Forum for all other samplers & synths such as Maschine, MVs, Akai S & Z series, Roland, Korg, OP-1, analog synths etc.
User avatar
By Danoc Fri Sep 11, 2020 2:34 am
If Akai would have added HDMI to be able to add a screen would of been dope.

Touch screen on the MPC live for me wasn't a biggie for me. I could of done without it. I don't even wanna talk about anymore.
By CharlesRandolph Fri Sep 11, 2020 5:49 am
NearTao wrote:I suspect some of the issues with the MPC touch screen implementation are due to the limits of the hardware... though saying that it does sound like an excuse to what is really a poor user experience regardless of the reason. Drawing midi notes, cutting/pasting, sample editing, chop editing, etc... are all just a bit too finicky and persnickety. It's just hard to tell if it is "working as designed" or a poor imitation of what they were trying to implement.


It could be a combination of hardware and software. As for the Maschine+ it's an simpler layout with less menu diving. I prefer buttons over touch screen, just because I don't need to look at the screen to work. Our hearing and sense of touch are the main senses when creating music.

Also I find when the machines are button driven, the UI tends to better planned out and easier to navigate. This can be done with touch, but the UI must be simple unlike the Modern MPC UI aka too much stuff on the screen. :lol:
By Unreallystic Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:34 pm
NearTao wrote:I suspect some of the issues with the MPC touch screen implementation are due to the limits of the hardware... though saying that it does sound like an excuse to what is really a poor user experience regardless of the reason. Drawing midi notes, cutting/pasting, sample editing, chop editing, etc... are all just a bit too finicky and persnickety. It's just hard to tell if it is "working as designed" or a poor imitation of what they were trying to implement.

I think its the limit of money.

As it currently stands, I WANTED to love the touchscreen, but at this point I hate when I have to use it because its either slower than a button press would be, and/or its so finnicky that as mentioned its just a poor user experience. I'd rather they either go in and focus on improving that experience, or work on navigating the MPC without needing the touch screen - i.e. what NI did.

My only concern right now is that the Maschine is going to fall on its face - and that will stifle innovation from Akai.
- Unreall
By CharlesRandolph Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:07 pm
Unreallystic wrote:
As it currently stands, I WANTED to love the touchscreen, but at this point I hate when I have to use it because its either slower than a button press would be, and/or its so finnicky that as mentioned its just a poor user experience. I'd rather they either go in and focus on improving that experience, or work on navigating the MPC without needing the touch screen - i.e. what NI did.

My only concern right now is that the Maschine is going to fall on its face - and that will stifle innovation from Akai.
- Unreall


I think there are still lots of choices depending on what people want.

S2400 <---- This is going yield lots of attention because it's a straight forward organic movement.
MASCHINE+
Roland MC-707
Polyend Tracker Tabletop
1010music Blackbox Studio
Last edited by CharlesRandolph on Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By MPC-Tutor Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:07 pm
Cursor buttons are a classic example of what is missing on the Live - yes you can tap the parameters on the touchscreen to select them which is quicker 'on paper', but in reality the muscle memory you build with the cursors on legacy MPCs means the real world workflow is quicker. The combined data wheel/cursor on the 4000 is amazing, especially with the additional block cursors for rapidly moving to different blocks of data on screen.

Another workflow oddity with these new MPCs is the inability to assign direct to a specific pad layer from the browser. So you have to load all your samples into the pool, open up the program editor, tap a layer, scroll through the entire list of samples, then pick the next layer, scroll through the entire list of samples again. Jesus. At least remember the last accessed sample each time, plus build this layer assignment into the browser. Surely they have enough actual users on board these days to know these things make sense
User avatar

Re:

By Danoc Fri Sep 11, 2020 3:15 pm
Lamp how you liking this Maschine +? Pros and Cons for you?

Lampdog wrote:
Image
User avatar
By Danoc Fri Sep 11, 2020 3:24 pm
Yes sir! I kid you not, If they could put what's inside the MPC 2000XL what's in the MPC Live, add HDMI port (MPC 3000 has VGA for extra Large Monitor connection) to connect to the latest flat screens from 780p, 1080p to 4K Man I would keep the 2000XL! I love the buttons on it, FOR ME, touch screen doesn't matter. That would be my dream Machine! Oh, 16Gigs Ram Expandable to 128 Gigs Ram, (ram is so cheap these days) I would be happy with it as a standalone Machine.

MPC-Tutor wrote:Cursor buttons are a classic example of what is missing on the Live - yes you can tap the parameters on the touchscreen to select them which is quicker 'on paper', but in reality the muscle memory you build with the cursors on legacy MPCs means the real world workflow is quicker. The combined data wheel/cursor on the 4000 is amazing, especially with the additional block cursors for rapidly moving to different blocks of data on screen.

Another workflow oddity with these new MPCs is the inability to assign direct to a specific pad layer from the browser. So you have to load all your samples into the pool, open up the program editor, tap a layer, scroll through the entire list of samples, then pick the next layer, scroll through the entire list of samples again. Jesus. At least remember the last accessed sample each time, plus build this layer assignment into the browser. Surely they have enough actual users on board these days to know these things make sense
User avatar
By Bezo Fri Sep 11, 2020 3:55 pm
MPC-Tutor wrote:Cursor buttons are a classic example of what is missing on the Live - yes you can tap the parameters on the touchscreen to select them which is quicker 'on paper', but in reality the muscle memory you build with the cursors on legacy MPCs means the real world workflow is quicker. The combined data wheel/cursor on the 4000 is amazing, especially with the additional block cursors for rapidly moving to different blocks of data on screen.

Another workflow oddity with these new MPCs is the inability to assign direct to a specific pad layer from the browser. So you have to load all your samples into the pool, open up the program editor, tap a layer, scroll through the entire list of samples, then pick the next layer, scroll through the entire list of samples again. Jesus. At least remember the last accessed sample each time, plus build this layer assignment into the browser. Surely they have enough actual users on board these days to know these things make sense

Agree with both, but the bolded especially since it should be able to be addressed via update. Creating layered instruments is brutal. And if the Live MK3 is released, I hope they keep the size of the MK2, but replace the speaker with more buttons and knobs. Cursor buttons, among others, would be welcomed.

Regarding the touch screen, it's very fiddly, but it's still the best wat to do some things, like edit automation. I can't imagine how that would be done on a standalone unit otherwise, and wonder how the + addresses this.
User avatar
By Lampdog Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:13 pm
Danoc wrote:Lamp how you liking this Maschine +? Pros and Cons for you?

Still reading everyone’s thoughts on it. It’s an interesting machine. Some are spoiled and want more more more. It’s a standalone.
User avatar
By Danoc Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:43 pm
Lampdog wrote:Still reading everyone’s thoughts on it. It’s an interesting machine. Some are spoiled and want more more more. It’s a standalone.


DAaaaammm Lamp :lol:

They need to do MORE, More, more music!

There will never be a perfect machine, you have to make your studio a perfect workflow for YOU, that's where I'm at right now. I'm good. Once I got to the point of getting the blown out computer, my looking and wanting a standalone machine vanished quickly. The interest just isn't there. But I love to see others get what they want.
User avatar
By Menco Fri Sep 11, 2020 5:35 pm
MPC-Tutor wrote:Cursor buttons are a classic example of what is missing on the Live - yes you can tap the parameters on the touchscreen to select them which is quicker 'on paper', but in reality the muscle memory you build with the cursors on legacy MPCs means the real world workflow is quicker.


Exactly this!
User avatar
By Menco Fri Sep 11, 2020 5:38 pm
Danoc wrote:There will never be a perfect machine, you have to make your studio a perfect workflow for YOU


There is no such thing as a perfect machine, only a perfect setup.
User avatar
By Lampdog Fri Sep 11, 2020 6:27 pm
Maybe “Your” perfect setup.
Not a perfect setup in general, no, never.
But perfect for you and your needs, yes.



Danoc wrote:There will never be a perfect machine, you have to make your studio a perfect workflow for YOU....


Menco wrote:There is no such thing as a perfect machine, only a perfect setup.


These.