Akai MPD 26

It's perfect for producers, programmers, musicians and DJs. Its blend of intuitive MPC controls and technologies meshes with easy USB connectivity to bring the feel of classic beat making to the world of computer music production. The heart of the Akai MPD26 is its bank of 16 velocity and pressure-sensitive MPC pads, an Akai Professional exclusive. You can access four different sounds from each MPC pads for a total of 64 at your fingertips. The MPD26 also features the MPC series' assignable Q-Link controllers, enabling you to control nearly any parameters in your software in real time. You get six assignable Q-Link faders and six assignable Q-Link 360° knobs so you'll spend less time with the mouse and more time making music. The MPD26 also gives you a dedicated set of transport controls for instant access to the most commonly used DAW or sequencing-software controls. While the MPC pads and Q-Links might be the heart of the MPD26, its brain is transplanted directly from the MPC. That's because the Akai MPD26 is not just a control surface; it contains some of the key MPC technologies that have made the MPC the de facto standard it is. MPC Note Repeat is a capability that enables the MPD (or MPC) to automatically play a rhythm pattern, such as 16th notes on a hi-hat, for accuracy and speed of entry. MPC Swing is sometimes referred to as "the heart and soul of hip hop" because it turns perfectly aligned sequences into human-feeling time alignments. You can specify exactly the degree and timing of swing you want to apply for the perfect feel. The MPD26 also has MPC Full Level and MPC 16-Level on its pads. The Akai MPD26 sends MIDI information over its plug-and-play USB interface so you can use it with your Mac or PC without installing any drivers. The USB connection even powers the MPD26 so the included USB cable is all you need. The MPD26 also has traditional DIN MIDI input and output jacks so you can use it with MIDI hardware such as synths and other sound modules. The MPD26 comes with Ableton Live Lite and Editor Librarian software so you can start creating right out of the box.