In addition, all of APC40 mkII's controls can be re-assigned on the fly for customized setups that change with your performance or production style. This means noticeably less banking, and more visibility into the Session, and I would have liked to see this on the APC40 as well, even if it required a larger surface area.

In 2009, Akai Professional collaborated with the creators of Ableton Live, a powerful music performance and production software environment, and introduced the original Ableton Performance Controller-APC40. Additionally, thie APC 40 is USB bus powered which is great for live performers or DJ's that regularly travel to various gigs.In the time it took you to read this, you could have created your own custom Ableton Script for that controller sitting in front of you! Now through May 3rd, 2020, new and existing users of the APC Mini, APC Key 25 and APC40 MKII are eligible for two exclusive Ableton Live project templates and sample packs.

Another plus is it has fantastic Bitwig script, which is much more comprehensive than for Live (ability to play chromatic and in-key, step sequencers). On the other hand, though, the way to tell if a pad is active, and playing, now, is that the illumination gently pulses.The new shape and multi–colour capability of the pads really bring the clip grid to life (though an upgrade to eight rows would have been welcome).

Both feature 3 colour LED clip launch pads, rather than RGB, but those pads are just big enough to be usable. The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers.APC40 mkII features a 5×8 RGB clip-launching grid that’s built for dexterous exploration: launch clips and create or perform your song from the ground up using 40 responsive triggers.

The Apc 40 Mk2 is equipped with a standard midi remote script in Ableton Live, so you just need to connect it (see instructions below) to get it working. What’s more, this pack also includes futuristic FX that will add flair to your productions, screaming synth samples to experiment with, plus a selection of epic synth loops designed to instantly get any crowd off their feet.

Whether you are an electronic music artist and Live is your canvas, a DJ using Live for performance and real-time mixing, or a more traditional musician using Live on stage or in the studio, you will find the APC40 mkII to be the intuitive, powerful instrument that directly links your inspiration with Ableton Live. One tiny possible improvement would be to have recesses for the rubber feet on the bottom to eliminate the chance of knocking them off (they're currently stuck on). Almost every aspect of the original APC40 has been deliberated, reworked, and improved to provide extended controller functionality, countless musical capabilities, and a smarter workflow.