2007 Akai/JJ Improvement Suggestions

2006 was a good year on all fronts for improvement to the lastest MPCs. Here is my additional list of suggestions that would greatly enhance these MPCs. Many of these functions are possible with older MPCs:



1. Effects routable to individual outputs
2. Time Code – add 1/64 and 1/64 triplets
3. Recording: 16 bit, 12 bit, and 8 bit recording
4. Simul: Sequence and Song
5. Global note assign: GM and Cromatic
6. Filters: More filter types and/or EQ per each sample layer
7. Add EQ to the mixer section
8. Independent Amp Envelopes per each layer
9. Assign Q-link knobs/sliders to specific MIDI channels/CC
10. Sample loop playback modes: forward, reverse, alternating
11. Cross fade looping
12. Ability to name external devices connected to MIDI OUTS
13. Ability to name each MIDI channel
14. Programs: Add the ability to add at least one keygroup program
15. Editing samples using Q-link sliders: after key should toggle ON/OFF so you don’t have to hold them when adjusting sample start/end points
16. Real time timestretch/pitch shift using Q-link knobs/sliders on samples in memory
17. Piano roll edit for MIDI/keygroup tracks in addition to the grid edit for drum tracks
18. Click/metronome: routable to individuals outputs w/ volume control and selectable sounds
19. MTC slave improvement
20. Compatibility w/ legacy Akai CD Roms, as well as Roland and Emu
21. Saving/loading samples: List view with the ability to select individual or multiple samples to be loaded
22. Automatically assign multiple samples to a program in one pass
23. Back-up to CD-R (Programs, samples, sequences)
24. Assign up to two MIDI channels per track

id say a lot of that is unnecessary. some of course would be absolutely welcome such as midi cc qlink, loop playback modes, and maybe an 'eq' filter assignment. the rest seem a bit naive and/or impossible because of likely hardware limitations. out of character it would seem comming from jr...

i add :
-convert (in chop mode) the Slices position to midi track as same Recycle works.
-copy tracks to other sequence (but all : name, velocity, chanel, midi program ).



(sorry for my bad english i'm spanish)

nice list, and all in one place,
but i had doubts about these few,

4. Simul: Sequence and Song
i thought this would be undo-able, or just problematic, but its not a bad idea now i think about it,

7. Add EQ to the mixer section

i dont think i like the mixer section much at all really,and i wish the whole array of programs in use could be mixed as tracks in a new mixer-type environment too,

14. Programs: Add the ability to add at least one keygroup program

would 'add','merge','replace pad x-xx#' etc...in programs, to mix up pre-built programs to each other without all the ferkin hassle. (mainly when only 20 programs per machine is wack.

19. MTC slave improvement
whats the main problem with this? i'm not sure ive had any bugs here

24. Assign up to two MIDI channels per track
why not just have the two slave midi instruments receive the same midi chan?

No one knows what the limitations of these newer MPCs are. Who would have thought that realtime pitch shift is possible. Now that it is a reality, its quite possible more can be done.

My list also is geared towards the next MPC (I hope to get a glimpse of one at Namm).

Also, besides 7, 15, and 16, you can find these functions among the MPC 2000XL, 3000, and 4000. The manuals for these MPCs can be downloaded so you can read how these functions may help you or not....

arebee wrote:
nice list, and all in one place,
but i had doubts about these few,

4. Simul: Sequence and Song
i thought this would be undo-able, or just problematic, but its not a bad idea now i think about it,

7. Add EQ to the mixer section

i dont think i like the mixer section much at all really,and i wish the whole array of programs in use could be mixed as tracks in a new mixer-type environment too,

14. Programs: Add the ability to add at least one keygroup program

would 'add','merge','replace pad x-xx#' etc...in programs, to mix up pre-built programs to each other without all the ferkin hassle. (mainly when only 20 programs per machine is wack.

19. MTC slave improvement
whats the main problem with this? i'm not sure ive had any bugs here

24. Assign up to two MIDI channels per track
why not just have the two slave midi instruments receive the same midi chan?

4. Simul seqeunce is available on all older MPCs and is/will be available on the JJ OS. Simul song is a feature of the MPC 4000.

7. Adding EQ to the mixer section (or even in the filter section) will be useful to anyone that uses their MPC as a stand alone product. However, I don't use mine as such. I utlize all 10 outputs and mix on a hardware or software mixer.

14. Besides the MPC 4000, no other MPC has keygroup programs. These current MPCs have autocromatic assignment which is sorta similar. But keygroup program produces much better results when playing complex multi-sampled instruments. I would add at least one of these progams to the OS.

19. MTC slave works fine on the JJ OS. It works on the first Akai OS that added this function, but they later messed it up and now involves an extra unnecessary step.

24. This is a feature of the MPC 3000. This function allows you to easily layer sounds from extrenal MIDI instruments and will save your track count.

angel wrote:
i add :
-convert (in chop mode) the Slices position to midi track as same Recycle works.
-copy tracks to other sequence (but all : name, velocity, chanel, midi program ).

Coverting sliced samples to a MIDI sequence is available on both the MPC 4000 and 2000XL. Akai's answer to this was Patched Phrase. The problem with Patched Phrase is that you can't edit the MIDI data. So Patched Phrase should be modified to allow this editing or just going back to generate MIDI sequence for sliced samples like previous MPCs

Copying tracks from one sequence to another would be nice it included all parameters..I agree.

It was hard for me to narrow down my list, but these are my top requests for 2007:

1. Independant filters, EQ, ADSR, for every sample layer would take the MPC to the next level..no doubt. Whether these functions are in the filter section or the mixer section..it really doesn't matter to me.
2. Add backup to CD-R as well as support for Akai legacy CD Roms. This is one feature that shouldn't have been left out. The Akai MPC 2000XL, 3000 and 4000 supports Akai legacy CD Roms.
3. Add at least one keygroup program. This would go hand in hand with #2's support for Akai legacy CD Roms. The MPC could be used as a conventional synth if this was added.(which also ties into #1)
4. Realtime timestretch/pitch shift using Q-link sliders, is another that is high on my list. Until this happens, I would much rather do it on my computer.
5. Automatically assign multiple samples to a program in one pass. This is another feature that shouldn't have been left out. I think that it works on the MPC 2000XL and JJ has added a simliar function. If anyone has used Battery, they would understand. Basically, you would select a group of samples to load, and all of them will automatically be assigned to a program in one pass versus assigning each individual sample to a pad

Now with that being said/written...the easiest way to improve the MPC series and to entice older MPC users is to ensure that the newer MPCs have all the functions of the MPC 2000XL and 3000...and ensure they are 100% compatible.

Cheers/jeers

You feeling OK?

This is a helpful, positive post. I guess there's a first time for everything.

yeah really.

i would guess hes trying to raise his ratio of helpful/obnoxious posts so he doesnt get dealt with harshly.

Browse to files in the load screen like in your cellphone adressbook. So press pad with letter A, jumps to song wich starts with an A.

Be able to select the type of files you want to see in the load screen.
This option was removed in the JJ os. In Akai it's possible.

Recall of Time Correct/Quantize parameters for each track.

i add this too:

-trigger the pads (one time) and sustain then loop sample until other pad will be retrigger and loop sample play time signature (1/8, 1/4, ....).
-in rec mode, before record, no push the stop key, the sequence to play the sample recorded to assign a pad.

angel wrote:i add this too:

-trigger the pads (one time) and sustain then loop sample until other pad will be retrigger and loop sample play time signature (1/8, 1/4, ....).
....

i like that idea,loop thength modified by beat measures,
and it would be nice for them to be modified by Qlink too.

jahrome wrote:......

5. Automatically assign multiple samples to a program in one pass. This is another feature that shouldn't have been left out. I think that it works on the MPC 2000XL and JJ has added a simliar function. If anyone has used Battery, they would understand. Basically, you would select a group of samples to load, and all of them will automatically be assigned to a program in one pass versus assigning each individual sample to a pad

......Cheers/jeers

jahrome, its not quite as good as how battery works, but have you tried 'MPC PGM maker' app (mac osx), it can load multiple wav's, and export PGM's compatible with the 1k.

i vote we send a copy of the s950 manual and tell JJ to integrate to the mpc workflow, 4000 style. the mpc is great but for those of us who use it as a standalone module... i think adding a full blown sampler to it would be nice ;D doesn't have to be something as complex as kontakt.. just something nice and simple that has 'sampler' functions. i would be willing to pay more $$ for this feature.

good list of features jahrome, i'd love to see some of those implemented.

i wonder if something like this would be fun...

write a pattern of pad rhythms to a track, then have a function that converts the pad # to arrange sequences in series...perhaps in a short song, and then use 'convert song to sequence' in the song window.

the result could be like classic Mantronix/Omar Santana edits.