Akai Professional® Introduces EWI Solo

Akai Professional, a leading manufacturer of music equipment for performers and producers, today announced the latest addition to their Electronic Wind Instrument family, EWI Solo.

This next-generation wind instrument is primed for any setting, fusing all the expressive musical capabilities and control found in traditional acoustic wind instruments with the versatility of an electronic instrument and a go-anywhere specification.

Standalone Performance

Woodwind and Brass instrumentalists will appreciate EWI Solo’s completely untethered performance capability. New to the EWI Series is EWI Solo’s built-in speaker, calibrated for the most natural sound reproduction experience to recreate every subtle nuance of the instrumentalist’s performance. When fused with an internal, rechargeable long-life lithium-ion battery for 12+ hours of uninterrupted play time, EWI Solo is perfect for practice and impromptu performances alike.

Hundreds of Sounds Included

Akai Professional’s EWI series has a reputation for sounds that inspire creativity and guarantee multi-genre application right out-the-box. EWI Solo is no exception, primed for any performance with 200 premium onboard tones that react immediately to even the most subtle of inflections. From luscious, evolving synth pads to an authentic, sultry jazz clarinet, every genre is covered with an expertly curated catalog of exclusive tones. EWI Solo’s ultra-responsive mouthpiece, with an air-pressure level sensor and bite sensor, precisely controls volume and pitch dynamics for an uncompromising response. Combine this with dedicated FX controls to add Reverb, Delay, and Chorus, plus editing facilities for Pitch, Tuning and Dual LFOs, and EWI Solo provides everything musicians need to shape their signature sound.

Connect for More Control

Whether it’s practice, live performance or studio recording, EWI Solo’s arsenal of connectivity options provide complete hookup flexibility. Delve into a world of software instruments with EWI Solo’s USB-MIDI connectivity. Connect directly to PA systems with the ¼-inch output. Practice privately, at any hour, with the 1/8-inch headphone output. Users can even connect a playback device to the EWI via the 1⁄8-inch aux input to play along with a backing track. Whatever your needs, EWI Solo delivers.

Building Upon a Legend

EWI mainstays from Akai Professional’s flagship EWI5000 are also thoughtfully included for optimal performance capability. Octave rollers instantly shift the note key’s range, effortlessly changing the playable register. Users can add portamento using the conveniently located glide plate. Get exactly the expression needed with an adjustable pitch bend plate. Musicians can even save any program edits and recall them on the fly with the handy favorites feature.

Familiar Technique

For Woodwind and Brass instrumentalists, no additional fingering technique is needed. EWI Solo adapts to all main fingering styles at the twist of a dial, offering flute, oboe, saxophone and EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument) fingering modes.

EWI Solo Highlights

• Authentic wind-instrument performance and response for the digital era
• 200 onboard premium acoustic and synth sounds
• 12+ hours of play time using the rechargeable lithium-ion battery (charging adapter included)
• Built-in speaker calibrated for the most natural sound reproduction experience
• OLED display to easily view presets and parameters
• USB port for USB-MIDI connection and battery charging
• 1/4inch audio output, 1⁄8-inch headphone output
• 1⁄8-inch auxiliary input

About Akai Professional

The world’s most influential manufacturer of music production gear, Akai Professional develops creative technologies to empower music makers with tools that are unmatched in expressive capability. Akai Professional is best known for creating the legendary MPC, an instrument that has inspired generations of producers and performers and spawned entirely new genres of music. Akai Professional is a part of the inMusic family of premiere music brands.

Pricing and Availability

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EWI Solo will be available Q3 2020 and ships with a retail price of £399.99.

MPK mini mk3 Keyboard MIDI Controller

Akai Professional released a new version of the best-selling MIDI controller, MPK mini mk3! MPC-inspired production essentials, a Gen 2 enhanced dynamic keybed, and tight integration with any music production app makes MPK mini mk3 the ultimate go-anywhere beat making tool.

MPK mini mk3 Highlights

• 25 Mini Keys, Featuring Redesigned Keybed for Incredible Dynamic Expression & Precise Articulation
• Brilliant OLED Display for Immediate Parameter Feedback
• 8 Bankable MPC Performance Pads with Legendary Note Repeat and Full Level Functions
• 8 Endless Rotary Knobs
• 4-Way Joystick for Pitch & Modulation Control
• Class-Compliant USB Connectivity
• Built-in Arpeggiator
• Sustain Pedal Input Jack
• Superior, Sturdy Design & Build
• Complete Music Production Starter Kit, including MPC Beats, AIR Hybrid, Mini Grand and Velvet as well as
• assorted MPC Beats versions of MPC Expansion packs

For the beginner, MPK mini is a complete package with every tool needed to create hit songs from the start. For the working professional, MPK mini is the ultimate musical Swiss Army knife, packed with all the features to deliver on any musical task. From its inception, the MPK mini inspired a generation of producers, redefining how creators make music. MPK mini mk3 refines the tried and tested design of its predecessors with an updated feature spec that leaves any roadblocks by the wayside and places creativity firmly in the driver’s seat. Your hit song starts here!

This mini keyboard MIDI controller has been used by countless artists and musicians for years, and the newest version builds on that legacy with new features to make it even easier to create music. Plus, it comes bundled with the Complete Music Production Starter Kit, including MPC Beats and all the software you need to start making music right away.

Universal Compatibility

Featuring driverless plug-and-play connectivity, MPK mini is primed for immediate performance and production capability right out the box. MPK mini’s new OLED display places must-have visual feedback of velocity, CC, and even DAW mode selection, offering seamless capability with all industry-standard music production apps.

Complete Music Production Starter Kit

MPK mini includes everything needed to immediately start making music right out the box. Featuring MPC Beats, a professional DAW based on the legendary MPC workflow, sample content from assorted MPC Expansion packs and a collection of the most versatile virtual plugin instruments available today (AIR Hybrid, Mini Grand, Velvet), the creative possibilities with the Music Production Starter Kit are endless.

New Gen 2 Keybed

Designed from the ground up, MPK mini’s all-new, reimagined Gen 2 enhanced dynamic keybed delivers a natural and responsive key performance. From grand pianos to searing synth leads and lush electric pianos, the Gen 2 keybed guarantees the best from any playing style and virtual instrument.

MPC Pad Power

No Akai Professional keyboard controller would be complete without the legendary MPC pads – MPK mini is no exception with 8 pads pulled right from the flagship MPC series. These bankable, velocity-sensitive backlit MPC pads deliver the perfect touch for precise drumming and melodic sample playback that even the most demanding performers will find unmatched.

Complete Command of Your Production

MPK mini’s rotary knobs give producers and performers immediate control of any assignable parameter in their music application. Designed to assign to synth, mixer, and effects plugins, users will love the hands-on control of all key parameters for an immersive, music-making experience.

Packed with Production Mainstays

Note repeat, arpeggiator, and the Omni-directional joystick are trusted features no MPK mini would be complete without, and it’s all here in MPK mini mk3. Whether it’s sparking that initial idea or capturing every subtle inflection of expressive performance, MPK mini gives users complete flexibility to truly make their performance your own.

MPC Beats Academy

To make sure new users can start creating music quickly, we’ve also created the MPC Beats Academy – a series of videos that walk you through the process of creating different styles of music using MPC Beats and the MPK mini.

Find the MPC Beats Academy here: https://www.akaipro.com/mpc-beats-academy 

Pricing and Availability

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The Akai MPK mini mk3 is available now.

An expansive 2GB content library, 3 built-in MPC plugins, and MIDI hardware controller compatibility make MPC Beats the choice for the entry-level beat maker

Akai Professional, a leading manufacturer of music equipment for performers and producers, today announced the latest addition to their DAW software lineup, MPC Beats. Built on the legacy of the legendary MPC hardware and innovative MPC2 desktop software, MPC Beats is available to anyone as a free download from the Akai Professional website and empowers new beat makers with all the tools to create excellent sounding beats.

MPC Beats Highlights

• Free software based on the legendary MPC workflow
• 2 Audio, 8 Midi/Instrument Tracks
• 16 Pads, Sample Editing, VST/AU support
• Ready to create right away – sample/sound content, effects, and virtual instruments built-in
• Can be mapped to any MIDI controller, including MPC and MPK mini
• Easy, unified software, plugins, and virtual instruments installer
• Special Affordable MPC Beats version of Expansions (starting at $9.99)

Intuitive MPC Workflow

Aspiring beat-makers ready to delve into the world of music production will find MPC Beats an ultra-intuitive, inspiring entry-point for producing professional sounding music. Underpinned by the renowned MPC workflow, MPC Beats offers an easily accessible 4×4 drum sample grid, a piano roll, sample library browser and sample edit window. Users can seamlessly switch between these workspaces to discover, create, and edit their beats to perfection. For immediate accessibility, MPC Beats includes smart layouts from the included beat templates – the ideal starting point for new users looking to master the MPC workflow.

MPC Beats Academy

To make sure new users can start creating music quickly, Akai Professional created the MPC Beats Academy – a series of videos that walk you through the process of creating different styles of music using MPC Beats. Find the MPC Beats Academy here

Samples & Sounds for Success

MPC Beats comes with a 2GB content library with selections from the most popular MPC Expansion Pack sound libraries. The carefully curated selection gives beat makers the freshest in-demand sounds for modern beat-making. From drum kits with punchy kicks and crispy claps, to 3 plugin instruments (Bassline, Tubesynth & Electric) from MPC, everything needed to create great sounding beats is here. Adding the final pro polish to tracks couldn’t be simpler with over 80 FX plugins from the AIR Effects collection – a premium selection of mixdown and mastering tools – giving beat makers everything they need to finish tracks and get them ready to share on any streaming platform.

Controller Connection

Get even more out of MPC Beats with integrated hardware control. MIDI keyboards like the venerable Akai Professional MPK mini, 4×4 and 8×8 pads, or even standalone MPC hardware all work seamlessly with MPC Beats so beat makers can connect their devices and elevate their workflow to greater heights with immersive tactile control of the software. For complete setup simplicity, MPC Beats comes auto-mapped to some of the world’s most popular controllers from numerous brands. So whether it’s an Akai Pro MPK mini, Alesis V-Mini or M-Audio Keystation, there are no setup headaches and roadblocks to your creativity.

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More Power Packed Tools

MPC Beats features 2 stereo audio tracks to sample your vocals, instruments, sound design elements and more. MPC Beats also supports AU/VST plugin instruments and audio effects, allowing beat makers to continue to expand their instrument collections. For complete integration with existing systems, MPC Beats opens as a plugin in all mainstream DAWs to merge the best of all DAW worlds. With MPC Beats, the power and performance the modern beat maker demands is there for any workflow imaginable.

About Akai Professional

The world’s most influential manufacturer of music production gear, Akai Professional develops creative technologies to empower music makers with tools that are unmatched in expressive capability. Akai Professional is best known for creating the legendary MPC, an instrument that has inspired generations of producers and performers and spawned entirely new genres of music. Akai Professional is a part of the inMusic family of premiere music brands.

Pricing and Availability

MPC Beats is be available as a free download since July 21st, 2020.