Discuss Akai's iOS apps iMPC & iMPC Pro
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By DSTR / deStar Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:06 pm
Hi!

I just bought an iPad, and I was wondering if the iMPC app and the MPC software (Renaissance + Studio) are somewhat compatible.

The idea is this: if I do beat sketches on the iPad, will I be able to open those projects with my Renaissance later on to finish those ideas?

Also, will all of my MPC-Samples Programs (MPC Bass, etc.) work on the iMPC?

Thanks!
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By DSTR / deStar Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:15 pm
T-Virus wrote:In my opinion Impc sucks. Get Beatmaker 2 and Thor and your good to go.


And in terms of compatibility with MPC software?
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By Lampdog Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:27 pm
Use Ifunbox on computer, connect ipad to computer, view ipads folders, copy impc files to computer and see if you can open them in Ren Software.

Ifunbox per what I've read is free and lets you explorer ipads file system.
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By Metatron72 Tue Sep 17, 2013 12:12 am
I don't have Ren but I have iMPC. (BM2 is WAY better as always gets mentioned though).

The iMPC code is adapted from the Akai MPC1000 OS. So the idea is you can export your 4 tracks and load them in Ren/Studio, I assume with the desktop software reading them as a variation of a 1000 file.

I believe the normal method is using iTunes to get the files to desktop, but iFunbox should work too. It's pretty quick once you get used to to folder locations where the saves and sample data are (when you wanna grab the in built libraries from apps).

It shows the entire folder structure of the app, so you actually can even drag out the .bmp files on knobs and GUI's :lol:

But the save/sample folders have the same naming style across the whole OS, so again it's easy once you know the titles of those folders.

I think it's a no on importing hardware and Ren/Studio PGM's. I know for sure it can't import Ren project files even if you only used four tracks.

Also when you add samples to it, NO FOLDERS... :Sigh:

Your single hits just appear in one giant list that you can't edit or organize. That alone makes the app utterly useless to me. It includes some nice sounds, many I think from old Akai libraries, but a 16 pad sampler app for me needs to let me handle my own sounds efficiently.

iMPC is a somewhat capable toy really. Too many artificially imposed limitations. Beatmaker 2 on the other hand does 90% of what my MPC4000 does. It's night and day in direct comparison.


You can get the free Tabletop app to host iMPC and get around the 4 track limit using multiple instances.
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By MeSoHordey Tue Sep 17, 2013 12:47 am
Imagine you create a great intro sequence on the iMPC. You're just killing it, totally in the zone. Now you create the main sequence. It's dope. You're loving it. You go to export them as a single song and the option isn't there. There is no way to string two sequences together. You think about it for a while. You try some workarounds. You even try and create one long sequence but one mistake and it is really difficult to recover, especially without a grid matrix to view your notes. Suddenly an epiphany. You delete the app and move on to BeatMaker. Your life is simpler again and you can spend all the free time you were taking trying to figure out how to make iMPC work for you, actually making beats.

Friends don't let friends buy iMPC.
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By DSTR / deStar Thu Sep 26, 2013 5:51 pm
Thanks, guys! Really appreciated. :)
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By Lampdog Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:16 pm
MeSoHordey wrote:Suddenly an epiphany. You delete the app and move on to BeatMaker.

Friends don't let friends buy iMPC.

Real shit. Beatmaker 2 IS a whole studio on ipad.
I can't stress that enough, forget about iMPC.

BM 2 and a synth app and ur good. BM2 has synths but I prefer more refined synths. check PSR's reviews on ipad synths, good unbiased reviews, he always tells it like it is. Everything audiobus compatible, everything virtual midi between each other and you are set to be amazed.
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By DSTR / deStar Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:57 pm
Lampdog wrote:
MeSoHordey wrote:Suddenly an epiphany. You delete the app and move on to BeatMaker.

Friends don't let friends buy iMPC.

Real ****. Beatmaker 2 IS a whole studio on ipad.
I can't stress that enough, forget about iMPC.

BM 2 and a synth app and ur good. BM2 has synths but I prefer more refined synths. check PSR's reviews on ipad synths, good unbiased reviews, he always tells it like it is. Everything audiobus compatible, everything virtual midi between each other and you are set to be amazed.


But I'm guessing that I won't be able to open Beatmaker projects on the MPC Renaissance software, right? :?
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By Lampdog Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:32 pm
Can't place a Ferrari engine into a Pinto.

My point was, it's a better program than iMPC can ever dream of being.
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By tapedeck Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:35 pm
arent there also cases of ren not loading previous ren programs?

yer actually good, dude, and you might be barking up the wrong tree as i personally see you already surpassing the limitations of modern day mpcs. :mrgreen:
By coolderb Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:25 pm
DSTR / deStar wrote:
T-Virus wrote:In my opinion Impc sucks. Get Beatmaker 2 and Thor and your good to go.


And in terms of compatibility with MPC software?


I say why not use both? BM2 has all the bells and whistles, iMPC has a clean, simple interface and most importantly (based upon your original question) compatibility with the MPC desktop software. You can export an entire project ( including sequences, samples and programs (kits) and pull them up immediately in the desktop app. You can take advantage of the BM2 advanced chopping features and use audio cut/paste to move stuff around between apps. Once Audiobus and InterApp Audio is added (soon according to Retronyms) the integration between the two apps and many others will be even tighter.

As others have pointed out, Beatmaker 2 is the cream of the crop and keeps getting better. They just submitted another update (2.5) with more cool features:

http://intua.net/announcing-beatmaker-2-5/
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By DSTR / deStar Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:37 am
tapedeck wrote:yer actually good, dude, and you might be barking up the wrong tree as i personally see you already surpassing the limitations of modern day mpcs. :mrgreen:


If that is intended to me, it's really kind! If not, :oops:

But I have accumulated MONTHS without practicing nor composing anything... The last beats I actually made were on my 1000 approx a year (or more!) ago.

I made about 20 beats on the 1000 last year after I finished my last album ( http://dstr.bandcamp.com/album/reconstructed-memories ).

I've been slowly transferring them to the Renaissance, wanting to get rid of my old completely BUSTED 1000 (literally holding with tape). But the transfer is so arduous (two days per beat sometimes!), and the obstacles and the workarounds are so painful, that I decided to take a break and wait.

Not only that, but I've been also really frustrated with the mixing/mastering part :WTF:

Hopefully the OS 1.5 will accommodate me, with, I hope, an updated Track Mixer!

Just seeing my Renaissance makes me want to puke. :fku:

That's why I thought that if I don't take it too seriously, and make small "ideas" on the iPad, I just might get back into it, and slowly regain my inspiration back ;)
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By tapedeck Fri Sep 27, 2013 2:08 am
coolderb wrote:Just seeing my Renaissance makes me want to puke. :fku:

time to bust out the old acoustic guitar

yes it was a compliment. :mrgreen:
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By DSTR / deStar Fri Sep 27, 2013 2:11 am
tapedeck wrote:
coolderb wrote:Just seeing my Renaissance makes me want to puke. :fku:

time to bust out the old acoustic guitar

yes it was a compliment. :mrgreen:


Word! :D