AKAI Professional MPK mini

Quickstart Guide

Box Contents

Support

For the latest information about this product, visit akaipro.com.

For additional product support, visit akaipro.com/support.

Setup

Registration and Software Download

AKAI Professional recommends registering your product to access free included software, tutorials, and additional support. Follow the link on the included Software Download Card and the instructions to register.

If users wish to customize their MPK mini's MIDI configuration, the MPK mini Editor is available as part of the MPK mini Software Manager download.

Setting up MPK mini with Your DAW

To select MPK mini as a controller for a digital audio workstation (DAW):

  1. Connect MPK mini to a computer using a standard USB cable. If connecting to a USB hub, ensure it is a powered hub.
  2. Open the DAW.
  3. Open the DAW's Preferences, Options, or Device Setup, select MPK mini as the hardware controller, and then close that window. The MPK mini is now able to communicate with the software.

Features

MPK mini Top Panel Diagram Description

The MPK mini features a compact design with a 25-note keyboard on the left. Above the keyboard are dedicated Octave Down/Up buttons, an Arpeggiator On/Off button, and a Tap Tempo button. The right side of the unit includes an X-Y Controller (thumbstick) at the top left, with a small Display below it. To the right of the display are eight assignable 360° knobs. Below these knobs are eight assignable backlit pads, with a Bank A/B button positioned directly underneath them. Further down, there are dedicated buttons for CC, Prog Change, Full Level, and Note Repeat. The bottom right corner features additional Assignable Knobs and a Prog Select button. The rear panel of the unit houses the USB Port and a Sustain Pedal Input.

  1. USB Port: Use a standard USB cable to connect this USB port to a USB port on a computer.
  2. Sustain Pedal Input: Connect an optional 1/4" TS sustain pedal (not included) to this input.
  3. Keyboard: This 25-note keyboard is velocity-sensitive and, in conjunction with the Octave Down / Up buttons, can control a ten-octave range.
  4. Display: This screen shows MPK mini's settings. The default screen shows the currently selected program and BPM.
  5. Octave Down / Up: Use these buttons to shift the keyboard's range up or down (up to four octaves in either direction). Press both Octave buttons simultaneously to reset the keyboard to the default center octave.
  6. Arpeggiator On/Off: Press this button to turn the arpeggiator on or off (pressing it during a latched arpeggio will stop the arpeggio). To enter new settings for the arpeggiator, hold down Arpeggiator On/Off while turning the corresponding knobs or while pressing the corresponding keys.
  7. Tap Tempo: Tap this button at the desired rate to determine MPK mini's tempo (for the arpeggiator and note repeat function). Note: This button is disabled if MPK mini's Sync setting is set to EXT (external).
  8. X-Y Controller: By default, moving this 4-axis thumbstick left and right will bend the keyboard's pitch, whereas moving it up and down will apply a mod wheel effect. As the thumbstick is moved, the Display will show the updated value (000-127) of the parameter being edited.
  9. Pads: The pads can be used to trigger drum hits or other samples in software. Each time a pad is pressed, the Display will show the velocity level of the press (000-127).
  10. Bank A/B: Press the Bank A/B button to switch MPK mini's pads between Pad Bank A (red) or Pad Bank B (green).
  11. CC: When this button is active, MPK mini's pads will send MIDI CC messages instead of MIDI Note On messages.
  12. Prog Change: When this button is active, MPK mini's pads will send MIDI Program Change messages instead of MIDI Note On messages.
  13. Full Level: Press this button to activate or deactivate Full Level Mode, in which the pads always play at a maximum velocity (127), no matter how hard or soft they are hit.
  14. Note Repeat: Press this button to activate or deactivate Note Repeat Mode. When Note Repeat is activated, pressing a pad will cause it to automatically retrigger at the current tempo and time division settings. To enter new settings for the note repeat function, hold down the Note Repeat button while turning the corresponding knobs or while pressing the corresponding keys.
  15. Assignable Knobs: Each 360° knob sends a MIDI CC message. The knobs can also be used to edit arpeggiator or note repeat settings (while the corresponding button is pressed and held).
  16. Prog Select: Hold down this button and press one of the pads to select the corresponding program number (1-8). A program is a group of settings stored as a file on the MPK mini. Programs can be created and then sent to MPK mini with the downloadable MPK mini Software Manager.

Technical Specifications

CategorySpecification
Note Keys25 velocity-sensitive keys; 10-octave range with octave up/down buttons
Pads8 assignable backlit pads, velocity- and pressure-sensitive; 2 banks
Knobs8 assignable 360° knobs
X-Y Controller1 configurable thumbstick with 3 modes
Inputs / Outputs1 USB port, 1 1/4" (6.35mm) TS input for sustain pedal
PowerUSB-bus-powered
Dimensions (width x depth x height)12.5" x 7.13" x 1.75" (31.8 cm x 18.1 cm x 4.4 cm)
Weight1.65 lbs. (0.75 kg)

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Trademarks and Licenses

Akai Professional is a trademark of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other product names, company names, trademarks, or trade names are those of their respective owners.


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