I’m seeking advice for a keyboard controller to be used with Cubase 7.
I’ve been looking at the AKAI MPK 61 and the Novation Impulse 61 and just can’t make my mind up nor can I go and try them out in a shop because of where I live.
The problems I’m having in deciding which key board is because the AKAI MPK look like it has amazing build quality but the drum pads look ridiculously unusable (unless you mod the pads or swap them for the MPC fat pads) and there is no Auto Map.
The Novation Impulse looks like its a plastic toy, but has Auto map and apparently the drum pads are a lot more sensitive than the AKAI. I guess the question is, how good is Auto Map with Cubase 7?
I use BFD 2 so would love to easily assign the drum pads to kit pieces in BFD2
I would also love to know which actual keyboard feels better to play. I’m thinking about buying Omnisphere as it looks like a beast of a synth and a hell of a lot of fun to write Music with so a keyboard that works with that would also be a bonus for me.
Has anybody bought either of these keyboards and used them with Cubase 7? What do you think I should go for?
After trying out several my choice fell on Roland PCR-500, a 49 key keyboard. The reasons were several MIDI knobs and sliders, space and aftertouch. I do have a full 88 also located in the same room but the 49 key fit on my desktop right in front of my monitors and my AVID controllers. I rarely use the full 88 keyboard as switching up and down on the 49 is quite ok. For pads I use a separate device as I find it best to form patterns on my lap. I rarely use it and I have not investigated much on drum pads so I am no reference here, but at least consider not to have it all in one device. If one thing breaks down you have to change the whole device, or partial upgrade is not possible.
why not look at it’s big brother then , sl mk2 , great controller and it depends on how much and what you have on your setup to how well automap runs , what I mean is I only use this 3770k as a DAW ,nothing else and I have zero conflicts with automap ,it works a treat for me BUT other users have issues ,so really it just goes down to your personal setup really but I certainly recommend the Sl mk2
If all you need is 61 keys, I can heartily recommend the M-Audio Axiom II. To my utter shock, all the buttons and sliders worked right out of the box to control Cubase quite nicely. It’s -kinda- plastic-y but OTOH I think it cost all of $250. I’ve used it on gigs at least 1/wk for the past 18 months and it hasn’t failed yet. So I have no cause for complaint.
