Akai MPK88 manual

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Table of contents for the manual

  • Page 1

    WWW .AKAIPRO.COM SEMI-WEIGHTED USB/MIDI KEYBOARD CONTROLLER HAMMER- ACTION USB/MIDI KEYBO ARD CONTROLLER  OPERATOR'S MANUAL[...]

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    [...]

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    TABLE OF CON TENTS FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................... .....1 REAR PANEL OVERVIEW............................................................................................................ ....... 3 HOOKUP DIAG RAM .........................................[...]

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    1 FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW 6 7 8 99 99 9 4 15 15 15 16 19 25 26 15 18 21 22 23 24 17 5 14 2 1 10 11 12 13 20 10 11 12 10 11 12 10 11 12 10 11 12 10 11 12 10 11 12 10 11 12 3 1. LCD – The display is used for navigating menus, displaying data, and affecting change on MPK61/MPK88’s options and para meters. 2. [VALUE] (Push to Enter) – This dial is u[...]

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    2 103 111 119 127 71 79 87 95 39 47 55 63 7 15 23 31 14. 16 MPC PRESSURE AND VELOCITY SENSITIVE PADS – The pads can be used to trigger drum hits or samples on your software or hardware module or can be configured to send Program Change messages. The pads are pressure and velocity sensitive, which makes them very responsive and intu itive to play.[...]

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    3 REAR PANEL OVERVIEW 1. DC POWER ADAPTER INPUT – Plug in a 6V –1A DC power adapter if you do not wish to pow er the MPK61/MPK88 thro ugh the USB connection. 2. POWER ADAPTER RESTRAINT – You can secure the power adapter co rd to this restraint to prevent accidental unplu gging. 3. USB CONNECTION – Plug a standar d USB cable into this outlet[...]

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    4 A NOTE ABOUT USING THE MPK61/MPK88 WITH SOFTWARE 1. Make sure that the MPK61/MPK88 an d all ex ternal devices are connected and that the USB cable is connected to your computer before opening any software app lications on your computer with which you might want to use the MPK61/MPK88. If th e unit is not plugged in before, your software ap plicat[...]

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    5 MIDI PORT AND CHANNEL NOTE INDICATOR NOTE VELOCITY VELOCITY IS ALSO DI SPLAYED WITH BAR METER. MIDI NOTE NUMBER PAD BANK AFTERTOUCH VALUE AFTERTOUCH VALUE IS ALSO DISPLAYED WITH BAR METER MIDI PORT AND CHANNEL CONTROL CHANGE INDICATOR CONTROL CHANGE VALUE VALUE IS ALSO DISPLAYED WITH BAR METER. CONTROL CHANGE NUMBER PAD BANK OCTAVE SHIFT TRANSPOS[...]

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    6 AFTERTOUCH VALUE VALUE IS ALSO DISPLAYED WITH BAR METER. PAD BANK CONTROL CHANGE NUMBER NEW VALUE NEW VALUE LAST VALUE SENT LAST VALUE SENT CONTROL AFTERTOUCH The knobs and faders on the MPK61/MPK88 can also be set to tr ansmit AFTERTOUCH information.  Please see ‘Editing Knobs and Faders’ (page 16) for more information on settin g knobs a[...]

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    7 ABOUT MODES The MPK61/MPK88 has four di fferent modes of operation. Each mode can be accessed by pres sing the corresponding button on the MPK61/ MPK88. Following is a shor t description of each mode: Preset Mode This mode allows you to load, save and copy Presets. A Preset is a collection of information about how di fferent faders, k nobs, and p[...]

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    8 PRESET NAME PRESET NUM BER PRESET MODE The MPK61/MPK88 features differen t Preset banks that you can load and wr ite to. Whe n you turn on the MPK61/MPK88, it will automatically g o into Preset Mode and Preset 1 will be displayed on the screen. You can also press the [PRESET] button at any time to call up this mode. In Preset Mode you can load, s[...]

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    9 NAVIGATING EDIT MODE 1. Press the [EDIT] butto n. 2. To select the controller you wish to edit, simply engage it – this will prompt the screen to display the properties of the particular controller (Page 1). 3. If there are multipl e properties for the selected controller, tur n the [VALUE] dial to select the property you wish to edit. Press [E[...]

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    10 EDIT MODE PARAMETERS CONTROLLER SELECTED PAGE 1 PAGE 2 OCTAVE KEYBOARD MIDI CHANNEL (field 1) UP/DOWN (field 4) AFTERTOUCH KEYBOARD MIDI CHANNEL (field 1) ON/OFF BEHAVIOR (field 4) KEYBOARD VELOCITY KEYBOARD MIDI CHANNEL (field 1) ON/OFF BEHAVIOR (field 4) NOTE MIDI CHANNEL (field 1) NOTE NUMBER (field 2) ON/OFF BEHAVIOR (field 3) PRESSURE BE HA[...]

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    11 SELECT PROP ERTY PRESS ENTER TO EDIT MIDI CHANNEL FIELD MIDI CHANNEL FIELD AFTERTOUCH FIELD MIDI CHANNEL FIELD OCTAVE SHIFT FIELD VELOCITY FIELD EDITING THE KEYBOARD When editing the keyboard, please note that the changes will affect all the keys on the MP K61/MPK88. The keyboard properties you can edit in clude MIDI Channel, Octave, Aftertouch,[...]

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    12 What is a Note Message ? A Note Message is a MIDI message which is traditionally used to start and stop s ounds. When you press one of the pads, a ‘Note On’ message is sent to your DAW or external device. This toggle s a note or sample. When you release t he pad, a ‘Note Off’ message is sent. This messag e will stop the note or sample. W[...]

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    13 MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD NOTE FIELD NOTE FIELD PLAY MODE FIELD PRESSURE FIEL D NOTE PARAM ETERS The following list of parame t ers can be accessed if the pad event type is set to Note . MIDI CHANNEL FIELD This field sets the MIDI Port and Channel which the pad will use to transmi t messages. You can assign pads to one of two MIDI Ports, A or B, a[...]

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    14 MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD PORGRAM CHANGE FIELD BANK M FIE LD BANK L FIE LD Note: You can also configure pads t o send Program Change messages only, without specifying Bank M an d Bank L. While editing Bank M and Bank L fields of a pad, u se [VALUE] dial to set Bank M an d Bank L to ‘OFF’ (beyond 000). This will ca use the pad to transmit only [...]

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    15 What is Control Change ? Control Change refers to the use of MIDI Continuous Controller data. Continuous Controller (CC) data are MIDI messages capable o f transmitting a range of values (0-127) and are often used for controlling volume, pan and othe r parameters on your DAW or sound module. What is Aftertouch ? Aftertouch refers to MIDI informa[...]

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    16 MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD CONTROL CHANGE FIELD MINIMUM RANGE FIELD MAXIMUM RANGE F IELD CONTROL CHANGE PARAMETER S The following list of parameters can be acce ssed if the pad event ty pe is set to “Note ”. MIDI CHANNEL FIELD This field sets the MIDI Port and Channel which the knob or fader will use to transmit messages. You ca n assign knobs [...]

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    17 MINIMUM RANGE FIELD MAXIMUM RANGE F IELD MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD AFTERTOUCH PARAMETERS For some applications, you might wish to use the fad ers or knobs as Aftertouch contro llers. In this scenario, the knob or fader will be transmitting A ftertouch informatio n which could be used to control, say, a vibrato of a device that the MPK61/MPK88 is c[...]

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    18 MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD INCREMENT/DECREMENT PA RAMETERS (knobs only) The endless knobs on the MPK61/MPK88 may also be u sed as an increment/decrement NRPN function. This allows you to use the knob to increm ent and decrement through parameters as opposed to sending an absolute value. Please note tha t the implementation of NRPN functions dep end[...]

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    19 MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD CONTROL CHANGE FIELD PLAY MODE FIELD SELECT BUTTON EVENT TYPE IN THIS FIELD. EDITING BUTTONS The buttons on the MPK61/MP K88 can be used to transmit Control Change or Program Change information. 1. Press [EDIT] b utton to enter EDIT MODE . 2. Press the button yo u would like to edit. 3. On Page 1, turn the [VALUE] dial to[...]

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    20 MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD PORGRAM CHANGE FIELD BANK M FIE LD BANK L FIE LD Note: You can also configure butto ns to send Program Change messages only, without specifying Bank M an d Bank L. While editing Bank M and Bank L fields of a button , use [VALUE] dial to set Bank M and Bank L to ‘OFF’ (beyond 000). Thi s will cause the button to transm[...]

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    21 PRESS ENTE R TO EDIT SELECT PROP ERTY EDITING THE ARPEGGIATOR The built-in Arpeggiator is one of the features which sets the MPK61/MPK 88 apart from other co ntrollers. The Arpeggiator allows you to arpeggiate a sequence of not es by holding down a comb ination of keys. The Arpeggiator will be synced to the tempo parameter of the MPK61/MPK88. Pl[...]

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    22 ARP TYPE ARP TYPE RANGE BUTTON MODE ARPEGGIO PARAMETERS – TYPE, RANG E, BUTTON MODE The following parameters can be e dited by selecting “TYP RNG TGL” on Pa ge 1. ARP TYPE Select one of the fol lowing arpeggio types in this field – Up, Down, Incl, Excl, Rand, Chrd. 1. While in Arp Type field, use [VALU E] dial to select Arp Type. 2. Use [...]

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    23 GATE DURATION SWING ARPEGGIO PA RAMETERS – GATE, SWIN G The following parameters can be e dited by selecting “GATE SWING” on Pag e 1. GATE Select the arpeggiator Gate in this field. 1. While in Gate field, use [VALUE] di al to select Gate duration. 2. Use the [>] button to select th e next field. SWING Select the arpeggiator Swing in th[...]

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    24 PRESS ENTE R TO EDIT SELECT PROP ERTY Please note: For the Gate effect to be perceived , the sounds you are triggering need to have a long decay. EDITING NOTE REPEAT The MPK61/MPK88 features the Note Repeat function, which can be found on our legendary Music Production Center (MPC) models. With Note Repeat ena bled, you can repeatedly trig ger a[...]

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    25 BUTTON MODE GATE FIELD SWING FIE LD NOTE REPEAT BU TTON MODE The following screen will appear if you select “TOGGL-MOTR Y” on Page 1. In this field, you can select whether the [NOTE REPEAT] button will behave in a momentary (MTY) fashion, wh ere pressing the button turns on the Note Repeat function and releasing it turns it off, or in a togg[...]

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    26 BUTTON MODE FIELD EDITING TIME DIVISION The Time Division feature works in conjunction with No te Repeat and the Arpeggiator. When Note Repe at or the Arpeggiator is enabled, the MPK61/ MPK88 will ou tput notes at a rate equivalent to the Time Division setting. To change to a new Time Division setting, press [TIME DIVISION] and select a new rate[...]

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    27 MIDI CHANNEL FIELD EDITING THE PITCH BEND WHEEL The Pitch Bend wheel can be assigne d to transmit pitc h bend information on a specific MIDI Channel. 1. Press the [EDIT] button to enter Ed it Mode. 2. Now select the Pitch Bend wheel fo r editing by moving the wheel. 3. You will see Page 1 displayed on t he screen (shown on the left). 4. Press [E[...]

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    28 PRESS ENTER TO EDIT MIDI CHANNEL FIELD MIDI CC FIELD EDITING THE MODULATION WHEEL The Modulation wheel can be edite d to transmit a range of values on a s pecific MIDI Channel and MIDI CC. 1. To edit the Modulation wheel settings, press the [EDIT] butt on to enter Edit Mode. 2. Now select the Modulation wheel for editing by moving the wheel. 3. [...]

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    29 MAXIMUM VALUE PRESS ENTER TO EDIT TRANSPORT CONTROL MESSAGE FOR MAT PRESS ENTER TO EDIT BPM FIELD PRESS ENTE R TO EDIT EDITING TRANSPORT CONTROL The transport control section on the M PK61/MPK88 can be configured to send transport control information in a variety of ways: MMC (MIDI Machine Control) , MM C/MIDI, MIDI, or CTRL. Som e applications [...]

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    30 MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD PLAY MODE FIELD EDITING FOOTSWITCH PEDAL INPUTS The footswitch inputs on the rear of the MPK61/MPK88 can be used in a variety of different ways. For example, footswitches can be used as a con ventional MIDI CC switches. In addition, fo otswitches may be used to trigger specific pads on the top panel (for example, to play [...]

  • Page 34

    31 DRUM PAD NUMBER DRUM PAD PARAMETERS If you choose “Drum Pad” as the event type for the foots witch, page 2 allows you to select which pad will be triggered with the footswitch. 1. Turn [VALUE] dial to select the desir ed pad. 2. Press [ENTER] to accept the settin g or [<] to cancel. OTHER FUNCTIONS As we mentioned previously, a fo otswitc[...]

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    32 EDITING SPLIT Split Mode allows you to divide the MPK61/88's keyboard in to two sections, each controlling a different set of sounds simultaneously – a usef ul per formance feature. To activate or deactivate S plit Mode on the keyboard, press [SPLIT]. The [SPLIT ] button's LED will be lit when Split Mode is active. The selected key a[...]

  • Page 36

    33 MIDI COMMON CHANNEL FIELD LCD CONTRAST GLOBAL MODE In Global Mode, you can send global messages and make general changes to the way that your MPK 61/MPK88 functions. Global Mode options are organized under different pages and include the list of options shown on the right: To enter Global Mode, press the [GLOBAL] button. To scroll among the diff[...]

  • Page 37

    34 PAD SENSITIVITY FI ELD PAD VELOCIT Y CURVE FIELD KEYBOARD VELOCITY CURVE – Page 4 A KEYBOARD VELOCITY CURVE describes how the keyboard on the MPK61/MPK88 outputs MIDI velocities, based on a certain ratio o f the input / output velocity that charac teri zes the particular curve. The Keyboard Velocity Curve feature is intended to help you optimi[...]

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    35 KEYBOARD TR ANSPOSITION FIELD MIDI CLOCK FI ELD TAP AVERAGE FI ELD PAD THRESHO LD FIELD PAD THRESHOLD – Page 7 PAD THRESHOLD is the minimum force required to activate the pads. If you experience “ghost” triggering due to sta ge vibrations, you may wish to set this threshold higher. On the other hand, if you find it difficult to cause the p[...]

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    36 SAVE GLOBAL – Page 11 SAVE GLOBAL allows you to save all of the global para meters on the MPK61/MPK88, including MIDI Common Channel , LCD Contrast, Pad Sensitivity, Pad Velocity Curve, Keyboard Transpositio n, MIDI Clock, Tap Tempo Average, Preset and SysEx information. 1. While in Global Mode, use [>] button to scroll to Globals (page 11)[...]

  • Page 40

    37 PROGRAM CHANGE MODE A Program Change , often referred to as a Patch Change , is a MIDI message used for sending data to devices to cause them to change to a new program. This allows you to tell a hardware or software device which sound to play. For example, if your MPK61/MPK 88 is controlling a piano patch on your DAW or an external device, usin[...]

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    38 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Question: Can the MPK61/MP K88 be synced to external devices? Answer: Yes, the MPK61/MPK88 ca n receive MIDI Clock through both the USB and the MIDI IN connection. This means that you can synchroni ze tempo-based features, such as Note R epeat and the Ar peggiator, to an external source. To synchronize the MPK61 /MPK88[...]

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    39 TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION Please make sure that the MPK61/ MPK88 is connected to your computer a nd that the computer is powered on. The display does not light up. No power. If using a power adapter, please m ake sure that the adapter is plugged into a live power outlet. Check your computer’s USB connec tion to confirm that the MP[...]

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    40 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS GENERAL Display custom LCD w/ backlight Power ~100mA, 5V DC via USB ~1A, 6V DC via external adaptor Number of Presets 30 MIDI output channels over USB 48 (16 channels x 3 ports) MIDI output channels from 5-pin MIDI 16 Keyboard MPK61: 61 semi-weighted keys (velocity- and channel pressure- sensitive) MPK88: 88 fully weight[...]

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    7-51-0296-B[...]