Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

Support and discussion for all of Akai’s modern standalone MPCs including the MPC X / X SE, MPC Live 1, 2 & 3, MPC One / One+, MPC Key 37/61.
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Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By Crumb$ Fri Apr 07, 2023 8:56 pm
Just wondering if anyone has any experience (and opinion) with either the MPK261, or the Arturia Keylab Essential series (I'm looking at the 61).

My only experience of either of them is the MPK mini and the Keylab mini which are obviously in a much lower league. Primarily I'm concerned with the quality of the keys, and the build quality overall. As a secondary concern I want basic control of my MPC Live, which is the centre of my setup. I feel like the MPK61 is designed with that in mind, but I don't know how good the keyboard is overall, and it's almost double the price.

Would appreciate anyones thoughts!

C

Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By mpc_fan_2022 Fri Apr 07, 2023 9:02 pm
I feel like the MPK61 is designed with that in mind,


It isn't, there is no privileged integration between the MPC Standalone and a MPK... there are templates for MPC Software on PC, but it is impossible to do the same thing on standalone without hacking the MPC... :!:

You might as well buy another brand with good keys...
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Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By Crumb$ Fri Apr 07, 2023 9:42 pm
mpc_fan_2022 wrote:
I feel like the MPK61 is designed with that in mind,


It isn't, there is no privileged integration between the MPC Standalone and a MPK... there are templates for MPC Software on PC, but it is impossible to do the same thing on standalone without hacking the MPC... :!:

You might as well buy another brand with good keys...


Thanks, I wondered if that would be the case.

Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By kday Tue Apr 18, 2023 8:26 am
I was looking at both of those controllers. The Arturia I found has all the features I like. The Chord button for both keys and Drum pads are exceptional and powerful, it was just what I needed. I heard the keys are pretty good also. But I ended up getting the MPK249 because I felt it would control the MPC software better so I went with that. Akai MPK has no chord button like the Arturia which sucks. Even the new Akai Mini Plus has a Chord button now, but then again this controller is old and the Plus is new. I sense the next version of the MPK controller will have a Chord button on it, but the MPK is pretty good, in not having to fiddle with templates every time you turn on the controller which could be an annoyance on none Akai keyboard controllers controlling MPC software. So I went with the MPK over Arturia because of an assumed better MPC software integration. But I believe Akai is due for the next generation MPK within a year or two after the release of their 3.0 software.
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Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By Crumb$ Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:29 pm
kday wrote:I was looking at both of those controllers. The Arturia I found has all the features I like. The Chord button for both keys and Drum pads are exceptional and powerful, it was just what I needed. I heard the keys are pretty good also. But I ended up getting the MPK249 because I felt it would control the MPC software better so I went with that. Akai MPK has no chord button like the Arturia which sucks. Even the new Akai Mini Plus has a Chord button now, but then again this controller is old and the Plus is new. I sense the next version of the MPK controller will have a Chord button on it, but the MPK is pretty good, in not having to fiddle with templates every time you turn on the controller which could be an annoyance on none Akai keyboard controllers controlling MPC software. So I went with the MPK over Arturia because of an assumed better MPC software integration. But I believe Akai is due for the next generation MPK within a year or two after the release of their 3.0 software.



Thanks for all the replies and advice. In the end I went for the Arturia keylab 61 mk2. It's a lovely keyboard for the price and I'm loving all the octaves, it's opened up my playing style and even the plugins (being able to play the full range).

Only complaint I have is that the pitch and mopd wheel are very small and not very grippy. I might have to make a modification to that at some point.

I don't use DAW's at all so I don't benefit from the transport controls on the keyboard and can't map them to the MPC. I actually can't map any of the buttons to the MPC's transport controls becuase you can only do that from the software and I updated my software past the point that my laptop will run. I'm over that though...

A big plus with the arturia is the included expansions. At the moment they're giving away the Juno6/Mellotron/OBx. I would swap all of those for the Stage 73 expansion which is the Rhodes piano emulator.

Anyway, thanks for the advice everyone!
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Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By Lampdog Sat Apr 22, 2023 3:20 pm
Crumb$ wrote:Only complaint I have is that the pitch and mopd wheel are very small and not very grippy. I might have to make a modification to that at some point.

Plasti-dip or coating on the edges maybe.
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Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By Crumb$ Sat Apr 22, 2023 5:12 pm
Lampdog wrote:
Crumb$ wrote:Only complaint I have is that the pitch and mopd wheel are very small and not very grippy. I might have to make a modification to that at some point.

Plasti-dip or coating on the edges maybe.


Yeah, I'll have a look at that. Anything rubbery would be good.

Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By HouseOfLatin Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:53 pm
Crumb$ wrote:.. Primarily I'm concerned with the quality of the keys, and the build quality overall. As a secondary concern I want basic control of my MPC Live, which is the centre of my setup.
C


The Keylab is an totally ok midi keyboard. The MK2 is prettier and a bit more sturdy. But as midi keyboard they are both fine.

One reason one could prefer these keyboards is the dials and faders, transport buttons. They work ok with Arturia synths and ok with Daws but nothing extraordinary. I end up using them control functions very seldom, it all sounds great in theory but there are so many exceptions to the workflow that the mouse ends up doing the regular tasks instead.

And with the MPC Live I at least have found it totally pointless to try to make it work in any practical way, other than the keys obviously, that any keyboard can do.

I would choose a super minimalist 61 or larger keyboard without any functions other than possibly Transport controls and that way save space for the extra keys.
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Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By Ultros Sun Apr 23, 2023 6:10 am
Save your money for synthesizers, beat machines, sound processors, sound interfaces. Those will be more important than an input device. Basic soundless midi controllers arent really worth spending miltiple hundreds on if you can buy a synthesizer for a similar price.

Re: Akai MPK61, or Arturia Keylab Essential 61?

By jaffa Fri Dec 15, 2023 4:34 pm
I think I’m at the stage where a controller can never have everything you want. Get a used hardware synth as others have mentioned. A used Hydrasynth is a couple of hundred more than a decent controller,but you get a great synth engine, fantastic real time playability with polyphonic aftertouch and a ribbon and midi control via the centre display, you can name all the knobs and buttons and presets have multiple banks. Pick up separate pads, faders and buttons if you want it with the Akai mpd 232
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