You can please some of the people all of the time, and you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time. Unless you're Akai, that is. "Bigger MPKs!" they shouted, "Smaller MPDs!" "Stop," said Akai, "you shall both be satisfied." To whit: MusickMesse shall see the unveiling of the Akai MPK88 and the Akai MPD18.

The MPK88 is will be the biggest keyboard-style controller from Akai, hot on the heels of the MPK25 released at Winter NAMM 2009. 88 full-sized keys and 16 MPC-style trigger pads make the MPK88 the perfect studio controller, or live controller if stage and transport space ain't no thing.

If the trigger pads are you you require, or space is a thing, the MPD18 pad controller might be more your speed. The smallest of Akai's pad-controller, the MPD18 still features sixteen velocity sensitive MPC-style pads, with three different banks or controller scenes available, perfect for programming grooves or triggering samples. The compact surface also fits a slider control and six other parameter edit buttons. It provides MIDI over USB and can also control external MIDI sound modules.

Pricing and availability for the Akai MPK88 and Akai MPD18 are TBA. I like acronyms.