Nektar Panorama P6 Advanced 61 Note USB MIDI Controller Keyboard

Main Features

• 61-note semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keyboard with aftertouch
• 3.5 inch colour TFT display
• 16 encoders, 9 45mm faders, 1 100mm motorized ALPS fader, 10 LED buttons, 28 buttons and 12 pads
• Deep integrated with Reason, Cubase, Logic and Bitwig Studio
• Can also be used with most DAWs
• Transport buttons
• 4 modes when used with Reason switch: Mixer, Instrument, Transport and Internal

The Nektar Panorama P6 is the P4's bigger brother with a 61 note semi-weighted keyboard and a host of 'hands-on' controllers. It shares the same deep integration with DAW software such as Reason, Cubase, Logic and Bitwig Studio as the P4, and it also works beautifully with other software packages.


Keyboard Balanced to Perfection
Panorama P6's keyboard action uses weights to offset the otherwise increasing tension you would experience from the spring. This means the down movement is as clean as possible and not heavy or fatiguing to play. The Panorama P4 keeps the down weight required within the heavy end of common standards for acoustic pianos. In addition, the dynamic range is much wider than what you experience on most controller keyboards, allowing better control of both low and high velocity values. 5 velocity curves gives you choice just in case your playing style requires a different feel. Monophonic aftertouch, pitch bend and modulation wheels, plus foot switch and expression pedal jacks sets you up for performance.

The Display Says It All
A crystal clear 3.5 inch colour TFT display delivers the information you really need, for each mode or menu. Regardless of whether you are operating Reason, Cubase, Logic, Bitwig Studio or programming MIDI assignments in Internal mode, the display provides detailed information that makes your workflow fluent and fast. Panorama takes the hard work out of using a controller and makes operations that seem complicated and non-transparent on other products, straight-forward and simple.

More Controls Than Ever Before
An unrivalled amount of assignable controls makes Panorama the most comprehensive and fully featured MIDI controller keyboard around. 16 encoders, 9 45mm faders, 1 100mm motorised ALPS fader, 10 LED buttons, 28 buttons, 12 pads each with strike and pressure component, foot switch jack, expression pedal jack, keyboard after touch, pitch bend and modulation wheels gives you immediate control of up to 93 parameters at any one time. You can even store settings in 20 presets with individually save and loadable keyboard, pad and F-keys maps.

Controlling Your DAW Has Never Felt So Real
For Reason, Cubase, Logic and Bitwig Studio users, Panorama is a dream come true. The dedicated communication protocol ties Panorama and the aforementioned DAWs tightly together so all you have to do is select the mode and menu you want to control. Panorama does the rest. 3 modes allows you to switch between controlling the Mixer, Device (instrument or effects) and Transport, with the 4th mode, Internal, free to control your ReWired DAW. Switching between modes just requires one button press.

P6 also has a new Randomize function. Inspired by Reason's own ability to randomize loop devices such as Matrix and ReDrum, this function now allows the randomisation of device parameters that are currently in view on Panorama's display. Whether it's Thor's sequencer, Subtractor's filter or oscillator section or any of the supported Rack Extensions, Panorama will provide alternative inspiration when an extra boost is needed.

Transport When You Need It, Function Buttons When You Don't
It's hard to go places without transport so Panorama features an extended 11 button transport bar, positioned right where you need it. The transport bar has buttons for: Return to L, Forward to R, Undo, Click on/off, Record Mode, Cycle on/off, Back, Forward, Stop, Play and Record. Using the shift button, these also double up as 11 function buttons, each assignable to MIDI commands or QWERTY macro's. The improved Transport mode now has icons showing status for click, Q-record, cycle and pre-count. A button for quantise has also been added along with some re-organisation that eliminated the need for another menu level to access some functions.

The P6 also features unique Looper addition to Transport mode. With the looper active the pads act as an array of loop markers automatically set across a song at an adjustable loop length. Hitting a pad will move your DAW's Left and Right locator points to the positions corresponding to the pad. Pressing Panorama's 'Go to Left marker' button will immediately move playback to the new position. The Looper is a great way to navigate a project while building up a composition from Panorama, but also allows for real-time performances or on the fly experimenting with the organisation of songs.

Shortcut To Software Functions
So QWERTY macro's...... big deal, right? That's right, its a VERY big deal. Your software has a ton of features and functions that can be activated using QWERTY shortcut commands. Assigning a command to a button so you don't have to be near your computer makes life a lot easier. Assigning a string of up to 8 commands takes it to another level. With this powerful feature you could for example enter edit mode, zoom in and select a tool with just one button press. Or create an instrument or effects track and locate a folder containing your presets so you can select them from Panorama, all with one button press and without looking at your computer.

Pro-Console Control Within Reach
The motorised 100mm touch-sensitive ALPS fader gives you pro-console mixer channel control when operated with Reason. Watch the fader move when you change tracks and just move it to change volume. Two LED buttons controls Solo and Mute so no matter what mode you are operating Panorama in, you always have pro-console control within reach.

Pads With Pressure
Playing drums or percussive parts on a keyboard can be a challenge, but luckily on Panorama you don't have to. 12 velocity and pressure-sensitive pads with a choice of 7 velocity curves will inspire you to play in ways you would never do on the keyboard. The pads are unbelievably easy to program and using the 'Learn Note' function you can press a pad, press a key and that pad is automatically assigned to the same note as the key that you pressed! It's that easy!

The 'Velocity Spread' feature quickly spreads one note across all 12 pads, each with its own fixed velocity, making it easier to create consistent and nuanced dynamics.

The 'Scale-Function' assigns each pad to pitches within any of the pre-defined 30+ scales. It's a quick and easy way to completely change pad assignments while freely changing intervals or transposing the whole set on the fly. Great for percussive performances with any keyboard sound as well as percussion.

Reason devices such as ReDrum, Dr. Octo Rex and Kong are of course automatically assigned to pads in Panorama P6's Instrument mode with an additional 4 virtual pads available, when needed.

Ports and Connections
On the back of Panorama you find the connection points you need for foot controls, power and data including:

- USB Micro B for external power supply or additional power for the motorised fader (cable included)
- USB port for power and data connection to your computer
- 5-pin MIDI din output port sending data either directly from the unit or from your DAW (working like a MIDI interface)
- Foot switch jack, assignable (pedal not included)
- Expression pedal jack, assignable (pedal not included)
- On/off switch

Panorama P6 Specifications
Dimensions (L x W x D): 39 x 13 x 4 inches
Weight: 17 lbs.

Panorama P6 System Requirements

Mac: OS X 10.6 or higher
Windows: Windows Vista, 7 and 8 compatible (Windows XP is not supported at this time)
Reason 5/6/6.5/7 Cubase LE/Elements/Artist/Studio version 5/6/6.5/7, Logic X, Bitwig Studio supported. Earlier versions not tested.
Two USB ports or external USB power supply required to power entire unit. One USB port powers entire unit with the exception of the motorised fader.

Please check manufacturer's website for most up to date system requirement and software compatibility information: www.nektartech.com