APC 40 FAQs, features and questions

[arcadekid]

Is there supposed to be a manual with the APC40? All that came with mine was a quick start guide. It's pretty intuitive so it might not be needed, but it makes me think I'm missing something..

No idea to be honest, it's so intuitive it just does what the labels on the device say. I honestly never even checked to see if there was a manual, and I LIKE reading my gear manuals

There's just a quickstart guide.

There is a FAQ on apc40.com and akaipro.com/apc40 as well.

[evolvetek]

Please consider this a highly official request for velocity sensitivity in at least, some, if not all, of the pads on the Akai APC 40.

This seems asinine. Oversighted. Shortcutty.

It is IMPERATIVE that these pads are velocity sensitive.

I was truly hoping a device had been released that would FINALLY replace my need for other controllers. Not the case until this is resolved.

[Tarekith]

I got it, I love it!
perfect for my use, very well built and thought out.
Playing with it makes live performance and production a joy!
I had an Idea, that would be very useful for my workflow, especially in the live side:
There is this button whose function is STOP ALL CLIPS, and that I find quite useless, when dangerous.
What I'd like to implement instead of it is a sort of HOME BUTTON.
What is HOME BUTTON? It is a button that resets all volumes, pans, eqs and fxx plugins to the original position all in one move.
Imagine being in a very deep, weird, wild build-up and being able to come to the strict sound when the kick comes back, just pushing one button!
I want it!
Now, I don't think this is possible simply by programming midi control mapping. I guess this is possible manipulating Max for Live.
Possible?
Anyone?

Yeah, getting the APC has made me wish for that too now, some way to instantly rest all macro controls to their saved values. One thing I love about the Machiendrum, you can tweak a pattern into oblivion, but hit one button combo and it instantly reverts the state it was saved at. Very handy live.

[EddieJ]

Please consider this a highly official request for velocity sensitivity in at least, some, if not all, of the pads on the Akai APC 40.

This seems asinine. Oversighted. Shortcutty.

It is IMPERATIVE that these pads are velocity sensitive.

I was truly hoping a device had been released that would FINALLY replace my need for other controllers. Not the case until this is resolved.

What would velocity sensitivity in a clip launch pad get you?

[evolvetek]

What would velocity sensitivity in a clip launch pad get you?

I want to use it for more than clip launch.

Example: Even though I am not necessarily planning to produce tabla rhythms with this device, the level of sensitivity and dynamic range required to do so is exactly what I need. I happen to play highly accurate, extremely fast, articulated percussion patterns with my fingertips, and would like at least part of the pad section to be able to support this with velocity sensitivity.

Best,

/e

[ctx]

Have you ever used other velocity sensitive pads? All of them offer quite poor control over dynamics relative to any kind of real percussion or even decent synth keyboards. If a high quality drum pad unit is what you want then you are stuck with some e-drums or zendrums, both of which are bulky and expensive. Even if the APC42 gets velocity sensitive pads in a couple years, it's not going to change this.

[evolvetek]

Disagree.

I have several velocity sensitive pad controllers (TriggerFinger being the best of these), and keyboards, and all do a pretty good job for what I need.

I also have a Clavia DDrum kit as well as an old DrumKat.

Have you ever used other velocity sensitive pads? All of them offer quite poor control over dynamics relative to any kind of real percussion or even decent synth keyboards. If a high quality drum pad unit is what you want then you are stuck with some e-drums or zendrums, both of which are bulky and expensive. Even if the APC42 gets velocity sensitive pads in a couple years, it's not going to change this.

[peterkirn]

Yeah, I'll also defend controls with dynamics. No, they don't compare to, say, real bongos. (But a synth keyboard is also not as sensitive to dynamics as a real piano.) But they do compare to velocity-sensitive keyboards when done right. What I find is it's not just actuating the pad, but also the feel and throw of the pad around it -- too stiff, and you don't get tactile feedback from pressing it, but too loose or floppy, and you get unreliable readings. Anyway, of course, there's going to be a place for things with lots of pads and things with fewer pads that have velocity sensitivity.

[GlobalSubSonics]

Have you ever used other velocity sensitive pads? All of them offer quite poor control over dynamics relative to any kind of real percussion or even decent synth keyboards. If a high quality drum pad unit is what you want then you are stuck with some e-drums or zendrums, both of which are bulky and expensive. Even if the APC42 gets velocity sensitive pads in a couple years, it's not going to change this.

I agree. The APC40 would not be greater with velocity sensitive pads. It's not intended for such operations.
APC40 is mainly a control center for Live and not the 'keyboard/pads' for a vsti.
I am pretty sure we never going to see this anyway.

[arcadekid]

I created a MIDI layout of the APC40 so people can see the note and CCs the controller puts out along with their respective channel.


http://www.djtechtools.com/forum/attach ... 1244082947


Hope it helps someone out. Is there a way to post a PDF in this forum so that the layout is easier to see?

i went through apc40 w/ snoize midi monitor and i had different results. This is what i found the note numbers and CC numbers to be.

[loseen]

Hello all!

Help me please! Where can I order APC40 in USA?
All sites I saw offer preorder(((

[Belkin]

Hello all!

Help me please! Where can I order APC40 in USA?
All sites I saw offer preorder(((

its not easy)
i have ordered mine from ebay

[Rez311]

I'm using a UC-33 Evolution controller at the moment for live performance. I like it because it mimics a mixer, I can assign high mid and low eqs per channel to eq mix. The only issue i have is launching multiple clips simultaneously that aren't in the same row. Can I eq mix between 2 or more tracks easily on the APC 40? It looks like the knobs on the APC40 give me that functionality but in the demo video those knobs are used only with 1 specific selected device on one channel at a time. I'd like to work EQs on multiple channels at the same time... does anyone know if i can do that?

[Hermanus]

Have you ever used other velocity sensitive pads? All of them offer quite poor control over dynamics relative to any kind of real percussion or even decent synth keyboards. If a high quality drum pad unit is what you want then you are stuck with some e-drums or zendrums, both of which are bulky and expensive. Even if the APC42 gets velocity sensitive pads in a couple years, it's not going to change this.

I agree. The APC40 would not be greater with velocity sensitive pads. It's not intended for such operations.
APC40 is mainly a control center for Live and not the 'keyboard/pads' for a vsti.
I am pretty sure we never going to see this anyway.

I agree too.
I thought that also for the monome but revised my judgment after a while.
Hypothesis: My mpd32 + Emu Xboard25 + (APC40) + Live>>> let's rock baby!

[andyappleseed]

So, there was this video that the user "Stray411" put out a few days ago, demoing a pretty comprehensive customization of the APC40, using a midi translator.

Being an APC40 owner, I was ecstatic to try this out and make most out of my controller. The thing is, after buying Bome's Midi Translator Pro, I had a very difficult time initiating this.

Using presets, Stray411 not only seemingly "broke" the MIDI chain between APC and Live (using the Clip launch for other functions) but he also got the LEDs to receive feedback as well!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YIGfhb ... annel_page

Fellow APC patrons, please shed your light on this. Does anybody know how to even begin on any of remapping he demonstrated using Bome's MT??