By
Jamon
Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:53 pm
I've never used JJ OS, but audio tracks is one of the main features I want to try. My use depends on how they're implemented, and if they have perfect synchronization. If done right, I'd use them for rhythm instrumentation and vocals, saving the multitrack recorder for layering lead stuff.
It'd be useful to be able to "freeze" synth sounds as software sequencers can do. For example, let's say I want to use a monophonic synthesizer for multiple layers of instrumentation. I could play one track, tweak the sound, then patch it into an audio track and mute the MIDI track.
That'd free up the synth for other tracks, but the MIDI is still there if I need to change something later. It's also useful for being able to disconnect from your synths. Like if you want to move your MPC into another room or building to do something there, but still play your tracks with all instruments.
Vocals is a big thing. Samples are okay for short phrases, but for full verses it'd be better to record an audio track. That way as you work on the composition around the lead vocals, you can still hear them as you start/stop in places that don't trigger the vocal sample.
It's major to me. I got audio tracks with my MPC-500 by hooking up a multitrack recorder using MIDI, but there's only 1 MIDI in/out, so that isn't ideal. My MPC-2500 comes tomorrow, and audio tracks will be one of the first things I try. My prediction is they'll be flawed somehow.
One major drawback of audio tracks in the MPC is only 128MB RAM and 32 voices. Sequencing a lot of short soundbursts works, but once you start layering lots of long sounds like audio tracks do it eats up all your internal resources. That's when you need to hook up more external.
Probably for more extensive audio tracking the best setup is to connect an external multitrack recorder, MIDI sound modules, and sync everything. Then the MPC is used more for central composition, MIDI sequencing, basic sampling, basic audio, everything else is external.
Last edited by Jamon on Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:04 am, edited 1 time in total.