a call for objectivity.

Bug reports & end-user support for Akai's MPC Software 'controllers' including the new MPC Studio 2, the MPC Touch, MPC Renaissance & original MPC Studio and MPC StudioB lack.
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a call for objectivity.

By dtaa pla muk Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:30 am
i've been on these forums since 2004 and have viciously participated in MPC generational arguments that i look back on with regret. i don't know about the rest of you, but a mean spirited online argument f*cks me up as bad as a real-life altercation does.

i might not be qualified to make this suggestion, but still - i urge everyone to approach the release of new MPC-style products with professionalism and rationality. and more than anything, courtesy for other forum members, some of whom have made serious contributions of their time and energy to both the community at large AND music technology in general.

trust me. it's just not worth the anger or frustration. if you feel "let down" by akai, dude...it's one company (well, three, i guess) and it's certainly not a big one. these are not fat cats. these are folks competing in a competitive market. the gear you bought? it's yours - i know for sure my MPC is a NYM MPC1000, no longer an AKAI product. own your decisions. own your instrument.

i have built and programmed midi controllers unlike anything else on the market. IT IS HARD WORK. programming a whole mini-DAW is an unspeakably gigantic task. personally, if i were a developer of the new MPC REN product, i would be reading these forums. i trust that many if not all of these people have worked hard. IMO, once hired, a programmer puts his/her reputation on the line. for all we know, we could be discussing some future JJ's magnum opus. (good luck, sir. look me up when you go independent)

so. while personally i have no immediate reason to be personally interested in the new outsourced MPC, i'm asking for objectivity. without question, this is the way of the future. after all, the MPC1000/2500 are built off CELL PHONE PROCESSORS, and they are IMO the best MPCs available due to jjos.

and, please. be nice.

Re: a call for objectivity.

By dtaa pla muk Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:36 am
now. that said.
i am really, truly disappointed in AKAI's marketing. this is not the focus of this thread.

but honestly, i find the hyperbole, style, and attitude of this whole affair really distasteful. loudmouths. you folks, really...it's an inch from embarrassing.

i've said this over and over - if your product is good enough, you don't need marketing. sorry to those who read this, if your job is on the line, but this is tech - you are unnecessary. you are not an important part of making a good musical instrument.

find work with apple, yall.
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By MeSoHordey Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:42 am
Nym wrote:now. that said.
i am really, truly disappointed in AKAI's marketing. this is not the focus of this thread.

but honestly, i find the hyperbole, style, and attitude of this whole affair really distasteful. loudmouths. you folks, really...it's an inch from embarrassing.

i've said this over and over - if your product is good enough, you don't need marketing. sorry to those who read this, if your job is on the line, but this is tech - you are unnecessary. you are not an important part of making a good musical instrument.

find work with apple, yall.


I would love to see Akai unleash the engineers on a forum like this. It would really do wonders for my own loyalty and respect for the company, to hear the folks who have designed the products talk a little bit about them.

Re: a call for objectivity.

By dtaa pla muk Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:50 am
^ i agree, to the point where i no longer purchase software unless i can communicate with the developers. protect your neck, after all. fool me once...
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By bliprock Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:17 am
I exercise my objectivity as soon as I see any marketing. Recently some marketing I saw for the Korg kaosspad quad, "The sublimely sexy new KP quad..." WTF :lol:
Which is related to that idea that if the product is really good marketing is irrellavent.
But not entirely, I mean with in reason, they do need to tell people they made something new at least, so we can go buy it. If we are going to buy it.
As is common with alot of products from corporations there is much more built in obsolescence. This way they can sell more as they die after say 3 years. Not saying that they are doing that though, (mpc tact switch anyone) but i do wonder about it.
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By MeSoHordey Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:27 am
bliprock wrote:I exercise my objectivity as soon as I see any marketing. Recently some marketing I saw for the Korg kaosspad quad, "The sublimely sexy new KP quad..." WTF :lol:
Which is related to that idea that if the product is really good marketing is irrellavent.
But not entirely, I mean with in reason, they do need to tell people they made something new at least, so we can go buy it. If we are going to buy it.
As is common with alot of products from corporations there is much more built in obsolescence. This way they can sell more as they die after say 3 years. Not saying that they are doing that though, (mpc tact switch anyone) but i do wonder about it.


As harsh as I am, I actually forgive a lot of the bad marketing. I'm a product manager at a very large software company and the marketing folks, while well-intentioned, sometimes exercise extremely questionable judgment. I try to remember that there is usually a lot of heart and soul being poured into the product from the other side, and not let the marketing nonsense affect it. But it's also why I'm very plainly spoken when I'm put in front of the public, even to the point of acknowledging mistakes and owning up to real criticism. After all, how are people to know that there are people who get it behind the scenes.

I'm probably wrong, but Akai just seem to have lost their way. I can't explain it other than what I see as a consumer. As a counter example, there is a forum, a lot like this, that hosts very unofficial Korg users. A lot of criticism of Korg there. When the site owner decided he could no longer afford the costs of running the site, Korg offered free servers and hosting....AND agreed not to intervene in any way from a moderation perspective. It was a perfect example of a company doing the right thing by its users.
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By bliprock Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:44 am
Yeah Korg doing that is quite clever. Even though I own korg products, I profess to not really going to that forum. Probably cos there gear is so easy to use, and lifes time restraints. They probably got a free platform to advertise product with heaps of established web traffic. I mean that pays for its self and then some if you think about it. :twisted: Nukai buys MPC-Forums happening soon is it?
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By switch18 Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:00 am
I log on for the first time in months and the first post I read is from Nym! So good to see.

Look fellas & ladies too, I'm not gonna lie, I've been salivating since the first time I laid eyes on this recent MPC. I have 3 MPC's and love them all. Each different in many ways. The limitations of the older MPC's is what makes them truly charming instruments, but at the end of day, when you have family, and or day jobs and the requirements of life...Unless you are some Bohemian living in a small Bavarian village and have not a worry in the world, editing on MPC's is not always practical for editing. Also, software has never been better. I mean, I'm just now realizing the power of software like Reaktor and Kontakt. It was hard for a hardware junkie like me to do that.

But come on, many of you already thought this too. You were already thinking about an NI Mikro or Maschine. Ok, I admit I was! So ask yourselves, if you truly are an MPC head, wouldn't you much rather have something Akai, even if its Nu, with an interface that you already understand from the many years of use?

I'll keep reading and see what the details are on this bad boy.

My recommended track of the week is VCMG's-Spock. These 2 artist haven't collaborated in 30 years and they decided to do some minimal techno goodness over email. VC is Vince Clarke of Erasure, Yaz, Depeche Mode and MG is Martin Gore of Depeche Mode.

Enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq0eEQCRpT8
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By Coz Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:27 am
switch18 wrote:My recommended track of the week is VCMG's-Spock. These 2 artist haven't collaborated in 30 years and they decided to do some minimal techno goodness over email. VC is Vince Clarke of Erasure, Yaz, Depeche Mode and MG is Martin Gore of Depeche Mode.

Enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq0eEQCRpT8




Nice one for posting this mate! 8)
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By scoobylol Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:27 am
Coz wrote:
switch18 wrote:My recommended track of the week is VCMG's-Spock. These 2 artist haven't collaborated in 30 years and they decided to do some minimal techno goodness over email. VC is Vince Clarke of Erasure, Yaz, Depeche Mode and MG is Martin Gore of Depeche Mode.

Enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq0eEQCRpT8




Nice one for posting this mate! 8)


I enjoyed this! Inspired me to listen to some of my dub techno collection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJHl-sFHIGU

Anyhow, back to Nym's original point. I can agree to am extent, but whenever I hear talk of something being the future I shudder a little. By that logic people back in the day sold incredible analogue synths for new digital synths that were meant to be the future, and now it's gone full circle.

Really, these hybrid controllers are an extension of Novations' Automap in a sense. But instead of a controller trying to work it's way into your existing DAW, companies are writing their own programs and mapping a custom controller for you. At the end of the day though what's new here? It's pads and knobs presented in a new shiny package.

In a couple of years these hybrid things will be surpassed by exceptionally portable and intricate music production units. Velocity-sensitive iPad looking things with the ability for Reactable styled dittys, which act as a completely blank canvas. Then after that the machines will get too smart... they'll make music to control our brains because they'll learn how different frequencies make us react.

To break away from what we will then refer to as Vivaldi-bots we will have to not only destroy them but the technology that empowered them in the first place. All that will be left will be MIDI-based studios. Golden age hip-hop and jungle will make a come back, and there will be world peace.

The unknown future rolls toward us. I face it, for the first time, with a sense of hope. Because if an NI Maschine, a controller, can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too.
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By Coz Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:28 pm
Bringing out the Terminator 2 quotes Scoob?! :lol:
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By scoobylol Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:53 pm
Haha I started off making a point, and then got caught up in telling a story. In all honesty I don't give a f*ck about this product, it's a sheep in wolves clothing. Once the hype has died down it will be forgotten about. "Hybrid" is the new buzz word that every manufacturer is trying to jump on.

Yet people like Access having been pioneering this since 2005, with the TI series. And of course NI have had Maschine out for about 3 years or so.

When something truly innovative actually happens I'll care.

RANT.
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By Lampdog Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:46 pm
It seems like people just want something to hate. Maaaaan the "hidden ugly" in several people has been uncovered in the last few days.

scoobylol wrote:"Hybrid" is the new buzz word that every manufacturer is trying to jump on.


yep
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Re: a call for objectivity.

By m:t:c Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:29 pm
What Nym said! Hating or cheering makes any sense only when the thing is up for grabs. If it doesn't interest or sounds like a piece of shit, then just ignore it.

People are able to make up their own minds about it. Of course constructive (facts based) pros and cons are always welcome. BUT imo it's too soon for either.
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