Ableton Forum

Any suggestions for a good keyboard for use with ableton 8?

I use an akai lpk25 for recording which serves me very well but i'd like something for live performances and something extra to consider for recording.

I'm primarily a guitarist so i dont have huge expertise on the matter but is it possible to have a keyboard with sounds of its own and a keyboard that has midi functionality like my lpk25?

When i say sounds of its own i mean sounds that can be used for live performances and sounds that can be used for recordings.

keyboard/controller combo is what im looking for essentially but id appreciate some feedback of tried and tested products from more knowledgeable people.

Thanks.

Frank09 wrote:Any suggestions for a good keyboard for use with ableton 8?

I use an akai lpk25 for recording which serves me very well but i'd like something for live performances and something extra to consider for recording.

I'm primarily a guitarist so i dont have huge expertise on the matter but is it possible to have a keyboard with sounds of its own and a keyboard that has midi functionality like my lpk25?

When i say sounds of its own i mean sounds that can be used for live performances and sounds that can be used for recordings.

keyboard/controller combo is what im looking for essentially but id appreciate some feedback of tried and tested products from more knowledgeable people.

Thanks.

I have an Akai Advance 49, it comes with stacks of soft synths which are very good. There is good pianos, Rhodes pianos, Wurli, pads, analogue synth models, step sequencers, granular fm etc etc. It runs a wrapper program called VIP that opens all your VSTs in one window and allows you to use Omnisphere outside of a DAW which is handy. I previously used the Akai with Cubase and it was meh. It is mapped much better to Ableton and there is no guessing which knob is mapped to where. You would need to run it with a laptop to get any sounds out live but since you are running Ableton I presume that's a given?

The Korg taktile line has one product as you want.

But almost all synthetizers can be used as controller in live as long as they have a MIDI out (either by standard midi connection or USB).

Frank09 wrote:a keyboard with sounds of its own

Yes, there are a huge number on the market. But.........what type of sounds are you looking for?

If you mainly work with specific genres, please name them because then people can suggest a keyboard with suitable sounds onboard.

check the channel of PianoManChuck on youtube, https://www.youtube.com/user/PianoManChuck

Wriggle wrote:

Frank09 wrote:Any suggestions for a good keyboard for use with ableton 8?

I use an akai lpk25 for recording which serves me very well but i'd like something for live performances and something extra to consider for recording.

I'm primarily a guitarist so i dont have huge expertise on the matter but is it possible to have a keyboard with sounds of its own and a keyboard that has midi functionality like my lpk25?

When i say sounds of its own i mean sounds that can be used for live performances and sounds that can be used for recordings.

keyboard/controller combo is what im looking for essentially but id appreciate some feedback of tried and tested products from more knowledgeable people.

Thanks.

I have an Akai Advance 49, it comes with stacks of soft synths which are very good. There is good pianos, Rhodes pianos, Wurli, pads, analogue synth models, step sequencers, granular fm etc etc. It runs a wrapper program called VIP that opens all your VSTs in one window and allows you to use Omnisphere outside of a DAW which is handy. I previously used the Akai with Cubase and it was meh. It is mapped much better to Ableton and there is no guessing which knob is mapped to where. You would need to run it with a laptop to get any sounds out live but since you are running Ableton I presume that's a given?

Ive looked at demos of that machine and it seems to be a good piece of kit and im a fan of akai, but i would like to have the option that if im playing a low key gig or an open mic night that i could bring my keyboard without the laptop for perfomance.

Thanks for the info.

login wrote:The Korg taktile line has one product as you want.

But almost all synthetizers can be used as controller in live as long as they have a MIDI out (either by standard midi connection or USB).

I will look at that.

Thanks.

102455 wrote:

Frank09 wrote:a keyboard with sounds of its own

Yes, there are a huge number on the market. But.........what type of sounds are you looking for?

If you mainly work with specific genres, please name them because then people can suggest a keyboard with suitable sounds onboard.

I use synths on my recorded work direct from ableton but id want piano sounds from a keyboard for live performances etc.

Essentially i want a keyboard that i can take out on the road which doesnt need the laptop connected to it and a keyboard that has the option of connectivity for the studio.

xbitz wrote:check the channel of PianoManChuck on youtube, https://www.youtube.com/user/PianoManChuck

Thanks, will do.

Frank09 wrote: id want piano sounds from a keyboard for live performances etc.

OK, piano. Anything else? Are you saying that you'd prefer traditional sounds?

Also, very important - what's your budget?

102455 wrote:

Frank09 wrote: id want piano sounds from a keyboard for live performances etc.

OK, piano. Anything else? Are you saying that you'd prefer traditional sounds?

Also, very important - what's your budget?

Well a reasonable amount of synths/sounds but its not essential to have a huge amount of synths sounds as ableton cover a lot of that ground.
Basically a keyboard that has enough sounds without having to connect to a laptop for open mic nights and low key gigs and a keyboard that is able to be used with the laptop for bigger gigs.

well i cant imagine paying more than 600 euro.