Akai MPK49 USB MIDI Keybaord Controller with MPC Pads

The first keyboard in the world to feature authentic MPC-style velocity and pressure sensitive pads!  The MPK49 and the rest of the Akai MPK range are fantastically well built and extremely good value controller keyboards that manage to pack in an intuitive percussion controller into the bargain thanks to the built in MPC-style pads. In addition, the MPK49 also gives you 3 banks of Akai's fully assignable 'Q-link' controllers, with 8 pots, 8 full-size sliders and 8 buttons giving you control over a whopping 72 different parameters of your software.

As well as the usual MIDI implementation the MPK49 also houses some of the classic MPC technologies like, 'Note Repeat', 'Full Level', '12 Level' and 'Tap Tempo' to give you a quick and easy approach to beat construction. If you like the beat programming of almost any hip-hop producer of note from the last 20 years then chances are you'll love the way these pads allow you to intuitively and quickly create beats from whatever software it is you use. But the pads aren't the only trick the MPK has up its sleeve. It also has Akai's all new and killer arpeggiator so, if you want to rinse out an italo-style bassline in seconds or, like me, you take the one fingered approach to your keyboard playing then you'll find this feature on the MPK49 essential.  It also has a pretty impressive array of faders, sliders and pots arranged over three different banks giving you a total of 72 different assignable controllers for manipulating your software or hardware any way you see fit.

If you need a single-box control surface for your studio or live performance then we would strongly recommend the MPK 49. It manages to pack in the kind of hands on controls you would want for beat production, mixing on your DAW and composing melodies in one neat 49 key package.