Ableton Forum

I'm venturing into this for the first time, so need advice on if you think something like a Korg Nanopad...

http://www.zzounds.com/item--KORNANOPAD

...would work well for sending midi signals to switch Ableton channels and change patches within a synth plugin? Any other suggestions are welcome, but I should mention that I'm working on a limited budget.

I use a laptop and digital piano with no midi controls, so I need a small controller to plonk above the piano keys to change things with a button-push on the fly. Also, are assigning these commands pretty straight forward with Ableton?

Thanks in advance.

Take a look at the AKAI LPK25 (25key real keyboard keys compared to the Korg) which is far better than the Korg Nano's. might as well also look at the LPD8 (8 drumpads and small rotary encoders)which is fun for all kinds of uses. Both take abuse well, and seems a bit better than the pricetag, but don't expect miracles.
I have both for a while now and no complaints here.

I picked up the Nanokontrol on Friday and its a pretty decent bit of kit. I use it as a controller for Omnisphere and it's perfect for that purpose. The build quality is about on par with the Novation stuff - so pretty good for the price.

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Icon

http://www.icon-global.com/music/music/index.php
http://www.intermusic-pro.com/tienda/icon_i-stage/
http://www.intermusic-pro.com/tienda/icon_i-creativ/
http://www.futuremusic.com/news/images/icon_idj.jpg

iStage, iCreativ and iDJ.

from 55€ until 99€ aprox.

Ready on july (it seems...)
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I have seen that icon stuff, and it seems to be built better than the korg stuff. Also they allow to daisychain the devices, so you can have a couple of them with using only one usb-port. when my nanokontrol breaks I will get me one of those.

i am happy for know with my nanokontrol, but those icons look damn good... defo will jump on one of those if mine breaks...

I'd have said LPD8, LPK25 and KORG Nanocontrol (sliders) would be the ulitmate small controllers on a budget...

Those Icon devices though....

Worth a damn good look at I reckon.

Kenton Killamix?

http://www.kentonuk.com/products/items/ ... mini.shtml

Nine endless knobs, nine buttons, LCD surrounds indicating position, switchable to any of 16 MIDI channels for 144 each of virtual knobs and buttons.

i checked those icons out today at a local shop... wow! way better physical feel and built then akai or korg... way, way better and the same price...

defo my next choice when mine is dying. (and usb chainable... hooray!... one was thinking, always nice to see people using their little brain before they produce something)

How easy is it to program a controller that isn't in the Ableton controller list? I'll want it to change Omnisphere patches too, and am hoping that it isn't too hard to get my head around.

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Whoa, that iStage looks fantastic.

Anyone know where/if you can get one in the US?

SubFunk wrote:i checked those icons out today at a local shop... wow! way better physical feel and built then akai or korg... way, way better and the same price...

defo my next choice when mine is dying. (and usb chainable... hooray!... one was thinking, always nice to see people using their little brain before they produce something)

Nice. Gotta check em out!

I have been looking for a small keyboard myself and investigated the icon offering.

After a quick search on google people had expressed that the icon keyboard was very temperamental, and velocity sensitivity was crap. The ribbon pitch wheel and modulation were quite dodgy too.

So I would maybe suggest a try before you buy with this brand.

But, they do have some really interesting controllers.

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