Pro Tools 8 & Akai MPK49 Keyboard Controller

[Jon Ferguson]

Hey everyone!

I've been a Pro Tools user for a couple of years now, but I've just picked up my first midi controller, the above stated MPK49. It's a beautiful keyboard, and the fact that it has drum triggers on it just sweetens the deal. I bought it for those and the sets of faders/knobs, as well as the fact that the keys feel wonderful for the price.

However, as it's not a Digi/M-Audio controller, it's of course not fully supported by Pro Tools, and so I can only use the keyboard, pitch/mod wheels, drum triggers and transports.

Reading up on the forums I saw that in PT7.4 and below, users were able to trick Pro Tools into thinking that the keyboard was a CS 10, but the legacy controllers from PT 7 don't seem to carry over into version 8.

My question is then, are there any plans for a release of the legacy package for Pro Tools 8, or for Digidesign to add AKAI's nice keyboard controller to the list of devices natively supported? It sure would be nice to mix with the faders instead of my mouse.

Thanks,
Jon

[timodom]

im in the same boat.. waiting to see if they will get with the program

[shanrock]

Same goes for me. How can we get this preset deal done for protools. Digitech help, please?

[hilos20]

Yeh DIGI comon you guys are slackin right now! I want my damn faders to work already.

[AirborneFO]

In the same boat here. I bought it right before I came to Iraq and havent had a chance to play with it yet. It was hard enough collecting all the drivers and putting them into whatever file they went into for it to even recognize.

Look forward to playing on it once I get home. Hopefully it was worth the money. If not.....it LOOKS cool.

[DigiTechSupt]

My question is then, are there any plans for a release of the legacy package for Pro Tools 8, or for Digidesign to add AKAI's nice keyboard controller to the list of devices natively supported? It sure would be nice to mix with the faders instead of my mouse.

There are no plans to support this keyboard directly, or update the CS-10 profile. Our resources are dedicated to support for M-Audio keyboard controllers, such as the Axiom Pro.

[jam-2]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

There are no plans to support this keyboard directly, or update the CS-10 profile. Our resources are dedicated to support for M-Audio keyboard controllers, such as the Axiom Pro.

That's unfortunate. It seems like a bad move on the part of AVID/Digidesign The objective should be to support controllers even if they are outside of the AVID family. With the DAW market being what it is, it would seem wise to automatically support your own custom hardware ( or those which you manufacture) but broaden your marketshare by making your DAW more flexible and allow it work with other hardware more seamlessly. The dongle, is the M-Audio Audio interface ( that's a must have to allow the M-Powered versions to work) - same is true for the LE versions. but it seems that AVID wants to behave like APPLE and SONY, god forbid you buy a Sony anything, you are automatically bound to their products for any additional functionality. ( ex: Sony Ericsson Phones use Sony's far more expensive propietary M2 memory sticks and NOT the mobile industry standand Micro SD card).

Avid/Digidesign wants to keep their LE/M-Powered versions competitive with the other manufacturers yet stifle the growth of the product by creating a closed system architecture that extends beyond the audio interface. I really like what Image-line did with their digital DJ product Deckadance, by making it compatible with all the major DVS vinyl plates on the market, essentially telling the consumer to pick the wax of their choice, but choose our product to play it with. That's a good move.

It just seems like a poor business decision to allow software to get caught in the middle of a hardware war. I'd certainly want to gain the interest of MPK49 users. (Akai's MPC series is as synonymous with HIP HOP Production, as PRO TOOLS is) why not capitalize on that pre-exisiting link. Those purchasing MPKs are probably doing so based on the legacy of the MPC series, however the lack of support built in to PRO TOOLS for the MPK controllers is essentially telling those customers to choose another DAW to work in, because they didn't buy your sister company's controller ( although as I noted earlier, they still have to purchase either a digidesign or M-Audio Audio Interface, so if it's about revenue, you can still bank on having the user pay a cost of admission to actually use Pro Tools M/LE ).

While a closed system/business architecture may work for APPLE, the thing to consider is that there aren't nearly as many mainstream Operating Systems competing for consumer/business dollars ( not to mention worldwide standardization and industry domination) in the World of DAWs the choices are vast, and a user is more likely to choose yours, if it's supports the hardware he/she already owns. Why lose another potential AVID/DIGIDESIGN, Protools convert/customer to Ableton Live, Reason, or Cubase?

[Jon Ferguson]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

There are no plans to support this keyboard directly, or update the CS-10 profile. Our resources are dedicated to support for M-Audio keyboard controllers, such as the Axiom Pro.

Wow, what a cold and automated response. I'm sorry to hear that. I did actually consider getting an M-AUDIO controller, but none of them felt as good as the MPK49 did. Perhaps instead of focusing so much on keeping your users who paid for your product from using their instrument controllers of choice, you should make higher quality instrument controllers. I love Pro Tools 8, and my M-Audio Firewire 410, and the plugins included in the MP Toolkit. But I don't have the money or the space for the deluxe M-Audio keyboard controller, and I suspect many other people are in the same boat.

I find it interesting that in Pro Tools 7, Digidesign had no issue supporting the CS-10 and other controllers, but now, in PT8, instead of moving forward with that and adding more compatibility (logically), they're moving backward and taking away support, and then when asked about it, they respond in an almost haughty tone, as though I should have clearly chosen the Axiom Pro over the MPK 49.

Great Job Guys

[Craiger]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

There are no plans to support this keyboard directly, or update the CS-10 profile. Our resources are dedicated to support for M-Audio keyboard controllers, such as the Axiom Pro.

We just have to be patient. Although we (the consumer) are not getting the support we need and deserve, this ultimately will backfire on digi and their arrogance. The majors arrogance resulted in illegal downloading, the high price of software and lack of support has resulted in torrent sites, the arrogance and over prices we paid for engineers has resulted in DAWs and the shutting down of much needed recording studios.

Digi doesnt get it! I would fire Digi's CEO. They need to go back to business school and learn the fundamentals. This is why China is kicking our _sses in technology and business because they stay ahead of the curb.

Be patient. Digi will come around, or they will be sold in the next 5 years. I guarantee it.

In the mean time, google pro-tools and mpk49 presets. There are a number of people out there that found a way to make it work. It is just sad that Digi and their support team don't get it!

[karrade]

I'd just like to make one point to digidesign... In the early eighties all manufacturers got together to make electronic music easier to create and to make all equipment compatible through a marvelous system called MIDI. I'd like to thank digidesign on behalf of all of us with keyboards not made by M-Audio for trying to break down over 25 years worth of communication and harmony in the electronic music industry by making things incompatible once again.

Well done... You must be proud of yourselves.