Cockos Incorporated Forums - View Single Post - Setting up Akai mpk mini

azslow3 · 02-02-2020, 02:50 AM

Akai mpk mini is Ableton oriented device. That is problematic in REAPER. You can not use Control Surfaces plug-ins with it without loosing its MIDI keyboard functionality.

There are 2 approaches using it:
1) set "Enable input for control messages" in the MIDI settings. That will allow using MIDI Action shortcuts (f.e. for transport, controlling volumes, etc.) and learning FX automation parameters.
https://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#LmEy49PH9p8 (after ~5min)

2) use ReaLearn: https://www.helgoboss.org/projects/realearn/

Note that mpk mini has special Editor to arbitrary assign MIDI to controls, in 4 programs. Each pad can send up to 6 different messages per program (2xNotes, 2xCCs, 2xPCs). But MIDI messages can "clash" between controls, so a pad can sends the same message as some knob. The result can be surprising, I recommend configure the device such way that every message is unique. And you probably do not want assign Notes (default pad mode) to Actions, it will be hard to play keyboard without surprises then.

02-02-2020, 02:50 AM	#2
azslow3 Human being with feelings Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Posts: 797	Akai mpk mini is Ableton oriented device. That is problematic in REAPER. You can not use Control Surfaces plug-ins with it without loosing its MIDI keyboard functionality. There are 2 approaches using it: 1) set "Enable input for control messages" in the MIDI settings. That will allow using MIDI Action shortcuts (f.e. for transport, controlling volumes, etc.) and learning FX automation parameters. https://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#LmEy49PH9p8 (after ~5min) 2) use ReaLearn: https://www.helgoboss.org/projects/realearn/ Note that mpk mini has special Editor to arbitrary assign MIDI to controls, in 4 programs. Each pad can send up to 6 different messages per program (2xNotes, 2xCCs, 2xPCs). But MIDI messages can "clash" between controls, so a pad can sends the same message as some knob. The result can be surprising, I recommend configure the device such way that every message is unique. And you probably do not want assign Notes (default pad mode) to Actions, it will be hard to play keyboard without surprises then.