MPC 3 -- Let's GO!!

jpeg wrote:I dont see how including the disk streaming means u cant have multiple projects assigned to a track, as they seem tatally unrelated features.

Don't know, but that's what Dan Gill said. back in the infamous Gearspace '3.0' comment in 2019.

I did not realise the arranger view did not allow u to cut and drag and drop audio & midi parts; that is shit if u cant move things around.

You can, but only using the familiar 'sequence edit' options (so, click the pencil icon, then select 'copy bars' or press and hold track to bring up track edit options like 'pitch quantize' etc). No visual drag and drop editing (let me clarify, you can tap in the track to open audio edit in the bottom half of the screen, so strictly speaking you can drag and cut etc, but not directly on the actual arranger timeline, that’s purely visual)

You can overdub/record over a looping section, but again, you can do that in main or grid edit, it's not unique functionality, although it obviously 'feels' different due to the visuals.

I think part of the reason for the arranger was to better handle audio track recording

So you can hit record+ play and record an audio track in the arrange screen, but you can also do the same thing in grid view now (which for an audio track is actually the old 'audio edit' view) and in main. So nothing unique but obviously some will just prefer the way it's all laid out for you in arrange view.

jpeg wrote:but if u cant move the audio around within the arranger view or chop and drag and drop parts of the recorded audio within the arranger

You can chop audio and move bits around in Arrange mode. Just like on Force (it's the exact same Arranger).

jpeg wrote: then that is half baked.

Well, us Force owners have been asking for Arranger improvements for years, so now that it's reaching parity with MPC, maybe we'll finally get some of these changes we've always wanted.

I think Marlow hits the nail on the head. Lots of new features that look great but surely it wouldn't be too hard for akai to have the option of switching to the old mute workflow.
I'm sure the arranger will be useful for some but it really doesn't look like a fun/quick workflow!

jpeg wrote:

MPC-Tutor wrote:
The thing to remember is that Akai said back in 2019 that implementing disk streaming would require unified tracks. People really wanted disk streaming, they got disk streaming and the new way of structuring project tracks that comes with it.

I also agree in general with his takes on song mode and the arranger. The arranger is quite underwleming as even back when the Force got ii, in my head I expected something where you can 'arrange' your song by dragging around blocks of sequences. The arranger is really just a more visual way of viewing your tracks together, but you still have to use 'mpc2-style' grid edit, list edit and seq edit to change anything.

I dont see how including the disk streaming means u cant have multiple projects assigned to a track, as they seem tatally unrelated features.

I did not realise the arranger view did not allow u to cut and drag and drop audio & midi parts; that is shit if u cant move things around.

I think part of the reason for the arranger was to better handle audio track recording; but if u cant move the audio around within the arranger view or chop and drag and drop parts of the recorded audio within the arranger then that is half baked.

You can with audio iirc. Just not with midi.

I rarely work with audio tracks so not tested yet but sure the big Akai overview video showed Andy manipulating audio.

Feel the arranger could have been something special with some thought but other than for referencing positions in songs it's of no real use to me

One thing about 3.0 is that audio tracks look to be 100% better. Combined with disk streaming this turns the mpc into a great stem/backing track player.

Yes sorry should clarify that I mean you can’t edit audio directly on the main arranger track itself, you have to tap on it to open the audio edit screen as a cramped Split View. I know I’m being a bit harsh here but I would always choose to use the standard audio edit/grid edit page over a split screen option in such a small screen, so I don’t see the arranger as offering an improvement for editing workflow

But sorry for adding confusion, just ignore me

yeah audio tracks, the mixer and the arranger "view" are all good. Marlow Diggs absolutely nails the issues.

I have a MPC4000 now after going through a few modern MPC/s and a Force. Stupidly sold my MPC One for a Push 3 that i hated, but decided to swap for the 4k. The 4k for me is like having an MPC X without the modern features (plugins and touch screen), but with a really damn good mod matrix in the sampler. That being said, I could easily have seen myself switching the 4k in the future for something like the X. No issues with modern MPCs, I always seem to come back. I think its taken me a few goes at the workflow to fully get it but now i do, it's definitely what i want in a hardware sequencer and sampler.

i would actually love an MPC Mini that looked similar to that new Korg Kaos Replay thing but with OS3. That way i could justify keeping my 4k for classic sampling, and something small and portable for a more modern workflow.

However, fully hope that independent sequence track mtues returns. People need to keep pushing and Marlow explained the issue spot on. Also the concerns raised on removing the program workflow has made me revisit programs on my 4k and i do agree it's another aspect to the MPC workflow that was really unique. cool to understand the tricks people pull off with this - actually learning a bit more on benefits of the legacy flow through these videos!

@jpeg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LGoMH3 ... lEd5-fB_Bu

About 13 minutes in.

There is a workaround to introduce track mutes per sequence. You have to create a mute automation and just turn mute on or off on every sequence that you choose to do so. So under song mode you can still do all your old tricks and it will work as normal. It takes a bit more time to do than just hitting the mute button but it is perfectly doable.
People are paying way too much attention at the track mutes which are small fries in comparison with how programs work.
It will be "fun" when beta opens up.

MGoolas wrote:There is a workaround to introduce track mutes per sequence. You have to create a mute automation and just turn mute on or off on every sequence that you choose to do so. So under song mode you can still do all your old tricks and it will work as normal. It takes a bit more time to do than just hitting the mute button but it is perfectly doable.
People are paying way too much attention at the track mutes which are small fries in comparison with how programs work.
It will be "fun" when beta opens up.

This wouldn't work for me as I really like jamming with different arrangements on the fly- the ability to create a sequence, duplicate it a few times, mute a bunch of tracks and play around with sequence order is what makes the mpc workflow special and preferable to any Daw for me.

A workflow that might work for me would be create a sequence, duplicate it and then shift the tracks on the 2nd sequence up so no tracks are shared between sequences. Then they'd all have independent mutes. Not sure if this would be a faff or not!

There is a reason that mixing consoles and a lot of other things have per track mute (and solo) buttons.

MPC-Tutor wrote:Think of mpc3 as a new product, but one where you have the advantage of already knowing the majority of features already. Don't focus on wotkarounds and fixes, try to think how you would approach this product if there was no previous baggage to deal with.

Imagine you've switched on an MPC and were never aware that previously had the option of changing the program assigned to an existing track. A kit gets loaded to a track and that track is always that kit in all sequences. Makes sense really.

Okay, so how do I completely change up the kit sound halfway through the song? Automation is an option. Or maybe I want a completely different kit - okay, can we somehow program a drum kit change on a track (no we can't), hmmm, so it would just make sense to create a new track and load the new kit to that, we'll just copy over the drum events from track 1 just for this portion of the song.

The thing to remember is that Akai said back in 2019 that implementing disk streaming would require unified tracks. People really wanted disk streaming, they got disk streaming and the new way of structuring project tracks that comes with it.

This is exactly the mentality I had when I got the RS7000 & later the Force after using the 1k/2500 after many years. All devices was created to work in a certain way & once I understood how & why it was designed & let go of old workflow habits, that I learned on other gear, things got better for me.

That new device/OS still may not be your thing but at least you took the time to learn it's way for what it is & didn't try to force it to work like something else. Give each new piece of gear the respect it deserves by reading the manual/watching video to understand it & use it as intended... at least at first before you start pushing it. To push the limit, you gotta know the limit.

jpeg wrote:Why would they give a free software update then wait years to make money off that software update?

Surely u can understand the logic that new hardware out with the new software pre-installed makes sense so they can captialise off that new software release, very simple.

Know Inmusic’s logic and sense of style, they will most likely tack an Model12-like hdd recorder onto a Key 37 and call it the MPC Studio Pro. Ave McCree and that baby face kid will be over the moon

johnnytravels wrote:

jpeg wrote:Why would they give a free software update then wait years to make money off that software update?

Surely u can understand the logic that new hardware out with the new software pre-installed makes sense so they can captialise off that new software release, very simple.

Know Inmusic’s logic and sense of style, they will most likely tack an Model12-like hdd recorder onto a Key 37 and call it the MPC Studio Pro. Ave McCree and that baby face kid will be over the moon

That Baby face kid....? You mean Gabe Miller?

moonlake wrote:There is a reason that mixing consoles and a lot of other things have per track mute (and solo) buttons.

Which is exactly how the MPC works now. It mutes the audio in the mixer, not the MIDI events. That's the big issue with it. You mute now, its ALL muted instead of just the MIDI data on the one sequence.

This worked great for assembling stuff in song mode with the copy/paste/mute method quite a lot of folks use. Now if the track is muted, its muted, period, it doesn't play when the next sequence starts.