AKAI – Profesional – MPK Mini-MKII – In Depth Review 2023

Music is everywhere, anywhere, and of course—within! Inspirations come without knocking and sometimes it will just pop up in an instant and you are caught up wishing you had your instrument or DAW open to capture the magic. Whether it’s rhythm on-the-go or a handy electronic synthesizer — wherever you are, Akai’s Professional MPK Mini MKII is ideal for the mobile artist needing to channel their inspiration and creativity quickly! How is that so? Take a few minutes to read this.

Best for Traveling, Anywhere! Make Your Gig happen!

Wherever and whenever musical ideas come to you, the Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII has all of the essentials for quickly laying down and expanding your musical ideas. A perfect virtual synthesizer, this BUS-powered MIDI keyboard controller features 25 velocity-sensitive keys with octave up / down buttons to access the full melodic range. Users can get truly stuck into the sounds thanks to the on-board arpeggiator with adjustable resolution, wide ranges, and the switchable modes that allow for simple and rapid creation of intricate melodic lines.

Delve into the music anywhere and any way you like because there are no limits to how you can express yourself. A cluster of production-centric and in-demand hardware controls makes integration easy. Couple this with a slim-line ultra-portable footprint and you’re all set. The Akaii Professional MPK Mini MKII gives you the full ability to record, compose, and perform with virtual instruments, then layer on any effect plugins directly within your DAW.

The dedicated octave up and down buttons increase the keyboard to the full melodic range, making it absolutely ideal for playing basslines, chords, melodies and more. Isn’t it amazing? This beautiful and elegant piece of kit that you can carry with you anywhere, and which delivers a full range of features that will keep you occupied for hours. It really is a cut above the rest. But wait, there is more…

We Can’t Stress This Enough — It’s Portable!

Heading for a gig or a jam session with friends? There’s no need to carry your studio with you — this great piece of musical equipment only weighs 1.63 pounds and 7.13 x 12.52 x 1.73 inches, making the Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII compact, practical, and convenient. Plus, it requires no software drivers or external power adapter for operation, just an ordinary USB-MIDI connection and power via a single USB connection to your Mac or PC. It’s as simple and easy as plug-and-play!

Time to ask yourself…

After reviewing the advantages and disadvantages, it’s time to ask yourself about what you are really looking for.
Portability is one of the top major factors that most people consider when hunting for music gear, but so is the quality of the equipment, it’s design, specs, and the music it produces — these are all equally important things to consider. With these things in mind, it is imperative to choose equipment that doesn’t just look and sound the best, but also gives you value for money, longevity, and something you can always rely on.

Take some time to look and do some more research if you must, but there’s no question that Akai’s Professional MPK Mini MKII offers more to boot than most mini synthesizers on the market. You’ll be surprised that given its weight, handy size, and expanse of features — it has almost, if not everything, that you could be looking for to create and manipulate awesome music from the get-go.

Different types of DJ equipment

DJ Headphoes

You can’t DJ properly if you can’t hear what you’re doing or gauge what the audience is hearing. This is why a top-class pair of headphones is essential in any DJ setup. There are hundreds of great headphones on the market, but what you need to factor in when buying is whether they will be in-ear or over-ear, the cup size, orientation, comfort, and durability, among other things.

Different types of DJ equipment

speakers

 If you haven’t got some already and need to add speakers to your shopping list, you’ll want to avoid cheap brands and opt for some which are powerful but suitable for your DJing environment. You wouldn’t go out and buy a huge PA system if you live in a cupboard under the stairs, and you wouldn’t invest in some tiny desk speakers if you are mixing in a large room with thick walls and high ceilings. A set of speakers that fit somewhere in the middle is best.

Different types of DJ equipment

DJ Software

If you’re looking to play solely digital, you’re going to want to invest in some good software. Some DJs who play from USB still do not use software, but the truth is, it can seriously help you stay organized. Software not only allows you to prepare your tracks into neat and tidy playlists, but it also detects the BPM and key of all your tunes, lets you set hot cues, make loops, mashups, and other really cool stuff that wouldn’t be possible if you simply stuck all your tunes on a USB stick or burned them to CD. If you’re just starting out as a DJ, there’s no question that using a high-quality software program will make mixing easier and your sets sound better.

Different types of DJ equipment

Controllers

 DJ controllers are highly convenient because they are an all-in-one setup that you can carry around with you, then plug in and play right off the bat. They also eliminate the need to spend thousands on individual pieces of gear. There are many different types of DJ controllers that are ideal for beginners, each with different functions, personalities, and more. Some are fantastic for multi-deck mixing, changing the volume, tempo, track settings, looping, panning, playing drum pads, and even scratching.

Different types of DJ equipment

mixers

For any analog DJ setup, a mixer is an essential bit of kit. Besides being used to make seamless transitions from one song to another, they also have a wide range of other functions. The crossfader can be used to make epic scratch performances, while the vertical sliders control the volume levels, panning, and can be used in conjunction with effects. They also act as a soundcard to process the music signal you’re sending out to your audience, and let you cue up your next track in your headphones while the current song is playing.

Different types of DJ equipment

Turntables

As mentioned, mixing on turntables is the classic way of DJing, and even some digital DJs still have a vinyl player or two in their repertoire. Turntables are ideal for those who want to get into scratching. They also allow you to switch between songs and albums, slow down tempos, alter the pitch, and do other creative tricks. While laptops and digital DJ setups are the most popular in this day in age, we still recommend learning how to mix on vinyl, even if you don’t plan to buy turntables or use them in your setup. The saying is true – if you can play on wax, you can play on anything.