Akai just MPC has officially announced Key 37, standalone workstation and groovebox. This is the last one standalone MPC device, After last year’s bigger Key 61. Key 37 has everything you need to create a beat or song from scratch without using an actual computer and DAW, with some limitations.
There are 37 full-sized keys, then complete with touch. There aren’t that many stand-alones out there with full keyboards, so this should excite musicians new to Akai-style pads. This unit has 16 velocity-sensitive pads for placing drum parts and triggering samples, so it’s a “best of both worlds” type of situation.
The Switch 37 ships with 32GB of onboard storage, although 10GB is used by the OS and includes sound packs. Thankfully, there’s an SD card slot for storage expansion – these standalone devices charge quickly.
You get the same color 7-inch multitouch display as the company’s Key 61 workstation and four assignable Q-Link buttons. This includes making system tweaks and adding effects plugins and more. great for controlling. In fact, the entire layout is reminiscent of the Key 61, although this new edition is slightly less powerful.
The Key 37 has 2GB of RAM compared to the Key 61’s 4GB. This will block the number of tracks that will play simultaneously without any hiccups. There are also two microphone inputs and no associated preamps. However, there are stereo 1/4-inch inputs and outputs, USB Midi, 5-pin MIDI In/MIDI Out, 4 TRS CV/Gate output jacks, and a USB host port. This keyboard also boasts Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity for wireless streaming with platforms like Ableton Link.
Aside from the iconic 16-pad layout, the highlight of any MPC machine is the software. To that end, the Key 37 ships with Akai’s MPC2 desktop software and its standalone suite. You get eight instrument plugins out of the box and a voucher for a premium plugin from the company’s ever-growing collection. You even understand that cool rooting software, although not yet available in Key 37.
Akai’s latest and greatest may not be as full-featured as 2022’s Key 61, but it’s close to half the price. The Key 37 is priced at $900 and is currently available for order through Music’s parent company and authorized retailers.
