Is the battery in the MPC worth it?

Mono- have you looked Into the Tascam model 24?

You could just use that and load your projects into logic. You could also put a mixer in front of your live and do most on there and export them over. The live can do a lot in terms of sub mixes and routing. I’ve deduced my work flow down to a live, some racks and mixer to mix and a synth + live to write. Computer really just tape. Still working on switching things up. My time and money is limited atm, but its really focused on getting this music stuff right. Which is most important.

Monotremata wrote:
Moving from the Mac was like my failsafe plan. When I heard how much the new Mac Pro was gonna be, I knew it was time to change the way things worked. I cant afford to keep up with the Tim Cook version of Apple. Im looking into Mac mini's now, but with that Ill still be cutting it down to just my 'tape deck' really.

MAC Mini's and Mac Book Pro have plenty of power to be used as Digital Multi Track Recorder.

Monotremata wrote:I want to be able to work on music whenever I want regardless of whether my computer is up to date and whatnot. You know "the good old days". The MPC happened to come along at just the right time and made the decision final when I realized I could do everything I need to with it for the most part.

My main rig, which not connected to the internet. Is so far behind in Windows 10 updates. That would take 3 months to catch it up. But this doesn't matter because it's been optimized and is solely dedicated for music.

Monotremata wrote:Right now Im just kinda keeping mixer settings in my head. My fx patches are easy, they're all MIDI except my Roland delay, so I just make dummy tracks and use program changes in each song. The Notes app on the Mac/iOS is handy for keeping track of everything else. I dont really worry about that yet because at the moment my workflow is really one song at a time until its done. Then I just multitrack it in Logic to mix down the master there.

I have a partner, who makes tons of music during the year. Then spends like last months mixing. My self on the other hand, I track every composition after it's made, that way it can be ready to go.

Monotremata wrote:I actually need to upgrade the mixer already, filled up that 16 channels and all the extra returns/stereo channels, so Im looking for the 24 channel version now hah. Once I get that its on. The 24 has direct outs on the first 16 channels, which is where all my instruments live (effect returns are going to go on 17-24), so Ill be able to use every single input on my interface. And when I want, I can send all 16 outputs I have back to the mixer to play with Logic songs that way! Bonus points because Ill have enough channels to keep my modular always patched in, and I can get another effects box to use with my last Aux send hah.

Maybe look into 32 channel mixer, because it sounds like you've already filled the 24 up. If space/budget allows.

Cockdiesel wrote:Mono- have you looked Into the Tascam model 24?

You could just use that and load your projects into logic. You could also put a mixer in front of your live and do most on there and export them over. The live can do a lot in terms of sub mixes and routing. I’ve deduced my work flow down to a live, some racks and mixer to mix and a synth + live to write. Computer really just tape. Still working on switching things up. My time and money is limited atm, but its really focused on getting this music stuff right. Which is most important.

How many steps does it take for you to record a single sound from your MPC?
How many pieces of gear, does a single sound go through to get to the DAW?

CharlesRandolph wrote:

Monotremata wrote:
Moving from the Mac was like my failsafe plan. When I heard how much the new Mac Pro was gonna be, I knew it was time to change the way things worked. I cant afford to keep up with the Tim Cook version of Apple. Im looking into Mac mini's now, but with that Ill still be cutting it down to just my 'tape deck' really.

MAC Mini's and Mac Book Pro have plenty of power to be used as Digital Multi Track Recorder.
:

I do 90% of composing on a macbook pro. A 2013 to be exact. Stems from the MPC, and quite a few VSTi instances. Track some vocals if necessary. And I do some pre-mixing on it too - UAD, Waves and some other dynamics plugs. Then move to the main computer (trash can mac pro) for the heavy lifting work and finishing the mix (plus it sits in a properly treated room). But I guess my point is, agreeing with what Charles said, a decently configured MacBook pro is more than enough to handle composing. I do need to upgrade my MacBook pro soon though. Probably later this year.

CharlesRandolph wrote:
How many steps does it take for you to record a single sound from your MPC?
How many pieces of gear, does a single sound go through to get to the DAW?

Writing :

Synth> pedal (s) > Mpc

Mixing:

Mpc > mixer > soundcard > daw

Pretty simple if you ask me. I suppose I could just export them right after I am done writing but I mix on my mixer instead. I could do it all in the same room at the same time but right now I just have two small set ups .

Charles - Even better than a 32 I may have found a 48 haha. Theres a Mackie 24.8 down in Inglewood right now, that has the stands with the meter bridges, AND it comes with a 24 channel expander for $350, I just have to go pick it up!! I can do 24 right now and grow when I need to. Problem is, the space. No way in hell two 24 channel desks are going in here and its a Mackie hah. Ive been spoiled by Soundcraft EQs and dont know if I can go with anything else. There's plenty of 32 channel LX7s around but space again. Im going to have to work a 24 in here but I think I can barely squeeze it in. That Mackie is a KILLER deal (that thing looks rad with the stand it comes with) but I lose 2 Auxes (my spring reverb is on Aux 5!!) because the Mackie has that 3-4/5-6 switch instead of all 6 in line, and the killer Soundcraft EQ and the gain you can get from pushing it.

I looked into the Model 24 and the Soundcraft Signature before I got the LX7, and they were rad, but I don't want to be tied to a computer, plain and simple. I want to use one when I need to, but I want to be able to completely compose/jam/whatever without having to ever involve one like I used to do. I started out in the whole school band thing, became a guitar player, etc long before I got into synths and samplers. I miss being able to pick up my instrument and just play it when I want to without having to boot up a Mac, hope everything is plugged in and talking to one another, waiting for Logic to start up, loading up plugins, etc.. When I got my first synths, it was the same way. Everything was tied to my Korg's sequencer, all I had to do was turn on the keyboard and I was ready to go, no updating, no crashing, just music. Getting the Mpc Live finally was so damn amazing. Ive honestly only looked at Logic a handful of times since I got it, and most of those times were just to verify plugins I keep buying for some reason. Now I come home from work, just turn on my rack, mixer, monitors and Im up and running and jamming away. The computer is just an easy distraction now while I sit and yap on here when Im supposed to be chopping up samples haha.

The model 24 shouldn’t need to be tied to computer I just bring it up because it’s pretty cheap and you can also multi track into it. It can also be used as a sound card if need be.

Cockdiesel wrote:The model 24 shouldn’t need to be tied to computer I just bring it up because it’s pretty cheap and you can also multi track into it. It can also be used as a sound card if need be.

Yeah and a model 12 just came out.
You can record all channels straight into sd card in real time or you can use it as a sound card.
I am gonna get one soon.

Monotremata wrote:Charles - Even better than a 32 I may have found a 48 haha. Theres a Mackie 24.8 down in Inglewood right now, that has the stands with the meter bridges, AND it comes with a 24 channel expander for $350, I just have to go pick it up!! I can do 24 right now and grow when I need to. Problem is, the space. No way in hell two 24 channel desks are going in here and its a Mackie hah.

Yeah, space tend to do that. That's why mixer with break out boxes tend to work better. Plus mackie, is

Monotremata wrote: Ive been spoiled by Soundcraft EQs and dont know if I can go with anything else. There's plenty of 32 channel LX7s around but space again. Im going to have to work a 24 in here but I think I can barely squeeze it in. That Mackie is a KILLER deal (that thing looks rad with the stand it comes with) but I lose 2 Auxes (my spring reverb is on Aux 5!!) because the Mackie has that 3-4/5-6 switch instead of all 6 in line, and the killer Soundcraft EQ and the gain you can get from pushing it.

I looked into the Model 24 and the Soundcraft Signature before I got the LX7, and they were rad, but I don't want to be tied to a computer, plain and simple. I want to use one when I need to, but I want to be able to completely compose/jam/whatever without having to ever involve one like I used to do. I started out in the whole school band thing, became a guitar player, etc long before I got into synths and samplers.

Picking up and just going, is what many people forget. My computer is always running for that very reason. However, I do reboot it every 2 days. They're designed to stay on.

Monotremata wrote:I miss being able to pick up my instrument and just play it when I want to without having to boot up a Mac, hope everything is plugged in and talking to one another, waiting for Logic to start up, loading up plugins, etc.. When I got my first synths, it was the same way. Everything was tied to my Korg's sequencer, all I had to do was turn on the keyboard and I was ready to go, no updating, no crashing, just music.

The key is to setup a template and have the software auto load, when you power it on. Also SSD has reduced the boot time.

Monotremata wrote:Getting the Mpc Live finally was so damn amazing. Ive honestly only looked at Logic a handful of times since I got it, and most of those times were just to verify plugins I keep buying for some reason. Now I come home from work, just turn on my rack, mixer, monitors and Im up and running and jamming away. The computer is just an easy distraction now while I sit and yap on here when Im supposed to be chopping up samples haha.

This is one reason, I stopped getting so many plug in and I pretty much use the built in plug in and eq. Except for the softtube stuff. Yes, the computer can be distracting, I use it as a ear break or as a way to listen to a mix without touching it. Take casual notes, then go back and fix it.

Cockdiesel wrote:

CharlesRandolph wrote:
How many steps does it take for you to record a single sound from your MPC?
How many pieces of gear, does a single sound go through to get to the DAW?

Writing :

Synth> pedal (s) > Mpc

Mixing:

Mpc > mixer > soundcard > daw

Pretty simple if you ask me. I suppose I could just export them right after I am done writing but I mix on my mixer instead. I could do it all in the same room at the same time but right now I just have two small set ups .

SIMPLE is how it's should be!! Everything should be as direct as possible. On the mixing side, if you can get a mixer that functions as quality front end interface. Then you have that 1, 2, 3. The most expensive setups in the world are usually the simplest. The idea is to take the guess work, out of the it. Turn this knob it works, press this button it works.

Sometimes, I watch video of people mixing and I just laugh because they're making it harder then it really has to be. That's why I chose the MPC One, because it's simple. Create on it, Export the stems, Mix.

For that setup: (IMPORT SOUNDS) > MIDI Keyboard/MPC ONE> (EXPORT/TRANSFER SOUNDS) > DAW.

I now have 200 separate drums kits, loaded on the SD Card inside the MPC One. So the only thing I have to import now are samples. All my sample sets are on my network, that every rig has access too.

When I'm on here posting, I'm digitizing the remainder of the my vinyl collection.