robhsmit

I was surprised at the latest iteration of Garage Band. Apple pulled together a very user friendly music production product for the entry level masses. I enjoy playing around with the loops, but also was amazed at the built in instruments. In education, this is a great way to start students off with the basics and they are not overwhelmed. I tell them to not be fooled because while it looks simple, it contains a lot of features to master.

I picked up this UBS / MIDI controller to replace an older MIDI keyboard. This has a great feel to it and the buttons are very well placed. When working with Abelton it is amazing. When working with FL Studio, I had to dig around the net to find some mapping. Although, mapping is pretty easy in FL Studio. The unit has a good weight to it and I haven't taken it out of my home office/studio. The one negative review that people tend to have about this controller is the low sensitivity of the 12 gray pads. While I have noticed this a bit, it has not been too bothersome in recording or performance.

This is a wonderful device for putting together musical pieces. I use it with my iPad through a USB converter for the Novation apps. It works okay with FL Studio. I wish it had more functionality as with Ableton. I've messed around with Ableton, but it is the light version. Overall, it is a great little product that travels well and provides music creation as well as performance options.