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Logic pro x best control surface free
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Logic pro x best control surface free
It's also light enough that you can drop it into your gig bag and carry it around. The included software editor is powerful and intuitive enough that you can also customize the integration as per your needs. Although it does not have as many features as some other surface controllers on the list, it offers great value for the price. It lacks Device control, which I found to be a surprising decision from Akai. The knobs might also feel a little small if you have large hands. Some users report issues with the lights not lighting up — even when the rest of the unit works fine.
A small quibble has to do with the quality of Akai's gel buttons. These gel buttons can be found on all of Akai's lower-tier devices, from MIDI controllers to control surfaces, and it's never a good experience using them. They feel sticky and not tactile enough. Akai, if you're reading this, please find better gel buttons on your devices! It is affordably priced and works great out of the box. Perhaps it's not the most full-featured controller around, but if you're looking for the best control surface for Logic Pro X on a budget, you'll love this unit.
With regards to their design, I found the Behringer X Touch to be a rather thick and clunky control surface. It is not as slim as many of the control surfaces I have tested. I'd even say that when placed on a desktop, you might have to raise your chair height an inch or two if you are sitting while operating it. The height and thickness make it a tad uncomfortable reaching for the faders and make it hard to see the display properly while sitting.
Despite the less than ideal thickness, this control device performs rather superbly, especially for serious producers. Aside from the physical dimensions, the device has connectivity options galore. While testing, I connected the device to Logic. It offers a really stunning functionality level with all the faders, knobs and buttons.
The device supports the MCU protocol quite extensively. The transport buttons here feel really firm and sturdy and are very functional. For example, they have lights to show their current status.
The jog wheel also enjoys this design feature. That said, it is not as firm as the transport buttons and feels rather cheap and tacky. The large, chunky size, however, makes up for this lapse.
One of my favorite features — something few control surfaces in this budget offer — is the small LCD scribble strips at the top of each channel fader. This instantly tells you which track or parameter you're controlling. The standout feature for me, however, has to be the motorized faders. It's one of the rare control surfaces on the market with a whole array — nine — of motorized faders. As mentioned earlier, the interaction with Logic is one of the best features of this device.
It has full support with Logic as well as other DAWs. Despite the integration with Mac OS, the lack of a Mac editor is jarring. The build quality is a little disappointing considering the price. The motors on the faders is tacky and feels liable to break. The lack of customization options in the editor is also a letdown. Recommended for: Gigging musicians that have a home studio will find the functionality of this device quite ideal.
It's also great if you want to move from a small home setup to something that's more professional. For our money, this is the best control surface for Logic Pro X as far as performance is concerned. Even the design language follows that purpose. You won't find unnecessary screens and tabs and buttons. Everything is limited. Some might see this as a problem, but I see this as a perfect example of a tight, single-purpose device.
You won't have to spend hours studying the manual; everything is intuitive and easy to figure out on your own. Throw in the fact that it also has wireless connectivity though latency takes a hit and a small footprint, I rank it as the best control surface for Logic Pro X if portability is a top priority.
At the bottom of the front panel, there are the long-throw faders. The top of the panel features the Mute, Solo, Record, and select buttons. This is a departure from the Kontrol 2 which had the aforementioned buttons cradled between the faders.
Aside from these buttons and the faders, the front panel has a single jog wheel and a scene button. I like the increased functionality this offers. It allows me to change through 5 controller assignment pages with ease whenever I use it in the MIDI mode. The keyboard layout on this device is also intriguing.
There are an additional 8 knobs and trigger pads as well as an axis touch controller. Given the focus on simplicity, all the buttons are clearly labeled Mute, Solo, Record, Select. This really improves the user experience, at least for beginners.
Additionally, the rear panel features a switch that toggles between the USB or Bluetooth mode. While testing, I found the connections easy to make and quite seamless. However, I encountered some connectivity problems when using the Bluetooth function on a low battery.
Latency is also questionable over Bluetooth mode, but if you're producing on Garageband, it's more than acceptable. The NanoKontrol Studio is compatible with a number of apps.
When I connected the control surface to my MacBook, I discovered that there are plenty of modes available. The device functions just as a normal MIDI keyboard does when connected to the computer. Mapping had to be done manually as there is no Live remote script or Logic plug-in. However, the keys afford a lot of functionality. They offer the user a built-in Arpeggiator among other functions. The touchpad has 3 different functions that are accessed by using the buttons just south of it.
You can use it as pitch bend and mod wheels, you can use it as a controller, and it can be used to play notes. It has functional issues on iOS devices — though I don't consider this a major issue since you'll be using it with Logic Pro i.
A major concern is build quality. The entire unit is housed in a lightweight plastic body. A couple of bad drops and this plastic can crack easily. Given its portable credentials, I would have preferred a tougher body. Recommended for: If you want the best control surface for Logic Pro X with a wireless connection at a relatively cheap price, this is for you. It's extremely easy to use and has none of the frills and features that might confuse a beginner.
This unit from Zoom is designed specifically to work with Zoom's F4 and F8 mixers. However, since it's USB, it works equally well with other USB-capable mixers or when you plug it directly into the computer. The entire unit is housed in a metal casing that makes it look really good. The tough body also ensures that it can stand the rigors of live gigs. The buttons and faders on this control surface look strong, firm, and of high quality.
The interface and button overlay of the device makes it one of the easiest to use. If you already use a Zoom mixer, that's a massive win. The faders are tight and have the right amount of give. The LED display is bright and looks good even in sunlight. The quality of the rubber gel buttons is at par with Akai that is, not great, not bad.
I would have preferred at least one motorized fader, however. On the whole, if you're recording live or outdoors, this is one of the best control surfaces for Logic Pro X you can find on the market. It has its limitations, especially given its limited compatibility, but the solid build quality and feature-rich performance make it a top choice.
Recommended for: If you are looking for a portable and highly durable control surface to take on the go with you to locations, this will suit your needs. If you already own a Zoom mixer, then you'll find that this is easily one of the best control surfaces for Logic Pro X on the market right now. While most of the options on this list would be a good fit in any home studio, I feel that the X-Touch One offers the best mix of features, affordability and portability home studios need.
To start with, i t is similar to the X-Touch Mini in size, albeit a tad larger. One way to describe the design and appearance of the X-Touch One is comparing it to cutting off one end of the X-touch.
It comes with the standard controls on the X-Touch; however, it has a single motorized fader, navigation functions, and transport functions. The single motorized fader is good enough for home studios albeit limited in live settings. It's also touch sensitive which gives you much better control over your fades and automations. Complementing it is a gigantic jog wheel that helps you move through tracks and settings on the fly. It's not as smooth as the FaderPort but built well and does what it's meant to do comfortably.
But for the most part, this is a great control surface. The setup is really easy, and you can use it straight out of the box. It is also small enough to fit nicely on a desk, and it is even small enough to be portable. If you are a DJ and need to take your control surface with you to events, then this is a great product to buy. This control surface has a very basic and simple design that is easy to use.
It is made to work along with your keyboard and not to replace it completely. It is really innovative and satisfying. It will move anything that you need to. Like mixing different genres. Along with this, it has a single mechanized fader. It is smooth to use and has great motion.
It is also touch sensitive and that is a great feature to use for the Logic Pro X. This control surface gives you a lot of control and it is great for an intuitive producer. It has tight integration right out of the box and is easy to use. There is another control surface that is small enough to fit on any surface and that can be taken with you wherever you need to go. One of the very few downsides to this control surface is that the buttons are a little bit hard to press.
But it does work well with Logic Pro X. This is another control surface that is perfect for plug-and-play with Logic Pro X. This is one of the best performers on the list. It has a bunch of different knobs, faders, and buttons that work well and are sensitive enough to be easily used.
It makes for a great control surface for professional producers and will give you almost any feature that you need to use. It even has nine motorized faders. One of the very few control surfaces that have that massive number of faders available.
It gives you loads of options and a lot of control. You can make vocals sound fuller or warmer and create different sounds. It also has loads of options when it comes to connectivity. It also has other USB ports that allow connecting to many other things. It also gives you an Ethernet Port and other connectivity options too. If there is other gear that you want to connect to your control surface then you will be able to connect it to this device.
The drawback to this control surface is its size. If you want a control surface that you can take with you then this is not the one that you should go for. It is definitely not portable. It is pretty thick and chunky, especially compared to some of the other slimline control surfaces that are available.
Even when you use it on a desk it will take up a lot of your space.
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