Akai APC20 Compact Ableton Controller
By Paul Dakeyne
| Posted in Music Technology
The Akai APC20 has now been revealed to the world prior to its unveiling at the NAMM 2010 show tomorrow. Due to ship 1st quarter 2010, this is the new compact Ableton controller that’s refusing to let Novation Launchpad have its way with the market.
Akai’s previous success was of course the much praised APC40, so speculation has been rife on internet forums about just what the company would announce for this year. Forum regulars guessed at a smaller version of the previous controller, speculating that even a MIDI keyboard combo might appear. Now visitors to the NAMM exhibition halls can see the APC 20 for themselves.
As previously, the unit has been designed in cooperation with Ableton specifically with ‘Live’ in mind, and therefore it’s fully customisable. It’s certainly plug ‘n play as well, as each button and fader is pre-mapped so instant gratification seems ‘out of the box’ and standard. Advanced Live users will appreciate that the APC20 enables them to remap every one of its controls to suit their own style, applications and working environment. The beautifully multicolour ‘clip-launch’ lighting matrix displays the current Live song’s clip status, running perhaps the supplied Akai Professional APC Edition, ‘Live’ software.
Further specifics from Akai state: “This bank of multicolor triggers not only start and stop clips playing in Live, they also show cells’ status in the software – whether a clip is loaded or not, whether it is playing or not, record-armed status and more. Clip Stop triggers, transport controls and faders round out the control surface. Users can switch the APC20’s faders between volume control, pan, sends and three different user-mapped modes. A new Note Mode enables musicians to use the Clip Launch buttons to control virtual instruments and Ableton Live’s Drum Rack”.
If this newer, compact version has the same quality rugged, metal chassis as the APC40, then no doubt the APC 20 will feel as solid and reliable as that. In addition, and reported as working with standalone editions of Ableton Live, this unit can also give access to extra functionality using its shift mode.
We’d really like to have seen a keyboard version/combi, but hey, maybe that is actually around the corner? Until then however, the smaller size and cost exhibited here will probably attract yet more loyal allegiance from ‘Live’ artists and DJ/Producers for the Akai APC20. Having spent some time at the latter part of last year with the Launchpad Ableton controller, I’d very much like to try this new beauty out.. hint, hint Mr Akai.
The APC20 will be available Q1, 2010
Tags: Ableton, AC40, akai, APC20, launchpad