The Akai Professional MPK249 is a 49-key USB MIDI keyboard controller built to be the centerpiece of a project studio. Combining a premium semi-weighted keybed with MPC-style pads and deep DAW control, it suits producers, keyboardists and beatmakers who need one board for playing, programming and mixing. The 49 semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive full-size keys give a natural piano-style response for basslines, chords and melodic parts. Sixteen RGB-illuminated MPC pads with four banks handle finger drumming and sample triggering, while 24 assignable Q-Link controllers — eight knobs, eight faders and eight switches — map smoothly to DAW mixer channels and virtual instruments. MPC mainstay features such as Note Repeat, Full Level, Tap Tempo and a flexible arpeggiator support expressive beatmaking, and dedicated pitch bend and mod wheels add performance feel. Onboard 5-pin MIDI input and output let you control external sound modules and keyboards, alongside USB-MIDI for computer work, with sustain and expression pedal inputs for further expression. A comprehensive software package including MPC Beats, Ableton Live Lite, Hybrid 3 and Xpand!2 is included. Key Features: - 49 semi-weighted velocity-sensitive full-size keys - 16 RGB-illuminated MPC pads with 4 banks - 24 assignable Q-Link knobs, faders and switches - 5-pin MIDI in and out plus USB-MIDI - MPC Note Repeat, arpeggiator, Full Level and Tap Tempo - Pitch bend and modulation wheels - Sustain and expression pedal inputs - Includes MPC Beats, Ableton Live Lite, Hybrid 3 and Xpand!2 software