Ableton Forum

I think if this lives up to it's potential AKAI may have just blown Novation, Ableton, and NI out of the water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Czco8N ... e=youtu.be

http://www.akaipro.com/category/keyboards

This looks like it's pulling from Kore and and Automap with the "simplicity of Push.. without the issues of any of them.
Unlike Automap it's not making a shell for each plug in, it's like Kore in that it's a shell you use to map your plug ins in.
Unlike Push it doesn't just access the embedded plug ins in a single DAW and use a shell you must set up for each VST (Racks)..
And unlike Komplete Control it's not tied to only one vendors plug ins. Also it's cheaper than NI's toy with a color display!

Again if they did this right, AKAI just shot it out of the fucking park!

OK bring on the naysayers!

[Edited to reflect lack of FX control]

I like it, but something seems off about it. I'm going to have to use it in person to tell if it's for me.

It is nice to see innovation and competition going on. A fair bit of thought and money went into this. Abes will have to think about Push integration some more!

The only 2 downsides for me is why do they have to tie it to a keyboard? I have more then enough keyboards, they should do a controller only desktop version. Secondly it still can't compete with Kore when it comes to things like plugin chaining (no support for effects so far but it is on the 'todo' list) or preset morphing (that doesn't seem to be on the 'todo' list).

Seems like an excellent keyboard, and I'm liking the approach to vsts. Plus the usual but vital modwheel, pitchwheel, expression pedal input, semi-weighted keys with aftertouch. 61-key version is £469.

I won't say it blows Push away, as it cannot offer the same integration with Live. 4x4 drumpad with sequencer, session control, scale modes, note sequencer, dedicated Live buttons, per-note automation etc

That said, it hope it wakes Ableton from their slumber regarding Push.

Not sure if any controller will ever be adequate for controlling Bazille or Zebra due to their flexible modular nature, the former via cables and the latter via module loading. But that's not really an issue for me anymore.

It does seem to blow the rest out of the water in regards to vsts though.

tedlogan wrote: Not sure if any controller will ever be adequate for controlling Bazille or Zebra due to their flexible modular nature, the former via cables and the latter via module loading.

For Zebra in particular I still find NI Kore 2 the best because I created a modular template for it with a user page per module. So if I have a patch I want to control I just drag the controller pages for the required modules into position.

Not enough controls, dont know why manufacturers think 8 are enough. Surfing through banks is a PITA and as a Pusn owner doesmt offer anything.

Machinesworking wrote:I think if this lives up to it's potential AKAI may have just blown Novation, Ableton, and NI out of the water.

Nah, not Ableton. This is clearly aimed keyboardists or producers in the market of a keyboard with great controller functions. I'll look into getting one instead of a Novation, but later.

Perhaps a bigger non-keyboard version later this year?

Machinesworking wrote:I think if this lives up to it's potential AKAI may have just blown Novation, Ableton, and NI out of the water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Czco8N ... e=youtu.be

http://www.akaipro.com/category/keyboards

This looks like it's pulling from Kore and and Automap with the "simplicity of Push.. without the issues of any of them.
Unlike Automap it's not making a shell for each plug in, it's like Kore in that it's a shell you use to map your plug ins in.
Unlike Push it doesn't just access the embedded plug ins in a single DAW and use a shell you must set up for each VST (Racks)..
And unlike Komplete Control it's not tied to only one vendors plug ins. Also it's cheaper than NI's toy with a color display!

Again if they did this right, AKAI just shot it out of the fucking park!

OK bring on the naysayers!

Looks like they may have gotten the idea from the Komplete Kontrol series of keyboards.

login wrote:Not enough controls, dont know why manufacturers think 8 are enough. Surfing through banks is a PITA and as a Pusn owner doesmt offer anything.

Agreed about 8 knobs, but every single manufacturer thinks 8 is enough.
The limitations of Ableton Push are obvious to anyone who actually plays keys, and who uses other DAWs sometimes besides Live. If you aren't really keen on either of those things then Push is going to seem just fine. Although as a Live user since version 3 I've never been a fan of Racks for numerous reasons, and that you can change plug in configurations inside the Advance plug in saves way the fuck more CPU than sliding a control in Racks that mutes parts of a complex multi instrument Rack...

This, however is worrisome?

Muze wrote:The only 2 downsides for me is why do they have to tie it to a keyboard? I have more then enough keyboards, they should do a controller only desktop version. Secondly it still can't compete with Kore when it comes to things like plugin chaining (no support for effects so far but it is on the 'todo' list) or preset morphing (that doesn't seem to be on the 'todo' list).

Where are you seeing that you can't map your own plug ins FX etc?
I guess I could see it not working on Audio tracks, but not controlling FX on an instrument track? that would blow.

Akai?!

No thanks

login wrote:Not enough controls, dont know why manufacturers think 8 are enough. Surfing through banks is a PITA and as a Pusn owner doesmt offer anything.

I find banking on Push quite useable, because you can jump to the different banks via the labeled bank select buttons.

On something without a screen it's totally useless though IMO.

TomViolenz wrote: On something without a screen it's totally useless though IMO.

Are you not noticing that the keyboard from AKAI I'm talking abut has a full color screen or are you talking about something unrelated to this thread?

Machinesworking wrote:

TomViolenz wrote: On something without a screen it's totally useless though IMO.

Are you not noticing that the keyboard from AKAI I'm talking abut has a full color screen or are you talking about something unrelated to this thread?

I was responding to the general idea of banking and when it is useful. The screen is one thing, but without dedicated page buttons with labels like on Push it is pretty useless. (You'd need to remember which page has what and paging with just arrow buttons also sucks. It's basically a "where was that parameter" hunt.)

So you need to see how they implemented that.

After my experience with the APC Mini I'm not interested in another Akai product either way.

.... and my interest in this product just fell through the floorboards.

No control over FX plug ins = useless for mix down compared to Automap or other solutions out there.

The coder who wrote the plug in preset scripting part never tested on DP8, making half my DAW use untested..

IMO another half assed solution, got excited for nothing.

Thread title changed so as to not get people's expectations up.