Question 1

Can this be used by itself, without a computer to make sounds?

Accepted Answer

It's a controller, not a sound-maker. It sends only digital signals either to a musical instrument (e.g., a synthesizer) or to a computer via the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) protocol via a cable. It makes no sounds by itself. It can serve as the input device for virtual instruments such as software synthesizers, software pianos, etc. running on a computer.

Question 2

Does this work with an amp?

Accepted Answer

Yes, although you need a computer to do so and your amp needs a usb mini input. My son has a Marshal Code 100 and that does have a midi usb input and it works great.

Question 3

Im shopping around but can't find how many sounds or how many gigs worth of sounds this comes with. does this come with 9+ gigs like the mpc studio?

Accepted Answer

Don’t count on a ton.  I think it’s only the more expensive controllers like the touch and upwards that come with decent samples.

I personally like cymatics, ignore their “hot new” packages that sell for $129, and get the $5 packages that very literally were those hot new packages until hotter newer ones came along.  A fraction of their sets set me up with a giant library of good sounds for every genre for about $40, and I’d go back if I wanted more specific sounds.  Only people that need those brand new samples are pro producers, because you’ll often recognize their hit hats, snare rolls and others if you listen to much modern hip hop or pop, or electronic of all the various types, house dubstep whatever.    Because hip hop beats are relatively simple, they’re usually the easiest to notice.

Anyway, that’s one way to up your library.  Don’t count on this to do it for you, though it’ll execute it well! TBH unless you’re spending a lot, you aren’t gonna get useful sounds bundled.  If a $40 keyboard advertises 5gb of free sounds, I’d bet not only is the keyboard not too good, but the sounds won’t be anything you’d use.  If you want good samples, just get some good sample packs, they’re extraordinarily cheap once they’re not brand new (If nobody has heard it, pros may want it.  If you’re not a pro, nothing wrong with using “yesterday’s” sounds. Especially because a lot don’t change that much, and if you have good drums for example, you don’t need a good drum loop or hi hat loop, you can make your own if you want to be totally original.  Do your research, get some good sounds, it will do wonders for what you make - seriously, you can suck but put together some loops and you’ve got a beat going.  If you want to make your own leads in serum, cymatics also has presets.  Though if you want to spend the time, you can find a lot of presets on youtube , just follow along.

If you don’t know serum, especially if you’re into dubstep etc., it’s one of those must have VSTs.  I know some Akai stuff comes with “Wobble”, which sounds like a decent try at what serum does.  So would recommend that too.

Keyboard is only as good as what it can out out, so you need those good sounds! I wouldn’t rely on the packaged sounds or VSTs though, they throw em in free for a reason.   If you can get a top line MIDI 25-keyboard such as this, you should be able to get some good sounds as well! Luckily you just have to download em.

Question 4

Does it work well with garageband?

Accepted Answer

Yes it's good with all DAWs. I used it with GarageBand, logic, and pro tools.

Item Weight	2.76 Kilograms
Product Dimensions	29.9 x 48.9 x 9.19 cm; 2.76 kg
Item model number	MPK225
Compatible Devices	Laptop
Connector Type	/
Hardware Interface	USB
Item Styling	Midi
Scale Length	inches
Supported Software	Ableton Live Lite
Musical Style	Electronic
Instrument Key	Any
Number of Keyboard Keys	25
Proficiency Level	Professional
Hardware Platform	PC/Mac
Standing screen display size	3.5

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AKAI Professional MPK225 - Compact 25-Key Semi-Weighted USB MIDI Keyboard Controller Including Assignable MPC Controls Including 8 Pads, Q-Links, Buttons and Plug and Play Connectivity

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