AKAI Advance 49 49 Note Keyboard Controller

The AKAI Professional Advance 49 keyboard gives you unprecedented playability and unrestricted manipulation of any virtual instrument with their exclusive interactive, full-color display, complemented by performance-friendly hardware controls. The Advance Keyboards fuse the power of software instruments with the live playability of a keyboard workstation. The dividing line between software and hardware instruments is finally gone.

The Advance Keyboards transform computer-based plugins into an entirely hands-on playing experience. The keyboard surface features an integrated high-resolution full-color 4.3" display, providing real-time control and feedback of all virtual instruments. The screen instantly adapts itself to the selected plugin's controls, delivering immediate 1:1 access to the instrument and various editable functions. Better yet, the Advance Keyboards work with any VSTi virtual instrument. Using the Advance Keyboard's custom-designed Virtual Instrument Player (VIP) software application, your entire VSTi library is controlled by one application. VIP operates as a plugin inside any major digital audio workstation (DAW) or as a stand-alone application on both Mac and Windows operating systems.

Dedicated physical controls are thoughtfully included, with AKAI's RGB backlit, velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads on each keyboard surface. Rubberized pitch and modulation wheels provide simple, direct note manipulation with musically natural action. Easily-gripped, continuously-variable endless knobs let you make adjustments with granular or dramatic effect. AKAI's custom semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keybed supports aftertouch, making it the ideal keyboard for seasoned live performers and studio producers alike.

Included with each Advance Keyboard is the Virtual Instrument Player (VIP) application. VIP gives you immediate access to any virtual instrument in your collection-with or without a DAW-a powerful way to play virtual instruments live or integrate them into a recording session.

VIP software users can also create setlists that provide on-demand access to your customized instruments for stage performance and studio work. By simply pressing a single button on an Advance Keyboard, you can adapt to song changes as the live performance progresses-without ever reaching for your computer.

You'll also love VIP's facilities for hyper-fast instrument and patch browsing, key zone splitting, layering of up to 8 instruments per VIP instance, expansive custom mapping capabilities, and support for any VSTi plugin. You can run as many instances of the Virtual Instrument Player as your computer allows. VIP runs as a VSTi, AU, RTAS or AAX plugin, allowing you access to VSTi's in virtually any DAW, such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro X and Ableton Live.

The Advance 49 Keyboard comes with a 16GB download of over 10,000 sounds from industry-leading developers at AIR Music Technology, SONiVOX, and TOOLROOM RECORDS. This comprehensive collection of nine plugins provides you with an instant palette of contemporary, sought-after sounds for both live performance and studio production.

AKAI Professional Advance 49 Keyboard Features:

• Keyboards for advanced virtual instrument performance
• Integrated 4.3" high-resolution full-color screen with dedicated interface buttons
• Screen provides 1:1, real-time feedback of plugin parametes
• Includes Virtual Instrument Player software forun precedented virtual instrument preset management, control mapping and multipatch creation
• 49 Premium, semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keybed aftertouch
• 8 endless and continuously variable control knobs
• 8 velocity- and pressure-sensitive MPC pads with RGB illumination
• Dedicated pad bank, transport control, octave, and performance buttons
• Note repeat, time-division, pattern arpeggiator, and tap-tempo buttons
• Rubberized Pitch and Modulation wheels
• Expression pedal and footswitch inputs
• USB and 5-pin MIDI Input/Output for use with any MIDI capable software or hardware
• Functions as a standalone controller
• Included sounds: Vacuum Pro, Loom, Hybrid 3, Xpand!2, Velvet and Transfuser by AIR Music Tech, Eighty Eight Ensemble by SONiVOX and exclusive artist launch packs from TOOLROOM RECORDS (downloads). Plus 100's of other VI's and sounds from a growing list of partners, available for purchase, downloadable from the VIP Store

AKAI Professional Virtual Instrument Player Software Features:

• Plays virtually every VSTi-compatible plugin
• Operates as a standalone virtual instrument player for your computer
• Also operates as a plugin within any AU, VST, or AAX compatible DAW
• Organizes your plugin collection with intuitive browsing by plugin, artist collection, instrument type, timbre, and more
• Access, edit and mix up to 8 virtual instruments atone time
• Setlist feature lets live performers switch between patches from any plugin instantly from the keyboard
• Extensive key zone splitting, custom mapping, and instrument mixing options
• Pre-mapped to hundreds of industry-leading virtual instruments
• Unlimited instances of VIP may be run in a DAW