1.9 Mixer Architecture

This seems to have escaped people's attention but it seems to be a thorough re-write of the MPC Mixer architecture and includes the ability to insert plug ins on the master output strips for any of the 32 outputs!

I haven't had the opportunity to see how far I can go with this but this could lessen my reliance on Reaper for all mixing duties and allow me to do a pre-mix or submix within the MPC for a later comparison with a full blown Reaper mix.

Apparently this new architecture will open up the ability to automate these channel strips in a future update.

This is very good news

Also the option to route submixes to wherever we want, to whatever output and to have 4 slots for plug ins in addition to pad and program inserts, is highly useful.

This thing is stepping closer and closer to a self contained sampling, sequencing, mixing unit with little need for outside DAW interference.

*Cue Audio tracks gripes*

I know, you want audio tracks, I get it....but don't sleep on the new mixer possibilities.

Yes that and the continuous loop are the two great parts of this update for me.
I would like to see Solo button on the return channels so I can shape my revs and delays at will.

I havent used submixes but can they be use as buses in a way??

optik415 wrote:I havent used submixes but can they be use as buses in a way??

yes.

I get its not the update that most people were hoping for, but its not exactly whack either.

This new mixer has lots of possibilities.

Also, looking forward to continuos loop and independent track lengths.

Further experimentation with the 1.9 mixer and getting some solid sounding busses/submixes together, much like I would on a traditional mixer or DAW.

Ideas for improvements are:-

1) Allow returns to be sent to submixes (These can only be sent to Master Outputs 1-32)
2) Make every aspect of the mixer, master outputs included, fully automatable. This will allow for refined mixing, say opening or closing a threshold on a compressor in louder or quieter parts and to add ebb and flow to a mix. (Just a tiny example)
3) Increase the amount of submixes to 16. I find myself filling up the current 8 quite quickly and having to make tough, hard decisions early on. This is good practice I guess but I'd still like 16 submixers (busses) to setup some quite elaborate channels of sound
4) Increase the plug in slots to 6.
5) Have an option where I can delete any unused pads and, if desirable, their included sounds too. The software can notify me if any of these sounds are used elsewhere in a program and give me the option to cancel, continue or keep that sound but delete the pad.
6) Solo buttons on master outputs, submixers and returns.

These are just my initial ideas which will help improve mixes, improve creative flow and expand the sound design possibilities of the Ren.

This 1.9 update seemed incredibly under-whelming early on and then you sit down and get under the hood of the mixer and you realize you got it wrong. Very wrong.
Once again, this genuinely takes the Ren more into a one stop shop for me, away from, the excellent, Reaper and gives me options to just start and finish a project quickly and with very few workarounds needed in order to get a full sounding mix.

Well done Akai...well done...

Now, take marketing and development notes from Ableton if you want to go to that 'next', Super Saiyan, level

Midi mapping for the mixer.

Be careful with how you apply plug ins too...this new mixer setup will have you thinking it's a full blown DAW but the Ren software has never handled a ton of plug ins as efficiently as a DAW, particularly Reaper which is super lean and incredibly resourceful, and so the CPU starts creeping up very quickly.

There seems to be way more headroom and 'space' in the sound of this new Ren mixer. Getting things sounding extremely fat and warm before they even hit the DAW and mixing desk.

For someone who values sound quality as much as anything else this has been an important update

Hi Nubian,
Do you use the program as a submix too?
I mean, you are asking for 16 submixes, and I normally use ie. the drum program as a Drums submix.
Would you care to explain how are you using them? Maybe I am doing something wrong.
Thx

TT_Lab wrote:Hi Nubian,
Do you use the program as a submix too?
I mean, you are asking for 16 submixes, and I normally use ie. the drum program as a Drums submix.
Would you care to explain how are you using them?
Thx

No probs.

So, since 1.9, I've started using the submixes in the following ways:

Drums
Bass
Pads
Strings
SFX
Vocals (rarely)

Plus returns
Delay
Reverb
Ambience
Modulation/Phase/Flange

I've asked for 16 Submixes and 8 returns soon after getting this update but after putting this to use extensively it's probably overkill. However, if I could route the returns into the submixes that would be great as I could set these up as submixes for the return channels. Also, the ability to route the submixes into a returns channel or another submix would be useful as I could make submixes of submixes (say drums and percussion or bass and kick, maybe backing vocals and lead vocals, etc...)

Also, Automation on the submixes and returns would be a major game changer now and it's something I keep reaching for on a daily basis only to have to remind myself that it can't be done (yet)

Edit:

Further details on my drum submixes.
A drum program with, for example, 16 different drum hits routed via the program to submix 1
Submix has all 4 plug in slots utilized (vintage plug/eq/compressor/transient designer)
Return 1 sent to Ambience plug in for some space
Submix 1 is set to outs 1/2 (into Reaper)
Return 1 is routed to 25/26 (into Reaper)
[Note: Within Reaper I'll also set up a parallel drum compression channel to beef things up further]

Thank you for the details man!
What I use to do is the following:
Drum program - The drums I mix them in the Program mixer and use the Drum program channel in the track mixer as the Drums submix
Sample Tracks To submix 1
Bass It's own channel but not submix
Keys Submix 2
Pads and/or Strings to Submix 3
FX submix 4
Then I set the outputs of the Drums to 1,2 bass 3, Sub1 5,6, Sub2 7,8, Sub3 9,10 and Sub 4 11,12
I normally use 2 Returns in 13,14 and 15,16
My mixer the Allen&Heath zed R16 is an analog mixer with 16 channels and it is a 1 i/o per channel audio interface plus 17,18 input for the master(Stereo Bus) to be recorded in Reaper or any other DAW , I have this routing above to route each one to the mixers channels.
Sometimes if i don't use everything I can separate some parts(ie.percussion and kick and snare) to eq them in the board separately not using the Drums submix.