Akai APC40 - Live controller

[Veracohr]

I'm thinking about getting the Akai APC40, which is a controller for Ableton Live. I'm not sure if it's a good idea though, because I'm mostly hoping it will spur me to get into live playing. I've wanted to play live for a while now, which is the whole reason I got Ableton Live, I just never made it happen. Part of that is because I write so slowly, but also because I'm lazy.

 

I've started thinking recently about writing with live performance in mind more than finished productions. Maybe if I got a good Live controller I would get serious about developing a live performance process.

 

Do you think it's a bad idea to buy something with the hope it will encourage me to get serious about live playing? If I buy it and end up not doing much it would be a sad waste of money.

[needle ninja]

Well I once bought a laptop with the idea that I would use it to play live and I never did.

However I used it when I went back to school, so it was a good buy.

As far as controllers go, I would make sure to get one built well. Some are made cheap and stop working like the Edirol controller I used to have.

It's good to have at least one controller because they speed up the workflow and made getting into creating something less daunting/time consuming.

So if you're lazy you might want to get a controller anyway

[Goa Travellers]

APC40 is slowly being replaced by Push. Personally, I'm reluctant taking so much freedom for live performance. The more freedom you take, the more likely you can perform poorly, when you think about all the instruments, SFX, that come and go, that play at the same time. For me, I prefer running the DAW itself, and, as long as I keep control, move one knob here and there, just for the sake of it, otherwise, if I just improvise, the instruments go all into different directions and the result is pure junk. I'm not a multitask computer, and I don't play 3-instrument minimal house music

[Veracohr]

Except Push is way more expensive, not available yet, and doesn't have faders.

[needle ninja]

I recommend this: http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/usb-midi/keyboard-controllers/graphite49/

I've had good luck with Samson.

[Veracohr]

Well I'm not looking for a keyboard controller, I already have a keyboard.

 

I ordered the APC40 from Musician's Friend, whose website didn't tell me until after I was done placing the order that it was out of stock and wouldn't ship for about 2 1/2 weeks, and they've already charged me.

[Veracohr]

I got it today, now to figure out what the hell to do with it...

[Goa Travellers]

Any feedback on the APC40 or on Push? They look enticing

[Veracohr]

I've used the APC40 a little now while songwriting. It's easy and useful, and if I ever get around to doing anything live it will make that easy too.

[Goa Travellers]

Yeah, from what I read, the APC40 is more for live performance and Push is more for creation.