Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Hermanus
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by Hermanus » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:48 pm

One more good reason for me to buy a macbook pro :oops:

evaodland
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by evaodland » Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:08 pm

Noob here...

I chose the LaunchPad...

Partly because of price and watching the video demos of the APC and the LP on youTube.

I was looking for a performance controller and the 8x8 seems more "open"....there are some limitation like the step amount in the Mixer for vol and pan. It would be nice to modify the step amount on that. (maybe one can...?)

My set up is a AKAI MINIAK, MacBook Unibody and the LP.

I am new to Electronica and Dance but have a long sordid history with a variety of live music as a perfromer.

I have always liked electronica, deep house, ambient, chill...with a recent health issue that has rendered my right arm weak and lacking of stamina extended periods of playing guitar was not doable any more (made me depressed for a long time)

I can;t say one is better than the other...and I see a APC in my future sometime as well...but for now...the cost investment was low and gain was huge. I am super stoked with the speed and creativity that comes a a result of simply pushing buttons...

I am a freakin' button pusher now baby!

sporq

heavensdaw
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by heavensdaw » Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:57 pm

evaodland wrote: I am a freakin' button pusher now baby!

sporq
:D Nice one mate.. I can relate!!

You'll soon become a 'tweaker' too! :twisted:

Hd

ScarKord
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by ScarKord » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:49 pm

I went for both.

The APC40 is what I use for 'control' and clip launching etc. Love the dedicated track mutes, record buttons, faders and encoders.

Whereas the Launchpad is used primarily in User Mode 1 to control drum-racks (lot's of nice LED feedback to visualise what's happening with a given beat) and also in User Mode 2 with Maxforlive to run step sequencers.

I also have a Korg PadKontrol which is in the cupboard gathering dust ever since I got the Launchpad :) With the type of music I write (i.e. Electronic) the fact there is no velocity sensitivity to the launchpad isn't really an issue.
ScarKord - Electronic music, remix and sound design
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dj_blueprint
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by dj_blueprint » Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:00 pm

I own the launchpad but I think both are no-brainer great buys..

People who own the Launchpad want the APC and people who own the APC want the launchpad.

djsynchro
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by djsynchro » Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:52 pm

i have lunchpad and me no want no APC Akai suck Eurobollocks

Sage
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by Sage » Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:04 pm

I have the Launchpad and it's better suited for me than the APC40, I have other controllers that can add what the APC40 has and when I don't need them, or situations where I don't need the Launchpad, I'm not stuck with one controller and can mix & match.

Computer Controlled
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by Computer Controlled » Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:59 am

I have the Launch Pad paired with the Remote Zero SL and a Korg NanoKey. I've not used any of the APCs, but i feel like i'm not missing out on too much. But then again, i'm just diving into Ableton, and i haven't used it all that deeply yet. Space is an issue, so the size of the LP is perfect. And i can take with my lappy anywhere as i don't need to worry about external power. Which is a big plus. It really all comes down to personal preference. Use what works best with your work flow.
Stuff: TR-09 . TB-03 . SH-01A . SE-02 . MX-1 . MPC-1000 . Avalon BassLine . Audiothingies MicroMonsta . TX81Z . RX7 . SY77 . Akai S5000 . BeatStep Pro . Keystep .

3phase
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by 3phase » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:03 am

dj_blueprint wrote:I own the launchpad but I think both are no-brainer great buys..

People who own the Launchpad want the APC and people who own the APC want the launchpad.
just the knob part of the launchpad... maybe even with faders track arm and track select in the szise of the APC 20 would be a cool fader box...
mac book 2,16 ghz 4(3)gb ram, Os 10.62, fireface 400,

STRATEGY_510
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by STRATEGY_510 » Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:00 am

format6 wrote:I did a review of the launchpad based on my initial impressions and compared it against the APC40.

http://thedspproject.com/novation-lauch ... akai-apc40

I basically cover what the Launchpad can do that the APC cant, check it out and let me know what you think as im doing an episode every week the show will be quite Ableton-centric.

Thanks

Hey, I liked this review, nice work. One of your comments confused me:

You make a reference to using two buttons to control full on/full off volume (is there a preset on the LP that controls the actual crossfader this way, or are you just referencing track volume control?) and then liken it to a analog DJ crossfader. Seems like it would be more akin to using the line/phono toggle on a dj mixer. That said, haven't tried it. I get what you mean though by midi mixers not being the same. Even at low latency, there's something not the same when using my x-session pro crossfader (for example) vs analog crossfader (or fader).

I just got the launchpad, I like it a lot and barely scratched the surface so far. I want to use it as a Step-Sequencer, not quite ready for M4L though.

Thanks,
STRATEGY

moondancer
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by moondancer » Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:53 am

Take the LP and Remote zero sl mk II :)
Software: Ableton Live 8, Absynth 4, Pro 53, V-Station, Bass Station, Zebra 2, AudioRealism BassLine 2
Hardware: MacBook Pro 2.4GHz, Launchpad, ZeRO SL MK II, CME M-Key, Lexicon Alpha, SAMSON MediaOne 4A

nebulae
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by nebulae » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:31 pm

I have a Behringer BCR2000. I'm thinking that with that, a Launchpad is a better choice because of the more pads that I can add, and the BCR gives me all the parameter and channel control I could want. Thoughts?

evanb
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by evanb » Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:08 pm

I am so confused also what to get. My main focus is to get something to sequence drum tracks...I dont know if the LP or APC is better they just seem different. I want somethign very intuitive and still need to get a keyboard controller

So was thinking a

LP + Novation Remote SL 25
APC40 + Akai MPK 25
LP + Novation Remote Zero + LPK25

Tone Deft
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by Tone Deft » Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:13 pm

evanb wrote:I am so confused also what to get. My main focus is to get something to sequence drum tracks...I dont know if the LP or APC is better they just seem different. I want somethign very intuitive and still need to get a keyboard controller

So was thinking a

LP + Novation Remote SL 25
APC40 + Akai MPK 25
LP + Novation Remote Zero + LPK25
of all those devices only the MPK is suitable for playing drums on.

the LP and APC are not velocity sensitive. I have programmed drums on them, they work fine but no velocity. I use my mpc for that.

the SL series drum pads are awful, I have an SL25.

I might suggest an LP + MPK. I'd also throw in a BCR because I love that box and everyone can use gobs of knobs.
In my life
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At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?
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evanb
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Re: Ok seriously, APC40 or Launchpad?

Post by evanb » Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:17 pm

Tone Deft wrote:
evanb wrote:I am so confused also what to get. My main focus is to get something to sequence drum tracks...I dont know if the LP or APC is better they just seem different. I want somethign very intuitive and still need to get a keyboard controller

So was thinking a

LP + Novation Remote SL 25
APC40 + Akai MPK 25
LP + Novation Remote Zero + LPK25
of all those devices only the MPK is suitable for playing drums on.

the LP and APC are not velocity sensitive. I have programmed drums on them, they work fine but no velocity. I use my mpc for that.

the SL series drum pads are awful, I have an SL25.

I might suggest an LP + MPK. I'd also throw in a BCR because I love that box and everyone can use gobs of knobs.

My main goal is to have something easy to setup, thats intuitive for sequencing drum patters and controlling effects and vsts

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