Image credit: Akai

The new piece of kit features an assignable touch strip and 16 pressure and velocity sensitive pads with aftertouch.

Akai is expanding its highly rated MPC series with the next-generation MPC studio music production system. The compact controller works in tandem with Akai’s MPC2 software for macOS and Windows. 

MPC Studio maintains the iconic 16-pad workflow that the sampler series is renowned for. Each pad is RGB-backlit, pressure, and velocity-sensitive, and is capable of aftertouch. The 16 full-size pads allow you to trigger and record patterns, notes, chords, and sounds. In addition to this, there is a visual display showing velocity and pad groupings. 

Akai has also included a Touch Strip on the MPC Studio, which they claim can “elevate any performance with invigorating expression”. Producers can use the Touch Strip to add articulations to virtual stringed instruments, apply modulation or pitch bend to a synth part. You can also control Note Repeat for drum rolls and much more. 

A full-color LCD display provides visual feedback for track names, plug-in presents, browse categories, parameter values, and sample cropping points. The MPC2 can be plugged into any DAW as well and is easily transportable due to its slim design.