Newbie : Full Live 8 or APC40 with lite version

[Mapleking]

Hi,

I finally ordered the Akai MPK Mini, as having pads and keys with just one USB seemed more attractive...

Grrr. I will have to wait a few more days before Akai release this little wonder and start my Ableton initiation

Thanks a lot for all the good inputs I received here !

Nico

[ao49]

My 2c worth.

The APC is quite a specific tool and I would suggest, (not owning one myself) that it is more geared towards Live performance than production. I'm not suggesting it's not a lovely piece of kit, or that it wouldn't be useful for production, but the one thing that got me when I was considering it as an option was

no velocity sensitive pads.

Personally for me this was an issue, hence, I didn't get one.

Also, when I used live LE there was a limit on effects, (12 per set IIRC). That obviously gets used up pretty quickly, and though there are workarounds, render, reimport as audio etc.) it took away the flexibility which of course is one of the features of Live.

You wouldn't need velocity sensitive pads if you have other midi devices

Also, if you get nativeKontrol for your apc, it will make production a whole lot better. You can basically controll live via the apc without the keyboard/mouse, unless your renaming stuff or anything along those lines.

[c5_convertible]

As far as I understood, sampler only comes with suite. The "normal" package comes with Simpler if i'm not mistaken.
Secondly, don't use pirated software. It's not fair to the developers, and you never know what else comes in the pirated copy... Before you know it, your bank account data is transferred to some russian hacker... Use the trial and see if it works for you

Have fun!

[Mapleking]

Piracy was good when I was 15 and copying Spectrum games !

I can proudly say that I paid for every single piece of music in my library and even twice as I have CD and vinyl of same album... Well I have some bootlegs, but I don't consider it as pirate as there were never legally issued.

On another hand those music softwares are a bit too expensive for the young ones that are at their peak of creativity ! Softs are not like a guitar that you can own and play for the rest of your life

Cheers

Nico

[Mapleking]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Peter ! It's just what I needed to get started Now I am quite confident in buying the boxed suite after the trial, ouch for my bank account Without asking here I wouldn't have even get the trial suite, thinking that Live alone will not be easy to explore in 30 days !

I will keep an eye on this Novation pad which seems cool too. But I think I had luck seeing the APK Mini while shopping for the LPK25... The added pads and knobs will keep my fingers busy for a while, and give me the opportunity to look more deeply in the hardware. Some long days to wait until they release it

Anyway it's already a long time I would like to do it, having already bought for years strange records filled with bizzare sounds and breaks. So now that you and other cool guys on this forum put me on the right direction, I will for sure have a lot of fun. But it will be a long and difficult way as for a more traditionnal instrument I guess, with more headaches than bloody fingers

I wish you all a great weekend !!!

Nico