Jcub
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2023
- Messages
- 67
I hope you are feeling better soon!I have a nice-feeling Yamaha 88 key controller, it's very piano-like, so when I decided to get a new 61 key controller (nice to have one of each for the different types of keybeds) I figured I'd keep it, and add one of the N.I. S61 Mk3s.
I have to say, I love the S61 Mk3.
It's one of those 'they thought of a lot of really useful things' instruments. The modulation strip is in the right spot, the wheels and knobs feel professional, the screen is glass instead of plastic so you can actually clean it without fogging/scratching it, and the body is made of aluminum, which is both very lightweight and sturdy (it only looks like plastic because of the matte finish).
It's a quality piece of gear in every respect. The Fatar keybed is a little stiffer than the very light one I was used to, but as I use it, either my fingers have become happy with it, or it might be breaking in a little bit, because it feels natural now.
The polyphonic aftertouch is useful with both synths and the orchestral libraries, the display is large, and once I got used to using the Komplete Kontrol software, it's pretty nice, too. That took a minute, simply because the Mac OS had a bug causing incompatibility with the NI software, and Apple only fixed it a few weeks after I bought the keyboard. Now it runs very smoothly.
Logic runs MIDI 2.0, but as you mention, third party software plugins haven't caught up. I should probably find out whether Logic's own plugins run MIDI 2.0 - they might.
I've been futzing around with a new Mac Studio and working out some orchestral instrument recording plans, getting more equipment set up, and I just haven't had time.
Nonetheless, for me the move to the NI Mk3 keyboard was worth it, even without the MIDI 2 being useful just yet.
In hindsight, what I shoulda-woulda-coulda done was trade in or sell the Yamaha controller, get the S88 Mk3, and run the studio with that. Now the plan is to replace the Yamaha with the S88, but keep the S61 for a 'best of both worlds' rig, since it makes no sense to take a financial hit on the new S61. There's no rush until MIDI 2 is more widely implemented, but I kinda have GAS for getting everything the way I want it.
A recent hospital 'adventure' put my plans on hold a short while; I'll be back to normal in a couple of weeks, and get back to updating the studio to do more of what I want to do for my independent material, as opposed to mainly being set up for the ad stuff. I've reached that point in life.
I think Logic Pro has MIDI 2,0 (I saw a box to check when I was in the settings yesterday) but I do not know how many of the Logic Instruments are compatible with it. I give Apple credit - they were also an early adopter of MPE in Logic when no one else had it.
I am sure I would love the S88 MK3 (I tried an S88 MK2 and it felt better than my Casio PX5s). I have an S49 MK2 and I use the transport keys all the time for Logic but have not fully embraced the mapping features because they require using Komplete Kontrol which is buggy for some reason. The MK3 does not require Komplete Kontrol for NI instruments (as I understand it) but would still need it for Arturia, Uhe and other plugins. Once MIDI 2.0 really takes off, switching is a no-brainer.
Giving up the Casio would mean giving up high resolution MIDI in Pianoteq and I am still clinging to the notion that I will feel the difference between high resolution MIDI and the good, old fashioned 128 levels of velocity sensitivity that Mozart used on his MIDI controllers.