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The MIDI out option is such a great addition to this controller as there aren’t many options that have this. You can control your favorite hardware synthesizers from your controller with this feature and a lot of synth players will appreciate this. Last but definitely not least, in my opinion, one of the biggest and most notable features that have been added to this new generation of MPK is the addition of a tiny digital screen. The MPK Mini is surprisingly programmable. Eight different control sets can be recalled directly from the front panel. Out of the box these banks are populated with sets for different DAWs, including MPC Beats, Logic Pro X and FL Studio. With the Mac or Windows Program Editor app you can customise pretty much every control on the surface, and even change their display names. One nice feature is that you can store the Arp’s settings and on/off status as part of a program bank, so you can create performance snapshots.Though there are only eight pads, you’re not limited to only eight assignments. With two banks, you can toggle between two sets of assignments with the touch of an A/B button. This intuitive instrument distills all of the key tools required by a producer into one compact unit. From a range of pads and assignable controls, to immediate integration with your preferred music production software and a new and improved Generation 2 enhanced dynamic keybed, this controller punches well above its weight.

The Input Ports section in MIDI/Sync Preferences will display all available MIDI input ports in a list. Devices will automatically appear in the list when connected provided that Enable MIDI ports when discovered is set to ON.For the MK3, Akai has added a “Gen 2 Enhanced Dynamic Keybed.” One of the criticisms of the MK2 was that the keys felt cheap and flimsy, so it seems the company is seeking to improve in this area. The keys are still smallish, but they feel more responsive than the MK2’s keys do.