News - Nektar Panorama P4 USB MIDI controller now available

Press Release: Nektar Technology, Inc. the California based new brand for Advanced Control Enhanced Workflow Controllers today announces Panorama P4, the first dedicated Keyboard Controller for the highly acclaimed Propellerhead Reason Music Creation Software is shipping. The 49-note weighted synth keybed is custom designed specifically for Panorama P4 to provide both a keyboard that plays great but also blends perfectly with the overall design. It offers a choice of 5 velocity curves, each optimized dynamically but with different response emphasis. Wether heavy handed or cultivating a light touch there is always a curve that works. Monophonic aftertouch adds another dimension and the zone function enables programming 4 zones that can be switched on and off during performance.

Panorama has a ton of controls, with 90 control elements assignable to a MIDI-message. In addition, buttons and pads can be assigned to ASCII messages which allows for sending shortcut commands to Reason. 20 preset locations store the assignments of controls for later recall. A preset is linked to a Pad Map, Keyboard Map and F-Keys Map so you can save and load these components independently of the individual presets. With this much control, you get the flexibility to load what you need, when you need it.

No guesswork here. The high-resolution display feeds back the information the musician needs, including what each control does and which buttons to press to navigate around the menus. The 3.5” full graphic display has a very wide viewing angle so it is easy to see what is going on from almost anywhere. Also, its sleek black appearance blends beautifully with the design of Panorama.

12 velocity and pressure-sensitive pads with choice of velocity curves make all the difference for percussive performances. The pads are easy to program using the “Learn Note” function and saving to any of the 20 Pad Map locations. The “Velocity Spread” feature quickly spreads one note across all 12 pads, each with its own fixed velocity, which allows for extremely nuanced dynamics. The “Scale-Function” assigns each pad to pitches within a defined scale for percussive performances with any sort of keyboard sound, while freely changing intervals or transposing the whole set on the fly.

Panorama integrates and interacts with Reason like no other controller: Completely transparent and with unlimited access to all areas. Every single Reason device is mapped with parameters and their values clearly visible in the display. Switching between Mixer, Instrument and Transport mode reconfigures the entire control surface by just pressing one button. Even if you are not interested in tweaking sounds but prefer to use the comprehensive library of patches in Reason, Panorama delivers an experience like it has never been available before. Patch names are displayed clearly as you step through the current sound bank. To play Panorama adds an additional dimension and is the closest you get, to operate Reason, as if its hardware.

Nektar Panorama P4 is available in stores worldwide for Msrp US$ 599.99/UK £ 399.99/EU EURO 479.99 with an anticipated street price of US$ 499.99.