Go Back   Cockos Incorporated Forums > REAPER Forums > MIDI Hardware, Control Surfaces, and OSC

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-01-2017, 01:51 PM   #1
Greech
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 24
Default Nektar Impact vs. Novation Launchkey for Reaper?

I'd like to use a midi keyboard versus the mouse to create VSTi parts.

My audio interface is the Focusrite Scarlett 6i6.

One main concern is setup. I've done a lot of digging and it seems most people advocate either Nektar Impact or Novation Launchkey but I see many posts with people having trouble getting them to work with Reaper. Others say it's fairly easy.


1 - Is there a clear winner in this category?
2 - Should I be considering one over the other for any reason away from setup issues?
2 - Is there a different keyboard that you feel is super easy to get up and running or superior to these?
Greech is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 05:57 PM   #2
Calaban
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 174
Default

I have the Nektar Panorama and I love it. Most of what I wanted it to do worked perfectly when I installed their Reaper software.

After that it took a little while to really learn how to customize it the way I want but overall I am extremely happy with it.

I have no experience with the Novation so I can't comment, but if your main concern is playing your MIDI parts rather than entering them by hand I think either one would be fine.
Calaban is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-2017, 06:21 AM   #3
TheMaartian
Human being with feelings
 
TheMaartian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Arcachon, France
Posts: 434
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Calaban View Post
I have the Nektar Panorama and I love it. Most of what I wanted it to do worked perfectly when I installed their Reaper software.

After that it took a little while to really learn how to customize it the way I want but overall I am extremely happy with it.

I have no experience with the Novation so I can't comment, but if your main concern is playing your MIDI parts rather than entering them by hand I think either one would be fine.
I also have a Nektar Panorama P6. Love it. But it's not perfect. It has a proprietary protocol that requires the Nektar driver. The issues with the Panoramas lie in the depths of the control surface.

I struggled to get it (the control surface) working smoothly in SONAR. Works very well in Studio One, with the exception that I haven't yet figured out if SO supports soft pickup for the faders.

One thing I'll say about Nektar development...they appear to work on the software until they can get their demos with various DAWs going...and then never touch it again.

All of that said, the second generation Nektar Impact keyboards are a pretty good deal for the money.
__________________
Intel i9, 32 GB RAM, 7 TB SSD; Win 11 Pro; PreSonus Studio 1810c
Studio One 6 Pro; MuseScore 4; Melodyne 5 Studio; Acoustica Pro 7; Reaper 7
Gig Performer 4; NI S61 MK3; Focal Shape 65; Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro, DT 770 Pro
TheMaartian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2017, 10:23 AM   #4
vdubreeze
Human being with feelings
 
vdubreeze's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Brooklyn
Posts: 2,613
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMaartian View Post
I also have a Nektar Panorama P6. Love it. But it's not perfect. It has a proprietary protocol that requires the Nektar driver. The issues with the Panoramas lie in the depths of the control surface.

I struggled to get it (the control surface) working smoothly in SONAR. Works very well in Studio One, with the exception that I haven't yet figured out if SO supports soft pickup for the faders.

One thing I'll say about Nektar development...they appear to work on the software until they can get their demos with various DAWs going...and then never touch it again.

All of that said, the second generation Nektar Impact keyboards are a pretty good deal for the money.
Do the 2nd gen Nektars have the same keys as their 1st gen counterparts? Pretty impossible to find a model on display in stores. If they carry them there may be one on the floor if lucky but never the one I'm interested in : /
__________________
The reason rain dances work is because they don't stop dancing until it rains.
vdubreeze is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2017, 11:17 AM   #5
TheMaartian
Human being with feelings
 
TheMaartian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Arcachon, France
Posts: 434
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by vdubreeze View Post
Do the 2nd gen Nektars have the same keys as their 1st gen counterparts? Pretty impossible to find a model on display in stores. If they carry them there may be one on the floor if lucky but never the one I'm interested in : /
I heard that they made some small tweaks/improvements to the '+' (2nd gen) keyboard, but even the 1st gen keyboard got decent marks. They're not weighted, of course, just medium synth feel.
__________________
Intel i9, 32 GB RAM, 7 TB SSD; Win 11 Pro; PreSonus Studio 1810c
Studio One 6 Pro; MuseScore 4; Melodyne 5 Studio; Acoustica Pro 7; Reaper 7
Gig Performer 4; NI S61 MK3; Focal Shape 65; Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro, DT 770 Pro
TheMaartian is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.