What should I buy today? APC40 or LP + another controller?

[Twisted T]

Hi guys,

I wonder if you could point me in the right direction. What would you buy if you were me?

I'm sure people have asked similar questions before, but I can't seem to find the answers I am looking for from past threads and general searches online.

I have basically took a long break from making music (about 2-3 years) and am now getting the itch to get back in the studio and start being creative again. I also have a lot more free time to dedicate to my music now, so I am looking forward to getting back in to it.

There have been a lot of developments since I last used Ableton Live regularly and it just seems to get better and better. Now we have two dedicated controllers for Live. As of last week I thought I would definitely be buying an APC40 to kick start my creative process and enhance my workflow in Live. However, after seeing the new Launchpad in action this week and finding out what can potentially be done with it, I am thinking that a LP might be better suited to myself alongside a separate controller.

The APC40 appears to have everything I need - The grid, classic mixer section and device control encoders which automatically map. Then again, the Launchpad has a bigger 8x8 grid and looks as though it may utilise Max for Live much better than the APC? I am really interested in M4L so I want a controller which is going to get the best out of it.

I clearly have a lot to catch up on and learn about because although I had heard of a Monome, I never actually new how they were used or what they were capable of. The LP seems to be a much cheaper alternative to this device with the prospect of offering more functionality than a Monome with the addition of M4L.

I think that a Launchpad would be great, but I would definitely need another controller with classic faders and encoders that can easily be mapped to Live devices.

Can anybody recommend another controller that I can use with the Launchpad which would give me similar functionality to the APC?

Cost isn't really an issue so maybe I could buy both devices. However, space is an issue, so I'd like to find the most compact solution possible.

By the way, all of the work I am going to be doing will be purely studio production. I won't be playing any live performances/gigs for a long while yet.

Thanks in advance,

TT

[4/4]

get a monome.org , and a kenton control freak.

everything else is for people of questionable sexuality.

[arctic ranger]

fuck...if your going to splash alot of dough, get em both

i have the apc

gettin the lp next


just do it

[Twisted T]

Thanks 4/4, but I can't buy a monome.org because that domain name has already been registered and the Kenton has no knobs and was discontinued in the stone age!

I think I'll just take a trip down to my local store and see what's on offer.

TT

[Twisted T]

Thanks for your input arctic.

Money isn't really an issue, but I'm not one for wasting money unnecessarily. I think the APC looks great as an overall controller of Live, but will it be as flexible as the LP with M4L? For instance, can I even set up Beat Repeat like this (below) on the APC or use it as a Monome?:

http://vimeo.com/7577135

I have been put off slightly by the APC due to people's comments saying that it is outdated, overpried and has various limitations, but surely M4L will really open up this device.

I would like to get both, but the APC is quite bulky in itself, so I would be happier if I could get a more compact setup or just the APC for now until I get more space.

I was thinking of getting the Launchpad with one of those small BCRs or a nanoKONTROL or something of the like.

Anyway, I think I am trying to convince myself not to get the APC, but I know that ultimately I will probably go out this afternoon and pick one up from the store.

Cheers,

TT

[4/4]

if all else fails, kill yourself.

[Ed J]

I was thinking of getting the Launchpad with one of those small BCRs or a nanoKONTROL or something of the like.

BCR's basically 2/3 the size of an APC but 2-3 times as tall, so I wouldn't call it small

APC ftw, it does a lot for it's size.

[Twisted T]

I was thinking of getting the Launchpad with one of those small BCRs or a nanoKONTROL or something of the like.

BCR's basically 2/3 the size of an APC but 2-3 times as tall, so I wouldn't call it small

APC ftw, it does a lot for it's size.

Ha ha... I could have sworn I'd seen a small BCR controller, but I think you're right, they're all absolutely massive! I think it might have been an Evolution UC33e I was looking at.

I think I might just grab an APC today and get a Launchpad later.

Thanks,

[Hermanus]

I would never have bought the apc knowing there was no way to emulate a monome.

With monomulator from trackTeamAudio it's fragging fun for emulating a monome and got faders + knobs + apc functions.

The launchpad has already it's own monome emulator [nonome], still in dev but seems to rock_ even if it can't handle every monome apps at the moment [molar, 7upLive].

LP is more portable than the APC.

And would I say I Love the apc and don't regret the buy

[leedsquietman]

Buy a cheese and onion pastie from Greggs Bakery. God I miss Greggs' bakery, no pasties worth their salt here in Canada. Their cream apple turnovers and egg custards also ruled. BTW - Pasty = passti. Not Paysti - A Pastie (Paysti) are those nipple discs with tassles that female pole dancers wear.

I also miss fish and chips with curry sauce. Goddamit, fish and chips suck in Canada (the one chippy I can semi-tolerate which wins awards for it's 'Britishness' has no curry sauce, and since when have stuffed mushrooms and friggin snowballs been a staple of a British chippy ?)

Before investing in controllers, invest in good monitor speakers and make the vibe in your room cool. Get lava lamps and those cool sci-fi type lightning ball thingummy-jiggers to inspire your inner mojo.

[Tarekith]

It's my understand that the APC will work just as well as the Launchpad with M4L.

[R0CC0]

Im not very easy to please. The APC is pretty fantastic. Click on an effect/instrument with the mouse or tab over to it using their toggles and it integrates immediately with the knobs and buttons. No assigning necessary. It even integrates with most of my aftermarket effects and instruments..allowing me a tactile representation. Best outboard trigger/mixer I've used so far for ableton. Novations SL and trigger pads have nothing on this thing..trust me. Ive used them all.

[illsub1]

APC ftw. Have had BCR, UC-33, pk, several others and the APC is now my perfect controller. Get the monomulator and run MOLAR and you will be so happy. Switch seamlessly back and forth between monome mode and session view. Instant "pretty lights" No need to wait for M4L. Its all working great!

[Twisted T]

Thanks a lot for all your input guys, I couldn't find this information via general search. You've convinced me to get the APC and I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

Im not very easy to please. The APC is pretty fantastic. Click on an effect/instrument with the mouse or tab over to it using their toggles and it integrates immediately with the knobs and buttons. No assigning necessary. It even integrates with most of my aftermarket effects and instruments..allowing me a tactile representation. Best outboard trigger/mixer I've used so far for ableton. Novations SL and trigger pads have nothing on this thing..trust me. Ive used them all.

This was exactly what drew me to the APC in the first place, but since the LP came out I seemed to find a lot of negative feedback about the APC with regards to its functionality, limitations and price. I think it's probably the must have controller for Live navigation and control, from what you guys have now told me.

APC ftw. Have had BCR, UC-33, pk, several others and the APC is now my perfect controller. Get the monomulator and run MOLAR and you will be so happy. Switch seamlessly back and forth between monome mode and session view. Instant "pretty lights" No need to wait for M4L. Its all working great!

Thanks to yourself and Hermanus for posting information about the Monomulator and MOLAR. These products look fantastic and pretty straight forward to set up. Max for Live can only extend the great possibilities Monomulator and MOLAR already offer.

Buy a cheese and onion pastie from Greggs Bakery. God I miss Greggs' bakery, no pasties worth their salt here in Canada. Their cream apple turnovers and egg custards also ruled. BTW - Pasty = passti. Not Paysti - A Pastie (Paysti) are those nipple discs with tassles that female pole dancers wear.

Before investing in controllers, invest in good monitor speakers and make the vibe in your room cool. Get lava lamps and those cool sci-fi type lightning ball thingummy-jiggers to inspire your inner mojo.

Thanks for the advice, but I'd rather get my hands on a couple of Paysti's (tassles that female pole dancers wear) than Greggs pasties. Don't get me wrong, they're really tasty. I've had four or five Festive Bake pasties from Greggs in the past week. However, they do make you fat and there probably isn't a need to have a Greggs on every street corner here in the UK. Maybe you could take a couple of hundred over to Canada with you. It might ease our obesity problem here!

As for the monitor speakers. I have some Adam A7's, which are pretty nice, so I'm OK there. I've also got a load of decent mics, guitars, synths and signal processors. So I just need to focus on the ambient atmosphere in my studio. I think some candles, a couple of lava lamps and maybe a chanting Buddhist monk sitting in the corner might do the trick.


Cheers,

TT

[Tone Deft]

I would never have bought the apc knowing there was no way to emulate a monome.

With monomulator from trackTeamAudio it's fragging fun for emulating a monome and got faders + knobs + apc functions.

The launchpad has already it's own monome emulator [nonome], still in dev but seems to rock_ even if it can't handle every monome apps at the moment [molar, 7upLive].

LP is more portable than the APC.

And would I say I Love the apc and don't regret the buy

monome apps are the tip of the iceberg for what the APC and LP can do!!! give it a year, the APC and LP will have 100 times (at least?) the number of people geeking out making apps for them, the monome apps were by and large written by a very small group of people, but used by many more.



I have both, APC is the ego, LP is the Id.

IMO the APC is a general studio controller. with it you can have overall general control over Live. faders really are ideal for controlling track volume over knobs. as for the the knobs you only get 8 automappable controls but that's fine for general studio use. as for the sends/pans knobs they're a little slow for tweaking multiple tracks at once but for one track at a time, they're fine. I usually reassign them to global controls in Live like quantize setting, bpm, things like that. the dedicated Cue knob has been much handier than I thought it would be. ultimately the APC replaced by Novation SL25. largely because the APC has shuttle controls and fader knobs. the tiny LCD and paging through it on the SL got old for me.

the LP has a great feel, it feels great to pick up in both hands and get freaky with. launch clips, tweak volumes and pans all with the SWIPE of your finger. it's a nice layer of abstraction away from the Live GUI for f-ing sh!t up. then there's the User modes which are great for home brewed stuff like the monome apps for the stuff people will make for max4Live. being bus powered is a GREAT addition.

in addition to those I really really like the BCR. it's dirt cheap and when I need more controls for something, even LOTS of controls (it switches banks very very simply and quickly) I go to it. you might also look at the Akai MPD or MPK for pads.

buy one thing at a time, evaluate what you're lacking then add another piece of gear. don't buy another piece of gear until you've truly learned what you already have, if you don't you can't evaluate what you're lacking.


spending nearly $1k on gear you're unfamiliar with?? (that was 4/4's comment, seek out the most expensive trendiest gear you can find if that's your M.O.)