noob needs help choosing APC40 or launch pad?

[nycmex77]

hi I'm tony
new to the EMP scene. looking for a good midi controller for ableton suite 8.
my choices are the APC40 and the launch pad. which of this is user friendly for a beginner?

[Rabalder]

They are basically the same when it comes to being user friendly.

Do you want a piece of the cake, or the entire cake..!?

[nycmex77]

They are basically the same when it comes to being user friendly.

Do you want a piece of the cake, or the entire cake..!?

Entire piece of cake. cause if i get a piece i would want more cake.lol

[nycmex77]

bump

[ark]

You may want to see what's announced at NAMM the week after next.

[Hau5beat]

I have the LP and am enjoying it very much. The APC40 will do just about everything the LP does, you just have some cool extra buttons made for ableton live and scrolling around, it's really fun. But the APC40 has so many more options, like knobs and more, truly the whole cake.

BUT! for the price, 120 for LP on amazon, 40 for a nanokontrol i HIGHLY recommend, id go with that

[ark]

I hope you're kidding. APC40 has endless rotaries with visual MIDI feedback, so that when you switch from one device to another it shows you instantly what the device settings are. Nanokontrol doesn't.

[Hau5beat]

I hope you're kidding. APC40 has endless rotaries with visual MIDI feedback, so that when you switch from one device to another it shows you instantly what the device settings are. Nanokontrol doesn't.

no i simply mean that for beginners, like myself and the one posting here, the launchpad is almost identical / made for controlling clips in ableton, and the nanocontrol allows for whatever knobs you set them to be, just like in the software.

apc40 should be taken more seriously, when you are good enough

[ark]

no i simply mean that for beginners, like myself and the one posting here, the launchpad is almost identical / made for controlling clips in ableton, and the nanocontrol allows for whatever knobs you set them to be, just like in the software.

Except it doesn't. Because if you remap the Nanokontrol to a different device, the knobs stay where they were, which means that they don't correspond to the device controls. So the first time you turn the knob the tiniest bit, something unexpected happens. Exactly what it is depends on how you have your Live preferences set.

On the APC40, when you remap to a different device, the knob settings change and you can see the change immediately.

[nycmex77]

thanx for your input.

[antarktika]

no i simply mean that for beginners, like myself and the one posting here, the launchpad is almost identical / made for controlling clips in ableton, and the nanocontrol allows for whatever knobs you set them to be, just like in the software.

Except it doesn't. Because if you remap the Nanokontrol to a different device, the knobs stay where they were, which means that they don't correspond to the device controls. So the first time you turn the knob the tiniest bit, something unexpected happens. Exactly what it is depends on how you have your Live preferences set.

On the APC40, when you remap to a different device, the knob settings change and you can see the change immediately.

pfft, it's not unexpected after the 2 seconds it takes to acquaint yourself with how pickup mode works, quick glance at the screen, move knob to same position, back in control. It's not quite the same level of elegance as synched LED feedback knobs, but it gets the job done just fine. Clearly if you're waiting for NAMM to see what the newest and shiniest toy out there is, you might have a different perspective, but for a space and cost effective solution, launchpad and nanokontrol is a good combo. Perhaps a nocturn instead of a nano if you're wanting LED feedback rotaries, Nano is cheaper and more intuitive for controlling the ableton mixer though. Of course in the end it all depends on the OP's personal preferences. The APC is definitely the balls out total integration production beast, but the suggested alternative is a fine one as well (and what I use with no complaints).

[bartend7]

just wait for that queno thing. it comes out in march. spend the next few months just going deep with the software and synthesis. but if i had to chose it'd be launchpad.

[oddstep]

I've got a launchpad and nanokontrol combo. there's simply no way its as user friendly as an apc. the pages system on the launchpad is a nightmare to use in live situations - which immediately knocks out anything other than the session grid. the ability of the apc to track the 'redbox' and remap its faders is really cool and really hard to emulate with a nanokontrol-launchpad combination. when I use the launchpad live, I am forced to either have sets with maximum 8 tracks or really think through my controller set up.

using the 'blue hand' instant mapping to control macros is doable on a nanokontrol and with the right takeover mode the lack of visual feedback doesn't seem to cause me problems. If I was starting now and I had the cash I'd get an APC40, sadly I'm not and I don't.

[mikker39]

hey,

i was wondering the same, couple of months ago. but then i chosed APC40. cause the launchpad is, as previosly said, piece from a cake. and the apc40 is the whole cake. so if you get tired in the future just from launching the clips then apc40 has those extra knobs what will make everything more fun. the apc costs a little bit more, but its worth it, and the extra scripts for it make it realy good.

[nycmex77]

hey,

i was wondering the same, couple of months ago. but then i chosed APC40. cause the launchpad is, as previosly said, piece from a cake. and the apc40 is the whole cake. so if you get tired in the future just from launching the clips then apc40 has those extra knobs what will make everything more fun. the apc costs a little bit more, but its worth it, and the extra scripts for it make it realy good.

thanx my bro got me the launch pad as a early 11 days bday gift gonna try it out and i put on layaway the apc40 at guitar center.