Help me choose a new keyboard

I am not a real experienced user but bought an Axiom before the latest Cakewalk keyboards came out.  While I have had some luck using ACT and like the overall feel of the Axiom I wish I had went Cakewalk just for the fact that I believe (and others with more experience can chime in) that it would be easier to integrate because of the company is always going to provide more support for its own equipment. 

As I get older I am finding the old saying "time is money" meaning that time is of greater value.  You may be able to get more features on a board but if it takes you a year to read through the manual and figure it out that is a year of making music you will never get back. 

As I watch the iPod generation and some of the simple music programs coming out I think simplicity is going to be a key selling point going forward. 

Just my thoughts for you for what they are worth.

Terry

If you use aftertouch, be aware that Roland (inc. Edirol and Cakewalk)keybeds are notorious for a very stiff aftertouch response. Unfortunately, while Novation's aftertouch is far nicer, Roland-type keybeds are IME otherwise lighter, faster and feel better built.

As for ACT vs Automap, both work with Sonar, both have up and downsides. Searching this and the legacy forum for both will turn up loads of posts which may help you decide. Neither is perfect.

I have the Cakewalk A-800 Pro keyboard/controller, and am pretty much happy with it.  I can confirm that the Aftertouch is for complete ka-ka.  I don't understand how they can keep claiming it even has Aftertouch when it's virtually unusable.

BUT, since you can make custom maps, I have a map with the Aftertouch controlled by the mod stick, and that works great.  When I need CC1 on the wheel, I just switch maps.  AT is important to me since it controls vibrato on a number of the Garritan instruments.

When I was shopping, I wasn't thrilled to see the wheel/pitch bend stick.  Like most people, I'm so accustomed to the two independent wheels, with the mod wheel being free wheeling.  BUT, that turned out to not be a problem either.

CC1 is the primary volume control in Garritan, and logically enough, spring action wouldn't work at all for a volume control.  That was easily circumvented - At the same time I got the Apro, I ordered an M-Audio Expression pedal.  CC11 (Expression) is the alternate volume control for Garritan, so that's how I deal with that.

I've had the keyboard since Christmas, and I still find the mapping and programming of knobs to be a bit confusing.  I look at videos where they make it look like control over VSTs is instant, just a matter of focusing on a plug-in - that isn't the case at all.  There's a lot of point, wiggle control, mapping for each control involved.

The keyboard itself is great.  It turns out that for me at least, having 8 sliders to control Sonar's faders isn't such a big boon - I can't coordinate working more than one or two faders at once, so for me, I could have had a controller with less controls on it.  But at least this has a lot of controls available if I ever get up to speed to doing more than one or two tasks at a time.

Randy B.