Utility with versatility, that’s what the LPK 25 midi keyboard offers you. An ideal purchase you could use to leisurely work at your music while at home. You might be having a range of musical instruments and applications at your work place as a result of your chosen vocation or just for recording purposes when you are inspired. However, having the Akai offers you the luxury of getting inspired even in the comfort of your own home. The hassle of carting the same piece back and forth from home to studio will not arise.

The midi comes with the warranty and the editing software loaded on a CD. The contents are so tightly packed that they cannot use the normal CD but the mini as the former will not fit the content box. The instructions for editing can be obtained from the website. They are compatible to both Apple and Windows. Since it is available online it does not eat up space on the hard disk.

Though the Akai midi is small and is just over a foot long the keys have been designed with sufficient width to be playable affording the sensitive touch as well. The larger specimens of us might have to get used to avoid pressing more than one key at the beginning. Functions for shifting octaves, arpeggiator, sustaining notes, tapping the tempo and calling programmed functions have been placed at the left using six buttons. With the option to hold down chords available, using the sustain notes or the arpeggiator (ARP). The device is made of plastic but the feel is not cheap.

Akai has put some thinking into the ARP. The ARP for those who might want to know is a mechanism, which allows you to hold a chord down and then play the notes pertaining to the chord repeatedly. The clock can be set to internal and tapping the tempo button sets the tempo. When the ARP is kept on, the hold down button enables you to set the mode, the ARP time division and include the octaves that are needed. These can all be played while the ARP is on hold down mode.

What’s most exciting is that the unit is small enough to be fitted across the keyboard of the Mac allowing the logic shortcuts to be used. The rubber fittings at the bottom are placed just right so that the device can be slightly lifted above the keyboard.

The editor software is simple and fast allowing preset ARP settings.

The LPK 25 can be good for home music production and eventually it can be used alive. You just plug it in and it works. At the cost of $ 73 many find this midi highly attractive for purchase.