New effects include Flavor (for vinyl-style sound degradation), Limiter, and the Vocal Suite, which includes pitch correction, doubling, and harmony effects – we had a lot of fun with these – gravitating to the blatantly excessive at first, but then settling down and appreciating them as useful processing tools. These are categorised by type, for example, Delay/Reverb, Dynamics, and Modulation. Up to four insert effects can be applied to any track of pad. We connected a dynamic mic to input 1, and set a level on the physical gain control – there are also separate 48v switches on each input, should you prefer condenser mics (we would’ve liked two more audio inputs, although third-party USB audio and MIDI interfaces can be connected, so you can get up to 32 channels of audio in/out, although you still max out at eight audio tracks per project – we tried this successfully with a Behringer UMC1820 interface).Īudio inputs can go direct to an audio track, for DAW-style recording, or to the Sampler, or to the Looper.
(Image credit: Future) Akai MPC Key 61: Performance and verdict Also new is OPx-4 which narrows the focus somewhat, with a four-operator FM synthesis engine, creating blatantly digital sounds, with a modulation matrix, and built-in effects we love the sound of FM synthesis, and this is a fine example – and we enjoyed using the touch screen to adjust envelopes.
The Fabric Collection is one instrument that’s been organised into separate plugins to conserve system resources – so it appears as Fabric (with fewer voices), Fabric XL (the full-on flagship version), Fabric Piano, and Fabric Electric Piano.įabric is a monster sound source, especially good for modern-sounding productions, with synths, pads, basses, and leads, even guitars. The MPC Key 61 includes several new instruments from AIR Music Technology. The semi-weighted keyboard is equally comfortable for playing synth parts or more traditional piano-style performances, and the pads are the classic reliable MPC style. The rear panel features, from left to right, expression, foot switch, and sustain pedal inputs, MIDI Thru/Out/In DIN connectors, eight cv/gate outputs for connecting analogue gear, two mic/line inputs with gain controls and 48v switches, four 1/4” outputs, 1/4” headphones out, two USB-2 ports, one USB-3 port, ethernet network connection and mains power button.
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