MPC Key 61: New FCC Filing From Akai

Certified Beatz wrote:Yes he would destroy just about anyone who are not a trained pianist... but I hope this isn't the direction they are going for because again we all live the sequencer and sampling..

He might beat me with his top 100 chart crap, but I'd sleep way good that night knowing I don't look like the ultimate "bro" douchebag like he does. Bet I could knock his ass out with one punch too.

Can anyone with knowledge of economics tell me if I pay $1899 for an MPC 61 Key on June 23rd, how much would the actual cost of the MPC be factoring in 40-year high inflation under Biden’s economy? I’m wondering if it would be cheaper to buy an MPC now, and if $1899 is a good price considering the high inflation? It seems like a good price for a keyboard workstation compared to some grocery store purchases that have shot up in price. One of my friends was telling me buying a keyboard workstation is a bad idea. He said, and I quote, “don’t buy it. Things are tough out there” lol. However, I’m thinking if I don’t invest in a tangible asset (and not sure if an MPC meets this definition), I’d probably waste the same amount of money in a couple of months filling up my car with gas. Or maybe due to inflation, it’s more expensive to buy an MPC now than it is to wait until inflation improves? I was having a conversation with this friend today. We were having the classic Hardware be ITB debate. He was trying to convince me not to buy an MPC 61 Key and why it’s a bad idea to buy hardware and a better idea and cheaper to produce 100% in the DAW

TonyO. wrote:Can we all take a moment to appreciate how gorgeous the MPC Key 61 design looks? I love the color scheme, and the uncluttered front panel (I could care less about having 16 Q-links, large pads, and all the extra features). I'm just using the MPC for the keys and sampling, so I prefer simplicity and having an uncluttered front panel. The MPC Key 61 design looks like a ferari to me I really like the design a lot!!!!! I get it features are important and people hear are complaining about lack of features, but it is arguably equally important for a musician to like the way the gear looks and feels, and to be inspired by the gear a musician will sit in front of and use day in and day out. I think Akai nailed the design aesthetic (atleast for my taste)

Can we also take a moment to appreciate how smart it is on Akai's part to have Scott Storch beta testing/ advertising this keyboard? I mean could they have gotten a more credentialed hip-hop superproducer/keyboardist on the planet than Scott Storch to advertise this thing? Look how cool Scott Storch looks in the new leaked photo: he has on cool shades, he's wearing some cool bling bling, and there are two coke cans dangerously close to tipping over and spilling on the MPC but he doesn't give a F$*k because there is no question him and his buddy in the photo busy in that moment making a chart-topping grammy hit, which Scott probably composed within 15 minutes of turning on the MPC Keyboard I also like how there is a TV remote control in the photo. I'm not kidding, I watch television 99 percent of the time while I'm making beats. This leaked MPC Key 61 Key advertisement it speaks to me. This MPC Key 61 leaked photo is not really a photo. it is Art. Let's face it, THIS IS THE FIRST MPC KEYBOARD!!!! A FUTURE CLASSIC!!!!! We're not talking about an MPK controller or one of Akai's other products, This is an MPC for god's sake!!! Anyone here ever see that movie Hustle and Flow with Terrance Howard. Terrance Howard's character is a pimp who wants to get into hip hop music. Then his friend, a character played by DJ Qualls, comes over and pulls out an MPC 2000 and a Midi controller. Next thing you know they're making the most incredible hip hop music in a run down studio while living next door to DJ Paul of ThreeSix Mafia. An MPC is all one needs to make Hip Hop I'm excited about the potential of great music that will be produced on this new MPC workstation.

BTW, if there are any producers on this forum who are questioning Akai's choice of picking Scott Storch to demo this keyboard, guaranteed if any producer on this forum (or anywhere on this planet for that matter) gets into a 1-on-1 beat battle with Scott Storch, within 30 seconds of Scott turning on his keyboard, guaranteed Scott Storch destroys anyone's beat portfolio within 30 seconds of turning on his keyboard. This is what Scott is known for, and why he's still relevant today. Any studio Scott goes to, he immediately fires up his keyboard and comes up with the most incredible original composition within minutes. I can't think of a more solid and proven hip hop producer than Scott Storch. Just saying. Just paying flowers to one of the greats while waiting for this MPC Key to be released I can't understand why people are complaining about features and comparing this release to previous Akai releases. This is something new. The MPC 61 Key will be a future classic. I haven't been this excited about a piece of audio gear in a long time. It is an Instant buy for me Let's go Akai MPC Key Gang! ProTools Gang also in the building Peace out.

I dig it. Can't wait to see what you cook up with it too. I follow you on the Tube.

Quickstrike2.0 wrote:

TonyO. wrote:Can we all take a moment to appreciate how gorgeous the MPC Key 61 design looks? I love the color scheme, and the uncluttered front panel (I could care less about having 16 Q-links, large pads, and all the extra features). I'm just using the MPC for the keys and sampling, so I prefer simplicity and having an uncluttered front panel. The MPC Key 61 design looks like a ferari to me I really like the design a lot!!!!! I get it features are important and people hear are complaining about lack of features, but it is arguably equally important for a musician to like the way the gear looks and feels, and to be inspired by the gear a musician will sit in front of and use day in and day out. I think Akai nailed the design aesthetic (atleast for my taste)

Can we also take a moment to appreciate how smart it is on Akai's part to have Scott Storch beta testing/ advertising this keyboard? I mean could they have gotten a more credentialed hip-hop superproducer/keyboardist on the planet than Scott Storch to advertise this thing? Look how cool Scott Storch looks in the new leaked photo: he has on cool shades, he's wearing some cool bling bling, and there are two coke cans dangerously close to tipping over and spilling on the MPC but he doesn't give a F$*k because there is no question him and his buddy in the photo busy in that moment making a chart-topping grammy hit, which Scott probably composed within 15 minutes of turning on the MPC Keyboard I also like how there is a TV remote control in the photo. I'm not kidding, I watch television 99 percent of the time while I'm making beats. This leaked MPC Key 61 Key advertisement it speaks to me. This MPC Key 61 leaked photo is not really a photo. it is Art. Let's face it, THIS IS THE FIRST MPC KEYBOARD!!!! A FUTURE CLASSIC!!!!! We're not talking about an MPK controller or one of Akai's other products, This is an MPC for god's sake!!! Anyone here ever see that movie Hustle and Flow with Terrance Howard. Terrance Howard's character is a pimp who wants to get into hip hop music. Then his friend, a character played by DJ Qualls, comes over and pulls out an MPC 2000 and a Midi controller. Next thing you know they're making the most incredible hip hop music in a run down studio while living next door to DJ Paul of ThreeSix Mafia. An MPC is all one needs to make Hip Hop I'm excited about the potential of great music that will be produced on this new MPC workstation.

BTW, if there are any producers on this forum who are questioning Akai's choice of picking Scott Storch to demo this keyboard, guaranteed if any producer on this forum (or anywhere on this planet for that matter) gets into a 1-on-1 beat battle with Scott Storch, within 30 seconds of Scott turning on his keyboard, guaranteed Scott Storch destroys anyone's beat portfolio within 30 seconds of turning on his keyboard. This is what Scott is known for, and why he's still relevant today. Any studio Scott goes to, he immediately fires up his keyboard and comes up with the most incredible original composition within minutes. I can't think of a more solid and proven hip hop producer than Scott Storch. Just saying. Just paying flowers to one of the greats while waiting for this MPC Key to be released I can't understand why people are complaining about features and comparing this release to previous Akai releases. This is something new. The MPC 61 Key will be a future classic. I haven't been this excited about a piece of audio gear in a long time. It is an Instant buy for me Let's go Akai MPC Key Gang! ProTools Gang also in the building Peace out.

I dig it. Can't wait to see what you cook up with it too. I follow you on the Tube.

*message*

TonyO. wrote:Can anyone with knowledge of economics tell me if I pay $1899 for an MPC 61 Key on June 23rd, how much would the actual cost of the MPC be factoring in 40-year high inflation under Biden’s economy? I’m wondering if it would be cheaper to buy an MPC now, and if $1899 is a good price considering the high inflation? It seems like a good price for a keyboard workstation compared to some grocery store purchases that have shot up in price. One of my friends was telling me buying a keyboard workstation is a bad idea. He said, and I quote, “don’t buy it. Things are tough out there” lol. However, I’m thinking if I don’t invest in a tangible asset (and not sure if an MPC meets this definition), I’d probably waste the same amount of money in a couple of months filling up my car with gas. Or maybe due to inflation, it’s more expensive to buy an MPC now than it is to wait until inflation improves? I was having a conversation with this friend today. We were having the classic Hardware be ITB debate. He was trying to convince me not to buy an MPC 61 Key and why it’s a bad idea to buy hardware and a better idea and cheaper to produce 100% in the DAW

Price for new hardware hasn't gone up too much yet due to demand probably cooling off on supply since people start to struggle buying food, gas etc. But once that supply is gone, prices for chips, plastic (oil), manufacturing, etc will have taken off so much compared to what made an MPC cost say $1899 that we'll see a price hike to reflect actual cost. $2000 product with a 10% per year inflation means next year you can expect it to be $2200 (to simplify). True to everything else as well.

So if you have the money and know you'll spend a lot of time on that MPC and maybe less time cruising on weekends paying hotels, gas and restaurants in the months/years coming, I'd say it's a sound investment. Inflation means evryone's purchasing power is getting chopped off of x% each year for x many years, so if you like it maybe it is a good time to get something you may not be able to afford in the future. Plus I think standalone hardware is more future proof than DAWs on a PC/Mac.

I knew inflation was gonna be bad in the coming years since 2020 as the lockdows broke the very fragile supply and demand chain (without going into too much detail), so I started to get all I need for music and everything else before the purchasing power starts going down the drain. And this is only the begining, I'd say we'll be lucky if inflation rates go back behind central banks rates before the end of the decade, which is the definition of going out of recession, meaning stopping getting poorer and starting to grow again.

Best advice I can give, buy everything you need for your life while you can and if you still have extra cash, drop it into gold and/or real estate. No loans.
Then watch the world becoming something else.

Well I couldn't hold off any longer waiting for this keys version to surface,so Ive pulled the trigger on the MPC one Retro edition, after having the X for a brief period I thought settling for the One would be a compromise.....but also didn't want to part with my Beloved 4000 in favour of the X having a negative impression with the Xs I had so having the One means i can keep my Old 4K as well

This thing maybe small and compact but boy is this a beast for its size,enrtry level price for sure but not entry level in features,I've been having a blast on this Retro model its bloody fantastic,means I also have a compact MPC to take with me when I'm travelling(shame it doesn't have the Live Battery)but small enough to fit into a laptop bag ,so i can take it with me on vacations etc

In all honesty i think i prefer the One button layout as it mirrors more of the MPC4K layout that I'm used to, pads are smaller than i'm used to but still usable,I thought I'd miss the 16q links but not been an issue,I have 3 Novation Remote Zero SL MK2s so have been able to use those to gain extra controls which has been brilliant and also doubled up with a couple of Nektar Pacer foot pedal boards, the functions you can access on this MPC one from external Midi controllers is awesome.

I've not updated the OS as of yet(came loaded with 2.9.1)as the X models i had were 2.10 and I had several freezes and bug issues with them so I will wait for this 2.11 to come out before i update my Retro model as its been absolutely solid so far with no issues, the only thing I'm missing with 2.10 is the ability to use the USB audio from my Behringer X32 Rack direct into the unit for sampling I'm currently just using an output into the MPC inputs which has been fine but will allow me to remove a further couple of audio cables once Ive updated to 2.11,I will bypass the 2.10 for the time being as it only a couple of weeks till they release the new OS anyway

Having the ability to do multitrack midi recording via all my usb capable synths has been fantastic i like to improvise a lot and in the past just had to do this direct to audio but having the ability to record all the midi data in one pass as well now has been a game changer means I can repeat my live improvised playing again and again without having to try and transcribe it by ear from my direct audio tracks

the only negative thing i can think of at the moment which i miss on the One is a numeric Keypad,I know you can input values via the screen but I prefer a numeric keypad for simplicity, (might look at plugging in a dedicated Numeric qwerty keyboard in the USB hub I use to get round it)other than that its been a far more positive experience than my first one with the X models I do also miss the Tilting screen option but Ive angled my One slightly t get round having to lean directly over it I will get an X model later on down the line though as i do like having a traditional MPC around and would prefer the larger tilting screen,Had this one retro model for a week so far and haven't switched on my Old 4k since and thats unusual because I've used it everyday for the past 20 years feel a little like I'm cheating on my Trusty old 4K

For the fraction of the Cost of the X though you can't go wrong with the MPC One,I dont miss a Hard drive anyway....I've been using USB pen drives for years with the MPC4K and just got myself an 128gb SD card for the One.

I really appreciate Akai’s decision making in choosing Scott Storch to be brand ambassador for the upcoming MPC Key 61. Whenever Scott Storch effortlessly composes a beat on his keyboard in less than 15 minutes, it’s like the beat instantaneously goes into a quantum superposition whereby it simultaneously already exists both in within his keyboard and immediately at the top of the 100 Billboard Chart. There’s like there’s a zero lag time formula between the time it takes for Scott Storch to effortlessly compose a beat on his keyboard and for that same beat start generating multiple revenue streams and industry accolades. Scott has been the undisputed goat since the 90s. The guy’s credibility and longevity with regards to making hip hop music is unparalleled.

The ol' Storched Earth maneuver.

TonyO. wrote:Can anyone with knowledge of economics tell me if I pay $1899 for an MPC 61 Key on June 23rd, how much would the actual cost of the MPC be factoring in 40-year high inflation under Biden’s economy?

I mean, I realize Biden is POTUS currently, but it's not like he's responsible for the current state of the US economy - this is actually a world issue. Between Russia's illegal war on Ukraine, and the world still battered from the supply chain issues inherent with the COVID pandemic fallout, the 40-year high inflation was inevitable, even if Trump had actually won a second term instead of unquestionably losing.

But, political blathering aside, electronics seem to average anywhere from 20% higher than normal right now all the way up to 40% higher, so it's anyone's guess on what a new product launch would look like had COVID not happened and Russia didn't start a major war.

I have a feeling this is off topic, but so are at least 30 pages of this thread so let me just remind some folks that music production gear is way more powerful and way cheaper than it used to be. Especially in US where the income to price ratio is one of the the most favourable on the planet.

handthrow wrote:let me just remind some folks that music production gear is way more powerful and way cheaper than it used to be..

You're not wrong! I'm reminded of this myself whenever I open any DAW, where we have creative tools at our disposal that literally would have cost millions and millions of dollars not even 30 years ago. It's insane.

handthrow wrote:I have a feeling this is off topic, but so are at least 30 pages of this thread so let me just remind some folks that music production gear is way more powerful and way cheaper than it used to be. Especially in US where the income to price ratio is one of the the most favourable on the planet.

100%, all goods are cheap today and that purchasing power doesn't reflect the real production of wealth in western countries, it's all been debt for 20 years. Inflation is only the result of that cracking down back to reality, and we're only at the beginning of it. Politics don't know how to deal with it because they never had to for decades. So now they'd rather sweep it under the rug and squeeze a few more years of power lying about the nature of what's been happening. Putin is only the tip of the iceberg and a really handy public excuse for all the bad choices made by governments previous years.

Are there even mods on this forum? Can this not veer into politics? Granted, politics are more tangible than the MPC Key 61, but you know what I mean.

The only takeaway I meant to come accross is that cost of music hardware is gonna increase regardless politics for those who wonder, I just had to provide some background explanation as to why that is to make sense. No politic inclination here, I don't even live in US. My bad for going off topic.