Akai’s latest mini controller ticks off all the basics but adds a few clever features. Greg Scarth finds out why it might appeal to experienced producers as well as beginners.
For anyone making music on a computer or mobile device, a MIDI controller of some sort is one of the essentials. Usually based around a piano-style keyboard, a controller is essentially a physical control for all your virtual instruments and other music software, giving you hands-on control of your creative process. At just under £130, the Akai MPK Mini Plus sits towards the more affordable end of the controller spectrum, but it offers a convincing balance of features that should make it appeal to a wide audience. You can choose from literally hundreds of controllers large and small, but the Mini Plus offers a good balance between features and size.
Akai’s pedigree when it comes to controllers is right up there with the best, given the brand’s vast experience of producing everything from ultra-portable micro-controllers to industry-standard samplers like the MPC series. In fact, it’s fun to compare the MPK Mini Plus with the MPC Key 61 we reviewed recently; there’s more than £1,000 separating the compact controller and the full-on workstation, but you can see the shared DNA. Both have a mixture of keys, pads, knobs and other controls, designed to give you all-round control of all your instruments, although it’s clear that the Mini Plus is a far more humble offering. Nevertheless, it’s reassuring that the smaller controller comes from a brand with heritage.
The Mini Plus is designed to be a compact and portable controller but one which offers a bit of everything. All controllers are a compromise, no matter how much money you have to spend or how advanced you want to get; it’s always a trade-off between size, weight, features and cost. The Mini Plus sits in the Akai range above the MPK Mini Mk3 and below full-size controllers like the MPK249. It’s a 37-key design with Akai’s Gen 2 Dynamic mini keys, eight RGB-backlit MPC drum pads, eight assignable rotary knobs, a step sequencer, arpeggiator, assignable joystick and CV/gate functions as well as MIDI. It’s not an ultra-portable design like the LPK25 Mk2, but at 45 cm long and just over 1.25 kg it’s certainly small enough to transport if you want to collaborate in someone else’s studio or use it for a live show.
There are no nasty surprises in terms of setting up the controller with your existing gear. Hook up to a computer or device over USB and connect to hardware using MIDI or CV/gate connections. The Mini Plus is super easy to set up and use, but also immediately feels good. The second-generation version of Akai’s Dynamic mini keybed offers a good, responsive feel and nice playability. The pads are expressive and controllable, the assignable rotary pots are smooth and progressive, while the software integration is all logical and intuitive. Consider all the basics ticked.
Lots of the Mini Plus’s main features are quite standard fare for small controllers in this price range. There’s a built-in arpeggiator, chord and scale options, DAW transport controls and an assignable joystick which adds a nice modulation option on top of the standard pitch bend and mod wheels. However, what really sets the Mini Plus apart from the alternatives is the attention given to adding clever features. The controller features a new two-track polyphonic step sequencer as well as the option to do Roland TR-style drum sequencing via the pads, making the keyboard a surprisingly powerful sequencer – not quite on a par with something like the Arturia Keystep, but more versatile thanks to the pads and other controls. You’ll also find CV/gate outputs, ideal for Eurorack compatibility and interfacing with analogue synths. A lot of effort has clearly been put into making the Mini Plus as versatile as possible.
The beauty of all-rounder controllers like the MPK Mini Plus is that they don’t restrict you to making music in any specific way. Want to bang out hip-hop beats on the pads? No problem. Shred a proggy synth solo on the keys? Sure. Stick it in a tote bag and take it to a mate’s place? Go ahead. Like we said earlier, all controllers are a compromise, but the MPK Mini Plus feels like it sits in a good spot, offering a great selection of features at a very competitive price.
Greg Scarth
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