v1.6 Software priorities

DJ Hellfire wrote:

MeSoHordey wrote:A clear policy on what happens if I need to unlock the software more than twice.

This is already clear. You get 4 different computer unlocks. Unlock on the same computer is unlimited unless you reinstall the os. If you run out, you can contact akai to reset them.

I would say that the policy in this respect is still very much unclear, because if you read the actual license itself (as shown during installation), you'll see there is no mention of '4 computer unlocks'. Here's the relevant info:

MPC Software License 1.5 wrote:1.1. Device license. You may install one copy of the software on one hardware device for your internal business use or your own personal enjoyment. The software may only be used by one person at time, unless you have purchased licenses for additional users.

MPC Software License 1.5 wrote:10.1. Device transfer. If your license is limited to one hardware device, you may transfer your licensed copy of the software to a different device for your internal business use or your own personal enjoyment provided that you completely remove the software from the former device.

This seems to suggest that you can install the software on any number of 'devices', but it can only be installed in a single device at any one time. So from this I would say that should you be running the MPC Software on your desktop and a laptop, you would be in violation of your license, whereas the FAQ at akaiprompc.com seems to suggest this would be possible:

akaiprompc.com wrote:How many computers can I authorize the MPC Software on?
The MPC Software can be authorized on 4 computers.

So, which is it? I'd say that's pretty unclear!

Also I spotted this in the license:

2. LIMITED RIGHTS TO MEDIA ELEMENTS. The software may include certain pictures, animations, sounds, music and video clips for your reuse. You may create your own works based upon these media elements, and copy, modify, distribute, display, and perform your derivative works provided that...

...2.2. you include a valid copyright notice on your derivative works.

Reading this literally, this means that if you use any of the provided sounds in your music, the MPC Software license forbids you to place the resulting music the public domain, because placing music in the public domain means it has no copyright attached to it at all.

Is that the intention of this clause? I doubt it, although I am not entirely sure why they need to add such a thing in the first place. Ian Canefire is a lawyer, maybe he can chime in (pro-bono please!).

master-ceo wrote:

DJ Hellfire wrote:Also, not listed, support for vintage mode plugins as inserts. I think at this point akai needs to just let go of Ren only vintage mode, with the fact coming out that is just VST plugins that can be inserted. Vintage mode needs to also be opened up to studio users. There is absolutely no reason for this to be restricted to Ren users. And with controller undongling, vintage mode still needs to remain active on the project when the controller is unplugged. A consumer is not going to part with an extra $400 just to have vintage mode. He's gonna get the studio if that's what his budget is. Restricting this to Ren users only is not bring in more Ren sales, IMO.

Plus, stacking and mixing and matching vintage modes sounds amazing.

This + better DAW and Multicore Support! Soundfont Support would be Super.

+ 16 Part Multi-Timbral Functionality/ Implementation!!!
DAMN! What is so F******G HARD about this?!?!?!?

DJ Hellfire wrote:Also, not listed, support for vintage mode plugins as inserts. I think at this point akai needs to just let go of Ren only vintage mode, with the fact coming out that is just VST plugins that can be inserted. Vintage mode needs to also be opened up to studio users. There is absolutely no reason for this to be restricted to Ren users. And with controller undongling, vintage mode still needs to remain active on the project when the controller is unplugged. A consumer is not going to part with an extra $400 just to have vintage mode. He's gonna get the studio if that's what his budget is. Restricting this to Ren users only is not bring in more Ren sales, IMO.

Never thought about this, but totally agree.

1. Alternate looping <-Very useful poor mans time stretch
2. Faster volume/pitch control like Maschine where you can hold the pad and turn the knob to lower/raise volume and pitch. Maybe they can incorporate something with the q-links but imo I shouldn't have to go to another screen to turn to lower a snare quickly.
3. Headroom in the mixer
4. Audio Tracks

GedaBlaq wrote:+ 16 Part Multi-Timbral Functionality/ Implementation!!!
DAMN! What is so F******G HARD about this?!?!?!?

Standalone or plugin?

How would it work, what is the idea behind it?

I have not had opportunity to dig into 1.5 yet, but I will tonight. Looking at the options of the poll, and reading over comments and replies, I take it that virtual outs was increased in 1.5? Had to be since I was hearing that a lot since before I made my purchase a couple weeks ago, and now I am not hearing anything about more virtual outs after the 1.5 update....

*Edit.... my bad, #10

This is a must:

10. Mixer (Global, more virtual outs, headroom, submix inserts, aux channels, etc)

needlz1906 wrote:1. Alternate looping <-Very useful poor mans time stretch

Thing is, it's not even just a poor man's technique.

For example: you take a breakbeat with lots of cymbal action going on in it. This means no chop can cut short when you play it. It's fine if you're using its normal pitch and tempo, but if you drop the song tempo even just a bit, you're gonna have hits that cut short and they sound unnatural (this is one of the things i often hear in songs of those who haven't been making music / chopping beats for very long).
Sure, you can timestretch the hits, but good luck doing that for 16+ hits....it takes time and is a show-stopper. If you can use a alternating loop, you can get smooth loops in no time, and often you can find good loop points that let you loop the sound forever. It sounds very natural when you set good loop points and add a bit of release to the amp envelope. I also love to use this technique with looping vocals.
Let me also add that timestretching also affects the attack as well as other audio qualities of the sample, while alternating loop doesn't.

It is the conscious producer's choice!

masada2502 wrote:the ability to change sample rate and bit depth while sampling (i.e.)24,16,12,8 bit and sample rate between 8k to 96k.

realtime pitch-shift

volume in sample browser

pad copy similar to N.I.Machines

variable individual track lengths (i.e.) tr 1: kick 4 bars ,tr 2 :hi hats 2 bars tr 3 :snare 8 bars.

chord memory(record chord to pads )for those for us who aren't skilled players.

midi plugin capability (chord space player ,Effectrix )

get rid of the midi dots in the main sequence screen on the lcd.put something else in that space that will be more useful .

custom faces/colors for daw (like nexus) and other vsts

improve the gui of the daw darken the contrast make the colors bolder.

allow the Daw to be separated across multiple screens (i.e.) main seq window on one monitor ,program screen on 2nd monitor ,sample editor on 3rd monitor .

multicore

better mixer

allow for more than one fx plugin to be opened simultaneously

audio tracks
more to come.

I like this list. Add Global Mixer (better mixer) and there it is.

Fanu wrote:It is the conscious producer's choice!

I never timestretch samples. Even the best algorithms make the sample sound plastic very quickly.

I'm like a broken record since 1.0 .... FX PLUGIN AUTOMATION PLEEEEEAAAAASSSSE!

I also voted for some of the other top ones in this list. In looking to each instrument that I own for it's strength I've come to find that the Renaissance is first and foremost a SAMPLER. It's like a fairly in depth sampling workstation, and it's definitely not a full DAW.
That said...
I think there should be heavy improvements in the sampling department. Things like a pitch envelope in the sampler. Maybe a built in EQ so that the filter doesn't have to be used to perform EQ duties.

More control of samples from the hardware... things like purge and selecting all edit groups should be available from the hardware (the lack of them really slows things down). Right now you can add all your samples from the hardware but it's much more difficult to take things away and/or organize things from the hardware.

The one thing that the Ren/Studio definitely has going for it is Workflow. They should be doing everything they can at AKAI to hit the workflow out of the park. It has an opportunity to stand out in that regard. People would honestly be able to say that yes, maybe this other thing can do more but I get more done faster on my Renaissance. That could be it's saving grace imo.

Coz wrote:

Fanu wrote:It is the conscious producer's choice!

I never timestretch samples. Even the best algorithms make the sample sound plastic very quickly.

I do, but as more of an effect than a tool.

....................................

Also want to put out there that we could really use Legato/Portamento modes in the sampler....

Fanu wrote:

needlz1906 wrote:1. Alternate looping <-Very useful poor mans time stretch

Thing is, it's not even just a poor man's technique.

For example: you take a breakbeat with lots of cymbal action going on in it. This means no chop can cut short when you play it. It's fine if you're using its normal pitch and tempo, but if you drop the song tempo even just a bit, you're gonna have hits that cut short and they sound unnatural (this is one of the things i often hear in songs of those who haven't been making music / chopping beats for very long).
Sure, you can timestretch the hits, but good luck doing that for 16+ hits....it takes time and is a show-stopper. If you can use a alternating loop, you can get smooth loops in no time, and often you can find good loop points that let you loop the sound forever. It sounds very natural when you set good loop points and add a bit of release to the amp envelope. I also love to use this technique with looping vocals.
Let me also add that timestretching also affects the attack as well as other audio qualities of the sample, while alternating loop doesn't.

It is the conscious producer's choice!

Man I use this all of the time. Most of the older samples(including Akai) had this feature. Not sure why companies stop implementing it. Check out the 4:00 mark in this video that show's it's usefulness. Please Vote!!!

http://vimeo.com/15165948

SimonInAustralia wrote:

GedaBlaq wrote:+ 16 Part Multi-Timbral Functionality/ Implementation!!!
DAMN! What is so F******G HARD about this?!?!?!?

Standalone or plugin?

How would it work, what is the idea behind it?

Thanks for asking Simon.

Inside whatever DAW you choose, MPC software multi-timbrality would function exactly as Kontakt does, i.e, inside your DAW, you'd be capable of opening up to 16 instances of the MPC plugin and assigning each instance/ sound (kick, snare, hats, etc...) to a DAW track and its respective MIDI channel number, OR open 1 instance of the MPC plugin and assign each plugin track to a different but corresponding DAW MIDI channel. The assigned sounds would be internal Ren sounds triggered by the Ren's pads but recorded into the DAW's sequencer.

To further clarify, Inside Pro Tools or whatever, I have 4 instrument/ MIDI tracks, each loaded with the MPC software plugin OR 1 instance of the MPC plugin with tracks 1-4 assigned to corresponding DAW tracks. I also have 4 audio tracks created in my DAW for samples.

Track 1: MPC plugin - MIDI channel 1 sends a kick (kick & snare... whatever)
Track 1: DAW - (record armed) set to MIDI channel 1 receives the kick from MPC software

Track 2: MPC plugin - MIDI channel 2 sends a snare
Track 2: DAW - (record armed) set to MIDI channel 2 receives the snare

Track 3: MPC plugin - MIDI channel 3 sends a hat
Track 3: DAW - (record armed) set to MIDI channel 3 receives the hat

Track 4: MPC plugin - MIDI channel 4 sends a shaker
Track 4: DAW - (record armed) set to MIDI channel 4 receives the shaker

DAW tracks 5-8 are for audio samples.

Before all the BS starts about who does and doesn't understand why someone would want to work this way, I'm fully aware of the fact that not everyone works this way. However, I and quite a few others here, not only do but prefer this workflow. I love my Ren but let's be honest, the Ren's editing, FX and mixer capabilites and functionality pale in comparison to a DAW. I know the Ren isn't meant to be a DAW, which is exactly why I prefer to "seamlessly" incorporate it into my DAW workflow.

Simon and all others who read this, please let me know if I have not explained my feature request well enough for you to understand and I will do my best to break it down further.

Thanks again for asking Simon.

SimonInAustralia wrote:

GedaBlaq wrote:+ 16 Part Multi-Timbral Functionality/ Implementation!!!
DAMN! What is so F******G HARD about this?!?!?!?

Standalone or plugin?

How would it work, what is the idea behind it?

IT works like maschine's function ..= sounds to midi notes...

HA Beat me to it..

Plus

If they add a shit load of extra virtual outs,
You can have your global mixer too .. When used as a plugin the your daw becomes the global mixer.....

To me this would be a better option, as a global mixer your daw has way better routing and plugin handling than the mpc software at current... The only thing you couldn't do is controll things like effect inserts and mixing from mpc controller ...(becuase your routing out to your daw)

REaper for instance can sidechain any parameter from any plugin.... you can dynamically adjust a distortion plugins gain value on a guitar sample from the signal from a kick drum track..
Reaper has had this for a while.. Another daw that can do this is renoise...
I think ableton have just added parameter link function which works the same way..

Sidechaining shouldn't be limited too just "ducking" ...