MPC Key 37, it's Just Right
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- čas přidán 10. 02. 2024
- This week I'm playing with the new MPC Key 37 from Akai. Thank you to zZounds for being rad and sending this over for me to play with! I'm pretty sure this is the goldilocks music device I've been looking for, let's talk about it!
If you're already looking to pick one up, use my zZounds link to help the channel (affiliate link): www.zzounds.com/a--3981117/it...
Do not use the link above if you are suffering from GAS, sleep on it for a few days first.
If you enjoy the video please consider checking out my album “There’s Something Better” wherever you listen to music: open.spotify.com/album/6HCemx...
MY GEAR (affiliate links):
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Main editing machine (m2 iPad Pro): amzn.to/45T6rdR
Small Audio Recorder (used in this video): amzn.to/41myYaB
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Gear Stands: amzn.to/3ah26tv
#mpckey37 #mpc #musicproduction - Věda a technologie
FINALLY, a review with positivity, energy and enthusiasm about the Key 37! Just received mine yesterday and barely opened it up today. I've never had an MPC before, up until I purchased the MPC One+ last week, but found out that Akai just released the Key 37 the very next morning, thus, I returned the MPC One+ and ordered the Key 37. I've had the Maschine+ before but being brand new to an MPC, I've searched throughout CZcams for tutorials on the Key 37 and pretty much found out that the Key 37 IS the One+ like you said, so I should've been looking up tutorials on the MPC One+. Throughout my search however, there were just so many negative and/ or nonchalant opinions. I really love the color and design, and the price is seriously more than fair! Akai is so generous! My Maschine+ was $1300, and with no keyboard. It's crazy.
Anyway, awesome video and energy Bro! New Subscriber! Keep them coming!!
Aw man thank you for the kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed the video! And I totally get some creators being jaded about the MPCs at this point but imo the value for this one is insane
I'm so on the fence I have been wanting a machine plus since it dropped then I see this and I too have her the same reviews what do you think about the machine plus if you don't mind me asking
Maybe I sell my One plus too, but no I love that small form factor extremely portable, I rather just attack some keyboard and play keys for when need,.
I want 61 keys minimum but also want it portable, call me crazy, but its possible.
Unless you have seen the pocket piano that Jesus Molina or Jordan Rudess was showing off.
I dreamed these long ago. A full fledged studio yet can be laproped. foldable with battery and speakers.
with big screen well implemented bc MPC screen and the OS is badly thought out.
Even old groove boxes with small are better managed and easier to use that MPC with all that large space, even some things are too small to read, because the MPX screen was shriked to the Live and the One. well its interesting all these.
But computers are still needed, because these things are not there yet as full stand alone, no audio recording 5 minutes max audio is a joke and no great pluginq like traditional VST plugins, if these things could load and use normal computer based VST that will be a dream come true.
All am saying is simple; can someone make a fully standalone studio in a box where you need is nothing else except your mics and guitars etc.
Why is no one thinking to do that, like you can see people crave standalone music making devices.
But these companies get it, they will wait until the people cry hard for feature before they then add it.
Well its okay
@@sunwalla77 i wouldnt pay attention to the reviews unless they come off as they really play with it.. the groups are even worse they spend majority of the time masterbating over what could possibly be added... coming from daws over 10 yrs plus... i been with my live 2 for ovver 6 months.. i was gifted a 2000xl but never used it cuz i didnt have experience with it.. and it was the original specs... wouldnt recommend it.. but the new mpcs... u cant go wroong with any of them really if u play keys get this.. if u sample based get the others.. these boxes are monsters... could parameters be changed? Maybe.. depends how u work.. but be it that i was new to the platform as a whole.. i just went with the flow... best money spent... only way one coulld not like it is if they just prefer something else... but anything u want to do.. u can get done on these.
My first MPC... Really love this little synth. The buttons snap with precision, the keys and pads are very sensitive, and the red color with black and white controllers just makes everything pop. Surprisingly easy for me to get on with right away. I'm using it to record multiply guitar tracks, treating it like an 8-track audio recorder. then on the other side I have the midi tracks for my plugin keys, bass, and drums. Just a great form factor for me, a product I have hoped someone would make one day... And that day is here.
That’s so rad! I love hearing how folks are using this type of gear in different ways
Hell yea dude. You can easily record vocals too, and the vocal plugins are actually sick. I have made entire songs from start to finish with vocals on here.
CZcams won’t let me post a link, but my sc is ‘Akilleus’ and it’s the one with the picture of the Achilles statue- Latest song is “Killer” if you want to hear what vocals from the mpc sound like. I use a dynamic mic with the mpc, and it honestly blows my mind what it’s capable of.
@@MyNameJeff.. Yeah, nice job on the vocals.... will be doing that too.
@@keepriffin Thanks for listening dude. Not trying to sell mixtapes lol, it’s strictly a hobby, but wanted to show you the capabilities. I record guitar, bass, and even electric drums into it. It’s honestly the best piece of gear/most versatile piece of gear I’ve ever owned.
hi, do the drum pads have the option to be set at "full level"?
I've looked at MPCs for about 4 years, and this is the first one that finally got me to click "buy now" - on launch day, no less. I loved the idea of the MPC Live II, but it doesn't have keys. I also loved the idea of the MPC Key 61, but it's too big for the space I have. This is exactly what I wanted. The only thing it 'lacks' is speakers.
Now the journey begins to convert chunks of Komplete 14 Ultimate CE (got on sale Black Friday) into samples and keygroups! I travel several times a year, and it will be awesome to take this with me.
I'm debating on what plugin to get with the voucher. Maybe Flavor Pro? It seems like the most versatile and inspiring thing considering the VST and sample range I already have with K14 Ult CE.
get flavor pro 1000%. I use it on everything. Next jura and flex beat. Those are the best ones.
I want one of these just for the drums and built in keys. I plan on running a bunch of behringer analog synth modules out of it. My last MPC was an MPC60 back in the 90's. I wore that thing out.
Thanks for this vid! I've ordered mine and I'm (in)patiently waiting for it to arrive. It'll be my first MPC and I'm excited due to the form factor! Looking forward to plugging my guitar into it as well as playing keys and the pads and the screen and... oh my, I've fainted :O (also, as an aside, the 'keys' part is what sold me. I wasn't sure I'd 'get' the pads on their own on an MPC so the familiar keyboard really made it easy to pull the trigger!)
It’s a really cool device for that sort of setup! And the amp sims and fx are nice for directly plugging in a guitar!
Great video. Valid points 👏 I'm looking forward to messing with mine. When it turns up
Thank you!
Man you really sold me on this one. I appreciate your review. I have the Push 3, MPC X and now just purchased this MPC Key 37. I was really loving the look. I am similar in that I almost almost need to use keys at some point during production. If they come out with a new MPC live I will cop that to so I have something that I can unplug and play. I had the Force but sold for the Push 3.
Thanks for watching! How do you like the X? That’s the only one I haven’t really tried
@@DylanParisMusic The X is a monster I love it. It is a tank though It normally sits in one of 3 places. I do sometimes want the portability of the Live 2. The extra knobs and buttons on the X make workflow a bit more fluid.
The end track almost sounds like royksopp chords! Well done and an absolutely fantastic take on this unit
Mine is coming on Valentine’s Day fitting it’s RED
Thank you! And what a good v day gift!
Liked this video. Everything you said was on point.
Thank you!
I am ABSOLUTELY getting this
It’s pretty awesome!
The color red is really nice. Makes me want to create good music.
The Mpc live 2 with the MPK Mini will do the job , plus it has the Bose speaker included.
That’s a good combo! And more portable if you don’t need the keys
That's dope
😎🙏
Seems nice! I do appreciate the fact that my One- still gets updated, easy enough with USB…. Authorizing my paid content constantly was a huge let down tho, so many trips to the router, definitely made me give up on the standalone mode for a long time
Oh man, yeah authorizing on the OG One is brutal with the Ethernet requirement
I got it (my first MPC) but I think its going back. But I do think its great. I am not a great keys player and I found the pad workflow quite nice for me, so I found a like new MPC Live II second hand on eBay which I think is going to get more use just because I can easily take it to the couch.
Heck yeah! If you prefer pads the Live 2 or the One are great, and the battery in the Live is super convenient!
Totally agree 💯%
I’m having an issue in controller mode. If I have a virtual instrument on the track, no matter what button I touch it plays a note. It even records the note if recording is engaged. Are you having the same issue?
I think you're right on with a lot of this. It's one of those things where it personally doesn't fit my needs, but I could definitely see how it would fit others', and it definitely *would* have fit my needs if I was just getting into the MPC world now. Aside from producing, I use my Key 61 a lot as a stage keyboard being a keys player and kinda need at least 61, and I think if I'm traveling I'd maybe rather use my One with a mini MIDI keyboard (or even my touchscreen laptop and no control surface). But man, as someone who came into producing mainly from being a live musician, I feel like the 37 is almost exactly the manifestation of what I wished existed when I was getting into producing music. RAM and lack of Key 61-level included plugin package is a bummer, but that's the tradeoff for the accessibility that comes with the price tag.
Really good point re the 61 keys for live performance. I do feel a difference with the type of stuff I play on this on, definitely could see how the 61 would be better on stage
@@DylanParisMusic See, now that I write this/see your response I'm remembering I use a 37-key controller as my top board (Key 61 as bottom/master board)...I could just as easily get the Key 37 and use 61+ controller on the bottom 😂
Hahahaha I don’t wanna feed the gear acquisition syndrome but that would give you 16 plugin tracks?? 👀
@@DylanParisMusic Oh man I was just talking about using the Key 37 on top with a generic 61+MIDI keyboard on bottom (controlling 2nd layer sounds on the Key 37), but both MPC Keys together would be wild. I'm gonna stop thinking about it in the name of my financial well-being haha
I came SO CLOSE to buying this but I realized that with the space constraints and the fact that I already have a 61 key MIDI controller that works perfectly with my primary DAW, the One Plus made the most sense. If the 37 has 4gb of RAM, I may have went for it.
Super fair! I love the One also!
Yup. I have to agree. Its a great machine. I might get one some day. I have a ton of their plugins. I'd get the Jura if I could only get 1.
Jura is great!
I'm getting one next week if available. Fingers crossed 🤞
Nice!!
As someone who has botha Maschine and this I really appreciate your perspective. I have an FL Key 37 and a MK3, and condensing it into one unit like this is soooo appealing im just scared to make the switch bc im unfamiliar with the MPC Daw and if it can run 3rd party plug ins / VSTs for example like Vital for sound creation. So would you say this unit can do every thing the mk3 + a keyboard can do for song creation and sound manipulation?
I think VST control on maschine (specifically with NKS supported plugins) is really smooth and hard to match. But if you don’t need hands on control on the device for 3rd party plugins, controller mode would let you do a lot in one. The arranger / song mode on maschine is better than MPC though
Is it can work as usually keyboard Yamaha, I mean like accompaniment with melody and drums?
Or it is only separated instruments and looper options?
I sold my Live II but i'm thinking of buying this again because i really like how it sounds... and the stems... damn
I prefer this form factor for sure, although the live 2 battery is nice for portability
Can you use stems as a plug-in in Live ii?
@@joelgonsalves4943 sure, the software is the same on all MPC devices
Great video! Just wanted to know whether this unit can record the whole proper song? Or it is just a loop recorder? What is the difference between mpc live 2 and mpc force? I'm more into live performance so please advice me.
While the Force is made by Akai, it isn't technically an MPC. it shares many of the same features but songs are created using the scenes mode on the 64 pads or via an arranger mode. The MPCs are based around building sequences (sections of a beat or song) and then turning those sequences into a full song or beat if you choose.
For live performance the Force may be a better choice, but neither of them are tools I would trust on their own for a full performance.
Dylan, thanks for great review. Do you think It will be suitable for live looping? 😊
I’m not sure! It has a looper mode but I haven’t ever messed with it on any of the mpcs
Yeaaa boyyeee! Was waiting for this one brodie! 🤙 Wanted to tell you, ordered the op-1 field again. Want to try it again, I’m insane 😂
🙏🙏🙌😎
Had a feeling you’d dig this one!
@@DylanParisMusicHell yea man, you’re one of the best in the game. I edited my comment before I saw your reply. Op-1 field round two lololol
Hahahaha I hope the field works out for you! It feels like they could make that thing a killer with a few software fixes!
@@DylanParisMusic It’s just… ugh it’s honestly the most beautiful/perfectly compact piece of gear Ive ever seen, and I really did like the synths on there and the sampling capabilities. Literally every opinion I have of it was your review (watched that again to try and talk myself out) it just keeps calling me. Gonna try it with looper pro, we shall see…
Bro that thing looks fire from here on CZcams
🙏🔥😎
Man you look like soo many people i know, you have that universal face bro! Great video :)
Hahaha that’s rad, thanks for watching!
I hope they come out with a grey one. I like that old Akai feel
Agreeeed, I want a retro edition of every mpc
Hype for that one!
It’s a winner!
@@DylanParisMusic (I'm hype for the video.) i wished for a mpc with 37 keys for a long time, i would've hoped it had a battery and minikeys with a way smaller footprint; an akai answer to the op-1 if you will. Now they just made something shorter that does even less than the key 61 (RAM) and they will most likely put out a live mini without keys (hopefully 25 mini keys...) they missed big time in delivering in those two machines in my opinion. I dream of the ultimate portable all in one studio. They would have to add more and better in's and out's aswell... i have yet to see a company really innovating in that niche and it's sad because i would pay good money for that...
@MusicGearMeta man I agree a truly portable battery powered small MPC would be so cool, not sure how you’d do it without shrinking the screen but I could see a mini Live working
@@DylanParisMusic Id love a mini Calculator screen like the 500. It's hard to get away from blue light these days.
Great video! Subscribed. But I feel like the design is something I just can not get used to... red is too distinct, it would not go well with my gears... One question though, how is the piano like? Is it good enough for grand piano?
Thanks for watching! And fair I had the same concern with the color but it’s been alright
Hey Dylan, thank you for a very informative video! I own a Yamaha MODX8 synthesizer and have been wondering whether to buy an MPC One+ or MPC Key 37. The brain tells me that the One+ might be a good choice, as I already have a 88 keybed. But more I know about the Key 37, the more I like it. Do you think I can connect the MODX to the MPC and play the sounds of the MPC on my MODX and vice versa? A pity that the MPC Key 37 does not have a built-in battery and speakers like the MPC Live 2 has, but even without that the Key 37 is very portable, which really brings my attention.
If you’re okay recording audio or using live audio channels on the MPC you could probably make that combo work!
I have a MODX and a MPC ONE+ but I am too old to figure out how to work them together. I thought it would be simple but not for me. I come up with sequences on mpc and just play along with it on yamaha. Good luck
It's amazing how these things are so powerful still don't have simple arrangers. The humble R20 by zoom has a killer super simple clip-based arranger on a touch screen and the whole machine costs 300 dollars!
Fair call out! Would be cool to see a real arranger on here for folks who want it!
Nice review Dylan. Quick question how sturdy is the stand you have the Mpc key 37 on? Can you actually hit the pads and keys and program a beat without having the unit slip off.
It’s pretty solid! If you tilt it too much it would slide, but I’ve used two of these quik lok stands for tons of gear for years. I think one of them might be getting a tiny bit loose but it’s been at least 4 years now I think. I have an affiliate link in the description but there may be better deals on other sites!
Ok thanks Dylan def saw the link here. Gonna make the purchase. Keep bringing that good content!
kayla (my 2 yo daughter) was feeling the beat at the end haha. great vid dude
Heck yeah! Shouts out to Kayla!
Hello thanks for the review, how are the instruments plugins (Fabric, the Juno vst, etc), are they good, do they compete well with the best DAW vsts?
I think Jura, OPx4, and Fabric XL to a degree are all good for standalone plugins. Compared to desktop DAW VSTs they feel a little budget level? A little worse. But the thing to keep in mind is these are targeting dramatically lower specs than most DAWs these days, and if you combine some of the free effects that come with MPC, or some of the paid ones, they can sound nice! But I’d recommend having realistic expectations for the sound quality given the difference in hardware power. They’re still good enough to make good things with though
@@DylanParisMusic ok thanks for the answer ;)
Just came across this as a possible live instrument for me. Can we load VST's (Pianoteq/Hammond B3x) into it too, and layer multiple instruments?
It can only load specific Akai / AIR plugins designed for the standalone MPCs
From what I understand "AKAI" is "RED" in Japanese... Good video man - I have the Red MPK-249
I LOVE the red! I will be demoing it on my channel shortly with the software.
Super cool!
Not a fan of the red to be honest, I'd rather have it in another colour.
Hey, I just received my one a week ago, and I just figured out how to find sounds, lol . I tell ya I am impressed but still can not figure out how to get the free download to .
@dylanParis Thanks for your video, what kind of stand is you key 37 on?
@DylanParisMusic
affiliate link in description! Gear stands: amzn.to/3ah26tv
REALLY tempted by this. The price is a bargain for an MPC with synth, sampler and sequencer with some free plugins. It’s not yet listed as a controller on Ableton Live, but integration with that would be perfect.
Yeah good call out! I did notice that the Ableton control stuff seems missing, not sure what’s going on there. I haven’t messed with connecting Ableton with the Force or MPCs very much, but it would add even more utility to it. I generally just build songs as far as I can on device and then export my stems into Ableton after
The Japanese word “akai” is an adjective meaning “red.” Is the main reason they make some of their machines red. May be a little much to make them all red but it looks good on the 37. VERY GOOD REVIEW. Thank you!
Oooh that’s cool! I didn’t know that thanks for sharing!
It's funny you said you wish this was available when you were 15 because I had the same thought when it launched. Only difference being that that's 30 years ago for me. 🙈😂 Today I'm less sure if it's the perfect solution though. I feel that the effects, while numerous, leave something to be desired compared to Ableton (or Reason) effects, especially the reverbs feel rather lackluster on the MPC. And personally, I value portability more than keys because I've found that playing the pads works quite nicely in most cases and makes me less likely to always play in C minor. So today, I would still have picked the MPC Live 2 over the Keys 37 - but I'd probably lean towards picking the Push 3 over either of them thanks to that seamless transition between creating in standalone and producing in the DAW with top-notch effects from start to finish. I liked your jam in the end by the way, nice one!
Word! Yeah the push 3 existing at the same time would have made things tricky but high school me would never have been able to afford that (probably not this one either though hahahaah)
I’ve always wanted Akai to make this machine and thought it would never happen. I ended up with the MPC Live 2 in 2022 for the speaker and portability, but now I have a dilemma, do I add the MPC Key 37 for an at-home option? Or sell the Live 2 for added savings? I don’t really take my Live 2 anywhere but my bed or couch, but I guess the fact that I could take it for collaborative purposes is ideal. Idk if I should ditch it for the MPC of my dreams, or keep it for ego 🤣
Aw man good question! I’d say try one out if you can, I’ve definitely gotten rid of older mpcs for different form factors in the past and didn’t usually regret it but you could end up missing the portability option if you sell the Live 2
What software is already loaded on this machine and ready to go right out of the box?
nice video! I want to buy my first mpc but a lot of options, also the information of the plug ins that the devices come with are very vague in the AKAI webpage, because as far as I know the mpc 61 come with more plug ins that the mpc 37 so maybe if someone can make a video or explanation of the software that come each gear and what they do will be great.
Good call out! The 61 comes with a lot of them, the 37 comes with a voucher for one premium one, and includes the free ones that work on all the mpcs like Tubesynth, Bass Synth, Drum Synth, Electric, and Hype
I don't mind the missing SSD bay, but I wish it had XLR and 2 more GB of ram. Looks like I'm waiting for the MPC Key 37+ Special Edition in Retro colorway 😅
Someone should make a travel/performance case that includes a battery, SSD, and USB Hub
Fair! I don’t feel the ram difference in regular use so far, but it is weird they keep making new mpcs with just 2 gigs
Lol this is exactly what I’m holding out for. Next edition, more ram, Retro color way.
Dumb question but what stand are you using. I need a stand but not sure whoxh one, and is there a way to lock the keys to the stand as some have screws so not sure if you screwed to the bottom of rhe 37
This is a Quik Lok laptop stand, I made a video about it last week and there's a link in the description of this video I think. You can't screw into it though as it is metal, and i'm also not sure you should screw into the MPC itself, but a velcro solution might work?
@@DylanParisMusic thanks matey, do you still use the keys 37 or did you sell it?
Hi do the pads have the option to do "full level" to keep the sound the loudest?
I’m nearly 100 percent sure they do
Native Instruments better have a answer to this. Looks great especially for the price. It’s gonna be hard for me to leave Maschine the work flow is so fast.
I dream of an NI Kontrol Maschine hybrid with enough power to run all of Komplete in standalone
@@DylanParisMusic Yes Exactly!
I LOVE RED!
This is a departure for you. Rock on.
Thank you! 🙏😎
Grandiose ... 9:28
hahaha that works
So Zzounds just sent it to you to test out per request, how? 🤔 I’d like to try before buying (if possible), since it’s not on display at the music stores around me. Good review btw…I love its form factor. I have the 37-key MPK mini plus 🎹! 🙂
I have a working relationship with zZounds as an affiliate. They reached out to me after I’d been doing weekly videos for a few years and had a decent amount of channel views and subscribers
@@DylanParisMusic Ohhhh ok, gotcha. 👍🏾
I would still like speaker behind the keys like the Microkorg. It's portable in size but not in features. At moment live 2 using keyboard seem better option for me as this is more portable solution🙏
Super fair! Live 2 is still a really solid option and definitely the most portable
Does this device work good as a controller keyboard with Logic?
It’s probably overkill for logic, I don’t know if the controls can do transport stuff or not, you can load the software as a plugin I think but i wouldn’t recommend this just for daw control
I have the key 61. The ram is big for me when it comes to processing fabric xl and opx plugins. Also to not have the option to install ssd hard drive is unfortunate unfortunate because ssd drives are much faster than flash drives and getting cheaper.
Fair! I didn’t hit too many walls compared to the 61 but I haven’t tried to hit walls I just make stuff the way I usually do
The red is growing on me 😂
100 percent, I went from not a fan to really loving it pretty quick
@@DylanParisMusic Does it come with stems, or do you have to purchase it?
@joelgonsalves4943 I don’t think it comes with stems, and stems also isn’t available on standalone yet I think
What stand is the keyboard on ??
Gear stand is a quik lok laptop stand, affiliate link in the description!
The red reference the akai max 49 & 25.
That’s cool!
Really strange with the 2 GB RAM, either they restrain the whole product palette or there will be perceptible differences, that could fall on their feet in the idea of „thanks for spending 900$ 4 years ago, we can‘t proceed with this device with new developments, please buy the new one for 800“
Yeah I have a feeling that someday they’re gonna have to do a full generational break but that really comes down to if they decide to make standalone plugins that don’t work on these ones
I don't mind this color either
Can you use the Mpc key 37 with a Mpc studio?
I’m not sure! I’ve never tried to use multiple mpcs connected to a single pc, if that works I could see the studio and this working at the same time, might be overkill though
@@DylanParisMusic👍🏽
Would i have to use a whole nother daw?
I export all my stuff as audio stems and finish songs in Ableton but you can use the MPC daw as well if you prefer
Man, I really want to like this, but I just worry if I got it that I'd end up being underwhelmed. I got the MPC One and was so hyped about it at first, but it didn't quite work out for me.
I keep hoping for a key/synth standalone that actually fits what I'd need. All of my music is made from keys/synths 🤔🤔🤔 Hmm. Something to consider. I appreciate your thoughts on the matter.
The first MPC I had I didn’t click with, sold it and got another a year later. Even that one I ended up selling and eventually got a Live 2. It did end up clicking, but all of that is to say it’s a pretty dense workflow at first. Honestly if you’ve got other gear that’s working for you, I’d focus on that. There’s always an excuse we look for to buy gear but if it’s not the right fit that’s totally okay too!
@@DylanParisMusic You know, I actually had a similar process with the Prophet 08. Got one, sold it, got it again. My second one clicked with me and it's my favorite synth honestly.
You're totally right about using what I've got, man. I did a good job putting a stop to my GAS for the last 8 months or so of 2023 and got a lot more done. I got tempted with Push 3, then buckled down and starting gettin the most out of my Push 2 and home studio. Words of wisdom for real haha.
I want one so bad...but I already max out my MPC Live 2 per song. This makes me shy away hard from the MPC Key 37. The lack of RAM is insane let alone the inability to install a SSD in it like the MPC Live 2 is downright insane. Especially since I paid the same for a Live 2 NEW that this costs and I hoped to replace my Live 2 with this. The color...is atrocious. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see some skins coming out for it soon. I'll probably wait for these to pop on the used market (probably for considerably less, thinking MPC One standard level costs) to buy one as it'll end up being an add-on to my setup, instead of replacing my MPC Live 2 or my Roland MV-8000 and CME UF5 Midi controller.
You might dig the 61 more in this case? But it also sounds like as a power user you may need more than any MPC can offer right now
@DylanParisMusic yeah debated that, but the price and size. Currently I'm using an MPC Live 2 alongside an MV8000 to power my 40 hardware synths and modular. We will see! I still might downgrade. I wanted to get rid of my MV8k because of it's age, but the sequencer is far better imo, and allows for more patterns in a song. That's why I usually lose ram due to long patterns to compensate.
Does anyone have info on samples and projects bit depth etc? I mean is it 16 bit\44.1 hz like others or is it full blown 24\96? Even Akai's web site is silent
I think it’s like the others but not sure
@@DylanParisMusic yup.. nobody is sure and it's weird, i mean why hide it?
You really don't need anything above 48K 24bit for a device like this to be honest, but I presume this will be 44.1 like other MPC's.
@@billB101 yup, 96 is just a quality seal on a box, so to speak. 48 is a studio standart. I mean serious studio (not a bunch of guys with Ableton laptops calling themselves a record label)). And 44.1 is a...let's say it's a home production level, good for DAW production. And 16 bit is a no go at all. But still we can only guess.
@@djkanyon16 bit is fine for sampling to be honest. Not sure why you'd say it was a no go. 96K is overkill, you don't need it for a device like this.
About the colour thing... It's an AKAI thing... 😉
The Japanese word of “akai” is an adjective meaning “red.”
Learned this in the comments of the vid! Super neat
196 gb ram 2Tb storage with expansion options
IMO would look better in blue or black
I hope they do more colors for sure!
Roland my-1
Would be nice if it could fit under a desk
Yeah the shape might be rough for that depending on the tray under a desk
Yoo can you play 16levels on the keys sir???? Like samples?
This is an interesting question! I’ve never tried this with the 61 or the 37
@@DylanParisMusic I found out about key groups lol🤔 interesting I never new about this I'm not a keyboard type. I almost sent it back until I got word on that it was a pain trying it watching videos I was in a rush. but I got it somewhat so far it's cool. Cool enough to ditch my live🤣 thanks for the reply fam
DOPE BEAT if u add some 808s to that it would be a "EASTCOAST" Banger!!🔥🔥
Thank you 🙏😎
Am I the only one who feels like Akai is 3 years behind lol if this came out back in 2020 I would be all over it! Especially if it had a retro colour way… not a fan of the stop sign red 😬it clashes with the UI colour which is so clunky looking already and dull imo lol if they did a complete ui overhaul and made the workflow more fluid i would defiantly be interested in an mpc like this for sure. I’ll stick with my iPad for now and wait to see what AKAI does in the future. Im hoping for an MPC Live 3 🙏
Not a fan of the red either but, as a maschine head since 2012… My live 2 (especially now after plug ins and updates) makes maschine obsolete to me. Sold my plus recently because ni is a dying company and abandoned their plus (their flagship product 😂) Akai is not behind bro, but I hate the red color as well.
I talk about it a bit too but yeah it’s interesting how long they’ve kept the same specs and ui / software, mostly just adding plugins. I think there’s pros and cons but i definitely get where you’re coming from on this!
Yeah my only concern is that people think it's a workstation keyboard when a workstation has a 16 track sequencer and the mpc keyboard 37 has only a 8track sequencer I'm just saying
I would say with key groups though pretty sure you can have way more than 8 tracks. The 8 plugin tracks limit is a bummer but key groups and autosampling open up a lot of possibilities
@@DylanParisMusic Agreed. I use a Key 61 as my main stage keyboard for my agency band, which means a lot of sounds in an effort to match/approximate the record. A few core sounds on plugins, and a LOT of keygroups, especially for synth sounds. For a lot of those keygroups, I use single-cycle waveforms for the samples, which are shared across the keygroups and thus take up almost no RAM; I can have essentially as many synth sounds as I want on a project, and of course if I wanted to sequence stuff on them I could.
you can show me te looper function ?
I haven’t ever really messed with it so I might not be the best person to show it off
Think this is a pretty and cool device but I don’t see the value in it without it being battery operated. A mpc live with a small keyboard is a better setup. They should’ve charged another 150 and added a battery power supply. Otherwise, I would’ve definitely gotten this.
A battery would be cool! If they find a way to make a smaller version that has a battery and fits in a backpack, they’d sell millions
@DylanParisMusic yeah that would be epic! I think that could actually draw younger kids away from FL studio into mpc if it's packaged and priced right also.
Black is boring. But the retro color way would be dope
I want them to do a retro for every MPC they make honestly
The se color scheme is what I was hoping for when I saw the leaks. I was hoping this wasn’t the only option.
But then Akai means red in Japanese. But a tech gray or blue would be cool.
I didn’t know that before people commented on this video somehow! That’s pretty cool
You got this for free? I think if I got one for free I would not be negative about it.
It’s a super fair thing to point out! And it’s why I always make sure to say if something was free cause of course that may change how I experience it!
@@DylanParisMusic True however it is a CZcams rules requirement to make any paid or free promotional content known.
@HOLLASOUNDS that’s also true but this was not a paid promotion this is just free gear I can borrow. ZZounds doesn’t ask me to shout them out and doesn’t ask for any specific videos to be made. When sponsors pay for a video or a manufacturer sends me gear directly in exchange for specific videos I definitely make sure to note that too
@@DylanParisMusic Getting free gear is classed same as paid promotion in CZcams guidlines, but a well made video anyway.
@HOLLASOUNDS interesting! And thank you! I always thought paid promotion for gear was if a company sent you gear explicitly to make specific videos with it. ZZounds sends me stuff either way whether I make videos or not and doesn’t care if I shout them out or not
This mpc is tough regardless of the ones bitching about speakers like shut up like they can do better. Make good music 🤷🏾♂️
Yeah this one feels like the right trade offs for the price for me, if it’s not for others that’s totally fair too but I think it’s a good option
2GB of memory tho🤦🏾♂️😔🤔🤨😩🤷🏾♂️
Agreed! It’s weird right? It definitely seems like enough when you’re using it but on paper it’s crazy low for 2024
@DylanParisMusic It certainly doesn't seem like enough when you start loading multiple instances of plugins, like Fabric XL, or keygroups with a lot of samples.
@@coldskoolbeatzdo you actually own one and did you encounter problems or are you assuming
nah, I don't own an MPC Key 37. I only own an MPC One and a Live 2.🤷🏾♂But don't take my word for it.@@thelevelbeyondhuman
@@coldskoolbeatz fair enough it’s just that I’ve watched multiple people now who apparently both a Key 37 and an MPC one as well as other MPCs say their devices with 2gb of RAM has never been an issue and they’ve never maxed it out
If the Key 61 was red I would have brought it, I went to the music store and saw the Key61 and I was like, is this the thing they all talking, looks so ordinary, not even silver or chrome or red, even white; I was like no. then looked at the price and everything I didnt buy any Mpc till the MPC One plus came, only wish they have a mic preamp and longer ways to record audio beyond the 5mintes limits, if I knew you cant record more than a few mintes of Audio I would never bought any of these outdated modern groove box sampler.
I dont get to play with my Mpc One Plus enough because of the lack of immediate keys not there.
But this 37 keys I would have bought, but 37 keys too few for RnB ballads, Pop etc I just need keys at least 49 keys or something with a foldable keys with battery and built in speakers.
That is what I really want, any company ready to make a game changer?
I feel like they gotta make a middle option for the keys someday, a white one would be siiiick
Memory is not enough on standalone if you are an actual keyboard player, that sucks
What limitations are you hitting as a keyboardist with the ram?
I hate that companies like Akai have this gradient to their different product, like here, the key 37 is limited compared to the 61 even though it’s newer… you want this or this feature… your going to have to shell out a bit more cash. I wish every company went all out with every piece of gear because atm the market is moving very slow and innovation is no where to be seen.(imo)
I would love new gear to be excited about but every NAMM it’s miss after miss.
Yeah I was wondering if they’d go in that direction too but it seems like they’re focused on building a lot of different SKUs for different types of producers and not making one single new device that makes their other ones outdated. I think the Push 3 standalone is what would happen if a company goes all in on power and it’s pretty rad! But there’s a lot to like at this price with the key 37 imo too
@@DylanParisMusic Key 37 is just so close to what i hope they would release... i dont see akai doing it... Imagine a Mpk mini plus + a mpc 500, with a discreet carry bag allowing you to really be mobile with it... at the same time it would be too big, too noticeable. Op-1 field is the perfect form factor but so limited and 3300$CAD for something your supposed to carry on the field?? not in the urban field; thats antithetical ... HUGH... The closest i've got is Korg microkey air 25 bluetooth midi keyboard with my iphone, ive been rolling with that for a couple years.
@@DylanParisMusic Or why not just put bluetooth midi and batteries in the mpk mini plus?? Such a miss, there is really a hole for that in the controller market.
Lets be honest here, this comes only with 2GB of RAM, no SSD, you can download only one proper plugin for the rest you have to pay, if you want to have this one to be fully loaded with instruments this would be a lot of money, probably more than just buying Akai Key 61 - which is full of sounds out of the box. There is only a few people who noticed this and mentioned on CZcams, but most review skip this info so much. Did they paid you for the review ?
I spend like 3 minutes talking about the plugins and how I recommend buying them on sale
Did you watch dude? Right at the start he said he bought it lol
@@DylanParisMusic Exactly, buy them on sale (sounds plugins) and the finally on the end the key 37 will cost the same as key 61, or even more. Then people will end up with lower specs keyboard than key 61, I think this is a dirty move from akai, which should be mentioned in ever review. Just do quick calculations how much the key 37 will cost you on the end, compared with key 61, out from the box 🫡
@@MyNameJeff.. Exactly, buy them on sale (sounds plugins) and finally on the end the key 37 will cost the same as key 61, or even more. Then people will end up with lower specs keyboard than key 61, I think this is a dirty move from akai, which should be mentioned in ever review. Just do quick calculations how much the key 37 will cost you on the end, compared with key 61, with all the sounds 61 has out from the box 🫡 Read carefully, you didn’t get the point.
@@DylanParisMusicGreat video and really nice track at the end Dylan…Only thing is as the commenter said you can only have one plug in at a time, so bummer if you’re using it as a stand alone..MPC 61bmakes way more sense if one can afford it..Also I saw a guy at the Newkirk Plaza train station in Brooklyn that looked exactly like you yesterday, lol
Bla bla bla... word word word... No sound, no music. Bad content
My bad
Jajajajajajajaaa...jajajaja...muy bien por Akai..Como vamos evolucionando...Muy buen mini teclado Whorkstation musical y mas en mis manos en mentes geniales y grandiosas para el Disc Show Man..Un 4 Octavas con todas las caracteristicas que el 61 teclas seria genial para mi y mi Configuracion Midi especial a la hora de todo,componer e interpretar...Bien animo y vayamos todos con alegrias y felicidades...