Published 9/2/09
Controller for Ableton Live
Even if we didn’t see it coming, the collaboration between sampling pioneers Akai and Ableton, makers of Live DAW software, is an obvious one. In decades past it was Akai who, with the MPC range of sample workstations, cut the path for beat makers to follow. Now, Ableton Live is empowering laptop users for the next generation.
The first lovechild of the Ableton/Akai alliance is the APC40, a hardware controller that communicates bidirectionally with Live. Its matrix of backlit pads lets the user trigger, disable, and view the status of clips as they appear on the screen, while two banks of knobs provide hands-on control for tweaking parameters of the plug-in modules inside Live. There are nine conventional short-throw faders, of which eight are linked to the pad matrix. The remaining fader is dedicated to controlling the master output. A further, horizontal, slider acts as a crossfader to seamlessly blend the outputs of two tracks.
Even if we didn’t see it coming, the collaboration between sampling pioneers Akai and Ableton, makers of Live DAW software, is an obvious one. In decades past it was Akai who, with the MPC range of sample workstations, cut the path for beat makers to follow. Now, Ableton Live is empowering laptop users for the next generation.The first lovechild of the Ableton/Akai alliance is the APC40, a hardware controller that communicates bidirectionally with Live. Its matrix of backlit pads lets the user trigger, disable, and view the status of clips as they appear on the screen, while two banks of knobs provide hands-on control for tweaking parameters of the plug-in modules inside Live. There are nine conventional short-throw faders, of which eight are linked to the pad matrix. The remaining fader is dedicated to controlling the master output. A further, horizontal, slider acts as a crossfader to seamlessly blend the outputs of two tracks.
The APC40 comes with a ‘Lite’ copy of Live, but if the user is already a licensed Live customer, a software patch that makes the hardware and software compatible is included. It will cost £400 including VAT when it becomes available later this year.
Akai Professional +44 (0)1252 341400
www.akaipro.com
www.akaipro.com
