新的控制器有 4 x 16 矩陣排列的 RGB 力度感應板，可作為 Sequencer 功能的輸入面板。圖形化的 OLED 顯示，4 個可觸碰鈕專用於傳輸控制與 FL studio 20 Fire Edition。他將會是一個有趣且將使用 FL studio 的工作流程更為簡單化的有力工具。
無需使用滑鼠就能快速找到 Channel Rack、Browser、Tool Bar 及 Playlist menu 等功能，圖像化 OLED 顯示能簡易快速的瀏覽、尋找及控制多個檔案、menu 及 FL Studio 中的參數。在表演模式中，透過多個力度感應板，它也具有良好的播放、演出及錄製功能，功能遠多於單是一個控制器。多至四個區域能同時與 FL Studio 連接，甚至能打造 8 x 32 矩陣。
FL 軟體 20 版本兼容於 Windows 及 MAC ，Akai Pro Fire 適合於不想再單使用滑鼠點擊，並且想將 FL Studio 作為一個有強大的音樂工作站的使用者。
AKAI Professional Fire Midi Controller
Fire key features:
Plug-and-play controller for FL Studio
4×16 matrix of velocity-sensitive RGB pads
4 banks of assignable touch-capacitive knobs
Transport controls, mode buttons and cursors for navigating
Graphical OLED display
Instantly navigate FL Studio’s Channel Rack, Browser, Tool Bar and Playlist windows
Use dedicated controls to quickly browse audio and project files
USB buss-powered
A dedicated controller for FL Studio might seem like a short-sighted idea, given that most other hardware controllers out there offer at least a little control over a lot of different DAWs. However, as I saw when reviewing the latest version (20) of FL Studio a few months back, this DAW has arguably the largest userbase in the world thanks to makers Image-Line’s policy of offering free updates to the latest version since its first release from developer Didier Dambrin back in the late 90s.
FL Studio 20 also now runs on a Mac as well as PC, so has become a great cross-platform choice for producers across the globe. Not surprising, given that it now includes all sorts of pro features, around 80 plug-in instruments and effects – but still retains the same ease of use it has become famous for.
t is pretty light in weight though, although the build is solid and, thanks to the rubber feet beneath, it isn’t going to move around that much after you get it in position on your desktop.
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Control-wise, everything feels responsive and rugged. Rotaries have divisions where needed and the buttons – mostly used to replicate the Channel Rack buttons in the software – feel suitably sensitive, with the transport buttons offering a reassuring on-off click.
FL Studio users will know that the software’s raison d’être is creating loops in Channel Racks and then arranging these on the main Playlist (arrange) section in the main window to make a complete song. Channel Racks can be anything – beats, synths, instruments and so on – and you can mix and match Channel Racks on tracks. So a single track could, for example, have a bassline and beats, switching between the two. There are no limits on what goes where, so Channel Racks are important, and that is the main focus of Fire.
Fire shows the 16 parts of a Channel Rack over four tracks and you can link four units together to give you instant access to over 32 parts on eight tracks. You also get complete navigation around the main parts of FL Studio, namely the Channel Racks, Playlist area, Toolbar and Browser.
Setting up is a matter of plugging in via USB, which the unit is powered by. You will need to make sure your FL Studio is up to date (I needed to make the update to the latest 20.0.5.91 version in order for the software to completely recognise Fire). You’ll also need to select Akai FL Studio Fire from the drop-down MIDI input menu in MIDI preferences.
After that, I then kept on getting an ‘Access Violation’ error whenever I hit any of the main keys, which then made the unit non-responsive. I then had a few frustrating crashes of FL Studio and more freezes of the hardware before a quick check on the Image-Line forums resolved this. You have to make sure your MIDI Port settings are correct. I set mine to 1 and then did a complete restart to reset everything. You’ll also, at least for the first boot up anyway, want to have Fire connected before you boot up FL Studio. It was initially a frustrating process, but eventually, the Fire was lit.
Tech Specs
Type:FL Studio Hardware Controller
Pads:64 x RGB Pads
Velocity Sensitive:Yes
Encoders/Pots:4 x Assignable, Touch-capacitive Knobs
MIDI I/O:USB
USB:1 x Type B
Sequencer:Step Sequencer
Software:Plug and Play integration with FL Studio, FL Studio 20 Fruity Edition License
OS Requirements - Mac:OS X 10.11 or later, FL Studio 20.0.5 or later
OS Requirements - PC:Windows 7 SP1 or later, FL Studio 20.0.5 or later
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