solid controls and great semi-weighted key action. I know some have complained about the keys being a bit stiff, but I find the keys to be a perfect balance. I do not like keyboards with light hollow keys which are too flimsy. I also don't like fully weighted since I do a lot of Electronica style music with 16th and 32nd notes which is a pain on the fingers with fully weighted keys. I use this keyboard with Ableton Suite 8 and this keyboard maps beautifully with Ableton controls. I especially like the Vyzex profile editor software that comes with it to easily setup control template profiles for the keyboard. This keyboard has a very solid feel to it and seems well built. The blue backlit LCD screen is very bright and clear. I love the built in arpeggiator on the MPK61 and the 8 different time division buttons for the different timings of the arpeggiator. Those are great touches. The 16 pads have great touch sensitivity as well with four bank buttons. I also like the positioning of the octave buttons for transposing. They are in a very convenient location while playing live. What can I say? This was a perfect fit for my Ableton work that I do. I also will be purchasing the Akai APC40 when I start going live and the MPK61 and the APC40 will work great together in unison with Ableton MIDI mappings. It really is a great value and great quality. Akai really builds very solid controllers and their tech support is very responsive.