Ableton Forum

Had thoughts of an APC but would prefer an all in one unit with pads and keyboard etc..

Does anyone use or have an Akai MPK49? I currently use a M-Audio Radium49 but think i need a change with pads etc

I never really use the session view but would like to get into it just triggering clips, so maybe the APC is a bit overkill as im not after a full blown Abe controller..

Could I use the MPK pads to trigger scenes in an APC way on the session view, and are the knobs sliders of good quality?

Any thoughts ?

Thanks

with the mpk pads you could just midi map the scene launch to a pad, how i did it on my mpk25 until i got my apc40.

Thats excatly what i was thinking, does it work ok?

Hi,

I use both in the studio (APC and MPK49). If you just want to fire scenes or clips with the pads and a "hard" mapping for clips and scenes is ok, then the MPK will work for you.

But if you also want to use the pads for programming drum-parts, then you should know, that the small pads on the MPK aren't very nice to trigger. A Korg nanoPad for example works much better here for me. There is a thread of modifying the pads of MPK/MPD here on the forum what works quite well (for me too), but you'll loose your warranty then.

Another point are the controller-capabilities: The APC is much more flexible in that point too.

An issue on mine (and others) APCs is, that there is a high frequent hiss coming directly from the unit (not in the audio signal). If you use it live, that's not a problem, but in the studio it can eat your nerves, when you are one of the (few?) people who listen to what they do at low volumes.

C.

Thanks Toph

So thats an issue with APC's and not MPKs?

I was thinking of the MPK cus its all in one, knobs, sliders, pads, and keys! but liked the look of the APC or any trigger device to launch clips which i suppose i can do with the MPK pads

To be true: If I had to make a decision today, it probably would be a Launchpad / Remote49 SL MKII combi. Looks more comfortable to me, but surely is more expensive than APC or MPK each. The Remotes have the much better integrated (more flexible) controller-scripts into ableton to my opinion.

C.

Go with a MPK and APC combo, then you get the best of both!

I rock an MPK25 & Launchpad and couldn't be happier.

i use the nativekontrol pack for live, i can easily mute, arm, etc with a flick of a pad. very very useful. there also is this, which just came out, a freaking amazing step seq for live... unbelievably sweet, at least for me. i can now make beats on the fly for a live improv show...

http://beatwise.proboards.com/index.cgi ... 416&page=1

Every day I use my APC with nativekontrol scripts, plus a basic midi keyboard for midi instruments (PC-50), and everyday I tell my gf that I love my APC more than her !
with the nativekontrol add-on, you can do a lot without touching the mouse.

Tarekith wrote:Go with a MPK and APC combo, then you get the best of both!

couldnt agree more, love this set up