Nektar Panorama T4

Superb 2nd-generation Panorama keybed

Your Panorama T4 boasts Nektar’s second-generation Panorama synth-action keybed. The keys are dampened and meticulously balanced for medium activation force across the keyboard. There is also a choice of five velocity curves that shift the tension from soft to hard to suit any playing style. Further, a fixed option lets you set velocity values via controls such as the pitch and mod wheels. Assignable aftertouch makes it effortless to modulation sounds while playing two-handed parts. The first-generation Panorama keybeds received high marks among Sweetwater musicians. Now the T4 takes expressiveness and playing feel to a new level.

Beats to go

If you’re a keyboardist, you’re already a finger drummer — which means you’ll love the Panorama T4’s eight large velocity and pressure-sensitive performance pads. The ideal vehicle for beat creation, the T4 pads are extremely expressive. Triggered at a very low threshold, they will flawlessly capture ghost notes and flams. You can also calibrate each pad individually for optimal performance. For use as MIDI trigger or toggle buttons, the pads can be assigned any MIDI note number or MIDI control change (CC) message. And assigning sounds is dead easy. Simply activate Pad Learn, select a pad, play a note or drum sound on the keyboard and it’s assigned. The Pad Bank Button left of the pads gives you access to another eight pads, for a total of 16 pads per pad map. Eight pad maps are always available for instant recall.

The T4 pads work beautifully with Nektar DAW Integration for automatic mapping of dedicated drum synths such as Bitwig’s Drum Machine and Reason’s Kong Drum Designer, giving you a tight, integrated drum machine feel, including full visual LED color feedback on the pads. You can even assign chords to the pads and use the Pad Repeat feature to create rhythmic chordal figures. The LED display’s Velocity Spread soft-key instantly spreads your last played note across all 16 pads, each with its own fixed velocity, making it easy to generate nuanced, consistent dynamics. Need a fixed velocity level? The T4 has you covered with its VelFix option.

Key Repeat and Pad Repeat

Located just above the pitch-bend and modulation wheels are the Key Repeat and Pad Repeat buttons. The Repeat function repeats at the set rate. Change the rate in real time from 1/4 to 1/96 note values, change tempo, add a bit of swing, or set an accent interval. The pads and keys have independent repeat settings, so you can set one for the drum beat and the other for another instrument. The Repeat’s trigger mode can be set to sync with the beat or to repeat from when you play a note. The Clock source can be set for either internal or external MIDI clock. Whether you’re creating repetitive chord progressions or adding flams to drum beats, the T4’s Repeat feature is a creative way to explore ideas and capitalize on “happy accidents.”