Akai just launched its next-gen MPK Mini Plus keyboard controller – here’s what’s new

Akai Professional has launched the MPK Mini Plus II, the next generation of its acclaimed 37-key MIDI keyboard.

The next-gen MPK Mini Plus brings a number of new creative tools “designed to help producers develop ideas and explore variations directly from the controller”. But what are they?

First and foremost, the new MPK Mini Plus II features a redesigned look, departing from that of its predecessor to bring it more in line with Akai’s MPK Mini IV keyboards introduced a year ago.

The front panel features a number of changes, with redesigned pitch and modulation wheels, octave and transpose buttons, and a newly upgraded 37-key mini keybed with eight velocity- and pressure-sensitive RGB MPC pads.

Elsewhere, there’s a new full-colour display, plus additional creative tools including Glitch, Mutate, Strum, Freeze, Chords and Follow, plus an expanded Arpeggiator, Chord Creator, and Note Repeat modes.

“Together, these tools give beatmakers, songwriters and performers more ways to move from a starting idea toward something unexpected while keeping creative decisions in their hands,” Akai says.

The MPK Mini Plus II functions both standalone and with MPC Desktop, allowing producers to expand the MPC workflow to a compact keyboard controller. It also offers dedicated integration with MPC 3, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, FL Studio and other DAWs, plus full NKS compatibility with Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol ecosystem.

In terms of ins and outs, you’ve got a USB-C power input, MIDI connectivity – with a full-size five-pin MIDI output for connecting external MIDI instruments – plus three CV/Gate outputs for connecting external synths and modular systems. There’s also a quarter-inch sustain pedal input, too.

“MPK Mini has introduced a lot of creators to hands-on making music, and MPK Mini Plus II is built for the creator who’s ready for the next step,” says Andy Mac, Executive Manager of Content, Artist Relations and Business Development at Akai Professional.

“Tools like Glitch, Mutate, and Strum help turn simple ideas in new directions, while deeper MPC, DAW, MIDI and CV integration gives creators room to build a much bigger setup around one compact keyboard.”

Each MPK Mini Plus II comes with Akai’s Studio Instrument Collection, which features over 1,000 sounds from AIR Music Technology, Moog Music, and Akai Professional.

The MPK Mini Plus II is available now, priced at $169.99 / £134.99 / €159.99. Learn more at Akai Professional.

Sam is the Associate News Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Thoroughly immersed in music culture for the majority of his life, Sam has played guitar for 20 years, studied music technology and production at university, and also written for the likes of MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Metal Hammer.