Force's new Arranger is here - MPC user thoughts?

Menco wrote:DAW like? The whole touchscreen concept and everything that came with it already made it more DAW like. Plugins, automation and more focus on grid edit. It’s basically already a DAW in a box. Even though it doesn’t feel like DAW in a box to most people because of the way everything is set up. If the arranger screen would be the Main screen and replace the Sequence I can understand it will also feel very DAW like to everybody. But if it’s just a visualization of Song Mode it will fit perfectly inside the MPC environment, which would make a lot of sense with the larger screen of nowadays MPC’s. Just like sequencing and sequence editing became more visual.

To me personally those MPC’s already feel too much like a DAW, but if there are any more ‘DAW- like’ features I’d love to have inside an MPC then it would be an Arranger View and better mixer.

This, except I don't mind any of it. Anything DAW-like about the Live has made it easier to work with.

And that's what I was hoping for from the arranger.

vinylstyle wrote:The thing I like about the current song mode is if I make a change to a sequence, it automatically updates in song mode. With the Force arranger, there is no direct link to the original sequences. Anything you record in the arranger is independent. So if I extend the length of a sequence, add notes, automation, I have to manually insert bars in the arranger, and manually copy or record my changes in. And if a sequence is the same in different sections of the arrangement (like a verse or hook), I have to go to each section and modify it.

Other than that, I like the effort and hopefully they will improve it more in the future.

But if this is how it will work in the Live, yeah, I'll stick with song mode. Hopefully they can make some adjustments to it prior to MPC implementation.

Me personally....

I dont mind Future Visual Enhancements to the MPC environment. BUT....Akai's History of Implementing New Features are accompanied with MORE Problems with the existing structures. And the way Akai support has been lately.......Ya'll would be Pullin ya hair out, if they Implemented Arranger Mode in the MPC.

I can hear the Gripes now

The Force has more Hot Buttons to access different features of the Arranger. Akai would have to Triple Up Button modes and Menu diving to get the full potential of the Arranger on the Live.

You already know half the people on here want more buttons but doesn't like Menu Diving, while the other half embraces the Touch Screen technology with 0.03sec menu diving .

I know a Few will want to Hit me over the head with a Shovel about my thoughts But Hey....

The Force is the Perfect Platform for the Arranger!

vinylstyle wrote:The thing I like about the current song mode is if I make a change to a sequence, it automatically updates in song mode. .

Agreed. This is actually something that I too really like about the current way things are done: it's essentially like Reason's Blocks mode. Any change you make to the Block (on the MPC, the Sequence/track), then it automatically is populated in the full song mode (or what you would call Reason's "Arranger").

This is why I am hoping they will allow the MPC to just "dump" the song mode data into the Arranger in one quick step. Waiting to record your whole song into the Arranger in real time sounds tedious, especially if you're working on a 6-7 minute opus and constantly fiddle with your sequences. I don't want to have to record a whole new pass into the Arranger in real-time just to update 1 single change sequence. That's 6-7 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

True dat about Reason blocks. All l need there is when l grab a section the entire section will follow. t this moment you have to highlight all the regions you want. If you could get that you would be one happy mofo Studio one does that.

EnochLight wrote:
Agreed. This is actually something that I too really like about the current way things are done: it's essentially like Reason's Blocks mode. I'll never get back.

Im all for the Arranger as an 'overlay' of sorts.. But I wouldn't want it to replace Song Mode. I want is as an optional view for sequences in general. If I wanna edit this 16 bar breakdown with it I can, if I want to use it on a big song, I just go to my bounced sequence and fire up arrange mode there! One thing I miss from the MPC Software (ok the ONLY thing) is how the track view there shows you a 'mini grid view' for each track exactly like a DAW or the Arranger does. Track view is way too sloppy to edit the grid there, but I dig the visualization of the sequences that way. Actually I cant even remember if you CAN edit there its been so long. We can do everything 'by ear' but once in awhile I like stepping back and LOOKING at it from above like that so I can see how the tracks are flowing, what's playing during each sequence, how often Im using an instrument, etc. The mathy side of my brain loves that shit. Ive gotten used to jumping into grid mode to edit it, but can definitely see myself using it for a quick 'lets get rid of that note' thing here and there. And I would be using it ALOT for the visual overview of the whole song aspect. Add it, but don't **** with the old shit basically.

On the real that is a great idea. Even Enoch and certified Beatz would like that.

Monotremata wrote:Im all for the Arranger as an 'overlay' of sorts.. But I wouldn't want it to replace Song Mode. I want it as an optional view for sequences in general.

that settles it then

I'd love to see the Arranger as an overlay view of a Sequence, rather than a song. So you can visualise / edit all the tracks in a sequence in one place.

Then still use Song mode to arrange those sequences into a song. So the fundamental architecture could stay the same, changes in sequences are still reflected in songs etc.

Of course, if you then wanted to arrange the whole song in the Arranger, you could convert the song to a single sequence.

Danoc wrote:On the real that is a great idea. Even Enoch and certified Beatz would like that.

Monotremata wrote:Im all for the Arranger as an 'overlay' of sorts.. But I wouldn't want it to replace Song Mode. I want it as an optional view for sequences in general.

Can I get Amen

I thought on the arranger you could add the clips of the track (audio or midi) like
1A 1A 1B 1C 1B
2A 2B 2C 2C 2D

Is it only for realtime performance recording?

AMEEEEEEEEEEN BROTHER!!!!!

Certified Beatz wrote:

Can I get Amen

solrac wrote:I'd love to see the Arranger as an overlay view of a Sequence, rather than a song. So you can visualise / edit all the tracks in a sequence in one place.

Then still use Song mode to arrange those sequences into a song. So the fundamental architecture could stay the same, changes in sequences are still reflected in songs etc.

Of course, if you then wanted to arrange the whole song in the Arranger, you could convert the song to a single sequence.

I think this is best way to go at it, Personally I don’t use song mode but I can understand that those who do use it, need it to be implemented this way..

I hope that the new mixer and arranger mode come with the next update..

I would like to at least have a way to view the arrangement that I have made with Song mode. That would help me a lot. Especially in complicated arrangements with a lot of tracks. And I would not need to bring a PC into play.

The MPC X has solved so many problems for me that have had with a pure PC & Software setup from a reliability standpoint that I'd say ... bring on the new features. I really really really would like to have an arranger view on the MPC X. I think that if such a feature gets into the MPC (hopefully) it will be an addition to something or something that can work in parallel. I honestly do not think that Akai will completely rewrite the GUI or the Core OS for this device to make it unusable or way too annoying for "the old guys". It would not make sense from a business perspective if they could not sell a new MPC with that.

In the end I don't think (and hope) that "the old guys with muscle memory for the olden MPCs that are too old or lazy to learn something new" will decide how the MPC will look and feel in the future. Because eventually old users tend to die out. And if they die out, then Akai will too if they do not innovate. I relearned the way I record and process music a couple of times and the only thing that makes it hard is closing your mind for the new things that even work more efficient and save time.

Before the X came along and then not even until v2.8 I have never seen the MPC as a serious center piece for my studio. And for the first time in over 23 years of making music I can ditch the PC for the most of my music making and producing process without sacrificing way too much. And I feel that this is the direction that the MPC (The "Music Production Center") should go. Becoming a counterweight to a standard PC with some Software even more. And if people do not like an MPC that can do it all then they are not forced to buy one. I mean there are still people that like to use 4 track tape recorders for all their recording, mixing and mastering and that is fine. Use whatever you like in your process. But thank god did the industry not listen to them when they thought about how to make recording and processing music easier for the masses.

I see the X Not as the Centerpiece....But More like An Offset 75% Centerpiece

I want arrange mode.
Song mode reminds me of pattern chain on 30 year old kit.
Plus, if I want to record a vocal on a song and the sample will cross the boundary between clips, you have to start appending things together. A workaround.
In 2021 I don't expect to have to resort to workarounds on Akai professional equipment.