Akai Pro MPC Key 37 Synthesizer workstation is finally official; here are all the details you should know, including pictures and first videos.
Almost endless leaks have occurred about the upcoming MPC Key 37 from Akai Pro. I haven’t seen a product launch with so many leaks in a long time. Yeah, also a record.
Today, the day has finally come. The MPC Key 37 is official and available immediately from retailers worldwide.
Akai Pro MPC Key 37
As we could already read from the leaks, the MPC Key 37 is the little brother/sister of the MPC Key 61. More compact, in flaming red, with 37 keys with velocity and aftertouch. It also hosts 16 velocity-sensitive RGB MPC pads and a 7″ multi-gesture touch-screen supported by four Q-Link encoders.
The core runs on the same CPU already installed in the other MPC. When it comes to RAM, it is not the MPC Key 61 level but on the budget MPC One + or MPC Live II. It comes with 2GB instead of 4 GB. This is a downer compared to the larger model.
There is also internal memory. Like the MPC Key 61, it has 32GB of internal memory and 22GB of user storage. Akai Pro ships the unit with over 8GB of samples and drum kits.
Plus, they added eight plugins, including Odyssey, Hype, Mellotron, and more. It also includes a voucher code for a free MPC plugin. Compared to the 61 with 25 onboard plugins, the new 37 version has less content on offer.
On the connection side, it offers a rock-solid I/O set: three pedal inputs, DIN MIDI in/out, four stereo CV/gate outputs, phones socket, line stereo output (L/R), stereo (L/R) input with rec volume knob, and an SD card reader. The XLR/TRS combo jacks are, however, missing.
You get three pedal inputs, DIN MIDI in/out, 8 CV/gate outputs, a phones socket, main line stereo (L/R) outputs, a stereo (L/R) input with rec volume. Then, it also comes with two USB ports, and one has host functionality. Bluetooth, WiFi, and Ableton Link are also onboard.
Not to forget, an SD card slot is also on the backside. It also comes with a SDD back, allowing you to expand the storage.
First Impression
Phew, finally it’s official. It took a long time. An interesting second iteration of the MPC Key. In terms of features, it’s more or less an MPC One+ with keys. In terms of size and price of 899€, Akai has a unique product here in the synth workstation domain.
Akai Pro MPC Key 37 is available now for $899/899€.
Available at my partner
Thomann_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Article From January 29, 2024
NAMM 2024 is officially done, and no MPC Key 37 has been announced. But possibly behind closed doors in a nice hotel suite. But there is another new leak from another US shop. This time, RKaudio shows new photos of the Akai MPC Key 37. Here too the price is $899.
I wonder whether Akai Pro should even do a big presentation anymore. With the endless leaks, we already know everything. They should only say: “Now available.”
You’re slowly getting used to the red design. It’s not my favorite, but you can live with it. But the motto remains: we keep waiting until it’s official.
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Update From January 26, 2024
For sure, it is. The Akai Pro MPC Key 37 will not be presented at NAMM 2024. But I assume that the press, dealers, and selected people will get a preview on it in a private room. The Hilton Hotel has nice suites.
If you’re not one of them, I have news. Today more information leaked from MPCstuff.com. According to them, the official price will be $899 which sounds like a good deal.
What interesting is about this leak is that it is the official shop text, in which some of the key specs are revealed. Among other things, it will have 32 GB of internal storage, so the same as the MPC Key 61, 16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads, and a 37-note keybed with velocity, and aftertouch.
It also leaks that it has built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, Ableton Link, and an SD card reader. However, no information about the CPU and RAM. I assume that it is the same as in Key 61. It also has a 7’ multi-touch display and 5 Q-link rotary encoders
More, it comes with 8 built-in plugins, tons of content (10GB +) and more. Also the backside of the MPC Key 61 is not on the net.
You get three pedal inputs, DIN MIDI in/out, 8 CV/gate outputs, a phones socket, main line stereo (L/R) outputs, a stereo (L/R) input with rec volume knob, and an SD card reader. So no XLR/TRS combo jacks as on the MPC Key 61. The USB connectivity is, however, missing on the leaked photo.
For $899, this looks like a very tempting package. Looking forward for the official release.
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Update: new photo leaked
Last week, there was a rumor in the media that Akai Pro will soon release a new MPC hardware. I wrote an article about it. This news indicates the current banner Akai Pro has chosen to introduce the new highly anticipated MPC stems functionality.
On it, you can see a red MPC device, not the MPC One +, with a still unknown layout. Today, light comes into the darkness. A new photo leak reveals it: it will be an MPC Key 37, a more compact version of the MPC Key 61.
Leak Akai Pro MPC Key 37
Some suggested a small-budget MPC that is even cheaper than the MPC One+. There was also the other group that guessed an MPC Key 37. Bravo, you’re right here. The new leaked photos show a box and the hardware of the MPC Key 37. This appeared in the MPC users group on Reddit in the night.
As you can already see on the banner, the upcoming MPC key 37 will be shiny red. It is a very striking color that has already been chosen for the new MPC One +. This will likely be on the same MPC software architecture as the large MPC Key 61, only with 37 keys.
The built-in hardware will be exciting. We can maybe expect lower RAM or storage specs to get a lower price. Similar to the MPC One + and the higher-priced MPC Live 2…
Look at the box. Here, you can see a bit that the display will be in the middle, surrounded by eight MPC pads on the left and four Q-link controls on the right. Transport controls will be under the display (MPC steams leak).
Also on board, you get a little teaser of the included plugins: Bassline, Electric, Hype Synthesizer, Mellotron, Solina, and more.
So, the MPC Key 37 is coming soon. Now, it also makes more sense why the price of the MPC Key 61 from 2022 has fallen so massively in the last few months. It was available during the 2023 holidays for €1149 (25% OFF) and is now back to €1398.
It will be exciting. The MPC Key 37 will be presented in the next few days. Maybe even today. Tuesday is a day when Akai Pro likes to make releases. Stay tuned!
More information will follow here: Akai Pro
Available at my partner
Disappointing.
Can you imagine yourself bending over the keys to stroke some drum pads?! It’s tiring and annoying at the same time. And that’s not all…
Yeah, I can imagine myself lifting my hands over the keys to play the drum pads. It’s not tiring when you’re only doing that for a minute or two to write your drum sequence.
Man, you said right, you can only imagine but try it for real. It is really stupid to put drum pads on a keyboard and vice versa. I had a Roland with (multi-purpose) drum pads – Never use them 😑
Interesting form factor with the angle.
With InMusic’s recent MOOG purchase, would be wild if they had a sub37 built in or something haha
This is most valuable comment, people are in the dark about this purchase. And I believe this is the key reason that akai made this product
It’s actually the dumbest comment. You might get a moog analog filter in the future but for the rest it’s probably plugin after plugin. Moog as we’ve known it is dead. Inmusic is probably the worst they could’ve sold it to but I guess time will tell.
If this is it looks ugly but could be great ,let’s wait and see
Cool. When they bought Moog they fired me and all my friends and moved production to Singapore. I have desire to use their trash ever again. My DAW does more than any MPC and I already own it. F InMusic!
I’m with you!This was also one of the many reasons why I prefer to go with the Push 3 Standalone instead of Akai, even if it is not yet fully developed. My Subsequent 37 is also very happy with my decision.
It sucks that you lost your job.
However, that’s hardly InMusic or Akai’s fault. They didn’t “steal” Moog, they bought it from the previous owners of Moog who were willing to sell it.
They sold it due to poor management by Moog’s (presumably former) board. That and the unwillingness to follow market trends.
What a fail 😀
This looks cool to me. I was very interested in the MPC Ine+
The computer inside needs to be user upgradedable like Ableton is doing with the Push. Also, why go with this thing when you can just hook up any (and better) midi or usb keyboard to it? I appreciate Akai new MPCs and the Force but its getting ridiculous.
Still no built-in speaker? 😕
Akai means Red in Japanese. But its no reason to make the whole instrument that color. It looks so tacky, kinda hideous. Whatever happened to that wonderful Beige that never was too much on the eyes…. Or the midnight Blue of the mpc4000 & 2000xl mcd??? Or how about a 2 tone grey? It really does seem like whatever InMusic touches turns to poop. I hope they dont turn Moog into mush
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Funky Fresh! This new MPC will give a lot of people tons of new inspiration. It looks inspiring and very cool and portability makes this thing dynamite for producers.
So where is Akai Pro at Namm with new releases?
MPC mini? MPC key 37?
they probably show it in a hotel room under NDA
You’ve accidentally said 2023 a few times instead of 2024.
thx, fixed it 🙂 time travel 🙂
Cool. Still one left! “For sure, it is. The Akai Pro MPC Key 37 will not be presented at NAMM 2023”
I see this model for the EMD crowd and those that like mini synths, the Live 2 and key 61 are more for me. And I am thinking of getting an MPC one+ to use as a drum module for my electric drum set, but I kinda want it to have a built in harddrive bay. Y’all just let me know when they make the keytar version and what they plain on calling it.
900 isn’t that bad. Might be nice in my setup as a secondary sampler synth device though I’d probably wait until a sale. I stopped following this Akai stuff around MPC Live 1, so is this the same architecture found in all of their current grooveboxes? Like the same OS found in Live 2, MPC Keys, One, etc. Has anyone compared them all?
I watch a lot of youtube musicians, influencers and gear heads. Nobody is talking about the MPC keys 61. Just all the videos talking about it before release and the fight between Benn Jordan and Ave MCree on how buggy it was. Other than that, just some sprinkles here and there, mainly dudes making the same song over and over. I dont think it has a place in the market right now with software where it is and a midi controller and the mpc software gets you the exact same experience. They developed themselves out of the market with that software. Unless it has a battery, I dont think many will care.
The whole AKAI marketing-circus is sooo boring. They had to inform influencers to register that the shown MPC on the stem-pics is not an available MPC. Then these UPS delivery pics and now the non-introduction at NAMM…yaaawn…
…and now the MPC Keys61 run out of production…
Sorry Akai i keep my mpc 1000…