Akai Professional MPK Mini MK3 - 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller With 8 Backlit Drum Pads, 8 Knobs, Music Production Software and Native Instruments Sound Package (NKS Integration), Black

I've been using the Akai MPK Mini MK3 for a few weeks now and I have to say—I'm seriously impressed. As someone who travels a lot but still wants to create music on the go, this controller is perfect. It's super compact and lightweight, but still feels solid and well-built.The keys are mini-sized, so it takes a bit of getting used to, especially if you're coming from a full-size keyboard. But they’re surprisingly responsive and great for sketching out ideas. The pads are a real highlight—very responsive and satisfyingly clicky. I've been using them for finger drumming and triggering samples, and they perform great.The rotary knobs are smooth and endless, which is amazing for tweaking synth parameters or mixing on the fly. The little OLED screen is a nice touch—it’s small but gives you just enough feedback to make it useful. The 4-way joystick for pitch/mod control is cool too, though I prefer the classic wheels for more precision.One of the biggest wins is the bundled software. You get MPC Beats (which is a solid DAW, especially for beat-making) and some really good virtual instruments. It’s practically a full studio-in-a-box.If you're a beginner or a producer looking for a portable solution, this thing delivers big time. Would absolutely recommend!

I've been using the AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3 for a few months now, and I must say, it has exceeded my expectations in many ways. As a clinical laboratory scientist with a passion for music production, finding the right MIDI keyboard was crucial for my creative process.Firstly, the quality of materials and build is impressive. The keyboard feels solid and durable, with keys that are responsive and smooth to the touch. The pads are firm yet sensitive, making it easy to achieve the perfect velocity for drumming and sampling. It's clear that AKAI put a lot of thought into the design, ensuring that every component feels premium and built to last.The seamless connection is another standout feature. I use it with various DAWs, and it has never failed to integrate flawlessly. Whether I'm plugging it into my laptop for some late-night sessions or setting it up in my home studio, the MPK Mini MK3 connects instantly without any hassle. The plug-and-play functionality is a lifesaver, allowing me to dive straight into my music without dealing with tedious setup processes.Finally, the price point is fantastic. Given the high quality and robust features, it's hard to believe how affordable this keyboard is. It offers incredible value for money, making it accessible for both beginners and more experienced producers. I've tried other MIDI keyboards in the same price range, and none come close to the performance and reliability of the MPK Mini MK3.Overall, the AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3 is a superb MIDI keyboard that combines quality materials, seamless connectivity, and affordability. It's been an essential tool in my music production journey, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and versatile MIDI controller.

I waited a couple of months before writing this review. There's a lot to dive in and I wanted to write a review short enough to read that contains everything you need to know.For your money you get two things, the hardware (the MK3) and some free software, MPC Beats.The MK3 is a 25-key USB MIDI keyboard. In addition to the 25 keys, there are selection buttons on the left and right, a joystick/knob, 8 drum pads, 8 knobs, and a teeny-tiny LCD for younger users with better eyeballs than mine. They keyboard has a tiny bit of weight to it, but you won't mistake it for a paperweight. Keep in mind that on its own, the keyboard does nothing, It only works when plugged into a computer, running software.The free DAW software Akai provides is MPC Beats. MPC Beats has approximately 9 million buttons and options, so don't expect to figure it out in an hour or even a day. There are so, so many features. You can of course make tracks, loops, patterns, and so on. There are tons and tons of free instruments available. It can get confusing as to which can be assigned to the keys and which are assigned to the drum pads. Fortunately there are tons of video MPC Beats tutorials online, which can teach you the ropes.The free version of MPC Beats has one major limitation in that songs are limited to 8 MIDI tracks and 2 "audio" tracks (which could be used for vocals or samples). If you're just wanting to create loop based music, 8 tracks are actually quite a bit. If you do eventually outgrow MPC Beats, you can upgrade to the pay version, MPC 2.0, which allows 128 tracks, all of which can be MIDI or digital audio.So, what's to say? There's a bit of a learning curve with the software and figuring out what all the buttons on the keyboard do. It has been a while since I played around with a DAW and so it took me a couple of days to wrap my head around everything. Again, there are lots of YT tutorials out there that will point you in the right direction, and the more you play around with things, the better you'll get. Physically the keyboard's looks may not impress your studio friends, but there's no reason why you couldn't create a hit song with this thing.