The Keyboard I Have the Most Fun With

[@bullet1218]

I hope Akia keep this keyboard updated and future proof...it's a awesome instrument....💯👍🏼

[@maximumguitarage]

MPC 3.0 baby - I just got mine in . Man is this keyboard a keeper and rocks ! 🎹

[@matthewgaines10]

I recently picked up a brand new Key 61 for $1,349. Not a lot more than the price of a new Live II. Having something close to being a complete keyboard workstation is a real win. I still have the One and Live II. I choose my weapon depending on how and where I want to work.

[@darrickkeels6387]

The price point really makes it worth taking a look at, especially for people looking to record music on their keyboards. It's $100 less than a Roland Fantom-06 and the same exact price as the Yamaha MODX6+. While I believe the Roland and Yamaha are the clear winners for most live performancers and sound designers, the Akai is the clear winner for people who want to record on their hardware. The quick little beat in this video cannot be recorded on the Fantom-0, simply due to its polyphony limitations. Unless I simply select the 30 year old sounds on the Fantom. But I have an EP, Pad, and Strings all playing chords on the Akai. In addition to that bass, drums, synth lead, percussion, etc. I could record it on the MODX+, but the sequencer on that keyboard doesn't allow you to edit the MIDI notes once recorded.

[@matthewgaines10]

@@darrickkeels6387 Yeah, if live performance was a thing for me, a MODX+ or Fantom is more immediate and capable. A Key 61 or any MPC has performance penalties. You’re more man than me for pulling it off. For that alone, you’ve earned my respect as a baller. I just want to compose and leave the heavy lifting to more talented folks like yourself.

[@KarmaPaym3ntPlan]

@@darrickkeels6387 this is a really basic question I imagine, but do sequences without polyphony issues individually (and recorded to separate “zones” in my case), end up [potentially] stacking to have polyphony issues when played back simultaneously? Or is the polyphony only subject to compromise, within its own zone?

[@joonglegamer9898]

Dope tune Darrick! And you're right also for me, I've had mine since the release, and despite its numerous bugs and shortcomings it's still more complete in a music production way than anything else in my studio, in fact I could say my entire studio because it takes forever to set everything up for a new song, with the Key 61 - it's just select sound, record, next track, select sound, record and rinse and repeat - it's actually fun! It brought fun back into music making.

[@darrickkeels6387]

Funny enough my most "all-around" capable keyboard is my Korg Kronos. But it is my least fun to use.

[@DJWOLFLIVE]

Facts

[@DJWOLFLIVE]

Total facts!!! Just got mine almost two weeks ago and you pretty much summed up everything I was saying on my channel about it. It takes my creativity to next level by 70% as a result and it’s so addictive to play.

[@VIRALBEATS360]

Nice work!

[@darrickkeels6387]

Thank you Sir! When are you going live again? For some reason I always get your notifications late lol! I want to know when you will be doing that "workaround" video you talked about for the Roland Fantom.

[@VIRALBEATS360]

@@darrickkeels6387 Funny you should ask, I'm actually working something out to go live in a couple hours. I have been traditionally going live at midnight (PST). Still (reluctantly) working on that Fantom video, haha

[@IMakeBeats]

Thats was dope’. 🎧🎶

[@galastar257]

Great as a workstation but I couldn’t get on with it as a live keyboard so sold it. My Nord Stage 3 just does so many things better. The sounds were really good though.

[@darrickkeels6387]

Oh yes. In a live environment it's really not the best. Nord is the clear winner there in my opinion.

[@matthewgaines10]

Just watching people demo it on KZbin at launch suggested that it wasn't the best live performance keyboard.

[@ursullavandenbord2322]

I adore my mpc key 61. So good. And the sounds are really great !

[@88mokeyz8k]

More!

[@MrJeffryL]

Thanks for your great vids. I like - guess just like you - playing by keys and so this board really got my interest. But I do already own a great keyboard (Korg D1) with weighted keys and all.... and if I'm gonna spend this amount of money I could also now buy the Push 3 standalone... what do you reckon?

[@darrickkeels6387]

If you are an Ableton user the Push 3 is truly a great investment.

[@88keyz]

🔥🔥🔥

[@ronworth5295]

I love my mpc live 2. I was thrilled when the mpc key came out. UNTIL I touched the key bed. Darrick man HOW do you get past that key bed? Lol. That’s the only thing keeping me from buying this board.

[@darrickkeels6387]

Yeah...if you can't stand the keybed, then I would definitely stay away from it. Keybeds are kind of a personal thing. What feels good to one person can feel horrible to another. The keybed for me is "good enough" for what I use it for. If I am laying down some tracks in 4-8 bars at a time, it works for that. Or if I am playing live and playing some sort of a synth lead solo it works for that. I am rarely ever using the keybed to play "piano-like" parts. I have other keyboards for that. I will connect it to my Korg Kronos, Montage, Fantom, RD-2000, Nord, etc, if I really need to "play" something that requires a high quality keybed.

[@christopherspencer7910]

I have no problem with the key bed it's better than the modx 8 + and for the price point what would you expect Nord Stage 4

[@88keyz]

🙌🏽👍🏾❤🙌🏽

[@donnieharrisonn]

Got one recently and i live it so far. My biggest issue is I can't find a way to automate touch fx on the master channel. Do you know if it's possible?

[@djjas764]

Good. Fantom & Montage & Kronos aren’t good anymore?

[@darrickkeels6387]

Of course they are still good

[@Google_Was_My_Idea_nr.1]

I second that 🙏🏾

[@matthewgaines10]

Don't think anyone said that. On the contrary, they are superior for certain use cases. Not so much for others. Maybe you should watch again with less selective hearing.

[@williamshaneblyth]

Pity its only 61 keys

[@Kee-bn9sy]

The best on the market