NektarPanorama T4 49-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller

I took a chance, as few have reviewed or own this controller. I wanted a Hammond Clone I could stand and play, as my back gets sore at my RT-3 after an hour. I put the T4 on top of my old Fatar Sl880, updated the firmware and downloaded the latest Logic drivers from Nektar, and fired it up. To my shock, the 9 faders matched Logic's vintage B3 drawbars BY DEFAULT, and the knobs were also set perfectly. Unlike the very heavy keys on the Fatar below, the Nektar is very close to real Hammond keys. I'm in heaven!!! Thank You, Nektar!!!I can't wait to use the T4 with the rest of Logic, and perhaps an analog synth, like the neutron, as well. The T4 is lighter than I expected, and uses only a single USB to my Macbook Pro.If I wanted to pick nits: the keys could have felt on top stop, or something like it. On release, if you let go, you will hear them as the spring pushes them up and they hit the stop, with the keyboard off. This is pretty common, even my Fatar, 100% weighted, with felt, can be heard in the same way, though more muffled.Once I started playing I did not notice the "stop" noise on release at all. So I won't even take a half star off this great value, so cutting edge, and so well thought out.I like it so much I write this reivew, my first after 15 years buying from Amazon.

I want to start off by saying that I'm not a keyboardist. I have played guitar most of my life and now also play the lever harp. I bought the Nektar T4 controller because I began recording in Cubase and wanted something to help me sequence bass lines, chords, drums, etc. To that end, I use the keys and pads on the T4 quite a bit. However, I very, very rarely touch the faders or use the knobs to edit parameters in a patch. The mute buttons have come in handy for me, and the transport buttons are nice. But given that I'm usually holding a guitar when I work in Cubase, I'm just used to touching my mouse or keyboard, so I don't even think about using some of the features of this controller. In fact, many times I forget to turn it on when I'm recording vocals or guitar parts.As far as the quality of the keyboard goes, I am very satisfied with it. I first learned keyboard stuff on a Roland D-50 back in the 1980s, so I will admit that my opinions about how a keyboard should feel are possibly different from those of a concert pianist. The T4 works for me, though. On the other hand, the drum pads feel very stiff. I typically end up with sore fingers after doing a drum part. I haven't used any other drum pads in my life, so this may be the way they are supposed to feel. They work...and I sometimes just edit a drum part with the mouse and keyboard instead of bothering with the pads. My son gets a real kick out of the pads, though, and that much is worth it.As a side note, Nektar also makes a piece of software called Nektarine that allows a user to edit MIDI-controllable parameters in real time with all of the knobs and faders (the extent of which is dependent on the VST, not the T4 controller). I installed the software and got it working within Cubase, but frankly, I don't want to edit the parameters in anything close to real time. Usually, I will get a rough idea of what sound I am looking for, sequence the part that I need, then go back and do the fine adjustment to the sound to make it perfect. I've watched videos of people using a T4 and Nektarine and it does look extremely cool. I think if I were performing live as a keyboardist, Nektarine would provide some value. For what I do, it is extreme overkill.Overall, the Nektar T4 feels solid to me and has allowed me to do the sequencing I need to do. Even the controls that I do not use frequently feel right - for the money that I paid, I think the T4 is an incredible value. The USB MIDI input makes me extremely happy. I have fought with MIDI interfaces quite a bit in my time, so the ability just to plug in the T4 with a USB cable seemed almost too easy. Cubase recognized the controller immediately, so there is nothing bad that I can say in that regard.I believe the Nektar T4 controller was a good purchase for me. It may be a little more full-featured than I need, but the keyboard itself feels right to me and I've enjoyed the way I can work with it. I have probably only scratched the surface of the capability of the controller. Maybe if my musical direction changes in the future, I'll open up more of the features, but given the cost of the controller, I'm not that concerned. The T4 is a good value and has earned a spot in the studio.

I’m truly loving this keyboard it does everything I need it to do and the style of it it’s pretty unique.. works well with FL studio!!

First off: this is a decent controller for the price. The feel of it is, IMO, great. It is not feature-packed, but I wasn't looking for that. I just wanted something simple that felt nice to play and wasn't too much money.In the end, though, I have to give this a low rating, because of the build quality.I had this leaning up against the wall (the tall way), as one might commonly do. I was moving something around on my desk and didn't realize that the USB cable was still plugged in, and mistakenly tugged on it. This caused the synth to fall over (90 degrees, like this): I -> _...It stopped working after that.Sure, I realize this is a "fall" and it was my fault and I'm certainly not asking for a replacement or anything of the sort, but: c'mon. A synth should be able to survive a tilting-over, in my opinion.Disappointing. I did not replace it. The quest for the right controller continues...

Works perfect for nutty .

It's does the thing.

My only complaint is that the resources for using this thing are few and far between. If you're already a MIDI wizard, you're probably fine, but this was only the 2nd controller I've bought. Nectarine is powerful, and once you have it set up, the ability to change plugins or combine plugins and control them directly on this device is pretty great. Getting it all set up though is a challenge and expect to spend some time learning it.The amount of sounds you can make with this device and some free VST instruments is incredible. I strongly recommend you look up TyrellN6 and make it one of the first plugins you get. It's free, and there are patches you can import directly into Nektarine that will keep you busy for hours and hours. I didn't even realize what aftertouch was or why I needed it, but now that I have it, it's made playing this thing SO much more expressive. Adding vibrato by adjusting the finger pressure is a new dimension of playing keys for me.

This keyboard has been great. I'm in over my head with nectarine and bigwig, but I'm loving it