Cool video! I would like to see the MPC Key 61 used with a midi keyboard as a 2 tier rig. When I use mine that way notes are disabled whenever I play the same note(s) on both boards. This even happens when each board is on a separate track, each on separate channels and separate midi inputs.
- how to make layers and splits and how does it perform CPU wise - using samples from usb stick and sampling from audio source - how to do program and bank changes from external midi devices like iPad - use it as a controller for Mainstage - creating scenes or sound variations which you van switch using pads or other controls - creating arpeggios (like Dancing on the ceiling), triggering chords with one button/pad/key etc :-)
Just found you and subscribed as soon as I saw that you did worship and produced! I’m an Akai force user, Ableton and then use the Yamaha MODX for worship. Was considering replacing the Force AND the MODX for the MOC keys or for the Roland Fantom 0. Would love your perspective or thoughts I haven’t considered. Can’t wait to see more vids from you!
Thanks for the sub! I haven’t used the Fantom or Force, so I can’t really provide much for insight there, but if I were you (and you probably already have), I’d look at the features and functionality you currently use and deem critical to your music and make sure you’re not losing by moving in a different direction than the current equipment you have.
Glad to have found your Channel Douglas as my brother has recommended this Akai Workstation. I am interested in how it will perform with more classical piano compositions and so will follow your upcoming videos to learn from your own experiences. Thank you for giving us your knowledge.
Just bought mine last sunday, can't wait till it arrives, like you I've been waiting all my life for an easy to use all-in-one inspiration keyboard. I have a Roland JD-Xi for this purpose and it has served me well, I have a Yamaha montage too - but the workflow of making music on it is a drag to say the least and kills the mood totally, fantom has a 32 bar limit so that's a no go as well, and I'm hoping this one will be as inspiring as the JD-Xi was to me, so I will be following your tutorial videos for sure - PLEASE make them in a simple "step-by-step" way instead of just just "doing it on the keyboard", so many tutorials consists of a lot of jabbering while we miss the stuff people "pressed" on the menues, which menues, which knobs etc. Yeah I'm a little "thick" so I think you can win a lot on doing it properly ;)
Thank you! Yeah, workflow is such an important thing whether writing/recording music or playing live. I’ve used workstations in the past and it was always just clunky compared to recording in a computer. I spent a little time recording on the MPC Key 61 last night after making this video and lost track of time it was so fun! 😂 Thanks for the thoughts and I will definitely be putting out videos like you mentioned!
@@DSoundman Thanks for your feedback and time. I felt the same way when I spent some time with the Roland JD-Xi, because it was so simple and inutitive to make music straight away on it, I've never made music so fast on any device in my 35+ years with synthesizers, it's like most makers don't really and truly understand the value of simplicity and "joy" and want to make their devices as complex as possible somehow. The real-time nature of just going with the flow is so much different from sitting by a DAW and endlessly just editing and moving around notes and sound tracks/waveforms - it can't be compared to the "Flow" feel of real-time creation. The biggest issue with Real Time creation has always been synching or quantizing correctly, it either gets terrible or really good depending on both the human factor, skillset and the quality of the quantiziser in the synth / sequencer. I cannot wait to try this with the MPC key 61. It is my very first meet with the MPC environment, the synth should arrive tomorrow or next day.
Sweet! Excited for you! I spent half an hour today getting lost in recording a song…blown away with what I was able to produce in that amount of time. It’s so inspiring! So far I only have good things to say and feel about this keyboard!
@@DSoundman Great, you're making me even more hyped. Would you believe I can't sleep now? I've been up all night here in Sweden perusing forums, new youtube videos and whatnot about the Key 61. One thing that have me perplexed is the sheer amout of grit the Akai company have to deal with from MPC users, I've spent some hours in both their forums in reddit and their official forums and OH BOY are MPC (not Key 61 users) salty, there's like 90 percent of them complaining about what it should have been, lack of inputs, bugs that people have with their former Live, X model and whatnot and it's completely overshadowing the new launch. I've noticed that the reality reflects another truth and that is the fact that the Key 61 went from no 14. place since sunday and 2nd place for the most sold synths in just 3 days! That says something.
@@joonglegamer9898 So are you gonna pair the montage with the MPC to use the sounds and use the MPC more for sequencing workflow, sampling, drums, FX etc? Not trying to put you off but with your setup you would think an MPC X, Live 2 or One is what you need if you want to get into the MPC world and then just hook it up to the montage? I'll be interested to know what you think of it after a few days, particularly the instrument plugins
Hey man absolutely love your videos! I bought my yc88 in part because of the ones where you were using it! And now I’m thinking about getting an mpc key 61 as a secondary board to use at church or do smaller gigs. I’m wondering what’s been like for you at church and live performances. I’m between this and the bigger fantom 6. I think the fantom 6 is probably a better live keyboard but it definitely weighs a lot - like double the mpc. I’m also wondering how the Keybed has been for you. The keys are shorter I noticed. Has that gotten in the way of your playing?
maybe you could compare the sounds from stage ep, fabric, electric or hype, the piano vst that comes with mpc software and the new piano standalone, and why not compare it also to the nord, as someone said already. just to better see at what level the new sounds are.
Hi, could you make a full house from zero to hero? I want to buy the keyboard but I never played the piano of keyboard. Because this is an advanced keyboard I suppose that apart from learning to play it I will need to know a lot of sound management. and please start from the beginning with short nice videos with precise exercises and example but not too much talk. Your videos are great.
hmmmm, interesting keyboard but the non-seamless transition between sounds is a concern, for sure. I've been a long-time Kurzweil user and the transitions between sounds and set-ups are beautiful and instantaneous. Thanks for making this video.
Is it possible to organise sounds and recall them quickly for in a life situation? It would be nice if you can show us that. What I like about this keyboard is that it's easy to tweak sounds and that it's possible to sample other synthesizers and use those sounds as well.
I’m still playing around with how to best use this in a live situation and will be making a video on it at some point in the near future. So far it’s not as quick as something like the Nord Stage 3, but there are some ways to work around it that I’ll be explaining.
Haha! At this point, it's TBD. My Nord is at church and I won't have the two of them together till tonight. That being said, on my list of videos is a comparison between the Nord and the MPC Key as well as sound comparisons...so be on the lookout for those!
The sounds were okay not great, price was higher than I expected. As for being a only full workstation guess you never gotten into Korg Kronos now Nautilus as some say its full recording studio inside a keyboard. But the Kronos/Nautilus have a very steep learning curve that scares many.
I’m still working through the sounds, so that’s a TBD for me. Price point for me seems okay…if you think about getting a 61 key controller, audio interface, computer, and a pack of virtual instruments, you’d be close to the same price depending on what you got of course. We’ll see with time if the value it provides makes it worth the price! I’ve played workstations in the past and it’s not that the MPC Key 61 is presenting new features over them, it’s that the controls and workflow are presented in a different way. For me, I use a DAW all the time to record with virtual instruments, so the workflow on the MPC Key 61 just makes a lot more sense. I’m sure there will be a learning curve for those who are new to the recording world, but so far I’m really liking how this keyboard is designed. Time will tell...thanks for the thoughts! 👊🏻
@@DSoundman Nah, I don’t see the Nautilus or the Kronos being anywhere close to this. First of all this is a much better touchscreen. Second of all look at the MPC upgrade history as of recently compared to Nautilus and Kronos . I rest my case . Fantastic video and overview here ..
Hello I am really grateful that you seriously help all Now i have the mpc key 61to decide upon buying till Wednesday and limited options to trade for a Iridium 49 Keyboard or a Yamaha psr sx 900 My dilemma comes from a fact that already own a Roland ea7 with lots of sounds and styles as well as a hydracynth with full keys My question is this mpc key 61 is needed in my arsenal and has a unique niche when i even own Yamaha modx 6 plus I even have amazing gear as Roland Jupiter xm and korg wavestate and even an maudio Venom and Roland JD xi So please help me because i had this gear for a week now and am just puzzles despite that it has a large amount of instruments bit i am not really a finger drummer so can i use it as aa uniquely special synth Thanks for your concerns Respectfully Johan
what kind of polyphinis has this akai ?? are the colors cut when changing to another ?? how are the sounds of acoustic instruments, trumpets, guitars, etc., no one demonstrates this
"How many other keyboards out there have a 7" touchscreen?" Well, I can think of at least 4 .. Like Roland Fantom, Yamaha Montage and Yamaha Modx (+), also Korg Kronos and now Korg Nautilus/Nautilus AT..so it seems to me its has become pretty much mainstream right now. Korg Oasys had a 10" touchscreen back in 2005.
Seriously in this era and it does not have smooth sound transition technology???? What a shame.... I was looking forward to buy one. Disappointed at Akai.☹️
What videos of the Akai MPC Key 61 would you like to see?
Cool video! I would like to see the MPC Key 61 used with a midi keyboard as a 2 tier rig. When I use mine that way notes are disabled whenever I play the same note(s) on both boards. This even happens when each board is on a separate track, each on separate channels and separate midi inputs.
@@Sawtooth311 Thanks! Great suggestion, I’ll check it out!
- how to make layers and splits and how does it perform CPU wise
- using samples from usb stick and sampling from audio source
- how to do program and bank changes from external midi devices like iPad
- use it as a controller for Mainstage
- creating scenes or sound variations which you van switch using pads or other controls
- creating arpeggios (like Dancing on the ceiling), triggering chords with one button/pad/key
etc :-)
@@DSoundman Thank you!!
Thanks for the suggestions Angelo!
I like the piano sounds.
Thank you for that,I love how you explain things
Just found you and subscribed as soon as I saw that you did worship and produced! I’m an Akai force user, Ableton and then use the Yamaha MODX for worship. Was considering replacing the Force AND the MODX for the MOC keys or for the Roland Fantom 0. Would love your perspective or thoughts I haven’t considered. Can’t wait to see more vids from you!
Thanks for the sub! I haven’t used the Fantom or Force, so I can’t really provide much for insight there, but if I were you (and you probably already have), I’d look at the features and functionality you currently use and deem critical to your music and make sure you’re not losing by moving in a different direction than the current equipment you have.
Man I appreciate you so much! I just received my MPC 61, just subscribed, and your guidance is simply awesome!!
As always, great unboxing and simple demo! Let’s see a head-to-head comparison of sounds of this Akai vs Nord Stage 3!
Thanks! Absolutely, on my list already! 😆
That’s a great idea
Thank you so much. Appreciate the tutorial.
Glad to have found your Channel Douglas as my brother has recommended this Akai Workstation. I am interested in how it will perform with more classical piano compositions and so will follow your upcoming videos to learn from your own experiences. Thank you for giving us your knowledge.
Thanks Chris! More to come soon!
Just bought mine last sunday, can't wait till it arrives, like you I've been waiting all my life for an easy to use all-in-one inspiration keyboard. I have a Roland JD-Xi for this purpose and it has served me well, I have a Yamaha montage too - but the workflow of making music on it is a drag to say the least and kills the mood totally, fantom has a 32 bar limit so that's a no go as well, and I'm hoping this one will be as inspiring as the JD-Xi was to me, so I will be following your tutorial videos for sure - PLEASE make them in a simple "step-by-step" way instead of just just "doing it on the keyboard", so many tutorials consists of a lot of jabbering while we miss the stuff people "pressed" on the menues, which menues, which knobs etc. Yeah I'm a little "thick" so I think you can win a lot on doing it properly ;)
Thank you! Yeah, workflow is such an important thing whether writing/recording music or playing live. I’ve used workstations in the past and it was always just clunky compared to recording in a computer. I spent a little time recording on the MPC Key 61 last night after making this video and lost track of time it was so fun! 😂 Thanks for the thoughts and I will definitely be putting out videos like you mentioned!
@@DSoundman Thanks for your feedback and time. I felt the same way when I spent some time with the Roland JD-Xi, because it was so simple and inutitive to make music straight away on it, I've never made music so fast on any device in my 35+ years with synthesizers, it's like most makers don't really and truly understand the value of simplicity and "joy" and want to make their devices as complex as possible somehow. The real-time nature of just going with the flow is so much different from sitting by a DAW and endlessly just editing and moving around notes and sound tracks/waveforms - it can't be compared to the "Flow" feel of real-time creation. The biggest issue with Real Time creation has always been synching or quantizing correctly, it either gets terrible or really good depending on both the human factor, skillset and the quality of the quantiziser in the synth / sequencer. I cannot wait to try this with the MPC key 61. It is my very first meet with the MPC environment, the synth should arrive tomorrow or next day.
Sweet! Excited for you! I spent half an hour today getting lost in recording a song…blown away with what I was able to produce in that amount of time. It’s so inspiring! So far I only have good things to say and feel about this keyboard!
@@DSoundman Great, you're making me even more hyped. Would you believe I can't sleep now? I've been up all night here in Sweden perusing forums, new youtube videos and whatnot about the Key 61. One thing that have me perplexed is the sheer amout of grit the Akai company have to deal with from MPC users, I've spent some hours in both their forums in reddit and their official forums and OH BOY are MPC (not Key 61 users) salty, there's like 90 percent of them complaining about what it should have been, lack of inputs, bugs that people have with their former Live, X model and whatnot and it's completely overshadowing the new launch. I've noticed that the reality reflects another truth and that is the fact that the Key 61 went from no 14. place since sunday and 2nd place for the most sold synths in just 3 days! That says something.
@@joonglegamer9898 So are you gonna pair the montage with the MPC to use the sounds and use the MPC more for sequencing workflow, sampling, drums, FX etc? Not trying to put you off but with your setup you would think an MPC X, Live 2 or One is what you need if you want to get into the MPC world and then just hook it up to the montage? I'll be interested to know what you think of it after a few days, particularly the instrument plugins
hai Douglas...Try make vidoe on speciallly -record vocal ,.....any vocal software include onboard..?.
Hey man absolutely love your videos! I bought my yc88 in part because of the ones where you were using it!
And now I’m thinking about getting an mpc key 61 as a secondary board to use at church or do smaller gigs. I’m wondering what’s been like for you at church and live performances. I’m between this and the bigger fantom 6. I think the fantom 6 is probably a better live keyboard but it definitely weighs a lot - like double the mpc.
I’m also wondering how the Keybed has been for you. The keys are shorter I noticed. Has that gotten in the way of your playing?
maybe you could compare the sounds from stage ep, fabric, electric or hype, the piano vst that comes with mpc software and the new piano standalone, and why not compare it also to the nord, as someone said already. just to better see at what level the new sounds are.
I love this keyboard and work flow, but how do you edit the pitch bend range on a patch to + or - 24 semitones??😮
Hi, could you make a full house from zero to hero? I want to buy the keyboard but I never played the piano of keyboard. Because this is an advanced keyboard I suppose that apart from learning to play it I will need to know a lot of sound management. and please start from the beginning with short nice videos with precise exercises and example but not too much talk. Your videos are great.
hmmmm, interesting keyboard but the non-seamless transition between sounds is a concern, for sure. I've been a long-time Kurzweil user and the transitions between sounds and set-ups are beautiful and instantaneous. Thanks for making this video.
Is it possible to organise sounds and recall them quickly for in a life situation? It would be nice if you can show us that. What I like about this keyboard is that it's easy to tweak sounds and that it's possible to sample other synthesizers and use those sounds as well.
I’m still playing around with how to best use this in a live situation and will be making a video on it at some point in the near future. So far it’s not as quick as something like the Nord Stage 3, but there are some ways to work around it that I’ll be explaining.
Finally, the perfect person to ask :) on pianos and EPs does the Akai meet the quality of Nord there?
Haha! At this point, it's TBD. My Nord is at church and I won't have the two of them together till tonight. That being said, on my list of videos is a comparison between the Nord and the MPC Key as well as sound comparisons...so be on the lookout for those!
Hi , on my akai, how do I get out of a performance to get back to sounds.
The sounds were okay not great, price was higher than I expected. As for being a only full workstation guess you never gotten into Korg Kronos now Nautilus as some say its full recording studio inside a keyboard. But the Kronos/Nautilus have a very steep learning curve that scares many.
I’m still working through the sounds, so that’s a TBD for me. Price point for me seems okay…if you think about getting a 61 key controller, audio interface, computer, and a pack of virtual instruments, you’d be close to the same price depending on what you got of course. We’ll see with time if the value it provides makes it worth the price! I’ve played workstations in the past and it’s not that the MPC Key 61 is presenting new features over them, it’s that the controls and workflow are presented in a different way. For me, I use a DAW all the time to record with virtual instruments, so the workflow on the MPC Key 61 just makes a lot more sense. I’m sure there will be a learning curve for those who are new to the recording world, but so far I’m really liking how this keyboard is designed. Time will tell...thanks for the thoughts! 👊🏻
@@DSoundman Nah, I don’t see the Nautilus or the Kronos being anywhere close to this. First of all this is a much better touchscreen. Second of all look at the MPC upgrade history as of recently compared to Nautilus and Kronos . I rest my case . Fantastic video and overview here ..
Hello
I am really grateful that you seriously help all
Now i have the mpc key 61to decide upon buying till Wednesday and limited options to trade for a Iridium 49 Keyboard or a Yamaha psr sx 900
My dilemma comes from a fact that already own a Roland ea7 with lots of sounds and styles as well as a hydracynth with full keys
My question is this mpc key 61 is needed in my arsenal and has a unique niche when i even own Yamaha modx 6 plus
I even have amazing gear as Roland Jupiter xm and korg wavestate and even an maudio Venom and Roland JD xi
So please help me because i had this gear for a week now and am just puzzles despite that it has a large amount of instruments bit i am not really a finger drummer so can i use it as aa uniquely special synth
Thanks for your concerns
Respectfully
Johan
Good Guy/Channel…now im a sub.
Nice review!...did you get piano lessons? or are you self taught?
Thanks! I’m self taught.
Hello! Does this have an Analogue Filter like the Fantom? Also, can I load some other .vst pack into this like a regular DAW?
what kind of polyphinis has this akai ?? are the colors cut when changing to another ?? how are the sounds of acoustic instruments, trumpets, guitars, etc., no one demonstrates this
"How many other keyboards out there have a 7" touchscreen?"
Well, I can think of at least 4 .. Like Roland Fantom, Yamaha Montage and Yamaha Modx (+), also Korg Kronos and now Korg Nautilus/Nautilus AT..so it seems to me its has become pretty much mainstream right now.
Korg Oasys had a 10" touchscreen back in 2005.
Seriously in this era and it does not have smooth sound transition technology???? What a shame.... I was looking forward to buy one. Disappointed at Akai.☹️
show the Akai force with the mpc keys working together.
Is keybed fatar??
Where did you get your board from?
I got mine from Sweetwater back when it first came out. I was lucky enough to be able to buy one of the first batch that was released!
@@DSoundman 💯
Price in india?
Not a bad keyboard but I think the Roland Fantom-0 would blow this to a pulp.
Would love your perspective on that. Thinking about the Fantom 0 with my Akai Force and with Ableton Live.
Does it have a sampler?
How much money does a church gig make?
I volunteer, so $0 😄
It's just an MPC software running on Linux. Doesn't even have any hardware dsp.