![]() Switching to one of Mainstage’s alternatives would make me have to haul my keyboard on flights and tour buses every show I play. Switching out keyboards might not be an issue to some, but I often need to control Mainstage with both a 88 note hammer action keyboard and my trusty 61 key midi controller, and I don’t want to lose functionality just because a switch instruments.Īlso, I am increasingly moving from venue to venue for shows, using whatever midi controller they have available. If you go with another keyboard (it’s not clear yet if Akai’s VIP software will even work without their keyboard), you lose any advantage that the software/hardware integration offers. But Apple continues to upgrade their built-in synths, and sonic aficionados as wide ranging as Lady Gaga and Nine Inch Nails opening admit to using Mainstage’s software VSTs both live and in the studio.īoth Akai and Native Instruments’ virtual instrument platform are only truly effective with the integrated keyboard they sell, meaning if you want to take advantage of all the additional features they offer, you’ll have to stick with the integrated keyboard. If Mainstage’s plugins were sub-par, I’d have a harder argument to make. ![]() You have to purchase plugins separately with both Akai (you have to buy 3rd party samples unless you stick with the limited free plugins) or buy Native Instrument only plugins with their offering (I dropped $500 for my Komplete plugin suite). Mainstage comes with 10+ gigabytes of amazing plugins and samples. But even when bundling an expensive controller like Novation’s feature laden Remote SL MKII with Mainstage, you’d still walk away with an extra $70 in your pocket.Īnd the price point only drops (or goes up) from here. Many would argue that you get a keyboard with both Akai and NI’s offerings, which is a fair point. Here are the 3 reasons I think neither Akai or Native Instruments got it right with their first challenge to Mainstage:Īt $599 for even the basic version of each setup, both Akai and Native Instruments make Mainstage look like the steal that it is at under $30. While I’m grateful that there are now competitors to Mainstage, there are several reasons I believe Mainstage is still the best live performance software on the market. ![]() ![]() With Mainstage gaining some significant competitors this year at winter NAMM, many people have been asking what I think of Native Instrument’s Komplete Kontrol, and Akai’s Advance Keyboard line. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |