Akai Advance 49 Keyboard

[Mel Matthews]

Akai Advance 49 Keyboard 
Hi guys, sorry if this is in the wrong forum wasn't sure where to put it.
Is anyone in here familiar with the Akai Advance Keyboard 61 and using it in Cakewalk?
I'm looking at either it or the Komplete Kontrol s61. I don't really have a huge library of VST at this time but looking at purchasing more.
My other option was to just Purchase a Yamaha Modx6 synth as it has "Many" built in sounds that work quite well for my genre of music.(Country)
Any ideas or recommendations from anyone is most appreciated and thanks in advance for your help.

[reginaldStjohn]

I don't have the Akai keyboard but a few months ago was comparing keyboards as well.  I think you have to specify what you are going to do with the keyboard/controller. Are you just interested in the keyboard or do you care about the control aspects of it as well.  The Komplete Kontrol series has some neat features if you use Kontakt heavily.  If you are just trying to find a good keyboard for recording midi there are other options such as weighted keys etc. that may fit what you want better.

[Mel Matthews]

Thanks for your reply reginald.  I hear what your saying, I've been giving myself a headache searching all the alternatives that are out there...lol.

I have a Fadeport 8 so really don't need keyboard with DAW control.

I'm finding that if I look at most of the software vst bundles have a ton of samples I'll never use. I'm not into big production stuff and don't need half the odd ball synth sounds that come with the packages. (Ex: Kontakt)  I did notice however the sounds of instruments that are in this Yamaha Modx6 are simply fantastic and would probably use most of them. My genre is mainly country and I'm looking for the most realistic instruments I can find.

I'm in Canada so the price of the Yamaha is $1599.00   And when I look at buying a midi keyboard and start adding some of these bundles that add up very fast, I'm not going to be far off the price of the Yamaha and start to wonder which way to go. I realize I would be stuck with just the sounds from the Yamaha with no room for expansion but  there would be with purchasing various software bundles.

I guess I'll just have to sit down one day and take the plunge?

Thanks again for your reply, much appreciated.

 

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Mel Matthews

[mettelus]

Do you have a music shop near you that you can try things hands on? That would be ideal, even if a day trip, since there is so much variation between keyboards/controllers that come down to personal preference.

I do not own the Modx6, but it seems it has a good deal of sound editting internally, so is hard to imagine running out of sounds. Plus it will double as a controller (there are free VSTis to play with if you look around).

When you do buy something (whatever you end up choosing), be sure it is from a place with a liberal return policy. Just in case you change your mind after you get to truly use it, you will want the ability to adjust as painlessly as possible.

[abacab]

I'm going to assume that what you really want from a keyboard is control of your plug-in sounds, since you already have a Faderport for the DAW control surface.

I have a keyboard similar to the Akai Advance 49 (Alesis VX49), which comes with Akai VIP 3.1 plugin, and has the same VIP integrated LCD and controls on the keyboard. In theory, you can use it with any plug-in, but unless you are willing to do some mapping manually, you will only get that for the provided factory maps.

The best alternative to that might be a Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol keyboard. The Komplete Kontrol plugin will automatically configure any NKS ready plugin for the keyboard. The limiting factor here is that this will only auto configure NKS ready plugins. But that is apparently already a long and growing list, and is much more than just the NI Kontakt and Komplete plug-ins.

Here is the list of 3rd party NKS ready products: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/specials/komplete/this-is-nks/nks-products/

I have the free Komplete Kontrol plug-in, but not the keyboard. That works with my Alesis keyboard's 8 knobs after I MIDI map the MIDI  CC from the  knobs to KK,  and it will auto configure the controls for any of the few NKS ready plug-ins that I do have.

I think that the NI plug-in system is probably a bit more plug and play, and user friendly for simple keyboard operation.  I have also heard that their keyboards in the Komplete Kontrol S-series are highly recommended.

If you can, check them both out in a store!

[Christian Jones]

I can only speak on a more expensive Akai than the one you're looking at; the Akai Mpk261 - 61 key model that sells for $500. I had the mpk261 and man those keys are short and stiff. They're shorter than your standard "full size keys" board and you'll notice it immediately just on sight, they're about 1/2" shorter than even my old M-Audio Oxygen silver. On top of that, the keys are very stiff which is exacerbated by their shortness - and being that short you're forced to play closer to the root hence the exacerbated stiffness of the already stiff keys. You're looking at a cheaper Akai model and the one I just described is a more expensive one, and if the more expensive one is like this than the cheaper one is probably not any better. So in regards to Akai especially I'd suggest seeing if you can find one in a store and trying it out first or you may end up sending it back like I did the mpk261. 

Personally, I'm gonna buy the Novation SL61 Mkiii next month @ $700 but that may be more controller than you care to have, but if you're gonna spend on the Komplete Kontrol S61 @ $729 then you ought to have a look at that Novation too just to have everything covered. Of course, you can get the Komplete Kontrol S61 bundled w/ Komplete 12 software, but NI also has the A line of controllers like the A61 that might be worth a look, as I don't know how fancy (bells and whistles) a keyboard you're wanting or if you want something good but simpler, like the A61 as opposed to the S61. Then you can check out separate VSTS for country from places like https://www.orangetreesamples.com/products/slide-lap-steel

There's also the Arturia KeyLab mkII 61 you can have a look at and it comes with a light version of their classic synth bundle and even the light version comes with 6,500 presets lol... but I'll have a difficult time recommending the Arturia because the white keys were flimsy, I mean when you press down on them to apply pressure for aftertouch the keys would actually bend a little bit as they have no rib/reinforcements under the keys to make them hold their shape, but it may be worth looking at because you may feel differently. What's most important to you in the keyboard itself? Do you want the best feeling keys? If so you'll want a board that has a Fatar keybed or something on par with that, and in that case you can look at a used Novation SL61 Mkii which has an excellent Fatar keybed and can be had for $200~ used for the 61 key as they have been discontinued and replaced by the Novation SL61 Mkiii I'm getting. Google Novation SL61 Mkii and have a look, nice 61 key board, many pros still swear by it and they can be had cheap now, they've got enough knobs to control your VSTS and that great 61 key Fatar keybed. 

Edited May 4, 2019 by Chris Jones