Need some help to choose a Midi controller

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

Need some help to choose a Midi controller

Here is my situation : I’ve owned a kontrol S2 for a few months and I am happy with it :slight_smile: but i want a midi controleur to control samples and make beats but I can’t really figure out what to buy:
-I think the 1 will be great (because you can create beats on traktor with the S2 playing) but it is a bit expensive for me and I would like a hardware-only version
-But I also like the Akai MPD26 as it is a bit like Maschine but cheaper and with other great functionalities.
-Finally I like the Novation Launchpad as there is a lot of space for samples..
But with the last two options, I can’t create and mix with my S2 at the same time (although i hard about something to use Traktor and Maschine in parallel but I don’t know if it is real and anyway you can’t use other controleur on Mashcine software)
So wat do you thing, should I wait for the F1 and save money to be able to create and mix at the same time or should I choose one of the last two controleurs (if you can tell me which is the best) to create beats or songs and then mix them separatly with Traktor and my S2

Thank you for your answers

2

A heads up: remember that the only controller that will be able to utilize the remix decks in traktor 2.5 is the traktor kontrol F1, so if you want to be creative with samples then I should wait for the F1

IF you however know how to use ableton live and sync it with traktor (plenty of guides here on this website), I should either get the notivation launchpad OR the Allen & Heath Xone K2 :slight_smile:

Hope this helps!

3

I use the launchpad , i love the mapping they have on this website just to add, lets me have more control of the shows.

4

I’m not a pro on Ableton but I’m willing to get better, so I think that using AZbleton live and sync it with traktor is the best thing to do for now.
About the controleurs, the Xone K2 is a bit expensive for me, i like the Novation Launchpad so I might buy it, but what do you think of the Akai MPD 26?

5

If you’re going to get the MPD26, you might as well go the distance and get a Maschine Mikro.

6

On a french site: Audiofanzine, I found the launchpad for 80€, the Akai MPD 18 for 70€, and the Akai MPD 26 for 100€ , which one do you think I should buy? The Maschine Mikro is really too expensive , at least 230€

7

What do you think?

8

If you want to use samples deck or remix deck, x1 for now or wait for the f1.
I selled my launchpad for buying an x1 for samples deck, and I think it was a great move

9

Lilja wrote about syncing ableton with traktor. To me, if it is possible, it is the best thing to do because of ableton live’s possibilities.
That’s why I hesitate between the launchpad (80&#8364:wink: and the Akai MPD 26 (100&#8364:wink:

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And if I buy one of these (the launchpad or the Akai), I can just map them to Traktor and control the sample deck and other stuff (as it’s midi)

  • when NI will adapt the remix deck to other controleurs (they said they would do it) I might be able to do so, right?
11

Right?

12

…?

13

That’s a really good question. I guess you should really ask yourself “Do I want to trigger samples in Ableton (Launchpad) or in Traktor (F1)?” We know the F1 works with Traktor in HID mode, but we don’t know if it works with MIDI (for Ableton). If you’re looking for a good controller (4x4 grid with up-faders and knobs), you could certainly do much worse than picking up an F1, but I don’t know if it IS MIDI assignable for Ableton. Remember that the F1 has 4 banks of 16 assignable samples (using the page up and page down buttons) so you’re only a button push away from another screen of assignable samples. If you prefer all of your samples on one page (or just more available at once, since the Launchpad has a similar function to page up / page down), you’ll want to use Ableton (as well).