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==Akai APC Key25 MK2==

This device supports three operation modes:

* The '''"Mixpad"''' mode (default), which controls the Zynthian's Mixer and ZynPad.
* The '''"Device"''' mode, which handles the Zynthian UI.
* The '''"Sequencer"''' mode, which handles the Zynthian Step Sequencer.

===The Mixpad mode===

[[File:akai_apc_key25_mk2.png|800px|right]]

This is the default mode, selected automatically on start. You can also change to it pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>VOLUME</code> or <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>PAN</code>. In this mode you can perform the following actions:

* Tap a pad to '''start/stop a sequence'''. The pad LED will show its status as follows (pad color will always match the sequence color):
** Dim solid: Stopped sequence without content (no notes in patterns).
** Bright solid: Stopped sequence with content.
** Blinking slow: Playing sequence.
** Blinking fast: Recording sequence.
** Pulsing: Syncing to play/stop.

==== Playback and Record Controls ====

* '''Toggle audio playback''' with <code>PLAY/PAUSE</code> button. If Zynthian's ALT mode is active, it will '''toggle MIDI playback'''.

* '''Toggle audio record''' with <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>RECORD</code> button. If Zynthian's ALT mode is active, it will '''toggle MIDI recording'''.

* '''Stop all sequences''' of current scene (but not audio/midi playback or recording), doing a ''short'' press on <code>STOP ALL CLIPS</code> button; ''bold'' press to stop all sequences on all scenes.

* Start/stop '''sequences of a row''', pressing the corresponding SOFT KEY (without modifiers). If there are any sequence playing, they will stop. If there are no sequences playing, it will start those not empty. The action to be run is shown by the LED status (lit will stop, off will start).

* Press <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>STOP ALL CLIPS</code> for a ''''panic' stop''', which stops all sequences, audio and midi playback.

==== Changing Controller Banks and Zynthian Scenes ====

* Change controller's bank. There are '''two banks''' (1 and 2), which are used to handle up to 16 chains (with the eight track buttons/knobs). Bank 1 is for chains 1 to 8 and bank 2 manage chains 9 to 16. To show current selected bank, press and hold <code>SHIFT</code>. One of the track buttons <code>LEFT arrow</code> or <code>RIGHT arrow</code> will light up in red, <code>LEFT arrow</code> is bank 1 and <code>RIGHT arrow</code> is bank 2. You can press one of these buttons while holding <code>SHIFT</code> to change the bank.

* '''Change current scene''' using the track buttons. You need first to select that function by pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>REC ARM</code> button. This function is affected by bank selection, so you can change up to 16 scenes. When selecting a new scene, the ZynPad will be shown.

==== Modify Chain Settings (mutes, solo etc.) ====

* Use track buttons to '''perform a function''' on chains. The function is chosen by pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + one of <code>SELECT</code>, <code>MUTE</code> or <code>SOLO</code> soft key buttons. Press and hold <code>SHIFT</code> to see current selected function on soft key buttons (in green). Functions are:
** <code>SELECT</code>, used to change the selected chain. The key bed (black and white keys) will play on that chain.
** <code>MUTE</code>, used to mute the corresponding chain.
** <code>SOLO</code>, used to enable solo in the corresponding chain.
* '''Mute main chain''', pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>PLAY</code>.

* Use the knobs to modify '''chains' volume or balance'''. The function is given by current KNOB CTRL selected: <code>VOLUME</code> or <code>PAN</code> (for balance). To change the function, press <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>VOLUME</code> or <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>PAN</code>. The knobs are also affected by current controller's bank. Each knob will affect a chain, independently of the selected chain. (K1 -> chain 1, K2 -> chain 2, ...)

* Use <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>KNOB k1</code> to change volume or balance for main chain (what changes is selected by the current KNOB CTRL function).

==== Accessing the Step-Sequencer ====

* Open the '''StepSeq mode''' for a given sequence, pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + a pad button (more info about this mode in the following section).

* '''Clear a sequence''', pressing any track button + the sequence pad (use SELECT function, and the selected chain's button to avoid changing other settings).

* Start '''recording a pattern'''. For this, press <code>RECORD</code> + a pad button, which will 1) select the chain associated with the group of the sequence, 2) open the pattern editor for that sequence, 3) start playing the sequence and 4) start recording that sequence. If you press the pad again (without holding any other button), the recording will stop. Press again to stop playback too. You can also control the playback/recording with <code>PLAY/PAUSE</code> or <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>RECORD</code> buttons.

* If the pattern editor is open, press <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>UP arrow</code> to '''go back to ZynPad'''. Press it again to go to mixer screen.

* '''Open the ZynPad''' pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>DOWN arrow</code>.

==== Sequence Manager Sub-Mode ====
* Open the '''sequence manager''' (also known as the ''Seqman'' sub-mode), pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>CLIP STOP</code>. If this mode is active, the LED of the <code>CLIP STOP</code> button will blink in green, and one of <code>VOLUME</code>, <code>PAN</code> or <code>SEND</code> buttons will also be solid in red, each one related to a specific function:
** <code>SEND</code>: this is CLEAR mode. It will remove all patterns of the sequence when its pad is pressed (leaving only a single empty pattern).
** <code>VOLUME</code>: this is COPY mode. Press the pad of a non-empty sequence to mark it as source (it will blink fast). Press another pad to copy the selected source to it. It will CLEAR the destination sequence, and then copy all the patterns of the source sequence. Press the selected source pad to clear selection.
** <code>PAN</code>: this is MOVE mode. It works like COPY mode, but also CLEARS the source sequence.
** Use <code>LEFT</code> and <code>RIGHT</code> arrows to move from one scene to another. You can also copy/move patterns between scenes.
** Press <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>SELECT</code> to exit this sub-mode.

===The Device mode===

[[File:Akai-apc-key-25-mk2-ui-legend.png|800px|right]]

This mode allows you to '''control the Zynthian UI'''. You can enable it by pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>DEVICE</code>. If this mode is active, the button <code>DEVICE</code> will blink in red.

As you can see in the image, this mode mimics the Zynthian V5 hardware interface. The upper four buttons are <code>OPT/ADMIN</code>, <code>MIX/LEVEL</code>, <code>CTRL/PRESET</code> and <code>ZS3/SHOT</code>. Next row is <code>ALT</code>, <code>METRONOME</code> and <code>PAD/STEP</code>. The four buttons at the right side (in white) are <code>F1</code> to <code>F4</code>. In this mode, transport is handled by <code>PLAY/PAUSE</code> and <code>RECORD</code> buttons, and the transport pads are only to show playback/recording status. Navigation buttons are <code>UP</code>, <code>DOWN</code>, <code>LEFT</code>, <code>RIGHT</code>, (in yellow) <code>BACK/NO</code> (in red) and <code>SEL/YES</code> (in green). For the directional keys, you can also use the track keys labelled as such.

The behaviour and status are '''similar of those in the hardware interface''': there is support for short, bold and long press; screen access buttons are blue when no function is selected, green on it's primary and orange on its secondary function; <code>ALT</code> key changes to violet when active (and <code>F1</code>-<code>F4</code> also change).

The nearest four knobs has the functions of '''Knob#1''' to '''Knob#4'''. They can be used to control volume of selected/main chain, move vertically/horizontally in pattern editor or Zynpad, move selected item in menus, etc. Press <code>SHIFT</code> with a knob for a finer (slower) adjustment. The knob press is activated using the first four soft keys to the left (in green), and also has short/bold press support. The mapping is: '''Knob#1''' = (<code>K1</code>, <code>CLIP STOP</code>); '''Knob#2''' = (<code>K5</code>, <code>SOLO</code>); '''Knob#3''' = (<code>K2</code>, <code>MUTE</code>); '''Knob#1''' = (<code>K6</code>, <code>REC ARM</code>). This scheme is very comfortable in the V4 four-corners layout.

<br clear=all>

===The Step Sequencer mode===

<embedvideo alignment="right" dimensions="600" service="youtube" description="Zynthian - Akai APC Key25 mk2 - StepSeq (alpha) demo I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4JTWJTz2Q0</embedvideo>
<embedvideo alignment="right" dimensions="600" service="youtube" description="Zynthian - Akai APC Key25 mk2 - StepSeq (alpha) demo II">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zprRUIbjHqs</embedvideo>
<embedvideo alignment="right" dimensions="600" service="youtube" description="Zynthian - Akai APC Key25 mk2 - StepSeq (beta) demo III">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EPUusfwmEg</embedvideo>

This mode allows you to control Zynthian's step sequencer (and also the pattern editor). You can activate it by pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>SEND</code>, or in '''Mixpad''' mode pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + a sequence pad. In this mode, the pad matrix is divided in two parts: first four rows (from top to bottom) are '''the steps''' of current pattern. The last row is used to assign notes or '''instruments''' for easy access (called ''NotePads'' in this document). With this mode, you can:

* Press and hold <code>SHIFT</code> to '''show the status''':
** Buttons <code>UP</code>, <code>DOWN</code>, <code>LEFT</code> and <code>RIGHT</code> will lit indicating the current Notepad page selected (1, 2, 3 or 4, respectively).
** Button <code>SEND</code> will lit indicating this mode is selected.

* '''Open the pattern editor''' in Zynthian's UI with the current pattern, pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>DOWN</code>. Press <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>UP</code> to go back.

* '''Assign an instrument''' to a NotePad, by pressing the pad + any key of the key bed (black and white keys). The note will be ''stored'' in that pad, with the velocity you used. It will be lit with a brightness proportional to the velocity. If you press again the NotePad, it will play the note.

* '''Remove a NotePad assignment''', pressing <code>STOP ALL CLIPS</code> + the NotePad. Only the assignment is removed, the steps for that note are kept.

* '''Select the active instrument''', pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + a NotePad. It will start pulsating in the color of the instrument's page.

* '''Change current instruments page''', pressing <code>LEFT</code> and <code>RIGHT</code> arrows. There are 4 pages, each with its own color (1: blue, 2: green, 3: yellow, 4: purple). Upon selecting a new page, one of the first four track buttons will be lit for a second, indicating the active page.

* '''Toggle a step''' in the current pattern, pressing a pad in the upper four rows. If the step is on, it will be lit in red (again, the brightness is proportional to the note velocity). Note that for this to work, you will need to first select an active NotePad.

* '''Extend a step duration''', by pressing an active step, holding it for 0.5 seconds, and then pressing another step (it must be greater in sequence). The source step will increase its duration to fill the space between the two pressed steps (included). The extended duration will be lit in orange. If you press the last pad in orange (while still holding the starting step), it will toggle between full and half step.

* '''Play current sequence''' pressing the <code>PLAY</code> button. You will see the playhead (in white) moving along the steps. Pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>PLAY</code> will start stage-play, which will update the pattern as it moves along the current track (press any pad to stop stage-play). Press <code>PLAY</code> again to stop playing.

<p style="margin: 1em 0 1.5em; padding: 1em; background-color: #fef6e7; display:table-cell">
'''NOTE''': Remember to set the ''clock source'' of Zynthian to '''Internal Send'''. Otherwise, the playhead will not be shown!
</p>

* '''Panic stop''' all sounds, pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>STOP ALL CLIPS</code>. Any sound will stop immediately.

* '''Adjust the tempo''' rotating the knob <code>K1</code>. The TEMPO screen will be shown briefly in the UI. Press <code>SHIFT</code> while rotating for a finer adjustment (0.1 BPM).

* '''Adjust sequence's chain level''' rotating the knob <code>K2</code>. Also, the Mixer screen will be shown briefly in the UI while adjusting. Press <code>SHIFT</code> while rotating for a finer control.

==== Adjust Notepad Parameters ====

* Change the '''velocity, duration, stutter count or stutter duration''' of a step or NotePad, pressing the corresponding pad and rotating one of the following knobs:
** <code>K1</code>: note duration
** <code>K2</code>: note velocity
** <code>K3</code>: stutter count
** <code>K4</code>: stutter duration

==== Control Levels - Adjust Parameters With Pads ====

* You can also change these properties using '''control levels'''. With a control level, you will use the columns of the pad matrix to see and change the level of certain property of a step or NotePad. These are the key bindings:
** Press <code>VOLUME</code> + a step/NotePad to activate the control level for '''velocity''' adjustment. <code>VOLUME</code>'s track button will be solid lit in red. Press <code>VOLUME</code> again to exit control level mode.
** Press <code>SEND</code> + a step/NotePad for '''stutter count''' adjustment. <code>SEND</code>'s track button will be solid lit in red.
** In stutter count control level, press again <code>SEND</code> to switch to '''stutter duration''' adjustment. <code>SEND</code>'s track button will blink in red. Press <code>SEND</code> again to exit control level mode.
** If, instead of pressing a pad, you press <code>VOLUME</code> or <code>SEND</code> + one of the 5 soft keys to the right, it will '''open the control level for each step or NotePad''' in that row. Now, just pressing another soft key will switch to the related row.
** You can switch between different control levels by pressing the function that is not currently active (otherwise, it will exit that control level).
** Pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + any pad in the active column will set the property value to zero (or 1, in case of stutter duration).
** Press a pad in any active column to '''change''' the related step/NotePad value. Press top lit pad to switch between full and half value (the brightness will also change). The following table shows the relation between rows and values of each function (rows are from bottom to top, values are for Full/Half):

{| class="wikitable center"
|-
! Row !! Velocity !! Stutter Count !! Stutter Duration
|-
| 1 || 25 / 12 || 2 / 1 || 2 / 1
|-
| 2 || 50 / 38 || 4 / 3 || 4 / 3
|-
| 3 || 76 / 63 || 8 / 6 || 8 / 6
|-
| 4 || 101 / 88 || 12 / 10 || 20 / 10
|-
| 5 || 127 / 114 || 20 / 15 || 40 / 30
|}

==== Quick Change and Copy Pattern ====

* Quick '''change pattern''' in current track, by pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>LEFT</code>/<code>RIGHT</code>. If next pattern (to the right) does not exist, it will be created (up to 8 patterns). The bottom row of the pad matrix will show current pattern (in red), and also where there exists a pattern (bright white) or not (dim white).

* '''Roll current pattern to a side''', pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>SELECT</code> + <code>LEFT</code> or <code>RIGHT</code>. This will copy current pattern to the pattern on the left or right.

====Pattern Manager Mode====
* You can also '''enter the arranger sub-mode''' (also called ''PatMan'', for pattern manager), to handle the patterns of current track, pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>SELECT</code>. This mode will also open the arranger in Zynthian's UI. In this sub-mode, you can:
** '''Change''' current pattern, just pressing a pad where there is a pattern (bright white). The selected pattern will be shown in red. You can also move to the left or right using the track buttons.
** '''Clear''' a pattern, pressing <code>MUTE</code> + pattern pad. It will remove all notes on that pattern. The pad will blink briefly in red.
** '''Remove''' a pattern, pressing <code>STOP ALL CLIPS</code> + pattern pad. The pattern will be removed, and all patterns to the right will slide to fill the gap.
** '''Create''' a new empty pattern, if there are no pattern to the right, by pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>RIGHT</code>.
** '''Roll''' current pattern to one side, pressing <code>SHIFT</code> + <code>SELECT</code> + <code>LEFT</code> or <code>RIGHT</code>.
** '''Copy''' a pattern to another pattern, pressing source pattern pad + destination pattern pad. The destination will blink briefly in green.
** To exit this sub-mode, press <code>SELECT</code>. Zynthian's UI will also go to the previous screen.

<br clear=all>

==Akai APC Key25 MK2 + SL==

This is a driver for the '''Akai APC Key25 MK2''' with the exact same functionality as the above driver, with the exception that <code>SHIFT</code>+pad at the bottom right serves to enter '''SooperLooper''' mode, with various sub-modes.

'''SooperLooper''' Mode starts in the Looper Mode.

Besides that, there are two Levels modes, one Pan mode, one Sync/Quantize mode, and two Session modes.

The present mode is indicated by the four buttons Volume, Pan, Send and Device.

<code>Volume</code>:

Cycles through the two Levels modes, and back to Looper mode.

<code>Pan</code>:

Opens/closes the Pan mode

<code>Send</code>:

Opens/closes the Sync/Quantize mode.

<code>Device</code>:

Cycles through the two Session Modes, and back to Looper mode

===Looper mode===

[[File:Akai_apc_key25_mk2_sl_looper_mode.png|800px|right]]

This is the basic, default, mode we start with. If this mode is on, none of the four indicators is lit.

The 8×5 grid of RGB Leds control looping commands and reflect the current state of a loop.

Adding a loop: press the leftmost pad on an empty loop row to add a
mono loop, press the second pad to add a stereo loop. 3rd for three
channels, 4th for four. NOTE: more than 2 would not make sense at the moment on a Zynthian.

Remove the last loop by pressing any of pad 5-8 on an empty loop. This cannot be undone.

The first row shows the column commands for all the tracks.

The commands are:

<code>Rec/Overdub (red/purple)</code>

<code>Multiply (amber)</code>

<code>Insert (warm pink)</code>

<code>Replace (pink light</code>

<code>Substitute (pink)</code>

<code>Oneshot (light green)</code>

<code>Trigger (green)</code>

<code>Pause (lime)</code>.

Record will change to overdub on non-empty loops.

The following four rows initially show the first four loops.

Their pads do the same as the all-loop pads in the same position.

For the Rec/Overdub pad, holding the Up (▲) pad while pressing a
Rec/Overdub pad will reverse the action. This means it forcing record
when overdub would be the normal action. You can also use this to go
straight into overdub from recording.

Pressing one of these pads and holding it for
more than 1 second will make that pad function as a momentary
toggle.

When a pad's function is active, the entire row will have that
color. Overdub being purple.

The brightness of a loop row indicates the playing position in the loop.

When a loop is blinking quickly, it is waiting, e.g. to record.

{{clear}}

====Groups====

The first 5 'global' pads contain five groups. You can use them for
grouping loops used for chorus/verse/bridge etc.

If loops are assigned to a group pad pressing that group pad will
unmute its loops and mute all other loops.

====Soft keys====

<code>Solo</code> + any loop pad (toggle-)soloes that loop.

<code>Mute</code> + any loop pad toggles whether that loop is muted.

<code>Mute</code> + the top row '''toggles''' muteness of all loops.

<code>Stop all clips</code> mutes all clips.

<code>Shift</code>+<code>Stop all clips</code> unmutes all clips.

<code>Clip stop</code> and <code>Rec Arm</code> are still free.

<code>Select</code> toggles the group assign mode. When this is active, press one of the five group pads and select which loops it
contains. NOTE: groups are not saved, nor restored, with sessions or
in a snapshot. They are ephemeral and act globally.

<code>Shift</code> + a row's soft key Sets the selected loop in SooperLooper. The selected loop is what is used in Level mode 2, and also often a target of other controllers (such as a single pedal).

The softkey of the selected loop will be lit green. When the mode is active targeting the selected loop, such as Levels Mode 2, the softkey will pulsate in green.

====Track buttons====

[[File:Akai_apc_key25_mk2_sl_shifting.gif|800px|right|shifting the loops]]

<code>Shift</code> + <code>▲</code> and <code>Shift</code> + <code>▼</code>:

Shift plus the Up or Down key shifts the loops in view, as long as there are some. During Shift press, you'll see a number indicating the top loop.

<code>◀</code> and <code>▶</code>:

The left and right arrows + a pad in the same column perform Undo and Redo on a loop.

Pressing the left arrow + a pad in a column to the left of its column performs Undo All on a loop.

Pressing the right arrow + a pad in a column to the right of its column performs Redo All on a loop.

I found this to be quite intuitive: undo/redo to the extreme.

<code>◀</code> plus the 'global record' on the top left this way acts as a nice shortcut to clear all loops.

{{clear}}

====Knobs====

The (top) Knobs 1-4 control the wet signal (volume level) for the 4 displayed loops.

The (bottom) Knobs 5-8 control the pan of the 4 displayed loops.

===Session mode 1: session save mode===

Pressing a pad saves the current session to one of the 40 locations.

Invoke by pressing <code>Device</code> button once. The <code>Device</code> button will light up red.

The last recorded or loaded session '''by the driver''' during the current session is indicated by a blinking pad. We have no mechanism to detect sessions loaded via the preset and zs3 mechanism.

Any pad with a session is lit up bright.

When you want to save to a pad that already contains a session, you have to confirm with a bright green pad for 'Yes', or a bright red pad with 'No', next to the pad in question.

===Session mode 2: Session load mode===

Pressing a pad loads a session stored under that pad.

Invoke by pressing <code>Device</code> twice. The <code>Device</code> button will light pulsate red.

The last recorded or loaded session by the driver during the current session is indicated by a blinking pad.

There is no confirmation step before loading, so any changes you may have are lost when loading a new session.

===Levels mode 1: volume (wet) levels for all displayed loops===

[[File:Akai_apc_key25_mk2_sl_levels_1.jpg|800px|right]]

Invoke by pressing <code>Volume</code> button once. The <code>Volume</code> button will light up red.

You can use the pads to adjust volume levels. The top row is the out level of all loops combined.

{{clear}}

===Levels mode 2: 6 levels for selected loop===

[[File:Akai_apc_key25_mk2_sl_levels_2.gif|800px|right]]

Invoke by pressing <code>Volume</code> button twice. Both the <code>Volume</code> button and the softkey next to the selected loop will pulsate red.

Peak meter (red) - Record Threshold (red) - Input Gain (lime) - Wet (blue - think water) - Dry (dark grey) - Feedback (purple)

You can use the pads, and knobs 2-6 will control the levels of each column.

{{clear}}

===Pan mode===

[[File:Akai_apc_key25_mk2_sl_pan.png|800px|right]]

Invoke by pressing <code>Pan</code> button once. The <code>Pan</code> button will light up red.

The pan settings for each displayed loop is shown. Stereo loops show the left channel as red, the right one as blue.

Mono loops show the setting simply in a brighter color of the current state.

Panning values can be edited via the pads, but especially for stereo loops, this may look weird, since they are hard-panned to start with.

{{clear}}

===Sync/Quantize mode===

[[File:Akai_apc_key25_mk2_sl_sync_quant.jpg|800px|right]]

The first 6 pads in the top row toggle sync, relative sync, playback
sync, mute quant, overdub quant and replace quant for all loops.

The pads in the columns below toggle it on individual loops.

Shifting loops is possible as in the Looper Mode.

The 7th pad in the top row cycle through Sync source (off, loop1 (blue) -- last loop (all dark blue), internal (white), MIDI (orange), Jack (red)).

The (newly) selected function/loop # is indicated in the grid.

The 8th pad in the top row cycle through Sync to (off, MIDI(orange), 8th(brown), cycle(blue)).

The soft key next to the top row can be used to inspect sync/quant settings in the grid.

The two light brown pads below the top row increase/decrease the
number of 8th within a cycle. Press both at same time to view but not change.

While one of those is pressed, number of 8ths is indicated as brown
pads filling up from the left bottom. Pressing ANY pad sets it to that
number of 8ths. This allows for easy setting of e.g. 4/8 or 2/8, so
that you easily create smaller loops than the one synced to, yet still
be in time. Their own placement--at 23/8 and 31/8--is large prime enough not likely to pose a problem.

The second soft key from the top can be used to inspect/set eighths as well.

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:10, 31 July 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	==Akai APC40 MK2==
		+	[[File:APC40mkII ortho 10x8 media s.jpg\|500px\|right\|APC40mkII]]
		+	This device is well supported and one of the benchmark drivers for Zynthian with Zynpad and Zynmixer functionality.
		+	<br clear=all>
	==Akai APC Key25 MK2==		==Akai APC Key25 MK2==

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