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)

If you’re looking to become a producer this is all you need practically. The keyboard itself is nice, the drum pad is satisfying to use, and it just so happens it comes with beat making software. It has so many cool little features, like arpeggiation and looping, that make it a production powerhouse. It is also sleek and portable. Functions well

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'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!

Works great. Only thing I would change is the responsiveness with certain programs. It does feel like there is a very slight delay sometimes. But that could also just be my hardware.Otherwise, great MIDI controller.Colors are great too.

So I got this today, and started using it. I write software for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. So I had real concerns about the keyboard. I downloaded the manual, which amounts to a one page product brochure that then gets repeated in several languages. I wanted to make sure it was useful with my software, especially Linux, where none of the provided programs will run. To fulfil that, I just needed the controls to output general MIDI and there you go.The first issue is the manual does not go into what the controls or pads actually SEND, other than "MIDI CC messages". Which ones? It does not go into it. Are they preprogrammed? The Amazon page talks about needing to set it up with the software. Bad sign. I asked the maker if they provided programming instructions to set it up with my software. "Its proprietary" was the (very unsatisfactory) answer. Are you charging software developers? Getting part of their profits? IIIII doubt it. But you go girl.After more research, I found other keyboards that DID go into what midi messages their keyboards provided, how to reprogram them, everything. For example, M-AUDIO does that. Now for the odd part. They are owned by the same company, InMusic!I decided that this keyboard had what I wanted, if I could just make it work on all systems. My main worry is that it would not function at all without the software. I asked another question: If I program it, with the provided software on, say, Windows, would it say programmed even with the power removed. That way I could at least program it on one system and move it to others. The answer was yes, so I decided to risk it.Now that I have the keyboard, I see that there is no problem at all. The display tells you exactly what it is sending, what CC messages and what numbers. In fact, in case you need to know, it sends CC 70 to CC 77 for the rotary controls, and drum channel notes 36 to 43 on the drum pads. This is nowhere in the manual (and much better than the frankly snotty "proprietary" answer I got).Now on to the software provided. They give you a lot, and the basics are in MPC beats, which I am happy with. They also give you three programs that say "get activation code". I went through a signup process to download these. Then asked for an activation code. They take you to another, unrelated site and you have to sign up AGAIN with them. then they sent a verification code to my email. Apparently I didn't get to it fast enough, and now their site says "my email is invalid". And gives me no option to fix it. Thanks.Now, how about the unit itself. I'm pretty happy with that. I am not a musician, I use this to make sounds for games and other programs. I have a 49 key controller and a 61 key full synth, both of which are unwieldy to use at my computer desk. So having a very short and compact keyboard was a good idea. Plus, the pads and controls give me the means to control DAWs and test out my software. The keys and pads have a very nice feel to me, and I like the infinite range controls. The whole thing takes up very little space on my desk and thus can remain there, instead of me taking out one of my larger keyboards to play with.To sum up, AKAI, fix your documentation. Look at the M-AUDIO docs for your example. And get someone competent to do the activation code thing. My 2 cents.