Akai MPK Mini Plus II

The Akai Professional MPK Mini Plus II is a 37-mini-key MIDI master keyboard designed for composition, beatmaking, and music production. It combines three octaves of playability, pressure-sensitive MPC pads, and advanced creative features in a format suitable for both home studios and mobile setups.

Its assignable controls, color display, and MIDI and CV/Gate connections allow you to control both virtual instruments and external synthesizers without needing multiple controllers.

Key Features

• 37 velocity-sensitive mini-keys for playing melodies and chords across three octaves, with transposition to access additional registers.
• 8 velocity- and pressure-sensitive RGB MPC pads with aftertouch for programming rhythms, triggering samples, and modulating compatible sounds.
• 8 assignable encoders, a clickable encoder, and a color LCD screen for adjusting instrument parameters and navigating settings.
• Arpeggiator, Chords and Scales modes, Note Repeat, and Glitch, Mutate, Freeze, and Strum functions to create and evolve melodic and rhythmic patterns.
• Integration with compatible music production software, including transport controls, track control, plugin control, and mixing control depending on the software used.
• USB-C connectivity, a MIDI DIN output, and three CV outputs for connecting virtual instruments, hardware synthesizers, and modular gear.

Keyboard and Performance Controls

The MPK Mini Plus II features 37 velocity-sensitive mini-keys. The force of your keystroke determines the MIDI value sent to the controlled instrument, allowing you to vary nuances when the sound supports this information. The three-octave range makes it easy to play chords and melodies without having to constantly switch registers.

The pitch bend and modulation wheels allow you to change the pitch of notes or adjust a sound parameter in real time. The 8 MPC pads feature two banks and respond to both the initial strike and the pressure applied after triggering. They can be used to play virtual drums, trigger samples, or send aftertouch messages to a compatible instrument.

Arpeggiator and Music Creation

The built-in arpeggiator transforms played notes into repetitive sequences whose tempo, order, and variations you can adjust. The Glitch function introduces rhythmic subdivisions and interruptions, while Mutate occasionally alters certain pitches to evolve the pattern without completely rebuilding it.

Freeze keeps an arpeggio playing while you play other notes. Chords mode lets you trigger chords from a single key, with a Strum function that offsets the triggering of notes to mimic the sound of a strummed chord. Scales mode limits the notes played to a selected scale. On the pads, Note Repeat makes it easy to create regular or more complex rhythmic repeats.

Control of Software and Virtual Instruments

The 8 assignable rotary encoders let you directly adjust instrument and effect parameters, such as setting a filter’s frequency or a track’s level. The clickable encoder makes navigation easy, while the color LCD screen displays the controller’s settings and information from compatible software.

The MPK Mini Plus II offers dedicated control modes for virtual instruments and production software. It integrates with MPC 3, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, GarageBand, Cubase, and Bitwig Studio through customized control configurations and scripts. Depending on the software, the pads can also be used to trigger clips, select tracks, or manage certain mixing functions.

It also supports Native Instruments’ NKS standard, which facilitates access to the parameters of compatible instruments and effects directly from its physical controls.

MIDI and CV/Gate Connectivity

The USB-C port transmits MIDI data and powers the keyboard from a computer. An external 5 V / 2 A USB power supply or a compatible external battery, sold separately, also allows it to be used with hardware MIDI equipment without a computer.

A 5-pin DIN MIDI output allows you to control a compatible synthesizer or drum machine. The three 3.5 mm mini-jack outputs dedicated to Pitch, Gate, and Modulation allow you to send control signals to compatible analog or modular synthesizers.

A 6.35 mm jack input accommodates an optional sustain pedal to hold notes without keeping the keys pressed. The MPK Mini Plus II is primarily a MIDI controller: to hear the notes you play, it must control a virtual instrument on a computer or an external sound generator.

Included Software and Installation

The MPK Mini Plus II provides access to MPC 3 Beats, music production software that includes tools for composing rhythms, recording sequences, and organizing productions. The Studio Instrument Collection offers over 1,000 sounds from the Akai Professional, AIR Music Technology, and Moog catalogs. Native Instruments Komplete Select (Akai Edition) rounds out this package with additional instruments and effects.

Installation and access to the software are available after registering the controller via the inMusic Software Center. This center also allows you to download updates and control scripts required for compatible software.

Measuring 49.3 cm wide, 19.2 cm deep, and weighing 1.46 kg, the keyboard can be placed on a production desk or carried along with a laptop. A USB-C cable is included for the initial connection.