Using the MPC X avoiding the touchscreen

Hello, I have a Force and a Live 2. I don't like using touchscreens so I wanted to ask you owners of an X if, using the many extra buttons, q-links and F-keys, it's possible to operate it by mostly using the hardware.
The grid view (piano roll) is where I struggle the most on both devices.

Just about anything you want to do in Grid View, aside from selecting the mode, zooming, or moving the playback head, is going to require you to touch the screen. With the X I'd say you can do a lot with just the front panel, but there's plenty of parts of the OS where touching the screen is unavoidable so you ARE going to have to use it one way or another.

Its like the OG MPC Studio. With that you can actually function at about 90% with just the hardware, but there are parts of the MPC Software (like naming samples) where you HAVE to switch over and use the computer to do it, no way around it. I LOVED my MPC Studio Black, but moved up to the Live and it was kind of a step back in that respect. The Live requires a lot more interaction with the screen then the Studio ever did with the computer.

Yeah, I’m kind of realizing I’m in the same boat here. I bought an X with the view that the touchscreen and all the buttons & knobs offered all I could ever want, in order to pull me away from the computer, but I’m realizing, especially of late, that unfortunately, I’m now viewing working with the touchscreen - is more akin to an iPad, and all the knobs & buttons are really just there to complement the touchscreen.

I just got an Octatrack, and haven’t looked at the X since the Octatrack arrived, and I LOVE it’s completely hands on working environment - for me, I really feel I’m building tracks from the ground up - pushing and twisting every aspect; add the sequencer - it really is a breath of fresh air.

I don’t want to seem like a Debbie-downer, as the X really is an amazing piece of kit, but for my needs (and ultimate enjoyment), the X just isn’t cutting it for me right now.

Monotremata wrote:Just about anything you want to do in Grid View, aside from selecting the mode, zooming, or moving the playback head, is going to require you to touch the screen. With the X I'd say you can do a lot with just the front panel, but there's plenty of parts of the OS where touching the screen is unavoidable so you ARE going to have to use it one way or another.

Naming things will require the onscreen keyboard, and I'm fine with that.

What I find tedious is trying to touch small things, like note events. Also I'd like to build muscle memory, which is not possible on touchscreens because they lack tactile feedback.

Can you check for me on your X that if you zoom into grid view and do a "select all" from the f-key then only the visible notes will be selected?

Schnooker wrote:Yeah, I’m kind of realizing I’m in the same boat here. I bought an X with the view that the touchscreen and all the buttons & knobs offered all I could ever want, in order to pull me away from the computer, but I’m realizing, especially of late, that unfortunately, I’m now viewing working with the touchscreen - is more akin to an iPad, and all the knobs & buttons are really just there to complement the touchscreen.

I just got an Octatrack, and haven’t looked at the X since the Octatrack arrived, and I LOVE it’s completely hands on working environment - for me, I really feel I’m building tracks from the ground up - pushing and twisting every aspect; add the sequencer - it really is a breath of fresh air.

I don’t want to seem like a Debbie-downer, as the X really is an amazing piece of kit, but for my needs (and ultimate enjoyment), the X just isn’t cutting it for me right now.

I have had a Rytm and an A4 for over a year but I haven't still gelled with them. The 64 step limit per pattern and limited voices don't work well for me. Also, the effects are send only.

mario-g wrote:Hello, I have a Force and a Live 2. I don't like using touchscreens so I wanted to ask you owners of an X if, using the many extra buttons, q-links and F-keys, it's possible to operate it by mostly using the hardware.
The grid view (piano roll) is where I struggle the most on both devices.

Obviously, expective a touch screen backed synthesizer not to rely on the touch screen is delusion. You should think about buying gear that doesn't have a touch screen at first place.

mpc_fan_2022 wrote:

mario-g wrote:Hello, I have a Force and a Live 2. I don't like using touchscreens so I wanted to ask you owners of an X if, using the many extra buttons, q-links and F-keys, it's possible to operate it by mostly using the hardware.
The grid view (piano roll) is where I struggle the most on both devices.

Obviously, expective a touch screen backed synthesizer not to rely on the touch screen is delusion. You should think about buying gear that doesn't have a touch screen at first place.

It was not clear to me that the touchscreen was a mandatory part of the instruments.

Sometimes designers allow for more ways to do a task, e.g. in my car I can use the touchscreen or buttons on the steering wheek to change the song being played.

I was expecting these machines to be more than an iPad + pads + a few knobs.

mario-g wrote:Hello, I have a Force and a Live 2. I don't like using touchscreens so I wanted to ask you owners of an X if, using the many extra buttons, q-links and F-keys, it's possible to operate it by mostly using the hardware. The grid view (piano roll) is where I struggle the most on both devices.

Coming from the 1000/2500 I was very used to a hard coded muscle memory, doing things almost without thinking about them. First weeks I got the Live 2 I found it ridiculously clunky to use, user interface and lack of buttons removed a lot of the MPC charm I knew and was looking for. So I just forgot about it for months and went back to the 2500.

But then once in a while I gave it a try to see what's up with this thing, and it does have a lot of cool features. Then it became the main with some time and the 2500 ended up in the closet. Although the Live 2 is nowhere as 'muscle memory' based, the new possibilities make up for it. Then months later I got the X for my buttons & Qlinks craving, which is better but still nowhere as near as the 2500, and probably never will be.

I'd say try recording as much as you can live, playing with Time Correct settings to avoid having to select tiny blocks on a screen with a finger. Use qlinks to navigate, pads to select corresponding notes and switch to function keys below the screen to get extra dedicated buttons. Overall it is a learning curve for sure, but as you get to know the machine it starts to feel more and more natural.

I also have a Digitakt so I know a little bit of the Elektron way of doing things, and it's very refreshing to go back and forth between the two machines when one is starting to feel uninspiring. I'd say they're very complementary in that regard. So maybe try to keep the X for a while to see how it goes, you could end up loving both machines.

Oh and on the top of my head, youtubers Tubedigga & Marlow Digs videos (among others) can bring a ton of quality of life techniques to get things done a lot more smoothly imo, worth a look.

You can try list edit. It can seem scary, but can be useful and you can select multiple events (by holding shift and turning data wheel) and select parameters for all selected ones using arrow buttons .

I didn't like the touch screen very much at first when i got my MPC One.

Then i saw someone on the forums here saying they used a stylus with it.

I use these : https://www.amazon.com/Dimples-Generati ... B074H24YT2

These combined with button shortcuts (there are many) made the experience much better for me.

I think some guys just need to invest their Money into a MPC 4000. You'll get much more satisfaction navigating without the Touchscreen

Basically anything you can touch with your finger the cursor should be able to select as well.

40Beatz wrote:I think some guys just need to invest their Money into a MPC 4000. You'll get much more satisfaction navigating without the Touchscreen

Still seriously considering it if/when the Live stops working haha. At least then I'd have a real sampler engine inside.

Those need the old AK.Sys software to copy/backup and edit your sample library with the computer dont they?

Not a Necessity, but it is a handy app...I have AKSYS software running on my old XP Computer. The USB port is sufficient