# 49 or 61 key controller best with Cubase



## bcarwell (Apr 25, 2019)

Can you recommend the 49 or 61 keyboard controller which works best with Cubase 8 on Win 7 and has the usual complement of buttons, knobs, faders, transport controls, expression and mod wheels ? 

By "best" I mean one which works and integrates most reliably and easily with the "Learn" and Generic Remote features, hassle free assigning physical faders, buttons, transport controls, pads etc. And if it has storable presets, so much the better.

My patience is finally at an end with my old Axiom 49 1st gen trying to get the physical controls working completely and reliably with Cubase.

It is so alluring to jiggle a physical knob or move a software control and have it magically assigned to Cubase functions, but I am having trouble finding a keyboard controller that actually does this reliably.

In this regard the most hassle-free keyboard controller I have seen reported integrating with Cubase is the Nektar Impact LX49. Keybed supposed to be a little cheesy and noisy but the integration with Cubase reported as very good.

On a related topic, can you recommend a non keyboard controller that has this same ability to integrate easily and reliably with Cubase ? And are there any such controllers that have expression and mod wheels ? All the non keyboard controllers I've seen do not have any such wheels- just faders, knobs and pads.

Bob


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## dzilizzi (Apr 25, 2019)

I use a Launchkey 49. I don't have too much problems using it with Cubase 8, 9, and 10. And I think mine is a version 1 so any issues I have with it have been improved upon. I haven't had any issues with it lately, so I don't really remember what they were and if it was with Cubase or ProTools. 

There's a whole control surface attached - mod & pitch wheels, 9 faders, 8 knobs, and pads. I don't really use them much. I've used some of the faders with Kontakt programs. The are easy to assign. 

I think I would like a 61 key though. The 49 is just not quite big enough. However, when I use my 88 key with it, the two of them together work great. But generally, it is too big for the space I have.


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## bcarwell (Apr 26, 2019)

How is the construction quality of your Launchkey ? If I have any reservations about the Nektar it would be some of the comments questioning quality control...

I will post the video on it for those interested, as the integration with Cubase is fantastic relative to all the other keyboard controllers I’ve seen...

Bob


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## dzilizzi (Apr 26, 2019)

I have a Launchkey mini that travels with me and has held up well. But I am only a hobbyist and not really a keyboard player, so it has held up fairly well. I lost a slider knob - well, I have the knob, but it fell off. Haven't reattached it yet. But I think that was rough handling while moving things around in my office. The keys have gotten a little creaky - as in you can hear some of the springs. But I've had it for a while.


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## bcarwell (Apr 26, 2019)

The video in YouTube is “Best MIDI Controller Ever ? Using Nektar Impact LX in Cubase”- sorry, can’t figure out how to provide hotline. Extensive 20+ minute video on actual use with Cubase- very impressive compared to the horror shows I’ve had/seen trying to integrate a controller with Cubase- very time consuming and frequently simply don’t WORK !


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## dzilizzi (Apr 26, 2019)

Nektar Impact was the other one I was looking at when I got the Launchkey. But at the time the Launchkey was less expensive and I didn't have Cubase.


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## Maximvs (Apr 26, 2019)

bcarwell said:


> The video in YouTube is “Best MIDI Controller Ever ? Using Nektar Impact LX in Cubase”- sorry, can’t figure out how to provide hotline. Extensive 20+ minute video on actual use with Cubase- very impressive compared to the horror shows I’ve had/seen trying to integrate a controller with Cubase- very time consuming and frequently simply don’t WORK !


Is this what you are referring to 'bcarwell' ?



Cheers, Max T.


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## Reid Rosefelt (Apr 26, 2019)

I know you're looking for hardware, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of this:



It is a universal app so one purchase of $16.99 gives you an iPad and iPhone version.

I'm also a big fan of the Steinberg https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/cmc_series/why_cmc.html (CMC Series) of hardware controllers. Steinberg no longer sells them, but they can still be picked up in the used market, including Reverb.com. Steinberg combined the best of the CMC series' features into the CC121.


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## bcarwell (Apr 27, 2019)

Thanks Max. Yup that's the YT vid I was referring to. And again I am not aware of ANY other key controller with that much Cubase integration right out of the box without having to diddle with Generic Remote, Quick Links, programming, etc., etc. 

And to Tiger, no I was <not> aware of that app and, especially for that price, will try it ! Thanks alot !

How do you imbed a YouTube screen/video into this forum so next time I can put my big boy pants on and do it myself ?

Bob


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## rrichard63 (Apr 27, 2019)

If you use a lot of Kontakt instruments that are NKS-compatible, and integration is especially important to you, you should consider Native Instruments' Komplete Kontrol S49 and S61. Can anyone report on using these keyboards with Cubase?


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## Reid Rosefelt (Apr 27, 2019)

bcarwell said:


> Thanks Max.
> How do you imbed a YouTube screen/video into this forum so next time I can put my big boy pants on and do it myself ?
> 
> Bob


You just copy and paste the URL. I usually use More Options/Preview to see if it worked.



rrichard63 said:


> If you use a lot of Kontakt instruments that are NKS-compatible, and integration is especially important to you, you should consider Native Instruments' Komplete Kontrol S49 and S61. Can anyone report on using these keyboards with Cubase?


I love using my S49 with Cubase. I have first generation, so all it does is run the Cubase transport, which it has done flawlessly. The MK2 has a lot more Cubase integration.


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## bcarwell (Apr 28, 2019)

For those considering the Komplete Kontrol keyboards at least in part due to their integration with Cubase, here is a chart of what Cubase functions they support. Pretty much covers all the bases regarding transport controls, Edit, Mix, Mute/Solo, Navigation... Nice ! Really beats having to program all that stuff in Cubase Generic Remote...

Bob


https://www.native-instruments.com/...TROL_S-Series_MK2_DAW_Shortcut_Sheet_0918.pdf


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## bcarwell (Apr 28, 2019)

And this is an excellent short video on MK2 integration with Cubase I just found. Making it harder and harder for me to gut up to programming knobs with Generic Remote, Quick Link, flipping through manuals with one hand while pulling out hair with the other...



To Tiger: I see now, I can just copy/paste a YouTube URL to make a hotlink. But how do you get it to also include the picture from the video ?

Bob


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## bcarwell (Apr 28, 2019)

Oh I see now ! When you close it the picture is included. Cool.


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## bcarwell (Apr 28, 2019)

Just an update. I have an iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6s, both running on iOS 12.2 ic Pro will no longer run on them- the message in the App Store says there is an update and iOS must be updated to 10.3.3 or later. In the Steinberg iOS forum there is an official announcement from a year ago that ic Pro is about to run on iOS 11. So I think it may be a fair assumption that iC Pro will never run again on mobile Apple devices ? Anybody think otherwise ? I may have just peed away $17.

Bob


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