Anyone excited to control their VSTs with Akai Advance?

[trusampler]

1. As long as the software's coded correctly, I don't see a problem with wrappers, or hosts within the daw. To me, as long as it does what I need it to do then by all means, it should be a great option.

2. I own both Nektar Panaroma 61,as well as the KontrolS61. I'm glad Akai lit fire to NI's ass. Next time don't come weak.
I'm personally pulling for Akai, I prefer the Mpc over Maschine, own both as well. I prefer the WORKFLOW of their developers over Ni, i think they grasp the details and workflow better. imo Both Nektar and KontrolS are superb keybeds and good options.

3. The thing that interests me most in the Akai option, is they are prepared right out of the gate to offer a better workflow, again imo, then the above options.I love the idea of the self recognizing presets with their software, hopefully it works as advertised. Not sure about the keybed, this I'm very interested in, and really hope it's of an equal quality.

4. There's a ton of low end midi controllers out there that are cheap for users who prefer to hold on to their hard earned cash. The good thing about these companies finally doing these smart controllers, is other companies will now have to adopt the workflow, or become old technology

5. Is June a definite release for the AKAI advanced61 ?

[bmrzycki]

I'm holding off to see what the Kickstarter by Infiniteresponse brings. They are open-sourcing the design of the sensors, keys, firmware, CAD drawings, and are building it to be modular in 2 octave increments. Price-wise I'd rather have excellent keys with poly-aftertouch from a company famous for making what is considered one of the best MIDI master keyboards.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/12 ... controller

I missed the kickstater so I'll have to wait to see what the first builds look like. I'm not buying a new MIDI keyboard until I see what these eventually look like.

[rod_zero]

I wonder how many years away we are from a proper controller with a large amount of encoders and led rings.

[chaosWyrM]

this looks interesting to me, but...why lock the vip software to the keyboards? i mean i know why...to sell the expensive hardware.

id sure be interested to know what happens if i try to use my remote sl mkii with the vip software. id bet it works just fine...which would mean i dont need that pricy keyboard.

if it DOESNT work just fine...then thats added reason to not buy it. some people have more than 1 controller...and some people dont want to have to use the same one forever.

i mean the only real reason to buy these is for the vip software...which probably works with any controller.

[rod_zero]

The controllers have screens so the software probably handles the communication

To me this as well as the NI ones seem like a big fail.

[chaosWyrM]

The controllers have screens so the software probably handles the communication

To me this as well as the NI ones seem like a big fail.

yeah...but i dont think you need the screen, from what ive seen, which granted isnt a lot, it looks like whats going on on the screen is just whats going on in the software on your monitor...the screen is so you dont need a monitor.

maybe?

dont get me wrong...im not saying i think any controller will be able to access the software the same, im just saying you could probably use the software on its own without the keyboard, as long as youre using the gui on a computer.

[Astralv]

Astralv, what do you mean you haven't seen a video of how Advance works? I've seen plenty of videos that show what it does.

I did not see a video where it explains how the control over plugin happens. For example, lets say Cutoff CC in one plugin is 25, in another- 56. The assignable knob can not send CC 25 and CC 56 at the same time. You would have to load some kind of map, unless this thing sends CC to every number, which would not work. I need to see how it doing this job. Is there a preset per plugin? Should I load "Omnesphere" map and then "Dune" map and then "Nexus: map- how do I go from plugin to plugin with different controls?

[chaosWyrM]

am i the only one who thinks it a little odd that you need to enter your hardware serial number in order to dl the vip software?

what would be the reason to do that if it only worked on that hardware?

you dont need anything to go and dl automap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QStyB158EKc#t=46

[layzer]

Layzer, I am with you. The only thing I could never master XY Pad. I can control it with mouse fine, but how do you record knobs movement or XY pad movement?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ywJJ_jxy4

[rod_zero]

The controllers have screens so the software probably handles the communication

To me this as well as the NI ones seem like a big fail.

yeah...but i dont think you need the screen, from what ive seen, which granted isnt a lot, it looks like whats going on on the screen is just whats going on in the software on your monitor...the screen is so you dont need a monitor.

maybe?

dont get me wrong...im not saying i think any controller will be able to access the software the same, im just saying you could probably use the software on its own without the keyboard, as long as youre using the gui on a computer.

So you want the company to sell the software which makes their hardware actually different to the competition?

Thats not going to happen, the only reason they developed is because they need it for the controller, its the stuff that makes the controller interesting to some.

Because being frank the akai and the NI controllers arey pretty weak with 8 encoders and some buttons.

[Fleer]

Nektar P6 and Komplete Kontrol S49 all the way, definitely with the NI update coming

[beatmangler443]

You guys trust AKAI longterm and with them coding software? NI will come in the future with midi keyboard with screens and more for the next kontrol software. Maschine will have a new sequencer I feel for version 3. Just my 2.

[chaosWyrM]

The controllers have screens so the software probably handles the communication

To me this as well as the NI ones seem like a big fail.

yeah...but i dont think you need the screen, from what ive seen, which granted isnt a lot, it looks like whats going on on the screen is just whats going on in the software on your monitor...the screen is so you dont need a monitor.

maybe?

dont get me wrong...im not saying i think any controller will be able to access the software the same, im just saying you could probably use the software on its own without the keyboard, as long as youre using the gui on a computer.

So you want the company to sell the software which makes their hardware actually different to the competition?

Thats not going to happen, the only reason they developed is because they need it for the controller, its the stuff that makes the controller interesting to some.

Because being frank the akai and the NI controllers arey pretty weak with 8 encoders and some buttons.

i never said i wanted them to do anything.

what i said was i dont think you need the controller for the software to work, but you do need the software for the controller to be of much use.

in essence it seems youre paying $600 for the vip software and getting a special made controller to use with it. theres really nothing special about the controller itself at all.

doesnt seem like a very good deal to me.

[stikygum]

You guys trust AKAI longterm and with them coding software? NI will come in the future with midi keyboard with screens and more for the next kontrol software. Maschine will have a new sequencer I feel for version 3. Just my 2.

Yeah but Native Instruments sucks balls! They look for every chance they get to monopolize the market with their BS. Buy Kontrol and you can control all your NI plugins. Because you know, no other company makes plugins. Oh if you don't have NI plugins, well go buy them and give us more of your money. No, I don't support companies like that. They do it to their customers all the time.

id sure be interested to know what happens if i try to use my remote sl mkii with the vip software. id bet it works just fine...which would mean i dont need that pricy keyboard.

if it DOESNT work just fine...then thats added reason to not buy it. some people have more than 1 controller...and some people dont want to have to use the same one forever.

i mean the only real reason to buy these is for the vip software...which probably works with any controller.

The controllers have screens so the software probably handles the communication

To me this as well as the NI ones seem like a big fail.

Holy you guys are kidding right. Any company does this. Can you use Automap with other controllers besides Novation? How about NI? Nektar has a great direction interfacing/mapping lots of DAWs and plugins, but are they making their hard work available in the form of $100 software? You guys are flooring me, like you have no idea how a company works.

Nektar and Akai seem like the only companies that get it, related to controlling all plugins. Nektar has both DAW and plugin integration with great visual feedback on their controllers. Akai seems to have even more softsynth plugins supported than Nektar (but less DAW control maybe) and also sports a great looking screen. Also from what I've read, the Nektar Panorama keyboard's key feel isn't the best. A lot of people say that the feel is quite different than other key beds. And they produce a click when pressed. Sounds like Akai might get the nod for one of the better feeling key beds. Imo, Novation SL series has the best feeling to date for a controller.

But anyways, Akai is pushing where many have tried, but many have come up short. They're doing all the cumbersome work for us and it's no more expensive than other controllers. It may have less controls than the Panorama, but with more soft synths supported, that's a win.

[chaosWyrM]

You guys trust AKAI longterm and with them coding software? NI will come in the future with midi keyboard with screens and more for the next kontrol software. Maschine will have a new sequencer I feel for version 3. Just my 2.

Yeah but Native Instruments sucks balls! They look for every chance they get to monopolize the market with their BS. Buy Kontrol and you can control all your NI plugins. Because you know, no other company makes plugins. Oh if you don't have NI plugins, well go buy them and give us more of your money. No, I don't support companies like that. They do it to their customers all the time.

id sure be interested to know what happens if i try to use my remote sl mkii with the vip software. id bet it works just fine...which would mean i dont need that pricy keyboard.

if it DOESNT work just fine...then thats added reason to not buy it. some people have more than 1 controller...and some people dont want to have to use the same one forever.

i mean the only real reason to buy these is for the vip software...which probably works with any controller.

The controllers have screens so the software probably handles the communication

To me this as well as the NI ones seem like a big fail.

Holy you guys are kidding right. Any company does this. Can you use Automap with other controllers besides Novation? How about NI? Nektar has a great direction interfacing/mapping lots of DAWs and plugins, but are they making their hard work available in the form of $100 software? You guys are flooring me, like you have no idea how a company works.

ok, settle down there killer.

the difference is that the software looks like it might (MIGHT) work without the controller. autopmap doesnt. as you said...you need a novation controller for automap to work, this looks like you DONT need their controller really at all.

im pretty sure we all know exactly how a company works...and in this particular case...it looks like theyre selling a $200 controller (that you most likely dont need) to use with $200 (and thats VERY generous) software and charging $600 for it.

im not saying any of this as fact...this is my impression from the information i have to this point. if future information proves me wrong...then im wrong.