I bought this tool even though I don't know anything about it. How can I learn to get started? Is there any program that can teach me how to play songs? Or it could be a game.

 

A good starting point would be always -> https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Akai+MPK+Mini

 

Of course, I watched the review videos before purchasing.

 

Take a free keyboard plugin (synth, organ, or piano), learn to pair the knobs with MIDI Learn (don't bother with the wheels, they are always already paired), then play with it. Take this one for example, which has very good sounds despite the weird GUI.

Then to learn to pair the joystick, do the same with a free synth plugin which makes use of a joystick, this one for example.

Then to learn to pair the pads of the unit do the same with a drum emulation, this one for example.

Once you've done these three exercises, you'll have all what you must know to use your MPK MINI with any other plugin.

Why did I choose these plugins above ? Because they are extremely simple and you will not be disturbed by other controls than those you have to learn to pair. After that, you'll be able to do the same with all the plugins you want, effects as well as instruments. This is the way I teach the use of a keyboard MIDI controller to the new students I have in my little music courses at the hospital.

 

Last edited: Feb 9, 2023

I think what you want is Synthesia. zplane Decoda is also nice.

https://synthesiagame.com/

 

Last edited: Feb 9, 2023