Comments on: Akai APC40 Ableton Performance Controller Hands-On Videos, in the Wild

By: Imag8nineteen

Imag8nineteen — Sun, 31 May 2009 22:49:09 +0000

APC40 – Just got mine yesterday! WHOOT….Works great with MODUL8

By: Create Digital Music » Man Behind the Mouse Mask: Deadmau5 on Monome, Not Being a DJ, with DTD

Fri, 15 May 2009 16:08:36 +0000

[...] monome controller – the controller that had big grids of buttons before big grids of buttons were cool. He also talks about not being a DJ, which means, I suppose, he’s one [...]

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:32:18 +0000

@Shane, wow! this is what I mean, the apc used in an intresting way.

By: Shane (Special Guest0

Shane (Special Guest0 — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:52 +0000

Hey just wanted to link to my video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMKrRoVKHCg

Shows some Max + APC stuff. Stephan and I (author of second video) have a collaborative project at http://www.AcidandBass.net

Soon as we get another gig in LA come out and see this shit in action!

By: lilith

lilith — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:36:39 +0000

that is a thing of beauty!

I so want one of these. torn between the APC+MPD or a Maschine, I seem to be a bit skeptical of the latter, wanna see yr review!

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:53:50 +0000

@Peter, well spoken!

@endekks, I totally agree with you.

@punkster, Thanks for your review, I was trying to be witty, I’m not a hater.

By: endekks

endekks — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:09:24 +0000

I didn’t realise you could do so much with Maschine. I got one a couple of months ago, but have been too busy to do anything with it, except bang out some beats when I had (literally( 5 minutes here and there.

To me, though, I think I would be more happy with the APC because it seems to follow the Live paradigm more so out of the box – and that means one less new thing for me to learn. Given my “too busy” remark, I think you know how I might feel about learning new stuff…

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how this all pans out for the APC.

By: The Extravagant Traveller

The Extravagant Traveller — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:07:02 +0000

@ Punkster – actually I quite like the short faders. Much better for doing quick cuts, DJ-style. After all, this is a performance controller. The faders are a little close together, but one can certainly get used to it!… plus it keeps the form factor small.

It will be exciting to see what everyone does with the APC; especially with Max for Live coming soon the possibilities are endless!

@ Peter – thanks for the post! :)

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:40:28 +0000

@Damon – you’ve lost me.

@ridiculous: The APC40 is just a MIDI controller. As I understand it, the integration is all scripted via MIDI. That relies on existing capabilities within Live. So, this means two things:

1. Other hardware can do what the APC40 can with Ableton – perhaps not immediately appearing as a device profile, but it’s possible. (Some hardware already does this. The Faderfox scripts, for instance, have been in there for a couple of years now, I believe.)

2. You can use the APC40 with other software.

If #1 + #2 were not possible, there would really be no point to MIDI, and we’d all start to walk down a dark path of failed interoperability and proprietary standards.

The APC40 is unique in that it is designed to be so closely tailored to Ableton Live. But because Live does use some pretty clear metaphors, it might be just as useful, say, as a VJ controller.

And likewise, if the APC doesn’t match your way of using Live, there’s other hardware.

By: Damon

Damon — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:33:44 +0000

Live is the premier live performance sequencer. Were Live an operating system, the APC40 would be a PC. I think the APC40 is AN ideal PC for Live. The fact that it is tit for tat dedicated to the ergonomics of Live probably speaks to the reliability of the Live standard. This is not to say other sequencers will not establish a default performance standard, but only that Live is presently what that is. The Live standard may be to performance sequencers what VST is to plug ins. Not the only thing, but clearly a most trusted and accepted thing. With that in mind, the APC40 makes perfect sense. I hope someday sequencers like Numerology enjoy the same go to default performance hardware support. Time will tell.