AKAI Advance Keyboards Explained

AKAI has one of the best MIDI control keyboards available today, and gear guru Alex Solano serves up some of the best tutorials on how to use these powerhouse controllers. See how to maximize its features and functions, as well as learn the included VIP Software Suite.

Videos

• Installation & Overview (02:48) - A walkthrough of hardware registration and software download for VIP and included software.

• Main Modes (04:23) - Understanding the Advance modes is crucial to navigating through your plugins. This section covers the global and setup modes. Pay particular attention to the Master Clock so you can adjust it when using it with a DAW.

• Browser Mode (03:46) - The real power of the Advance is the browser. Through this you can easily navigate and find the sound you’re looking for. Advance is truly a unique controller bridging the gap between MIDI controllers and stand-alone workstations.

• Control Mode (06:57) - Because the Advance controller automatically maps to your VST instruments, using the control mode gives you a visual display of what you’re controlling. This also comes in handy when using it for live performance.

• Multi Mode (07:29) - As with traditional workstations, you can combine multiple instruments and play them together. The Multi mode lets you load up to 8 VST instruments allowing you to create your own sounds.

• VIP Tags (05:23) - The VIP software automatically tags all your VST instruments and patches so you can easily search for the sound you’re looking for, by tags.

• Setlist (02:40) - In Setlist mode you can store your favorite patches to instantly recall when performing live. The idea behind Setlist is to use the Advance keyboard in a live situation. However, this is also a great way to organize your sounds in a production environment.

• Note Repeat (02:06) - Taken from the Akai MPC, note repeat works on the drum pads, which allows you to press and hold a pad to repeat a note at a given time division. The master tempo for note repeat can be set to internal or external when using a DAW.

• Arpeggiator (04:06) - With over 100 arpeggiator patterns, this is a creative way to come up with new melodies and riffs for your songs. You can also latch the arpeggiator to free up your hands and automate the plugin controls.

• VIP DAW Control (05:35) - In a DAW environment, VIP should be used on different tracks. By loading the instrument into VIP (within your DAW) you can flip through different instances of VIP from the controller to access and control your plugins.

• Ableton Setup (04:07) - Setting up Advance with Ableton has its benefits, because you can switch the controller from VIP control to MIDI control. This method works with other DAW’s as well.

• Troubleshoot (03:16) - There are some common pitfalls to avoid when loading patches into the Multi section of VIP. This video covers some common mistakes to avoid.