Of course, you can use the MPC on stage, but then you need a MIDI keyboard, so we waited for a version with keys, and here it is: the MPC KEY.Īn Akai sampler with keys is not new.

These machines don’t have a keyboard, and are designed for the studio. It all started with the MPC60, designed by Roger Linn in 1988, and now from the MPC one to the X. MPC used to stand for MIDI Production Center, but today it stands for Music Production Center. It has a 64 track sequencer and no MIDI on the actual unit.Akai’s MPC series goes back a long way. The Akai Professional MPC Studio is powered by your computer via USB. The Akai Professional Studio does not have an interface on the unit, you will need to have an external interface. Many people have said this MPC was a watered down version of the Renaissance, the biggest issue between the Studio version and the Renaissance version is that the Renaissance version comes with a built in interface. The whole unit is very slim and can fit in one of your gig bags or backpack/laptop bags. The back lit screen I decent but not great, it will however let you create right from the screen without the need to have to look at the computer screen. MPC Swing, and Note Repeat are some of the patented functions of the MPC brand and they are also included on the Akai Professional Studio. All of your favorite MPC controls including the transport controls are on this unit as well. Of course this MPC has the world famous 16 MPC pads, and each of them are back lit. The Akai Professional can host VST plug-ins and allow you to tweak those plug –ins in real time. You can use the Akai Professional on a PC or Mac, it is very portable and for it to be only 600 dollars it could be the best MPC option for a lot of musicians and DJ’s. It comes stocked with over 6GB of sounds and it supports VST plug ins. I had the pleasure of working with it twice. The Akai Professional MPC Studio is the newest line of MPC from Akai and it came out this year.

Akai professional mpc studio reviews