By LabDog
Tue Nov 12, 2013 3:32 am
This new MPC Song mode utilizes advanced Live Sequence Chaining features and is intended to replace "Next Sequence". This is a recording style adopted by other software such as Cakewalk/Roland's MPC like software (Kinectic 2) and Cakewalk's Groove Matrix (Found in Project 5 ver2).
Chaining Sequences together and recording them (as triggered) Live in the MPCs' Song Mode would be amazing for the MPC! First example of this method...
Currently Song Mode in the MPC lets us 'piece' our Sequences together, but not in the Live Chaining manner found in programs like those I mentioned above.
In Kinetic 2 and Project 5 Version 2.5 you can trigger/play your Sequences (called Grooves in these two programs) live while recording the entire Live Performance as a Song.
'Unfortunately no one can simply be told what the Matrix is, one has to see it for themselves' Here’s another example…
The Kinetic Song creation mode and the Project 5 Groove Matrix are Very similar in their functionality, except you can't see all the recorded Patterns (Again called Grooves and recognized as Sequences to MPC users). Instead, they all ‘Combine’ into one editable Linear Song Pattern which is actually pretty cool. You can see this in action in the video above.
It is this Song creation behavior that I find amazing and it would be even more amazing in the MPC. I really think MPC users would fall completely in love with it.
Both of these programs are Old as H&!!, but to this date, their Song Modes Murder both the Current MPC Song mode along with Maschine's Song mode! Next Sequence need not even apply for competition here.
The Groove Matrix is amazing for remixing... if we could have a similarly powerful Song mode mimicking it, the MPC would become a new Legend on top of itself!
Another good way to picture this new concept with the proposed new Song Mode in the MPC can be found in part of the NI Maschine review you guys posted.
Using that video I wanted to help you visualize how the Song Recording or better said (Performance Recording) could work in the MPC.
In this Example from NI Maschine 2.0 Review, at around 6:55, you see the guy triggering the Scenes in a live manner.
The new MPC Song Mode would be recording that live Scene Triggering. Again, much like what we see with the Cakewalk programs shown above. From now on, let’s refer to this new MPC recording mode as MPC R-Mix.
MPC R-Mix would allow you to record all your Sequence triggers, even recording things like Sequence Retriggers.
Now we will even use a pad to start/stop its sequence and create what I call 'Sequence Stops' (or breaks/pauses in the song).
This song mode will even allow for live tracking into the R-Mix Song, such as playing in a Solo instrument, a Riff or other sample or sound we may want to only appear at certain points of our song.
The purpose of this Song Mode is to ignite the user's creative mode! Not only will the current MPC workflow get MPC users into that creative flow, but now the MPC R-Mix will become the user's MUSE... Placing you absolutely into that ZONE that you always want to find yourselves in!
You and your MPC will be as one, with R-Mix encouraging you flip and change your tracks on the fly!
The true benefit of the MPC R-Mix mode is fast song/remix creation; it's essentially a 'how you perform it live is how it'll play back' recording mode for the MPC.
With added deep editing features, the MPC will even let you go back and Remix your R-Mix by dragging and Slip editing your recorded R-Mix pattern events just like you would MIDI events!
MPC user BDRAKE visualizes the concept perfectly and has this to say about it!
To help visualize the concept further I've provided mockups of the MPC R-Mix Mode
Note the differences in the MPC R-Mix track and the live tracks below it. Also note there is no need to set Bar/Measure lengths here. Instead, as with any linear recording, your R-Mix simply grows as you continue to record.
Use Record to Overwrite a segment or Overdub to Blend in changes to prior R-Mix segments.
LCD Layout view of an R-Mix Sequence Track. Button Mapping is intuitive and deep, with advanced features being accessible via Pages. (Page 1. shown here)
LCD Layout view of an R-Mix Live Track. (Page 1. shown here)
User ntalec reflects upon the concept and had this to say...
R-Mix also brings a new Pad triggering behavior to the MPC where a Sequence is started by pressing a pad and stopped by pressing the same pad again.
Sequence 'Trigger Modes' All have fast switching modes, via Function keys and perhaps also using Q-Links...
These modes include: Trigger on Next Beat, Sudden/Immediately and Next Bar
The Sequence Sync Mode controls in the following manner:
* Sync by Position (Causes the next Sequence to trigger in position with the previous sequence based on the current Bar)
* Sync by Tempo(Always starts a Sequence from the beginning (First Bar) when triggered)
Finally, the Sequence Latch/Hold option creates the following behavior:
Turned on, causes a Sequence to continue to play when triggered by a Pad
Turned Off, a Sequence will stop immediately when the corresponding Pad is released. Using this mode in conjunction with either Sync mode allows the user to 'retrigger' Sequences on the fly.
All these can remain governed by the MPC swing and quantize settings.
Forum veteran JAH shares his take... here
By now I'm hoping you're seeing what a true benefit this feature is to the MPC and to its users... This is indeed a Monster feature for a system like the MPC!
It provides the ability to retrigger the Sequences, fire them like a One Shot, or even use the Pad to start the Sequence, then hit it again to stop it... creating super Hot "PAUSES" in a Song right where they need at appear! It even allows for that linear style recording found in our favorite DAWS!
I want this feature to find its way to the MPC so badly, and I too am amazed it isn't already there.
Based on concept presented here and the Photoshop imagery I've up for you guys, I'd really like you think about what you like about the idea or even what may be missing from the concept.
Akai, MPC R-Mix can seriously help you squelch your competitors efforts, if you're browsing the Forums and find yourselves reading this post, you should seriously look into implementing this! And before 'they' do!!! F5 - "Do It!"
Chaining Sequences together and recording them (as triggered) Live in the MPCs' Song Mode would be amazing for the MPC! First example of this method...
Currently Song Mode in the MPC lets us 'piece' our Sequences together, but not in the Live Chaining manner found in programs like those I mentioned above.
In Kinetic 2 and Project 5 Version 2.5 you can trigger/play your Sequences (called Grooves in these two programs) live while recording the entire Live Performance as a Song.
'Unfortunately no one can simply be told what the Matrix is, one has to see it for themselves' Here’s another example…
The Kinetic Song creation mode and the Project 5 Groove Matrix are Very similar in their functionality, except you can't see all the recorded Patterns (Again called Grooves and recognized as Sequences to MPC users). Instead, they all ‘Combine’ into one editable Linear Song Pattern which is actually pretty cool. You can see this in action in the video above.
It is this Song creation behavior that I find amazing and it would be even more amazing in the MPC. I really think MPC users would fall completely in love with it.
Both of these programs are Old as H&!!, but to this date, their Song Modes Murder both the Current MPC Song mode along with Maschine's Song mode! Next Sequence need not even apply for competition here.
The Groove Matrix is amazing for remixing... if we could have a similarly powerful Song mode mimicking it, the MPC would become a new Legend on top of itself!
Another good way to picture this new concept with the proposed new Song Mode in the MPC can be found in part of the NI Maschine review you guys posted.
Using that video I wanted to help you visualize how the Song Recording or better said (Performance Recording) could work in the MPC.
In this Example from NI Maschine 2.0 Review, at around 6:55, you see the guy triggering the Scenes in a live manner.
The new MPC Song Mode would be recording that live Scene Triggering. Again, much like what we see with the Cakewalk programs shown above. From now on, let’s refer to this new MPC recording mode as MPC R-Mix.
MPC R-Mix would allow you to record all your Sequence triggers, even recording things like Sequence Retriggers.
Now we will even use a pad to start/stop its sequence and create what I call 'Sequence Stops' (or breaks/pauses in the song).
This song mode will even allow for live tracking into the R-Mix Song, such as playing in a Solo instrument, a Riff or other sample or sound we may want to only appear at certain points of our song.
The purpose of this Song Mode is to ignite the user's creative mode! Not only will the current MPC workflow get MPC users into that creative flow, but now the MPC R-Mix will become the user's MUSE... Placing you absolutely into that ZONE that you always want to find yourselves in!
You and your MPC will be as one, with R-Mix encouraging you flip and change your tracks on the fly!
The true benefit of the MPC R-Mix mode is fast song/remix creation; it's essentially a 'how you perform it live is how it'll play back' recording mode for the MPC.
With added deep editing features, the MPC will even let you go back and Remix your R-Mix by dragging and Slip editing your recorded R-Mix pattern events just like you would MIDI events!
MPC user BDRAKE visualizes the concept perfectly and has this to say about it!
BDRAKE wrote:
I see so like using the sequence like a drum hit type of style while recording in song mode. Yep that's dope. We need that. I mean that's a dope feature, who wouldn't use it?
To help visualize the concept further I've provided mockups of the MPC R-Mix Mode
Note the differences in the MPC R-Mix track and the live tracks below it. Also note there is no need to set Bar/Measure lengths here. Instead, as with any linear recording, your R-Mix simply grows as you continue to record.
Use Record to Overwrite a segment or Overdub to Blend in changes to prior R-Mix segments.
LCD Layout view of an R-Mix Sequence Track. Button Mapping is intuitive and deep, with advanced features being accessible via Pages. (Page 1. shown here)
LCD Layout view of an R-Mix Live Track. (Page 1. shown here)
User ntalec reflects upon the concept and had this to say...
ntalec wrote:It's like firing Clips in LIVE.
This was one of the things people complained about with Maschine and not being able to trigger Scenes like LIVE does Clips.
It doesn't play the sequence it triggers it meaning you can constantly retrigger a sequence based on what you have your quantize set for or freely when set to off.
Think of it more like if you just have samples of your sequences on your 16 pads and are triggering them but instead you would have your actual sequence on the pad.
Next Sequence is kinda an outdated thought process since even Immediate doesn't give you retriggering ability like a Pad Sequencer does.
Kinda surprised Akai missed out on this feature when they went software.
R-Mix also brings a new Pad triggering behavior to the MPC where a Sequence is started by pressing a pad and stopped by pressing the same pad again.
Sequence 'Trigger Modes' All have fast switching modes, via Function keys and perhaps also using Q-Links...
These modes include: Trigger on Next Beat, Sudden/Immediately and Next Bar
The Sequence Sync Mode controls in the following manner:
* Sync by Position (Causes the next Sequence to trigger in position with the previous sequence based on the current Bar)
* Sync by Tempo(Always starts a Sequence from the beginning (First Bar) when triggered)
Finally, the Sequence Latch/Hold option creates the following behavior:
Turned on, causes a Sequence to continue to play when triggered by a Pad
Turned Off, a Sequence will stop immediately when the corresponding Pad is released. Using this mode in conjunction with either Sync mode allows the user to 'retrigger' Sequences on the fly.
All these can remain governed by the MPC swing and quantize settings.
Forum veteran JAH shares his take... here
JAH wrote:I like it. I have a similar idea which would allow you to 'beat juggle' between multiple sequences.
By now I'm hoping you're seeing what a true benefit this feature is to the MPC and to its users... This is indeed a Monster feature for a system like the MPC!
It provides the ability to retrigger the Sequences, fire them like a One Shot, or even use the Pad to start the Sequence, then hit it again to stop it... creating super Hot "PAUSES" in a Song right where they need at appear! It even allows for that linear style recording found in our favorite DAWS!
I want this feature to find its way to the MPC so badly, and I too am amazed it isn't already there.
Based on concept presented here and the Photoshop imagery I've up for you guys, I'd really like you think about what you like about the idea or even what may be missing from the concept.
Akai, MPC R-Mix can seriously help you squelch your competitors efforts, if you're browsing the Forums and find yourselves reading this post, you should seriously look into implementing this! And before 'they' do!!! F5 - "Do It!"
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