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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 1, 2016 19:05:28 GMT -6
Also interested in peep's fav expression pedals ?
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 1, 2016 19:06:37 GMT -6
you mean like keyboards or pads?
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 1, 2016 19:11:21 GMT -6
My bad: keyboards!
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 2, 2016 12:21:29 GMT -6
Those new NI controllers feel fantastic. Pricey though. Their integration with NI is amazing too.
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Post by popmann on Jul 2, 2016 13:42:32 GMT -6
I've wanted to try that Kawai 88....honestly, every "controller only" I've played has been 9 kinds of shitty versus pretty pedestrian digital keyboards made for 30 years. I bring up the time frame to say any $800 FantomX8 or $500 Pc2x or S90 or whatever will spank the crop of "controllers" I'm used to....
And there's no actual tech reason for that....other than if you're spending less on the sounds, you want to spend the least on a board to "play" them you can....and any keyboard can use any board they already own to play the sounds--thus taking them out of the market. But, it seems to me like now that the tech has been divorced from the physical--it makes sense to spend huge dollars on the physical, because it's effectively a one time spend. And for a studio intended board--weight is irrelevant....size, so long as you can use the throw to hold monitor/keyboard type stuff, not that relevant.
In comes the Kawai. But, it lacks anything outside of a straight piano bed....and as much as I mostly want piano....there should at least be a basic compliment of sliders/mod wheel/buttons to do various tasks for the "big spend on controller".
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Post by popmann on Jul 2, 2016 13:53:43 GMT -6
I've only ever owned one expression pedal....it's a Roland (BOSS?), I believe....little analog "range" adjustment. It's in no way smooth--never has been with any keyboard or software I've owned. But, then the "other expression pedal" I use is the Hammond which is smooth and granular like a musical instrument should be....I got the pedal specifically for organ emus....but, there's not enough throw....if I really cared that much about my MIDI rig, I'd look at Hammond replicating pedals--they have to make them with all the digital organs they make. That's what I'd look for....you want LARGE....and you want to not slip when you take your foot off--meaning it should firmly hold it's setting--the little nudge of removing your foot shouldn't send a 30 value CC change, you know?
Also, though--while you can map "anything" to a pedal like that....I've literally never found a good use. I remember LASS had a kind of intensity setting I used briefly (during it's demo)....but, again, without it being really granular, it took more "conscious thought" to use the pedal than it did to use the slider on the top of my Kronos--so that's where that mapping ended up. So, I guess I'm not sold on the fundamental idea of the expression pedal outside emulating an organ's expression pedal, which needs to be "inside" between the fake organ and fake Leslie, else it's not going to work correctly. Most things, an actual analog pedals work better for--like Wah. Neat as it is to map that to the pedal...still sounds better to just run the keyboard mono out to a Wah pedal into an amp....
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 2, 2016 14:02:13 GMT -6
Hey Pop - check out that NI piano...I'm not a piano player per se, but I thought it felt really good.
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Post by terryrocks on Jul 2, 2016 14:23:17 GMT -6
I use an akai mpk249
It felt like the most robust of the cheap controllers. Keys have a semi-weighted feel and knobs/sliders aren't complete garbage.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 2, 2016 16:27:28 GMT -6
Interesting the guy at the store recommended the NI and the yamaha expression pedal, for reasons like you mention popman its weight, solidity and feel !
I know jrr had a sale on the arturia key lab a while back
I have an el cheapo m audio 49, it works and that is all all you can say. I lean towards a 61 key controller even though I realize they are a little bigger. I played piano when I was young so I find the 49 seems limited ?
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Post by popmann on Jul 2, 2016 21:52:53 GMT -6
The NI have Fatar keybeds. So, Kurzweil/Nord style. That was a solid standard....and if you're not looking for piano action alone, it can be best compromise--as piano action can be too "slow" for doing serious drum sequencing or organ playing...this is the unit I mentioned. I think there's a placein Franklin with it set up with an iMac on top running IvoryII. For a composer not so into gear--that big flat part can hold say an imac, little table top interface....and some little channel controller or something....add speaker stands and it's the whole studio. How elegant is that? Keyboard....SPL Crimson....maybe a little CC121....but, alas--the whole NO mod wheel....no nuttin BUT piano is a sad thing. I feel like they could've worked a little side bar into it with a handful of assignable controls and have the unit to beat. www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VPC1 |
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Post by popmann on Jul 2, 2016 21:54:36 GMT -6
BTW....the NI integration is crazy cool. Long overdue is some kind of controller standard for software. The color changing LEDs for key switches is particularly cool, IMO.
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Post by indiehouse on Jul 3, 2016 12:10:13 GMT -6
Man, I just checked out that NI controller. I've got a Novation 49 right now. It's ok. So, what do keys guys find the 88 key version a must? Or 61 keys enough?
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