Firstly, I would like to say WOW! That wasn't just any wow, It was a 'what an incredible piece of ingenuity, I might just cry' WOW. Okay, that might be a bit excessive, but my point is that the Akai APC40 is a great piece of kit. It contains a plethora of functions and controllers, has a logical and simple layout (but ironically encompasses vast complexity) all bound in a quality chassis.

At first I was skeptical of such a mythical creature, and the price at first put me off. However, after reading other reviews and texts blithering on infinitely about its functionality I felt it was morally and ethically right that I purchase one to call my own. Go me!

I really would recommend this performance controller to anyone who has interest in music production. I don't think I've come across hardware that can top it, so in light of that, it's simply an investment.

What’s the first thing you do with any piece of new gear? Why, twiddle its knobs and push its buttons, of course! The APC40 passes this test with flying colours (pun intended), with smooth (but not slack) fader travel and a satisfying knob action. It feels solid all round, and the LED-ring encoders

Soon as I knew this unit was on the way I ditched my Three Faderfoxes and ordered the MPC40. I was not disappointed. I've tried various controllers with Ableton and up until now the Faderfoxes did a great job, but I really wanted a single unit to cart around without having to plug in all the midi cables.
The learning curve to get used to this unit is almost nil.
If you have the money, buy the MPC40, if not get the faderfoxes.
negatives :-
Due to the size of the MPC40 you should get a laptop stand to stack the laptop over the controller.
Why didn't they put the leads to the left of the unit for users who want to sit the laptop behind the MPC40?

One of the best Midi controllers ever made. My only gripe is the pads, they could have made them a lot softer.


Shirt

www.todaysbeats.com
Admin/ Co owner

This is an amazing pedal. I particularly like the ability to make the repeats muddy like an old analog unit. It's pretty easy to use with good colour coding on the controls for the 3 operating modes. The loop function is brilliant and very useful for soloing practice over short chord sequences and grooves. You have to be accurate with timing, not sure if I will ever get the timing accurate enough for live use, but check out KT Tunstall's videos on U-tube. It can be done! Unfortunately the instructions for the loop function are completely confusing. I think someone has their left and right mixed up! (This is why I have rated it 9 rather than 10) With a bit of intuition and trial and error its fairly easy to work out the correct functions. Sound quality is good even in extended loop mode and the construction looks sturdy with a pleasing design. As usual first class service and next day delivery from Dolphin.

I bought this pedal about 7 months ago and I have regrets. If one had a lot more money then there are plenty of other options but for its price the Head Rush is outstanding. Switching to a lower quality loop doubles the available record time and I can't really hear much difference especially when used in an effects chain. The only feature which took a while to get used to in live performance was that tapping the right pedal whilst over dubbing strips back to the original recorded loop only, it doesn't just remove the overdub you were recording. However I have found that actually this is a feature to be exploited.

The tape loop function is excellent allowing more flexibility than I have seen on many dedicated units.

The ridged edge to the knobs means that you can control them with your feet if you want; this is always a bonus for me especially with looping when I want a fade out of the looping unit only.

Excellent value for money

I bougth it about 2 weeks ago, and after the updates it works great.

If your having problems with the keyboard update the folowing:

The Firmware,
The vyzex software,
The reason codecs,

Download it in akaipro.com website:
http://www.akaipro.com/supportos.php#MPK49

Reason users read this:
http://www.futureproducers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229353

This will eliminate the pitch bend and others issues.

I got my Akai MPK49 last week, Im a Hop Hop Beatmaking instructor from Todaysbeats.com. I was somewhat dissappointed as well,but found some workarounds until the driver and compatibility issues is resolved. I've done some extensive research and is still working as we speak,but this info is much to detailed to blog. I set up a Youtube tutorial series to tap into the heart of the issues with workaround butstable solutions to most of our problems we are experiencing for our Akai MPK49. Check it out at TodaysbeatsTV on Youtube, here is a link to review the series videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPC8vb7Z9wE

Recieved it about 2 days ago. The first thing your notice when you get it is its heavy. The thing is a tank. The keys feel good when you play on them. The pads are just the right size, yes the look indeed screams out 'Akai!'. However on the other hand theydon't feel sensitive, it's as if they require more force from your thumb to have any effect.

You're probably wondering why i gave teh keyboard a '7' well the reason its built like a tank and thats about it. When you get the cd at teh moment, installing the files for your software 'DAWSs' to recognize it has to be done manually. I mean you would think they would at least give you a programme to do it for you and you have to do is double click. This is not even the tip of teh ice bag, i wish it was, cause i own the keyboard. After jitering around trying to follow the instructions failing obviously because the instructions where incomplete, calling them up
getting the more detailed installition pdf for my DAW [Which is Reason 3.0 build 514];and failing again because the 'lua codec folder' or whatever it is doesn't exist and i had to create. My was and is broken. The support team for the UK told me they'd contact the US team for further assistance, teh guy didn't even ask for my number said 'i will email you' well aint that dandy.
There is nothign as painful as buying a beautifully built keyboard which doesn't function fully. In 'leymens' terms the driver side of this keyboard is really lacking. Yes it will have all those capabilities they mention on teh produre but whats the use when yoou can't use them because your DAW only recognizes you keyboard as 'USB midi device. Akai really need to fix up, this whole rollercoster just tarnished my image for them. They released an incomplete product.

Unless you want to be disappointed, at the moment don't buy the keyboard. Wait till the drivers are fully developed. Its a great build, but an unfinished build.

just received it today i waited a long time for this and I'm not disappointed. first of all its built like a tank, a lot heaver than i thought it would be. i was surprised to see that both mod and pitch wheels are lit. the display is nice and the external controllers are killer. but i had some issues, first it was cool that the templates for reason 4.0 came with the unit but it was very confusing on how to make reason 'SEE" this controller good this i know my way around the mac OS or i would have been screwed. if reason has the program they stated would load the profiles for this keyboard reason didn't know because nothing on the phead site gave me any clue how to do this. once i manually put the files in the proper place, while playing some reason instruments using the pitch wheel would cause the reason inst's pitch wheel to stay at that position until u click it. i don't know if this is a akai bug or phead but it needs to be fixed because i use the pitch wheel a lot. but thats a software thing. on the hardware side everything is cool expect the pad the sensitivity never feels right plus they are so thing it felt like i was dam near banging to the frame. to compare the pads are not as nice as the axiom 49 but the akais are more functional, and the keyboard be-it a Little springy feels better than the axiom 49 also. my only other gripe is that even though its usb power you have the option of plugging in an ac adapter, but they don't supply one i guess i have to get your own but other than that I'm hyped about this board. i do recommend it and i give it 4 out 5 stars.

I am mainly a saxophone player and so the ability to control midi via my 'natural' fingerings and techniques was a major reason why I bought this product. I must say that since I have bought the EWI it has completely changed the way I make music. I can literally play any sound I like via software synths and build up an entire sound texture just by using the EWI.

At first the touch sensitive keys will seem very odd to play and you will probably find yourself triggering rogue notes all over the place. At the beginning, turn down the key sensitivity and alter the fingering mode to 'sax' this means you can rest you finger on the G# and not make very other note sharp, this is indispensable when playing in F# or C# ! After a while though I have found that the precise fingering technique has actually improved my speed and accuracy whilst playing the standard sax, not a bad consequence :)

Before buying the EWI I was skeptical about the whole mouthpiece setup and not having a standard reed. But I have found the breath controller to be very responsive for creating dynamics and controlling the parameters of a sound. The vibrato in the mouth piece can be a bit weird to get used to and it doesn't imitate acoustic instruments that well, but when playing a synth patch it can create some stunning effects. For more realistic vibrato try reducing the sensitivity of the sensor as you won't get such a crazy wobble effect going on!

The inbuilt, two-voice synth is good for practicing and messing around but for more diverse sounds you really need an external module or software. If used with a good sampler then the EWI CAN create very realistic sounding instruments (my clarinet patch sounds awesome). The synth module and effects built-in are of OK standard but I would never record them on a track.

The coolest thing for me has been the 8 octave rollers and the portamento (glide) strip. You can create some wicked dub effects by sliding up the octaves and then releasing the glide so the sound shoots up into the atmosphere. With some spring reverb and a good delay you can be making some great King Tubby style effects in no time.

Another reviewer mentioned the low volume output of the inbuilt module and I totally agree, at full volume its only just adequate so expect to connect a decent headphone amp or cranking up the gain on your mixer.

Overall the product is superbly designed and thought-out and has lots of great features to get you inspired and creating music. For a sax player who would like to diversify their sound palette then this is ideal. I went down the harmonizer, effects box and delay pedal route for my sax but was never satisfied with the sounds I wanted to create, the EWI will broaden your sonic horizons.

For any questions email george.thc@gmail.com spam b0ts will be pinged to death :)

Peace,
George

if you use the akaimpc 1000 or 2500 and would like bigger storage, this bit of equipment is a MUST (the akai 1000 and 2500 allows for extra storage but does not come with this hardware and that is a bit of a blow)!!! forget all those compact flash cards... makes loading time MUCH FASTER!!! also... i've seen this bit of kit advertised well in excess of 45 quid WITHOUT delivery so at 26 quid purchased and delivered you really cant go wrong with these guys! nice one dolphin music!!!

i had dreamed of a day when the functionality and precision of the mpc serious would be applied to a midi keyboard, the day has arrived, mpc fans id definately recommend this for your studio, non mpc fans, prepare to be converted.

and the build quality is superb

Hi ive had the Akai mpd24 for a two weeks now and im extremely happy with it.The akai mpd24 is a very solid unit to start with.The pads are just perfect.They are preshure and velocity sensetive wich is what u need in a drum pad controller.
Also the faders are great and the knobs(pots) are endless so they reset if u change to a different vsti.
Also u get transport buttons to control your daw(start)(stop)etc.
Now the best bit the huge lcd screen bright blue just sets this unit off it lets u see easily what preset u are using and the messages that are sent to your DAW.
Also it has 16 levels feature as well as a full level feature wich are great it comes loaded with presets 4 different daws and software instruments + the included editor to make your own presets on or u can make them on the unit itself.
This is a great way to start making your own drumloops no more piano rool editing just bash out a beat then quantize perfect beats all the time.
Also u can use it to control synths and any other instrument.

All in all solid unit with great pads and very good features and a lot of fun.

Akai and Yamaha’s parallel development of Electronic Wind Instruments has taken an interesting turn with Akai’s new model, the EWI1400s, the first wind controller with built in synthesiser. The instrument is played via touch sensitive “keys”, as previously favoured by this manufacturer. The Yamaha models have switches operated by moving keys, and feel closer in this respect to acoustic wind instruments. One advantage of the Akai system is that some of the “keys” can be moved slightly to accommodate different hand sizes and finger lengths.
Having taken the EWI1400s out of the box, the first thing to do is fit 4 AA cells, as a mains adapter isn’t included. This is a rather fiddly operation; thankfully a decent set of alkaline cells lasts for some time. Plug in your set of headphones and you’re away, but the first thing you’ll notice is that the output isn’t particularly loud, even when set to maximum, and that the headphone amp is noisy, with gurgles and noise. The line out level isn’t high either, I needed to turn my amp right up.
One hundred sounds are included on the synth board, these can apparently be “tweaked” on a PC using supplied software, but I haven’t tried this yet. The sounds are OK, many of them are similar sounding. Sounds can be assigned to finger keys, for fast changes “on the hoof”. Of course, the EWI1400s can be used as a midi controller, and it was when I plugged it into my Yamaha VL70m wind synth module that I really began to enjoy myself. The sounds produced by the Yamaha synth are in a different class, much more sophisticated and interesting. This combination of controller and synth is flexible, powerful, and great fun!
As a bassoon player, I’m spending some time learning the saxophone style fingerings. Moving your fingers up and down onto touch pads takes a little getting used to. There is no reed, you just blow into a plastic mouthpipe. Biting on the mouthpipe bends the pitch a little, so can be used to produce a vibrato effect; I didn’t find this at all natural and didn’t work for me. Pitch bend can be controlled with the right thumb, and with practice I imagine this could be made to sound convincing. Flutter tonguing, double tonguing and so on work fine.
For the price, this gadget is a complete bargain. Five minutes after the postman calls, you’re having a good time making music. It’s well made; good to look at and hold. Highly recommended!

Without sounding too much like a converted rusher...oh my word! I had heard talk of the headrush after KT Tunstall bust out some grooves on hers, much to the delight of slack jawed watchers. It didn't stick in my head for too long though being as how I still stomp around on my old zoom 3030 and various boxes of noise. Until that is an encounter with a man called 'Son of Dave' in a friendly venue not far from Notts. centre. Up he popped frail but intensely insane and started hammering out the most brutal beatbox rhythms spliced by vocal squeals and the monster magic of his harmonica! Utter brilliance...Satans own dweeble! All from a little metal box sat betwixt his brogued feet! My musical life had changed! I rapidly purchased aforementioned Headrush box of madness and have since delved into a sonic world of bubbling sample loops and manic blabberings, and can honestly say I have developed and destroyed more musical ideas in the last week than in 10 years of musicality! I don't have the faintest clue of it's full potential as I am far from the greatest understander of what exactly all the options (because there are plenty) actually do (too excited to read the manual). Looping re-looping, splicing and bouncing sounds around the extremely user friendly set-up has been a breeze allowing me to concoct masses of layers which can interweave and create some blisteringly beautiful rhythms. Melodies and harmonies can get a little twisted if you're not careful! The sturdy construction helps it win some votes too as you tend to stomp just that little bit harder the more exited you get at the noise coming out of your amps! The only gripe I have is that there is only one input (am I asking a little too much from such a wondrous box?) and splitting signals whilst possible, with a signal splitter or just ingenious mixer desk fandangles, is a bit of a hassle when like me you have to dismantle your set-up to be able to sleep at night! But that said if you will it, it will happen...I would recommend anyone thinking of burning their brains with sonic sweetness and dissolving their bones with delay to purchase one of these fine beauties! The finest tape echo delay loop magician is waiting in your wallet to be born! Buy one and go nuts!!!! Bonus!