# Would The Akai MPK249 or the MPK261 Be A Good Orchestral MIDI Controller?



## ryevick (Dec 18, 2019)

I'm new to orchestral sample libraries and looking for a MIDI Controller to take when traveling, for orchestral work. Has anyone tried the Akai MPK249 or the MPK261? I wish the faders where on the left side or middle but it looks like it could handle articulations pretty well, even via pedals.

Thoughts?


----------



## Nate Johnson (Dec 19, 2019)

Depends on your preferences. For me, I love the feeling of the keys on the MPK series, but those keyboards are too big for my ergonomics. I also use faders with my left hand, so it would drive me nuts to have them stuck on the right side. And to travel with either of those? Way too big!

but just my two cents. Everyone is different!


----------



## ryevick (Dec 19, 2019)

I want faders on the left as well but haven't seen one. Recommendations?


----------



## Quasar (Dec 19, 2019)

ryevick said:


> I want faders on the left as well but haven't seen one. Recommendations?


Novation Impulse. Left side faders were a critical factor in deciding to get one. It's the only 61 key controller I've ever had that I really like. They make 49 too.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 19, 2019)

Quasar said:


> Novation Impulse. Left side faders were a critical factor in deciding to get one. It's the only 61 key controller I've ever had that I really like. They make 49 too.



I'm also wondering if some of you have tried and like using a standard type keyboard controller and adding a peripheral controller on the side with everything else but keys, using them in tandem.


----------



## GtrString (Dec 19, 2019)

Imo, ideally, you'd want a fully weighted controller for orchestral work. I've found those have a more natural response, and require less post editing. 

Something like the M-Audio Hammer 88, Arturia Keylab 88 or NI Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2. A (maybe used?) digital piano with midi and jogs would also do the trick.


----------



## Quasar (Dec 19, 2019)

ryevick said:


> I'm also wondering if some of you have tried and like using a standard type keyboard controller and adding a peripheral controller on the side with everything else but keys, using them in tandem.


Besides being my 61 key "light action" keyboard controller, the Novation essentially performs this function for my 88 key Yamaha CP33.

I'm a big believer in getting a decent digital stage piano for a full-weighted piano-like experience rather than a controller per se... Especially on a budget, you can find better build quality for less money. The CP33 cost less than $500 used at reverb.com and it has been a champ.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 19, 2019)

I own a Yamaha KX8 fully weighted controller that has an amazing feel for piano. I'm really looking for a 61 key with left side faders and aftertouch to use with string libraries and the like.


----------



## Quasar (Dec 19, 2019)

GtrString said:


> *Imo, ideally, you'd want a fully weighted controller for orchestral work.* I've found those have a more natural response, and require less post editing.
> 
> Something like the M-Audio Hammer 88, Arturia Keylab 88 or NI Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2. A (maybe used?) digital piano with midi and jogs would also do the trick.



The fully weighted digital piano is certainly my primary and most important keyboard, but I don't think you can generalize about this, since people have vastly different subjective relationships with anything tactile and playable. A non-piano player will likely approach it differently than a piano player, for instance. I like the lighter action and aftertouch for some (though not all) non-percussive VIs.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 19, 2019)

I also own the Yamaha MX61 and I have no problems playing piano and more with it, great feel but if I'm looking at just playing a piano part the KX8 is the one hands down.

Right now it looks like from my searching so far that Quasar's recommendation of the Novation Impulse 61 may be the way I go. I wish they had different software bundled though. I already own all of the XLN Audio Addictive Keys and the Novation Bass Station.

I'm still looking for recommendations though.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 19, 2019)

Ok, I take that back... I was just reading some reviews on Sweetwater and they aren't very good.

Novation Impulse


----------



## rrichard63 (Dec 19, 2019)

A number of the suggestions here are valuable input for someone planning a studio. @ryevick is looking for a compact keyboard for travel. I think that's a different discussion.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 19, 2019)

rrichard63 said:


> A number of the suggestions here are valuable input for someone planning a studio. @ryevick is looking for a compact keyboard for travel. I think that's a different discussion.



Correct! I am now wanting a 61 key though. I just came across the Roland A-800 PRO and the M-Audio Code 61. The both look interesting.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 19, 2019)

I'm thinking the Nektar Panorama T6 61 might be the one!


----------



## Nate Johnson (Dec 19, 2019)

Just help drive the subjective point home....I do all my orchestral (and other) work on a Akai LPK25 (keys) and Korg Nanokontrol2 (faders). Super portable and I can move them wherever I want them on my desk ie - front and center for performance or off to the side when not in use. Full disclosure: I’m not a piano player!


----------



## Oxytoxine (Dec 19, 2019)

ryevick said:


> I'm thinking the Nektar Panorama T6 61 might be the one!



I'm also considering this one to complement my 88 weighted keys. The DAW and plugin integration seems to be second to none. The Nektarine software seems to be in many ways what Komplete control should have been, and even without it, the DAW integration is very deep. One can even "stagger" several of the units and use them together in different control modes (DAW, instrument). I watched several videos, and the integration is stunningly deep. I do not know why, but in our area, most shops do not have them, so I could not try it out by myself and can not comment on the keybed.

Another good option seems to be the Arturia mkII. unfortunately the faders are on the right side, but judging from videos, it seems to function nicely as a DAW and instrument controller, and the build quality seems to better than their first series.

I can not personally comment on the Novation Impulse - the hardware looks nice, but from what I read the Automapping software seems to be a complete disaster (e.g. generating dlls for every plug you own). But one can probably use it just fine without as a general midi controller.

I'm anyway wondering whether all this DAW and soft synth integration really enhances workflow (e.g. the depth of Nektarine seems really daunting to wrap ones head around) or whether it would not be much simpler to just use some faders in the old fashioned midi way to control the most important cc's in Kontakt (because you wrote specifically about using Orchestral libraries).

Good luck and let us know how you like the T6! I will buy one in the next days.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 20, 2019)

Yeah I'm pretty much sold on it. I watched a lot of videos on it yesterday. Here are two you should watch. The second one focuses on my DAW Studio One but I'm sure it would relate to other DAWs (the real info is in the 2nd half). I'm also going with the 61 which is only 6" longer than the 49 and it should fit in my Yamaha MX61 case/bag so I won't have to buy a case.


----------



## mc_deli (Dec 20, 2019)

MPD 232 has similar faders and pads. Then get your choice of keyboard.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 20, 2019)

mc_deli said:


> MPD 232 has similar faders and pads. Then get your choice of keyboard.



I thought about that but I feel pretty good about the T6 and it's integration.


----------



## ryevick (Dec 20, 2019)

The only drawback that I really don't like about the T6 is you can't split the keyboard.


----------



## Daniel Stenning (Dec 23, 2019)

ryevick said:


> I'm also wondering if some of you have tried and like using a standard type keyboard controller and adding a peripheral controller on the side with everything else but keys, using them in tandem.



Currently I'm using (trying out) an NI MASCHINE JAM with a template configured to control common CC values for expression on the fader strips and with 20 buttons in the matrix grid assigned to ultra low MIDI notes for sending expression control commands to Cubase Expression map. Works quite well but wished my Komplete Kontrol mk2 88 had faders and buttons on it to the left of the buttons - given all the spare empty space there is on KK 88 controllers...


----------



## ryevick (Dec 23, 2019)

I ordered both the Nektar Panorama T6 and P6. They should arrive probably Friday and I'm going to choose between the two.


----------



## ryevick (Feb 5, 2020)

I've been busy but I kept the Nektar Panorama P6. It wasn't even close. It's amazing but I'm thinking about getting something smaller.


----------



## Laptoprabbit (May 4, 2020)

ryevick said:


> I've been busy but I kept the Nektar Panorama P6. It wasn't even close. It's amazing but I'm thinking about getting something smaller.



It's been a while but could you speak to what made you go for the p6 over the t6? Keyfeel, quality, etc.


----------



## ryevick (May 4, 2020)

Laptoprabbit said:


> It's been a while but could you speak to what made you go for the p6 over the t6? Keyfeel, quality, etc.



More encoders, a motorized fader for automation, better menu with more menu options. It has way more features than I've used. The keyboard beds felt the same.


----------



## Alex Fraser (May 4, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> Just help drive the subjective point home....I do all my orchestral (and other) work on a Akai LPK25 (keys) and Korg Nanokontrol2 (faders). Super portable and I can move them wherever I want them on my desk ie - front and center for performance or off to the side when not in use. Full disclosure: I’m not a piano player!


That's the way forward! NI M32 front and centre here. Piano off to the side and out the way.


----------



## Laptoprabbit (May 4, 2020)

ryevick said:


> More encoders, a motorized fader for automation, better menu with more menu options. It has way more features than I've used. The keyboard beds felt the same.


Thanks, I was considering those two with smaller size (small desk) and keybed as priorites. If their keybeds are more or less the same, think I'll go with the T6.


----------



## Nate Johnson (May 4, 2020)

Alex Fraser said:


> That's the way forward! NI M32 front and centre here. Piano off to the side and out the way.



That M32 has been tempting me since it came out - you must be loving it? I’d love to go down to just one controller (I only use two sliders on my Korg anyways)


----------



## Alex Fraser (May 4, 2020)

tomorrowstops said:


> That M32 has been tempting me since it came out - you must be loving it? I’d love to go down to just one controller (I only use two sliders on my Korg anyways)


It can be a little temperamental, but yep, it's a nice bit of gear.
I've been trying out the two touch strips as CC controllers, remapping the pitch bend to vibrato. Works well enough with a bit of practice.


----------



## Thundercat (May 4, 2020)

What makes me hesitant to recommend Akai as a brand is what has happened with my Akai Advance controller I bought. After Catalina came out on the Mac, they said they were "testing compatibility" with the VIP software with it. 

They have not issued an update to VIP, and now we're going on 10 months. The Akai forum has a lot of angry posts from consumers asking them when they will update the software, but they remain silent.

So I like Akai stuff, but I'm very Leary of it. At the moment my Advance keyboard is a gigantic paperweight.

Yes, my fault for updating to Catalina - but they are STILL SELLING the Advance keyboard and on the site it states compatibility with something like 10.9.x + operating systems. So they are still selling the damn thing claiming it's compatible with the latest OS when it isn't.

Tsk Tsk.


----------



## Laptoprabbit (May 4, 2020)

Thundercat said:


> What makes me hesitant to recommend Akai as a brand is what has happened with my Akai Advance controller I bought. After Catalina came out on the Mac, they said they were "testing compatibility" with the VIP software with it.
> 
> They have not issued an update to VIP, and now we're going on 10 months. The Akai forum has a lot of angry posts from consumers asking them when they will update the software, but they remain silent.
> 
> ...


Interestingly I was looking at the Akai Advance as well but couldn't find any being sold anymore. Will steer clear after reading this.


----------



## Michael Antrum (May 5, 2020)

I used to have a Nectar Panarama P6 - but it sounds as if they must have improved it, because it had the most horrendous keyboard I can remember playing. The black keys and the white keys felt like they had been made by different companies, and the keybed was as noisy as the percussion section of the LSO. I subsequently bought a NI S61 which was a big improvement...


----------



## ryevick (May 10, 2020)

Michael Antrum said:


> I used to have a Nectar Panarama P6 - but it sounds as if they must have improved it, because it had the most horrendous keyboard I can remember playing. The black keys and the white keys felt like they had been made by different companies, and the keybed was as noisy as the percussion section of the LSO. I subsequently bought a NI S61 which was a big improvement...



I think they did make some improvements. It does well enough for what I'm using it for. It's not the best keybed I've ever played on but I really like it. Noise isn't really an issue for me. I actually use headphones when I'm using it and I use it as a midi controller for VSTi that sound amazing. The last thing on my mind is the sound of the keybed. I'm actually purchasing a Novation Launchkey 49 that I'm going to be using at my desk and trying that out. There's no way I could use the NI32. The lack of faders is way too limiting.


----------



## Bovinator (Oct 21, 2021)

@ryevick Did you end up buying the launchkey? How did that work out compared to the P6?


----------



## ryevick (Oct 21, 2021)

Bovinator said:


> @ryevick Did you end up buying the launchkey? How did that work out compared to the P6?


I did. They are for different uses and I actually haven't been using the P6 lately. Not because I don't like it but I'm more at home for time being and I have the Launchkey at my desk as shown below. In my home studio I have a Yamaha MX61 and KX8 beside the desk so the P6 has been in it's case for a while.

It depends on what you want or need. The P6 and Launchkey are fine and do what I need them to do. The P6 has many more features, many that I do not use. It's very customizable.

I would suggest watching a few YouTube videos on each, especially on the P6.


----------



## colony nofi (Oct 21, 2021)

FWIW I've been very happy using an M32 along with palette gear (now called monogram) faders to control CC / buttons etc for at least the last 4 years (I think - covid has messed with my sense of time) - and before that i put up with an x-keys. All about portability for me. Also travel with a stream deck with a tonne of personal customisations for controlling nuendo....


----------

