Novation SL MkIII Controller

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:44 pm

Here's the product demo event for Novation's SL MkIII latest controller. It's a nice controller...comes in 49 and 61 keys (identical features).

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bhZYajR_RvE" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe>

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:03 pm

The mk2 was a general purpose controller..
And not a simple one, the best of its time

His model is much more specific for todays synth market..

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:12 pm

Bachus wrote:The mk2 was a general purpose controller..
And not a simple one, the best of its time

His model is much more specific for todays synth market..

Yeah, and it's more a performance controller than a traditional controller. The keybed sucks, but I loved everything else about it.

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:40 pm

Sam CA wrote:
Bachus wrote:The mk2 was a general purpose controller..
And not a simple one, the best of its time

His model is much more specific for todays synth market..
Yeah, and it's more a performance controller than a traditional controller. The keybed sucks, but I loved everything else about it.

Thats why is used the zero.. the keyless version..
Untill it got stolen..

BobTheDog · Post by **BobTheDog** » Sat Oct 13, 2018 6:04 pm

So it may be a good controller, I don't know about that.

What I do know is whoever was in control of the pre and post audio on that video needs to get the sack!

If you are video marketing something towards this market get the sound right.

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 12:24 am

BobTheDog wrote:So it may be a good controller, I don't know about that.

What I do know is whoever was in control of the pre and post audio on that video needs to get the sack!

If you are video marketing something towards this market get the sound right.

Bob, I was born in a cave yesterday so forgive me for being such a noob.

megamarkd · Post by **megamarkd** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 6:13 am

Circuit style sequencer on board, nice. I like the Circuit sequencer.

psionic311 · Post by **psionic311** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:40 pm

My Novation X-station is dying, and that thing was integral to my rig with all its functionality. I was looking for a replacement controller, got an Akai MPK61, didn't like it, returned it. Keybed not pro enough, USB cable kept coming loose, and half the time it didn't recognize my Kronos and I had to reboot it.

Really, really digging the new SL Mk3 with all those keyboard zones and the dual MIDI OUT (wish one had merge like the X-station). Those features alone make it an superb way to tie together all the various pieces of gear. And of course that sequencer. Looks very intuitive and productive, and fills in the gap in my rig for quick drum beat production. I bet the keyboard feels nice and has adjustable aftertouch. It ticks all the boxes for me, esp in standalone mode.

It's such a shame I just received my Arturia Keylab 61 Mk2 two days before I found out about the new Novation. Seems like I'm returning purchases about as often as I'm keeping them lately.

megamarkd · Post by **megamarkd** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 1:51 am

psionic311 wrote:My Novation X-station is dying, and that thing was integral to my rig with all its functionality. I was looking for a replacement controller, got an Akai MPK61, didn't like it, returned it. Keybed not pro enough, USB cable kept coming loose, and half the time it didn't recognize my Kronos and I had to reboot it.

Really, really digging the new SL Mk3 with all those keyboard zones and the dual MIDI OUT (wish one had merge like the X-station). Those features alone make it an superb way to tie together all the various pieces of gear. And of course that sequencer. Looks very intuitive and productive, and fills in the gap in my rig for quick drum beat production. I bet the keyboard feels nice and has adjustable aftertouch. It ticks all the boxes for me, esp in standalone mode.

It's such a shame I just received my Arturia Keylab 61 Mk2 two days before I found out about the new Novation. Seems like I'm returning purchases about as often as I'm keeping them lately.

Doh!
I too have an X-Station I bought 2nd hand purely as a controller. I've NEVER used the synth or the audio interface (I've got much better synths and many an audio interface, not to mention I use hardware recorders then import the .WAV files from the SD cards they record to). I prefer the X-Station to my ReMote25 (the original SL) as it's got more knobs and buttons, but the SL's are better on the MIDI in/out side of things. The flywheel tempo repeater on my SL Zero is indispensable. I noticed that they've done away with the dedicated THRU, which is disappointing.

BobTheDog wrote:So it may be a good controller, I don't know about that.

What I do know is whoever was in control of the pre and post audio on that video needs to get the sack!

If you are video marketing something towards this market get the sound right.

Ah, demos....Perfect Circuit are good for when you just can't find a quick rundown of a machine's things, but they are a quite bad quality. Sonic State's demo is much better: <iframe width="768" height="432" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C6yVp7TSSmk" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe>

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 4:10 am

Guys, this is just a video I took myself from the event. That's all it is!

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 4:33 am

Sam CA wrote:Guys, this is just a video I took myself from the event. That's all it is!

Don't worry Sam..

They are complaining about the sound of a product that does not make any sounds it selves.. maybe they should stick to the point and discuss the content offered.. for me this is in the same category as complaining about someone's grammar instead of adding something meaningful to the discussion.

megamarkd · Post by **megamarkd** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:18 am

Bachus wrote:
Sam CA wrote:Guys, this is just a video I took myself from the event. That's all it is!
Don't worry Sam..

They are complaining about the sound of a product that does not make any sounds it selves.. maybe they should stick to the point and discuss the content offered.. for me this is in the same category as complaining about someone's grammar instead of adding something meaningful to the discussion.

Mate I'm not complaining about anything, I just provided a video with pro sound for the guy who wanted pro sound. If you want to point out the irony of music in a controller demo vid, watch Novation's own promo, it's very silly.

megamarkd · Post by **megamarkd** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:20 am

Sam CA wrote:Guys, this is just a video I took myself from the event. That's all it is!

Sam, I think your video is fine and always appreciate your efforts in filming and posting them. You are a legend!

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 11:41 am

No problem with the video, but the Novation board has some major weaknesses making it a complete no go for me:

- it does no longer offer automap (which had enough issues and did not keep pace with software udates for integration, but could have been great with a proper software team keeping it bug free and up to date)
- instead it now only offers Ableton integration (and only two more DAWs planned for future integration, not including Cubase)
- an utterly poor 16 step sequencer? Seriously? 64 steps should be regarded as minimal standard nowadays.

Add questionable keybed quality, as far as I heard from people with hands on experience

At first I thought "nice", and then, at closer look at the specs, "what the heck were they thinking offering it like that???"

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:52 pm

psionic311 wrote:My Novation X-station is dying, and that thing was integral to my rig with all its functionality. I was looking for a replacement controller, got an Akai MPK61, didn't like it, returned it. Keybed not pro enough, USB cable kept coming loose, and half the time it didn't recognize my Kronos and I had to reboot it.

Really, really digging the new SL Mk3 with all those keyboard zones and the dual MIDI OUT (wish one had merge like the X-station). Those features alone make it an superb way to tie together all the various pieces of gear. And of course that sequencer. Looks very intuitive and productive, and fills in the gap in my rig for quick drum beat production. I bet the keyboard feels nice and has adjustable aftertouch. It ticks all the boxes for me, esp in standalone mode.

It's such a shame I just received my Arturia Keylab 61 Mk2 two days before I found out about the new Novation. Seems like I'm returning purchases about as often as I'm keeping them lately.

Yes, you can access everything pretty fast directly from the panel, so that's definitely a plus for real time performance. Buttons are nice and big and feel just right. I just didn't like the keybed but I'm sure no one is going to use this to play Liszt Etudes, so probably it's good enough for the reason it was made.
It's a good controller for me, but my synth requirements are pretty minimal. It'd be interesting to see how well it works within a more advanced rig.