Akai Pro Advance Keyboards - with Native Instruments Komplete

got the advance 25 yesterday

hardware is solid, i saw the kontrol keyboard in store and also looked great build quality wise

but kudos to akai on how solid the device feels in general and the screen is great

but software feels hit and miss at the mo

 

speaking of chords

 

ok so now im impressed after spending some more time with the app; i will re-install diva and see what kind of CPU hit I get when running DIva within VIP in maschine.

but Akai came corret

 

I was wondering when I saw your first post, you don't think the 25 key is too limited to take advantage of the vip software. After using it for a bit are you interested in getting the 49 key instead?

 

the only feature I wont be able to use is the split feature ( where u have several vsts to different key ranges) but that feature is more geared towards stage performance.

My intention is pure home studio use and the ability quickly access and edit all my vst libraries, so the 25 is perfect for my particular purpose and I dont feel I am missing out on any VIP features another than the aforementioned which I had no intention of using anyway.

 

Hey you can use the split feature with the 25 key, its software based. so if you have another controller you can get the desired outcome, and or you can actually use the 25key and just switch octaves, and/or split on the two octaves the 25key gives you. You can get to the key split from the software by clicking on the multi tab icon, than if you look closely at the mixer portion of VIP you'll see L.C-2 and H.G8 all you have to do is is click on that area, now you can do splits.

 

I'd rather have a 49 or 61 key version, but i got the 25 because i have no room for the larger ones...

 

Im happy with the 25 I dont really intend to use the split feature anyhow but thanks; but I feel this is a great product, but I have only used it for 2 days but once I map all my uvi libraries and kontakt libraries this will be game changing because I have alot of sounds I dont use cos of convenience but this will awaken a new world of vsts that been sleeping.

 

alrighty then, thanks y'all

 

you'll use it, believe me, especially when you start creating your own Multis. Yeah, i'm still mapping too.. some vsts are easier to do than others, right now i'm mapping Motu Bpm to it, and it's a pain you have to not only import manually, you have to type in the presets manually.. ahhh... but i did the test on a couple of the presets to see if it will work loading up the drum kits, and sure enough it worked. (flashbulb just went off in my head)

 

Renaming presets doesn't work when using the plugin:

"Only in standalone mode does this work for me, not in the plug. Honestly, there are some frustrating issues with getting everything mapped and its definitely not as plug and play as the demos would make it seem."

"plug and play is not happening here.

For example, I wanted to map the different "stops" for my Kontakt RMI Rocksichord to the switches below the knobs...would have been perfect, should have been easy. Nothing.

I could go on.

Besides an auto reply in my junk folder, Akai tech support has yet to get back to me regarding my transport control issues...the midi "handshake" has not been great so far."

 

interesting good stuff

 

forgot to say thanks for the clips hitman

 

@jpeg @Phyia
What does the keybed feel like?.. pick one of .. meh/ok/decent/good/great/fkdifiknowidontplaykeys ?..thx

 

what scope exists for mapping of the transport controls.. are they simple CC buttons that require mapping inside the DAW, or are they correct midi realtime start/stop/continue msgs?.. thx

 

you seen this auto map at 8:10 you still need to open presets thou, but im more interested in layering than multis at the mo

keyboard is great Im no keyboard player,but feel my patterns have improved just having this, semi weighted keys and solid plus construction.

all the buttons feel solid and the screen is crisp, everything feels real high end as far as controller keyboards

easily the best keyboard ive owned

 

Sounding more and more like NI shouldn't have held back...

It should mean that those in the market for such a keyboard product when NI moves onto the KKS Mk2 will have quite a choice on their hands though.

 

I can name presets when i'm using it at a plugin. what DAW are you using..? i'm not saying its your DAW but it maybe a something in it that not letting you rename.

 

The keybed is pretty solid, i think its personal taste when it comes to this though. When i compare it to my Komplete Kontrol i like the way KK feels over the advance, the advance has i little more spring, a little more weight behind it compared to the KK which to me feels like the keys drop more easily when pressed.. they both feel good though...

 

The problem here is, most people who jumped on the KK, like myself will most likely not get the KKmk2, which is a shame because i really would have loved it if NI would have put screens in there initial version. but hey, i still like the keyboard, and the software will only get better. I still use maschine for most of my projects so the KK makes perfect sense to have.