Akai’s new MPC Studio is making waves among music nerds. It’s a cheap box with knobs and dials that connects to an app on your computer, allowing you to rock Akai’s MPC app like it’s a series of much more expensive hardware boxes.
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Musicians prefer the hands-on tweakability of hardware over the frivolity of software, and controllers like Ableton’s Push (starting at $799) bring that physical power to powerful audio software suites. But Akai has upped the game by bringing what feels like a high-quality controller for a very affordable $269.
"Hardware is just hands-on, plain and simple. There's a level of interactivity with hardware that is impossible to replace with mouse clicks, no matter how good the technology is. Turning a knob, pressing a button, or moving a fader all have an immediate effect — not just on the music, but on the user," music producer Ric Lora told Lifewire via email.
To get an idea of why hands-on control is important for musicians, imagine a live performance. Our fictional musician is just building up to a climax in the song. The crowd is going crazy, they’re really into it. It’s time for the drop. Does our musician keep building the tension in the crowd with a button and then press a button to signal the drop? Or do they hover over a slider on the screen, try to move it smoothly, and then click an icon?
