# Midi keyboard controller



## Kinetic (Jun 16, 2017)

Hi, I'm looking for a midi keyboard controller that will control my VSTs. Basically, is there one that I can assign the knobs to control the knobs I'm seeing on the screen while working with a VST instrument or synth? I'm thinking 49 or 61 keys. I don't need the keys to be weighted. Would like to stay under $500.00...preferably under $400.00. Any suggestions would be helpful. Will be paired up with a Mac/Logic. Is there anything else that I should look for while I'm comparing different models? Thanks, I'm new at this.


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## synthpunk (Jun 16, 2017)

There are a few. Low budget check out the Korg Nanokontrol1/2. Can't really beat the value for about $50 USD. I still keep one in my set up specifically for editing my uhe synths.

Next step up for me is this one..
https://store.djtechtools.com/products/midi-fighter-twister

If you're looking for a fader controller this is the best solution out there and also a Vi-c Community project.
http://vi-control.net/community/threads/faderctrl-now-available-for-order.58734/

And if you're looking for something with both faders, knobs, and transport control this would be my recommendation.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...HboQ7Pi1PTSBT9AyoI5HnfwECja3VszYcIaArfw8P8HAQ


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## Kinetic (Jun 16, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> There are a few. Low budget check out the Korg Nanokontrol1/2. Can't really beat the value for about $50 USD. I still keep one in my set up specifically for editing my uhe synths.....
> 
> Thanks for the suggestions, but I definitely need a keyboard-type setup.


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## synthpunk (Jun 16, 2017)

Oohhh sorry missed that. I would look at Akai, Korg, Nektar, and Novation.


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## ranaprathap (Jun 16, 2017)

You need to decide how many keys do you want, and whether you need the keys fully weighted (if you are coming from a piano background), semi weighted on synth type unweighted. And may be a price range. If you decide those and tell us those information, then the people here will be able to help you better.


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## Kinetic (Jun 16, 2017)

Thinking 49 or 61 keys. I don't need the keys to be weighted. Would like to stay under $500.00...preferably under $400.00. Also edited original post. Thanks.


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## ranaprathap (Jun 16, 2017)

The Nektar Impact LX61+ is 200$, synth action keys and has good reviews. It is easy to set up too from what I can tell. There are other options too. 

The trick here would be to go to a store and try out the keyboard yourself and see if you like the feel of the keys and the feel of the faders because that is something we can't decide for you. Try and choose controllers that don't rely on software like Automap to get the mapping done. If you find something you like then you can mention your choices here and people will be ready to tell you their experiences with it. Good luck!


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## Kinetic (Jun 16, 2017)

Thanks, great info!


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## synthpunk (Jun 16, 2017)

Akai MPK261 is pretty good. You can save $100 if you go with the 49 key version but I like it least 61 keys. It has better build quality than the nectar stuff but if you need to save some coin the nectar should work fine as well.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...Cup4CzANJy534ErP5j9aZm0FWFAOqs7uW8aAiDK8P8HAQ


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## Kinetic (Jun 19, 2017)

ranaprathap said:


> The Nektar Impact LX61+ is 200$, synth action keys and has good reviews. It is easy to set up too from what I can tell. There are other options too.
> 
> The trick here would be to go to a store and try out the keyboard yourself and see if you like the feel of the keys and the feel of the faders because that is something we can't decide for you. Try and choose controllers that don't rely on software like Automap to get the mapping done. If you find something you like then you can mention your choices here and people will be ready to tell you their experiences with it. Good luck!




Ranaprathap, can you tell me why you would advise against units with the Automap feature?


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## Kinetic (Jun 19, 2017)

I went to check out an Akai MPK261 today. It felt very sturdy compared to the others alongside it (Arturia, Novation, M-Audio, etc.). What I did not get to play was anything from Nektar. I'm intrigued by the Panorama P6 and the Impact LX 88+. Any thoughts/input, both positive and negative concerning these three would be welcome. Or if there's something I'm missing, I'd like to hear about it, too. Thanks again.


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## ranaprathap (Jun 19, 2017)

Kinetic said:


> Ranaprathap, can you tell me why you would advise against units with the Automap feature?


I have a Novation Sl Mkii 61 key Midi controller. I got it used for very cheap and that is the reason I bought it. This unit uses the Automap software for routing things. 

When I was searching internet I got a lot of people complaining that they couldn't get automap to get to work. In my experience, I got automap to work after a few hours of tinkering. It didn't come natively with support for Cubase 9 but I got it to work. Your mileage may vary. 

The term automap is slightly misleading - there is nothing "auto" about it - I ended up routing everything myself anyway. It has a wrapper for every plugin you will want to use, if you want to control the plugin using the keyboard. That was unnecessary for me, so I didn't use that feature. 

If you like something that uses Automap, you can still get it because use of Automap is optional. My unit worked fine without Automap in the advanced mode. It also came with a template editor software if you want to get things done at the root. Many people on internet who got automap to work ended up creating their own templates and using it at the end. 

What is it about Automap that people hate? I can't point it out. Earlier there were stability issues with the software, which hasn't happened to me yet. I think the reason might be the complexity involved in setting it up. In fact the person who sold my Sl Mkii to me did it because he couldn't get automap to work. 

If you see some user videos of something like a Nektar LX+ series you would see that the controls are so much easier to set up and are much more tightly integrated to the DAW without having to use voodoo magic like Automap. 

So the moral of the story is that if you find something you like that uses Automap, do not let Automap discourage you from getting it. But do not buy things because of Automap. Unless you want to control your plugins using your controller. In that case I don't know what to suggest. 



Kinetic said:


> I went to check out an Akai MPK261 today. It felt very sturdy compared to the others alongside it (Arturia, Novation, M-Audio, etc.). What I did not get to play was anything from Nektar. I'm intrigued by the Panorama P6 and the Impact LX 88+. Any thoughts/input, both positive and negative concerning these three would be welcome. Or if there's something I'm missing, I'd like to hear about it, too. Thanks again.



There are people here who recently got LX88+. May be someone like @Wolfie2112 can help you out here.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jun 19, 2017)

I found Auto map to be a PITA, it' a piece of software wraps your plugins (a large majority, anyways) so that they work correctly with the controller. In my case, it was with a Zero SL MkII. I was hit and miss...but like Ranaprathap mentioned, you just need to spend some time tweaking it. It can also be programmed as a generic controller, allowing you to build your own presets (but I never got deep into it). Since my 88 key controller was nearing its lifespan, I returned it and bought the Nektar LX88+. I was skeptical because of it's reasonable price, but it is excellent. You just download the driver from Nektar, and it integrates instantly with most DAW's; in my case, Logic pro and Cubase 8. It's semi-weighted, about 18lbs, and fits nicely into my studio desk because the MOD and pitch wheels are above the keybed, not taking up space on the far left. You can program this thing to your hearts content, which is what I've been doing with Logic. I also haven't had to rely on my mouse as much, as I now use many of the onboard features (transport controls, undo, looping, setting up markers, etc). My only complaint is the "old school" LCD display, but that's okay considering the price. It also only has one 1/4 input for a controller (ie; sustain pedal), but that's all I needed.


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## Kinetic (Jun 19, 2017)

Wolfie2112 said:


> I found Auto map to be a PITA, it' a piece of software wraps your plugins (a large majority, anyways) so that they work correctly with the controller. In my case, it was with a Zero SL MkII. I was hit and miss...but like Ranaprathap mentioned, you just need to spend some time tweaking it. It can also be programmed as a generic controller, allowing you to build your own presets (but I never got deep into it). Since my 88 key controller was nearing its lifespan, I returned it and bought the Nektar LX88+. I was skeptical because of it's reasonable price, but it is excellent. You just download the driver from Nektar, and it integrates instantly with most DAW's; in my case, Logic pro and Cubase 8. It's semi-weighted, about 18lbs, and fits nicely into my studio desk because the MOD and pitch wheels are above the keybed, not taking up space on the far left. You can program this thing to your hearts content, which is what I've been doing with Logic. I also haven't had to rely on my mouse as much, as I now use many of the onboard features (transport controls, undo, looping, setting up markers, etc). My only complaint is the "old school" LCD display, but that's okay considering the price. It also only has one 1/4 input for a controller (ie; sustain pedal), but that's all I needed.




That sounds pretty nice. So you are able to control some of the parameters of your VSTi's on this unit while playing? For example...adjusting filters on a synth with knobs on the keyboard while playing? Thanks.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jun 20, 2017)

Kinetic said:


> That sounds pretty nice. So you are able to control some of the parameters of your VSTi's on this unit while playing? For example...adjusting filters on a synth with knobs on the keyboard while playing? Thanks.



Absolutely! It's already pre-mapped for most (if not all) of the Logic stock AU's, such as Alchemy...and also a ton of third party VI's. It's also easy to set up your own user presets, and you can also do a basic setup (like in the link below).

https://www.logicprohelp.com/assign-midi-controller-knobs-plugin-logic-pro/


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## Kinetic (Jun 20, 2017)

Wolfie2112 said:


> Absolutely! It's already pre-mapped for most (if not all) of the Logic stock AU's, such as Alchemy...and also a ton of third party VI's. It's also easy to set up your own user presets, and you can also do a basic setup (like in the link below).
> 
> https://www.logicprohelp.com/assign-midi-controller-knobs-plugin-logic-pro/




That's great. I'll look into this one further, as well as the Akai MPK261. Thanks for your time and help.


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## Quasar (Jun 21, 2017)

Kinetic said:


> That's great. I'll look into this one further, as well as the Akai MPK261. Thanks for your time and help.


I almost went AKAI (either MPK61 or MPK261) too, but found a great deal on eBay for a Novation Impulse 61, shipped for just over $200, looks virtually brand new and plays great. I had read some negative reviews that the keys are "clunky", but I really like them as a second, non-piano keybed in addition to my 88 key stage piano. They're much lighter than a piano bed, but offer some resistance and "bounce", unlike typical synth action. The aftertouch works well, and am finding much better control when playing legato or slurs than I did on my old 61 key synth bed (MO6).

Not using Automap 4 and don't plan to. Just manually map and save to user template. Perfect! I'm very happy to have found this, and it may be worth looking into. I only know about the Akai's from reading about them.


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## Kinetic (Jun 21, 2017)

Quasar said:


> I almost went AKAI (either MPK61 or MPK261) too, but found a great deal on eBay for a Novation Impulse 61, shipped for just over $200, looks virtually brand new and plays great. I had read some negative reviews that the keys are "clunky", but I really like them as a second, non-piano keybed in addition to my 88 key stage piano. They're much lighter than a piano bed, but offer some resistance and "bounce", unlike typical synth action. The aftertouch works well, and am finding much better control when playing legato or slurs than I did on my old 61 key synth bed (MO6).
> 
> Not using Automap 4 and don't plan to. Just manually map and save to user template. Perfect! I'm very happy to have found this, and it may be worth looking into. I only know about the Akai's from reading about them.




Sounds good! Novation is also on my list to check out. Thanks.


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## Kinetic (Jun 27, 2017)

Well, I found a pretty good deal on the MPK261 and went for it. I have not received it yet, but am thinking it will be a good choice. I ended up choosing this one mainly because it was the only one I was considering that I could actually try out, in addition to its build quality and features.


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