- Akai releases the MPK Mini Plus II, a compact 37 mini-key USB master keyboard that comes with a full software package so you can start producing right away.
- It packs a three-octave keyboard, 8 pressure-sensitive MPC pads, 9 encoders, and a color LCD screen into 49 cm, letting you play melodies, basslines, and drums all on the same device.
- Its CV/Gate outputs and MIDI DIN output let you control an analog synth or a Eurorack system, in addition to a DAW or an MPC running MPC3.
- It’s powered by a single USB-C cable, including from an external battery: a solid choice if you produce at the office, on the go, and with hardware machines.
The MPK Mini needs no introduction. This small keyboard with MPC pads is one of Akai’s flagship products and made the series famous among beatmakers and producers. The family now includes several versions among our USB master keyboards.
With the Akai MPK Mini Plus II, the formula grows. The keyboard spans three octaves, with 37 mini-keys, giving you room to develop an idea in one go. What made the series successful is still here: MPC pads under your fingers, immediate playability, a format that fits in a bag. Added are a color screen and connectivity that goes all the way to analog synths.
The MPK Mini Plus II features 37 next-gen mini-keys, 8 RGB backlit MPC pads, 8 continuous-rotation rotary encoders, and a clickable encoder. A color LCD screen shows the parameters you’re editing.
Specifications - Akai MPK Mini Plus II
| Type | USB MIDI master keyboard |
|---|---|
| Keyboard | 37 dynamic mini-keys, 3 octaves |
| Pads | 8 RGB MPC pads, velocity, pressure and aftertouch, banks A/B |
| Encoders | 8 continuous-rotation encoders + 1 clickable encoder |
| Display | Color LCD screen |
| Expressive controls | Pitch bend Modulation Aftertouch Sustain |
| Playing modes | Arpeggiator Scales Chords Note Repeat Full Level Glitch Mutate Freeze Strum |
| Transport | Undo/Redo, Loop, Stop/Play, Record, Overdub |
| Connectivity | USB-C (power and MIDI) · 5-pin MIDI DIN output · 3 CV/Gate outputs (pitch, gate, mod) · Sustain pedal input |
| Power | Via USB: computer, USB power adapter or external battery |
| Compatibility | PC, Mac, standalone MPCs and MPC Desktop running MPC3 |
| Included software | MPC Beats · Ableton Live Lite · Studio Instrument Collection · Komplete Select Akai Edition |
| Dimensions | 493 x 192 x 54 mm |
| Weight | 1.46 kg |
| Verdict |
Pros
Worth noting
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The MPK Mini Plus II keyboard: three octaves to compose in one go
On a two-octave keyboard, you spend a good part of the session juggling octave buttons. With 37 continuous keys, a bassline and its accompanying chord fit under both hands at once, no register change needed.
Akai announces a revised key mechanism, more pleasant and nuanced to play. The keyboard is dynamic, so it responds to how hard you hit the keys. For a pad pattern or a melody played, this response makes the difference between a placed note and an interpreted note.
On the left, the pitch bend and modulation wheels add vibrato, slides, and filter movements in real time. A synth lead or a bass that needs to breathe requires this every bar.
Another welcome addition: the sustain pedal input. A simple keyboard pedal plugged in at the back lets you hold chords like on a piano. Handy for an electric piano progression or a pad that needs to last while you change position.
Mini-keys are narrower than standard keys. If you come from piano, expect a few sessions to adjust your fingerings. For basslines, leads, and simple chords, the learning curve is immediate.
Eight MPC pads for rhythm, nine encoders for control
The 8 RGB backlit MPC pads respond to velocity and pressure, with aftertouch. For finger drumming (playing drums with your fingers live), this sensitivity keeps the nuances of a hi-hat or a ghost note. Two banks A and B double the number of accessible sounds.
Pads aren’t just for drums. You can launch clips, recall chords, or trigger samples. The color backlighting helps you spot at a glance what each pad does.
The 8 continuous-rotation encoders assign to the parameters you tweak most: cutoff frequency, resonance, effect sends, panning, levels. Continuous rotation means no stops, so no value jumps when switching instruments. A ninth clickable encoder is for navigation. The color LCD screen shows the parameter you’re adjusting, so your eyes stay on the keyboard.
To record, a transport row groups Undo/Redo, Loop, Stop/Play, Record and Overdub. You take a take, loop it and add a layer on top from the keyboard, the mouse stays aside.
Arpeggiator, Chords, Glitch: the creative modes of the MPK Mini Plus II
Akai borrows performance tools from its MPC universe. Scales locks the keyboard to a scale: impossible to play a wrong note outside the key. Chords triggers a full chord with a single key. Note Repeat repeats a note in rhythm, ideal for trap-style hi-hat rolls. Full Level sets all pads to the same volume, regardless of how hard you hit them.
The extended arpeggiator turns a held chord into a rhythmic pattern. The new modes go further:
- Glitch creates fragmented repetitions, for chopped-up patterns.
- Mutate evolves a pattern over repetitions.
- Freeze freezes a variation you like.
- Strum picks the notes of a chord, like a guitarist strumming their strings.
These functions mainly serve to restart an idea that’s going in circles. A four-note chord, the arpeggiator, a hit of Mutate, and the loop takes a direction you wouldn’t have written by hand.
Activate Scales before launching the arpeggiator: you can then improvise chords freely, each note stays in the key of your track.
Where to plug in the Akai MPK Mini Plus II, from DAW to modular rack
In front of a computer, it controls Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, GarageBand, Cubase and Bitwig Studio, on PC as well as Mac. The USB-C port carries power and MIDI in the same cable.
With a standalone MPC or MPC Desktop running MPC3, integration goes further. Pads, encoders, transport, plugin presets, track navigation, mixing and clip launching respond directly. If you already work on an Akai MPC, the keyboard becomes a natural extension of your machine.
On the back, the connectors target hardware. The MIDI DIN 5-pin output controls a synth or drum machine without a computer. The three CV/Gate outputs (pitch, gate and modulation) talk to analog synths and modules of a Eurorack modular system. CV is a control voltage: the language of analog synths before MIDI.
To power it, a computer USB port is enough, as well as a USB power adapter or an external battery. With its 49 cm width and 1.46 kg, it slips into a bag for a session on the train or at a friend’s place.
If your setup mixes a DAW and one or two hardware synths, plug the MPK Mini Plus II in USB-C to the computer and use the CV/Gate output for your analog synth: one keyboard covers both worlds.
A software pack to produce right out of the box
The MPK Mini Plus II comes with MPC Beats and Ableton Live Lite, two full production softwares to record and arrange. Added to that are the Studio Instrument Collection and Komplete Select Akai Edition, a selection of Native Instruments instruments and sounds.
For a first home studio, it’s an excellent starting point: a keyboard, software and a sound bank, without buying anything else. All you need is a pair of headphones or speakers to hear the result.
If you’re looking for an even more compact format, the MPK Mini IV remains the 25-key reference of the family. The Plus II takes over as soon as you want more keyboard and hardware connectivity.
FAQ - Akai MPK Mini Plus II
How many keys does the Akai MPK Mini Plus II have?
It has 37 dynamic mini keys, that’s three continuous octaves, with pitch bend and modulation wheels.
Do you need a computer to use it?
No. It’s powered by USB, including on an external battery, and controls a synth or drum machine via its MIDI DIN output or its CV/Gate outputs. It also works with standalone MPCs running MPC3.
Can it control a Eurorack system?
Yes. Its three CV/Gate outputs (pitch, gate and modulation) connect to Eurorack modules or an analog synth equipped with CV inputs.
What software is included?
MPC Beats, Ableton Live Lite, the Studio Instrument Collection and Komplete Select Akai Edition.
The MPK Mini Plus II in summary
A three-octave keyboard, expressive MPC pads, a color screen and an output to the analog world, all powered by one cable. The Akai MPK Mini Plus II keeps the mobility of the series and gains a real place at the center of a hybrid setup.
For a starting beatmaker, it provides everything needed to release a first track. For a producer adding machines to their studio, it becomes the keyboard that links the computer, the MPC and the modular rack. A held chord, the arpeggiator running and a CV output plugged into an oscillator are enough to prove it.
