AKAI Professional Fire (Software Bundle) - USB MIDI Controller for FL Studio with RGB Clip / Drum Pad Matrix and FL Studio Fruity Edition Software

Works great

If you have any issues getting started, I highly recommend "In The Mix's" youtube videos on this thing, he's excellent at explaining it.At first glance, this just looks like and extension of the sequencer in FL Studio, and while it does handle that function amazingly, there are so many more things it does. Notably, you can turn it into a 3+ octave keyboard that can be customized to any scale you want. The different key arrangement takes some time to get used to, but actually end up becoming intuitive and you can progress within chords effortlessly. I do wish the buttons were a little more tactile, but for this price they do they job very well.I do still find myself switching between mouse, keyboard, and the fire, but the fire has taken over quite a few main commands, especially velocity, panning, and tuning of any note. That's probably the strong suit of the Fire, the seamless link with the sequencer commands, and the weighted feel of the knobs as you change settings. Even though there's only 4 knobs, they can do 16 different things with only a couple clicks, 8 of those fully customizable.If you don't already have a MIDI controller/keyboard for your FL Studio setup, don't hesitate to get this - it will open up your production immensely. If you do already have MIDI controllers and synths, this is still something to consider if you are well-versed in FL Studio. The way it integrates the program into a tactile controller will augment everything you do and can significantly speed up your workflow - letting you get farther in your work faster.

Couldn't use it for what I first had in mind however layout and usability I almost kept it just to find a need to use it. Returned it and bout a used APC40mk2 for double the price

I really like this controller quite a bit. I’m in such the habit of using my mouse instead that I forget to use it though. Takes a little getting used to the different modes but as far as a step sequencer it’s easy to use and works great. I only have the one but apparently you can use up to four at one time, which is going to be where this really becomes useful in my opinion. Overall it makes using the sequencer in FL Studio much easier than clicking with a mouse, and faster which is what I like. Been using for about a month now almost daily and it’s clearly a quality product, which is what I have come to expect from anything made by Akai going all the way back to the reel to reel recorder I got in the late 70’s. Happy with this and recommend if you use FL Studio.

If you are a fan of FL Studio, the Akai Fire is a great tool to have under your fingers. The physical surface look draws you in, but that's the tip of the iceberg.It's a step editor with track controls, keys with chord lock ins, drum pad, slicex-er?, and a 4x16 performance pad that can shift around the playlist. The pads also light up in accordance with what's in FLS, depending on which setting you're on. More stuff in there, still learning. It seems to be the only controller that can change FLS tempo with a tap. Cool trick. Four banks for the four digital knobs including two user banks. There's a cheat sheet that has tips and tricks that are very handy. "In The Mix" is a great Youtube channel with a ton of stuff in it you can learn about with this tool. The "Shift" and "Alt" keys do magical things. And, it just works... don't forget to plug it in... ok now it works.It is NOT the end-all be-all FLS controller. Depending on your personal style and taste, you may want to add a slider/knob surface, drum pads for more velocity control, mini-keys or maybe even full sized keys for more VST control, and maybe a simple performance pad controller. But... we just jumped from $120 to about $600... Starting to make sense? Better get a keyboard and mouse while we're at it.I have a lot of hardware in hand that has taken a lot of my time doing research, working with settings, midi junk, resetting things. It's pro-gear to be sure, and does amazing things when I get everything in place. But, when I'm tired of wrestling with all of that and putting things where they should probably go, I grab this thing, "fire" up FLS, and just jam. It's like having a notepad to write all my ideas down fast. I can always go back and fix up things in post if I need to, but holding that initial idea always feels crucial. This helps that.Tried this with a couple other DAWs. Don't. This is a VERY niche tool. It can work, but don't use a screwdriver to hammer in nails. Also, don't use an Akai Fire to hammer in nails.Is this pro gear? Kinda... I wouldn't use this in a performance setting. You can lose a lot of nuance that only comes from top-notch tools. However, with this controller and a laptop it's a quick and easy way to get your fingers into FLS from anywhere and is a great addition to a home studio DAW. It's cheaper than a touch screen, and it only took a decade to make, lol. Good enough... good stuff.

"Santa" brought this for my 12 year old son and he was so excited! He was able to get everything set-up on his computer and by Christmas Day afternoon, was mixing beats. He was able to set-up the software and figure out how to use it without any help from anyone else so I assume that it's very user friendly.

Super stoked about my new Fire controller. It immediately provided me with a means to improvise rhythm patterns directly in the channel rack of FL Studio. Plus, I can do the same with samples in Slicex. The keyboard option will also be useful for playing soft synths without requiring another midi controller. Furthermore, I can adjust the volume and EQ levels on both the channels and the mixer. The Fire is perfect for my, otherwise analog, electronic music improvisations, allowing me to use my favorite DAW to perform and record them. As a bonus, the pads are beautifully bright and responsive and the overall controller is built with the usual Akai quality.