NAMM 2015: Akai Professional Advance Keyboards

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Akai Professional (akaipro.com), a leading manufacturer of keyboards for performers and recording artists, today announced the introduction of their Advance Keyboard series. Available in 25-, 49-, and 61-key sizes, the Advance 25, Advance 49, and Advance 61 provide unprecedented playability and advanced manipulation of any virtual instrument via an interactive, full-color display complemented by performance friendly hardware controls.

Designed to fuse the power of software instruments with the live playability of a keyboard workstation, the Advance Keyboard series transforms computer-based plugins into an entirely hands-on playing experience. The keyboard surface features an integrated high-resolution full-color 4.3-inch display, providing real-time control and feedback of any and all virtual instrument parameters. The screen instantly adapts itself to the selected plugin’s controls, delivering immediate 1:1 access to the instrument and various editable functions. Better yet, the Advance Keyboard series works with any VSTi virtual instrument. Using the Advance keyboard’s custom designed Virtual Instrument Player (VIP) software application, your entire VSTi library can be controlled in one application. VIP operates as a plugin inside any major digital audio workstation (DAW) or as a stand-alone application on both Mac and Windows operating systems.

Dedicated physical controls are thoughtfully included, with Akai Professional’s hallmark RGB backlit, velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads integrated into each keyboard surface. Rubberized pitch and modulation wheels deliver player-preferred note manipulation with highly musical action. Large, continuously-variable endless knobs invite frequent use, letting the user make parameter adjustments with granular or dramatic effect. A custom semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keybed—another Akai Professional specialty—supports aftertouch, making it an elite keyboard for seasoned live performers and studio producers alike.

“The Advance Keyboard series represents a giant leap forward for keyboard players,” said Dan Gill, Product Manager for Akai Professional. “Until now, software-based instruments leaned heavily on computer interaction, which caused creative and logistical bottlenecks, especially during live performances. We’re combining the processing power of your computer, the flexibility of your virtual instrument collection, and the hands-on immediacy of a traditional keyboard workstation. The result is a powerful and inspiring user experience.”

Included with each Advance Keyboard is the Virtual Instrument Player (VIP) application. VIP gives Advance Keyboard users access to any virtual instrument in their collection with or without a DAW—a powerful way to play virtual instruments live or integrate them into a recording session. VIP software users can also create setlists that provide on-demand access to user-curated instruments for stage performance and studio work. With a single button press on an Advance Keyboard, the player can adapt to song changes as the live performance progresses—without ever reaching for the computer. Performers of all types will welcome VIP’s facilities for hyper-fast instrument and patch browsing, key zone splitting, layering of up to 8 instruments per VIP instance, expansive custom mapping capabilities, and support for any VSTi plugin. Advance Keyboard users may run as many instances of the Virtual Instrument Player as their computer allows. VIP runs as a VSTi, AU, RTAS or AAX plugin, allowing you access to VSTi's in virtually any DAW, such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro X and Ableton Live.

Gill continues, “Keyboard players have been straddling two worlds for the better part of the decade. A standalone keyboard workstation was only as current as the sounds inside of it, and similarly, virtual instruments were only as good as the best controllers. The Advance Keyboard series delivers uninhibited access to any virtual instrument in your library without losing focus of the instrument in front of you.”

Each Advance Keyboard ships with a 16GB download of over 10,000 sounds from industry-leading developers at AIR Music Technology, SONiVOX, and Prime Loops. Purchased separately, this comprehensive collection of nine plugins is valued at over $1,000.00 USD and provides Advance Keyboard owners with an instant palette of contemporary and coveted sounds for live performance and studio production.

Advance Keyboard Series Highlights:

• Keyboards for advanced virtual instrument performance
• Integrated 4.3-inch high-resolution full-color screen with dedicated interface buttons
• Screen provides 1:1, real-time feedback of plugin parameters
• Available in 25-, 49-, and 61- key sizes
• Includes Virtual Instrument Player software for unprecedented virtual instrument preset management, control mapping and multi patch creation
• Premium, semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keybed with aftertouch
• 8 large, endless and continuously variable control knobs
• 8 velocity- and pressure-sensitive MPC pads with RGB illumination
• Dedicated pad bank, transport control, octave, and performance buttons
• Note repeat, time-division, pattern arpeggiator, and tap-tempo buttons
• Rubberized Pitch and Modulation wheels
• Expression pedal and footswitch inputs
• USB and 5-pin MIDI Input/Output for use with any MIDI capable software or hardware
• Also functions as a standalone controller
• Includes a 16GB download with more than 10,000 sounds from leading virtual instruments from AIR Music Technology, SONiVOX and Prime Loops.

Virtual Instrument Player Software Highlights:

• Plays virtually every VSTi-compatible plugin
• Operates as a standalone virtual instrument player for your computer
• Also operates as a plugin within any AU, VST, or AAX compatible DAW
• Organizes your plugin collection with intuitive browsing by plugin, artist collection, instrument type, timbre, and more
• Access, edit, and mix up to 8 virtual instruments at one time
• Setlist feature lets live performers switch between patches from any plugin instantly from the keyboard
• Extensive key zone splitting, custom mapping, and instrument mixing options
• Pre-mapped to hundreds of industry-leading virtual instruments
• Unlimited instances of VIP may be run in a DAW

Advance 25, Advance 49, and Advance 61 will be available in early 2015 at retail pricing of $399.99, $499.99, and $599.99, respectively.

 

HA! If Akai deliver even half of what they claim in that introductory video, NI (and the KK products) are in trouble.

 

Native Instruments better step their game up... you better believe the New Akai Renaissance MK 2 is going to have those screens and much more.

 

lol..I was just going too post this..

if this works like they say it does then this is the keyboard that will rule them all..the main thing that put me off buying native instruments keyboard was it doesn't have the depth of control of flexabilty too be used with none ni products..yes I have lots of ni products but I also have tons of others and some of my favourites are done by air instruments..
this keyboard looks like it could be killer too use for live gigs too there are some plugins I want too use live but I cant because I have to load them into Cubase and Cubase isn't stable enough to gig with but this new akai software says it loads them and allows the user to play any vst instandalone mode which for me is a dream come true..also the larger knobs and full colour display will allow me more time to concentrate on my playing instead of staring at my laptop screens..i just hope akai fullfill what they say they can going by akais previous track record it will probably crash and burn but I hope it doesn't.

 

http://www.akaipro.com/microsites/advance/

 

wow you even get nearly all of air instruments products !!!!! bundled in for free !!! my legs are sweating now lol
http://www.akaipro.com/microsites/advance/#content

 

The biggest concern I would have with this product is the host software having bugs. Akai is still relatively new to making vst hosts, so I would expect them to have some issues there.

 

It appears to be totally different then the Komplete S keyboards

 

I'm not going to claim it is bug-free, but believe me, it is rock-solid.

 

if they've got air making the software then it should work if its the same team that did mpc essentials then there screwed..they released mpc essentials 1.71 with major bugs that should have been sorted out in testing but they didn't in the end I got frustrated and fixed some of the bugs myself and then posted an upload link on the akai forums too help people out..i never got any reply from akai support concerning it.

the major bugs concerned involved loading kits but the kits wernt edited to mpc essential they were created for use only with full version but full version has multiple outputs but essentials doesn't so a lot of sounds in each kit wouldn't playback.so I found the file in the kit programs edited them in notepad so sounds only came out of stereo outputs instead of multiple outputs ..I had to do this for ever kit ,find the wrong line of output code ,change it,save it ...etc it took me a few hours to do then check each kit.

now I shouldn't have had to do that n the first place ..I pointed it out too akai before I started..i emailed them but no replys then eventually I thought sod it ill fix it myself..

now if akai are doing this software themselves it will probably be a buggy mess too but if they get there other brand members too do it then air tech are more than able too do it those guys are amazing they basically invented the whole vst standard with Steinberg when they were called wizoo and then they left Steinberg joined digidesign and did most of the work on pro tools and it was them who made pro tools a home user brand..then they left got bought by inmusic brands and have created outstanding plugins..the bundle you get free with the advanced keyboard are well worth the price alone..so if akai did the decent thing and gave them total control over the software host it should work like a dream

 

So another keyboard post to get NI to make something similar. Then shout they better come out with a better hardware, and thinking a new shiny piece of gear will help them make better music. This is a cycle lol.

 

under the recent and current circumstances of software mages who put out buggy software with unfinished features, broken features, and missing features, I don't see how akai coming out with anything and having a few bugs could in any way give the pot enough nerve or gall to point one damn finger at the kettle!

 

Komplete Kontrol discount coming soon then?

 

LOL...

 

Suprised you trust akai.

 

These new Akai keyboards kinda remind me of the photoshopped Maschine keyboard I made awhile ago.

 

The software is an updated Zen, if it has bugs they will be quashed fast, Big Tick is well renowned for such
That said, i am not entirely sure what economy NI and Akai are living in, this is the same price as that NI kontrol nonsense in the UK, so you literally have too much money on your hands if you buy either of these lol

 

compared to your photoshop one, the akai looks like a toy.. .. there is just something that reminds me of a infant toy with the akai one... seems to me they should have just left it padless instead of putting just 8 token pads in... as they make pad controllers already that are better and instead, add an expansion port, say call it "midi in", and hook up the pads, 16 or 32 to that... at least the Kontrols are make to go with a pad controller and they did not try to put pads on it...

very lame unoriginal attempt from akai to try to put two controllers in one.

 

not really..with the akai advanced you get 9 plugins which on there own would cost more than the controller would cost but theni controller comes with nothing..i was amazed when it came out and found out you didn't even get massive free or complete essentials you should have got something with it.
rumours are akai have more things too show at namm one rumor is they will have renainsance 2 which will look a lot like maschine studio but will be cheaper and still include hardware inputs for sampling.
the more I look at the akai advanced the more I like it ...those knobs look brilliant ..two things worry me though the quality of the keys and the quality of the screens.ive had 2 controllers by akai and alesis over the last few months and the akai had to be returned twice because of faulty keys and my new alesis vi49 has got squeaky key syndrome ,,,alesis have told me it will go in time but im thinking it wont but hope it will.

 

akai needs better designers... as my first impression is that it lacks refinement that then gives the second impression that it is not very well made, like a child's toy. big durable knobs for clumsy fingers.. do the pads make elephant, sheep, monkey, horse, goat, cow, dog, and kitty cat sounds..

moo moo - - bah ba bah - meow.