Ableton Forum

weeddigger wrote:Would love to hear opinions on the two keyboards here: They are similar, but have their differences.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=706314



one word



aftertouch

gomi wrote:

weeddigger wrote:Would love to hear opinions on the two keyboards here: They are similar, but have their differences.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=706314



one word



aftertouch

I own the akai49 and have used the axiom and have to say the akai is leaps and bounds better. the axiom is toy while the akai is a solid piece of equipment. go with the akai and you wont regret it.

Have you used the built in arpeggiator?

Does it really arpeggiate?!?

gomi wrote:

weeddigger wrote:Would love to hear opinions on the two keyboards here: They are similar, but have their differences.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=706314



one word



aftertouch

I can't trash this keyboard enough with one word so my post won't be as eloquent as yours, but man, this keyboard has horrible, horrible, horrible action. Even after adjusting the velocity curve (which by default is awful) you have to smack the thing so hard and the keys are so damn stiff even after a year.

And the pads....gimme a phreaking break...if you need a hammer for the keys you need a jackhammer for the damn pads.

Having overuse injuries in my elbows I may be a bit biased....but seriously, I can't see how anybody can be happy with this product....maybe someone who never really plays keys and just wants a big fat mappable midi controller...the axiom is totally unusable by me...I laid down a beat at my friends the other day and could not use my arms for two days they hurt so bad.

Hmmm. I used to have an Axiom and I found it excellent.

weeddigger wrote:Have you used the built in arpeggiator?

Does it really arpeggiate?!?

Ive messed around with it but I never use apreggiators for anything and couldnt tell you one from another. the guy to ask is rikhyray, I think i remember reading a post of his where he went into depth about all the stuff he does with it.

condra wrote:Hmmm. I used to have an Axiom and I found it excellent.

I treat my controller like a dirty filthy whore a lot and I haven't a single problem. If you super baby the axiom then it should be fine, MAYBE....<-----I couldn't make that bigger but if I could, I would have.

condra wrote:Hmmm. I used to have an Axiom and I found it excellent.

you don't find that you have to hit it overly hard to produce a high velocity???
I have an axiom 25 and use my friends 61 quite a bit and find this to be a HUGE problem. The overly tight action also seems to add to latency. If you aren't a keyboard player or don't use the axiom to lay down actually keyboard parts I could see that it might be acceptable for laying down leads/bass lines.

I would much rather play keys with synth style action than the 'semi-weighted' keys of the axiom..

I just find it hard to believe that someone who has any prior keyboard experience (piano, synth, etc) could find the axiom acceptable as a primary input device.

I have in front of me an axiom, a triton, and a piano....I can hit a triad on all three and I feel noticeable pain when I do so on the axiom...you have to hit the keys very hard for them to depress fully. Maybe not an issue for people without overuse injuries, but most heavy computer users and musicians are half a step away from injury, so I would avoid this product like the plague.

Someone else has addressed the build quality....which is ironic because heavy use is the only way to get the keys and pads to 'loosen up'

I have a a Kontrol 49 and I got it before Automap Software really took off and the MPK wasn't around. Plus I love Korg's synths.

But damn, was I let down by the Kontrol 49

I'll just re-list all the stuff that's wrong with the Kontrol

- No aftertouch
- Crappy pads
- Bugs in the Editor software
- Bugs in MIDI dump/recieve
- Bundled software is unusable
- Crappy plastic build (it IS possible to have a plastic keyboard with a good build)

Looking back upon it, I would've never gotten the Kontrol 49. Even though I bought mine factory refurbished so it was a little of a deal. I want to sell it, but I don't even have the heart to do that to another person.

I would definitely get either the RemoteSL or the MPK49.

One option I would also look at is saving for a hardware synthesizer being that Live interfaces with External Hardware better than ever before. I say this because you can only run so many virtual instruments and FX and some can really be CPU hogs. These days I want to just sync up a synth instead of using a monophonic Massive patch that takes up 10% of my CPU with one voice. I would use the synth for note input and to control Live I'd use my Remote Zero or Faderfox.

So many options to think about. The most important thing that anybody should do when buying equipment is to thoroughly assess their needs and the equipment you wanna buy.

ThrowAway wrote:

weeddigger wrote:Have you used the built in arpeggiator?

Does it really arpeggiate?!?

Ive messed around with it but I never use apreggiators for anything and couldnt tell you one from another. the guy to ask is rikhyray, I think i remember reading a post of his where he went into depth about all the stuff he does with it.

I never used that arp conventionally, just for playing multi sampled drums combined with beat repeat The direct hardware access (changing resolutions etc) makes it real fun. Definitely works as tarnce arp but that is not my thing..

If you buy a keyboard without having tried it out first, be sure that you can send it back. It tried the Korg Kontrol 49 and hated the keyboard action. So I sent it back. Then I went to a big music store and tried them all out. Ended up with a Novation Remote which is great! I haven't tried the new ones, so I can't tell if they're as good. If not, I'd recommend an X-Station which has the same keyboard as the old Remotes.

I went with the Akai MPK49 without trying out the other stuff. I like the build quality very much and the knobs and sliders are huge and very well made. It's a tank and that's what I wanted. I've had no issues with it so far and it's works with Reason very well in addition to Live.

I had the Ozone before that and it was driving me crazy. I'm no piano player, but it does help having the extra keys.

Kind Regards, Ken

Thanks for the feedback.

So far Akai probably has the most positive recommendations. The Novation boards are popular as well, and Edirol didn't really get any negative remarks.

Not many people seem to favor the Korg board, or even like it at all.

And the Axiom people either hate it or love it, split just about 50/50.

Ended up with the Edirol PCR 800... Liking the way it feels so far...

I just got the MPK49 - it's my first keyboard. I like it well enough. I'm still learning my way around it.