Akai SynthStation Studio

Akai Professional has announced the iPK25 keyboard controller and the SynthStation Studio music production app, both for iPhone and iPod Touch.

The iPK25 and SynthStation Studio transform a musician’s iPhone or iPod Touch into a portable music production studio for mobile music creation. While the SynthStation Studio app is powerful enough for professional musicians, virtually anyone can use it to easily create music. The app gives musicians three synthesizers for creating and modifying sonic textures used for melodies, chords and bass lines. Built around Akai Professional’s history in synthesis and drawing on the company’s newest MINIAK synth, the SynthStation Studio app sounds great and offers wide-ranging sonic flexibility with its virtual analog synthesis.

SynthStation Studio users can create and save sequences and complete songs. The app contains three different three-oscillator synths, and drum kits, which musicians can sequence and mix right in the SynthStation Studio. For creating melodic and accompaniment parts, the SynthStation Studio contains an arpeggiator with preset patterns, built-in effects and filters and an XY control interface for expressive control of key parameters.

Akai iPK25

The SynthStation Studio features an on-screen keyboard for use on the go. It is also designed for use with its companion keyboard, the iPK25.

This 25-key MIDI keyboard features a built-in dock for the iPhone or iPod Touch. It gives users two octaves of velocity-sensitive, synth-action keys, pitch and modulation wheels, and physical buttons for the most commonly used controls including octave up and down and sound-bank selections.

iPK25 features

  • 25-key MIDI keyboard controller for iPhone and iPod touch.
  • Velocity-sensitive, synth-action keys for expressive performance.
  • Pitch and modulation wheels, octave +/-, and sound-bank buttons.
  • Stereo RCA line outputs and headphone jack.
  • USB/MIDI for virtually any MIDI music software or MIDI hardware devices.
  • Seamlessly compatible with Akai SynthStation Studio app.

The iPK25 will be available from pro audio and musical instrument retailers in March 2010. It has a U.S. Retail Price of $199 USD and an estimated street price of $149 USD. The SynthStation Studio app will be available from the iTunes App Store in January 2010.

More information: Akai Professional