WNAMM09: 25-Key MPK

US Akai's MPK49 Keyboard Controller with MPC Pads Gets MPK25 Sibling 15/01/09

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Akai Professional has announced MPK25, a new addition to its popular MPK series of keyboard controllers with MPC pads. Gregg Stein, Director of Marketing, Akai Professional told us, "This new addition to the MPK line takes the expressive, creative capabilities of the MPK49 to new places. The MPK25 can go away for the weekend with you and it is easy to integrate into on-stage setups for multi-instrumentalists and drummers." Here's the rest of what Akai have to say about the MPK25...
The MPK25 draws on the design of the popular MPK49, the first keyboard ever to feature genuine MPC pads. It features a 25-key, semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch, 12 MPC pads, Q-Link controls and MPC technology. Its smaller, more portable size makes the MPK25 the perfect travel companion. Its small footprint can fit in a musician's lap on the couch or on a plane, enabling them to create tracks whenever inspiration strikes.
The MPK series features Akai Professional-exclusive MPC pads that are pressure and velocity-sensitive to capture every nuance of the user's creativity. The pads can access four banks of sounds, so performers can have 48 samples at their fingertips with the touch of a button.
The MPK25 offers extensive assignable controls through its Q-Link section. The MPK25 gives players 32 parameters of hands-on control through 12 virtual knobs and four virtual buttons, each of which can access two different banks of assignment via a bank-change control.
Two technologies pioneered in the MPC series and built into the MPK series are MPC Note Repeat and MPC Swing. These note-modifying features can be heard in many of the most popular tracks over the last two decades. MPC Note Repeat automatically plays a rhythmic pattern, such as 16th notes on a hi-hat, for accuracy and speed of entry. MPC Swing is sometimes referred to as "the heart and soul of hip hop". Users can specify exactly the degree and timing of swing they want to apply for the perfect feel.
The MPK25 has an arpeggiator, which enables performers to develop creative riffs in seconds. The arpeggiator features six different modes and can have its own swing settings independent of the MPC Note Repeat settings.
Because MPK series controllers are USB class compliant, they do not require custom drivers to work with Mac or PC computers and will work with all MIDI recording, sequencing and performance software. The MPK series is perfect for musicians, producers, DJs and VJs.
The MPK25 comes with Ableton Live Lite Akai Edition software, one of the most popular and powerful performance and production programs in the world. Ableton Live Lite enables musicians to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise and edit musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment.
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