Akai APC40 + Ableton Live

The annual music product trade show NAMM (National Associations of Music Merchants) was held this year and oh did they come out with the big guns. One of my best friends Ryan some how, some way, sneaked in to the convention using a random Asian man's alias, or something along those lines. Music Merchants display their new products coming out for the upcoming year, this one being 2009. Since the products have not hit the shelves (so to speak) yet, it is a very exclusive convention that is invitation only. There where many interesting products that are worth blogging about (like the new Rane TTM-56S, and the Live[2] - Serato Scratch Live + Ableton software which i will be sure to blog about later, and of course, Ableton Live 8) But one in particular that caught my eye, and Ryan's at most.

The Akai APC40

Since i've started using Ableton, I've sucked huge balls. But now with a hardware MIDI controller i feel like things might get a little bit more convenient. Using a mouse to control the "knobs" on the operators and midi effects, and even the faders was really hard for me coming from a dj mixer hardware background. I've always wanted something more tangible and now i have it. The LED pads help you distinguish each clip and midi effect and the knobs help give expressions virtually to anything in Ableton. Since I've started making music as well now (arranging and composing tracks), I've always been a huge fan of Akai, and their MPC models. Taking the elements of both world is a marriage that was meant be consummated and create the APC40. Although Serato just came out with a new interface box, SSL 1.9 software and A new mixer.. i think people are going to start catching on to Ableton once they experience the flexability and production capabilities in a live setting from the software. Or, I could be wrong.


Ableton.
Akai

Photo Provided by Akai Professional.