Switching to mpc live?

Hey all.

I am currently running push 2 and an octatrack. Now I am also getting everything into studio one 3 and tracking out live instruments in there as well.
I do guitar driven synth pop and post rock type stuff mostly. Not that that should matter too much.
I basically use the push and octatrack as backing tracks, for drums, atmospheres, pads and some bass.
But the issue is that tracking out the octatrack is terrible and I am using studio one more and more and ableton live less and less. And I also don't use the cross fader on the octatrack at all since I am usually playing guitar.

So do you guys think that an mpc live can replace both an octatrack and a push 2 for my uses? Can I connect a USB keyboard to it to play some synths from the live? Either sampled or my rackmount sound module?

How easy is it to get my projects into studio one 3? I am really looking to simplify my process here since I feel like once my ideas are down I am wasting a ton of time getting them into the daw. Would the live really be a step down as far as automation and using lfos compared to the octatrack?

Edit: I did own an mpc 1000 and it was great for coming up with ideas and getting them together in song mode and bouncing them to new sequences. But the effects and editing and automation was lacking. Is the live a big improvement in those areas?
Thanks.

Ableton and Push 2 user here, I would say do it, only because your using Studio One more.... The MPC will give you most of what ableton/Push² does when it comes to sampling and chopping samples, it's also very easy to export your tracks into any daw... I too was facing a similar dilemma but was with DSI Pro 2 and one of the new MPC'S, I opted for the Pro 2 as I feel the MPC and Ableton has a bit of overlap and I'm at the point where I just want to work on one platform not open this export then open this and import...

Can't comment on the Octotrack or Push 2 as I have neither. Tracking out in the live is pretty simple, you can quickly export your song as individually bounced audio tracks and then drag those into your DAW. When it comes to automation, there's plenty you can record, definitely a big step up from the 1000 although editing the automation data is pretty woeful in standalone mode. If you're happy to use the computer GUI for this on occasion you'll be fine.

Effects are also a big step up from the 1000. Workflow is not, I'd say for bread and butter stuff the 1000 is still much quicker but of course relatively limited in terms of features.

The MPC Live is still a work in progress.

MPC-Tutor wrote:Effects are also a big step up from the 1000. Workflow is not, I'd say for bread and butter stuff the 1000 is still much quicker but of course relatively limited in terms of features.

The MPC Live is still a work in progress.

I am surprised that the 1000 would still be faster for some stuff!?

I might hold off a little bit more if the live is still in progress.

John Vandenberghe wrote:I am surprised that the 1000 would still be faster for some stuff!?
I might hold off a little bit more if the live is still in progress.

I think this will vary depending on the user and the tasks being carried out, obviously some things are significantly quicker and more accurate, such as chopping. But there's a few bottlenecks in the current MPCs, clunky implementations that can slow you down especially in the MPC Live as there are less dedicated buttons and less Q-links.

Yo l say do it. I have Studio One 3.5.2 and its amazing. Being you do drums you can replacevdrums easy in S1. Tracking out the Live is simple you're good to go

John Vandenberghe wrote:Hey all.

I am currently running push 2 and an octatrack. Now I am also getting everything into studio one 3 and tracking out live instruments in there as well.
I do guitar driven synth pop and post rock type stuff mostly. Not that that should matter too much.
I basically use the push and octatrack as backing tracks, for drums, atmospheres, pads and some bass.
But the issue is that tracking out the octatrack is terrible and I am using studio one more and more and ableton live less and less. And I also don't use the cross fader on the octatrack at all since I am usually playing guitar.

So do you guys think that an mpc live can replace both an octatrack and a push 2 for my uses? Can I connect a USB keyboard to it to play some synths from the live? Either sampled or my rackmount sound module?

How easy is it to get my projects into studio one 3? I am really looking to simplify my process here since I feel like once my ideas are down I am wasting a ton of time getting them into the daw. Would the live really be a step down as far as automation and using lfos compared to the octatrack?

Edit: I did own an mpc 1000 and it was great for coming up with ideas and getting them together in song mode and bouncing them to new sequences. But the effects and editing and automation was lacking. Is the live a big improvement in those areas?
Thanks.

One more question
How is the warp mode on drum loops?
Is say I take a 2 bar loop, chop it into quarter notes to rearrange it a bit, but then réalisé I want to change the tempo will it sound good? With in some range I assume?

You can use warp and its good so far. But stretch it to much you will hear the artifacts. I haven't chopped up anything that small though. Gotta try it one day. 4 bar and 8 bar was fine. 106 bpm down to 96 bpm was on point.

John Vandenberghe wrote:One more question
How is the warp mode on drum loops?
Is say I take a 2 bar loop, chop it into quarter notes to rearrange it a bit, but then réalisé I want to change the tempo will it sound good? With in some range I assume?

Excellent, thanks again.
Well my mind is made up, just gotta save up and find a good deal out there.

Eyaic put me on to the discounts he's master at it lol

I got my MPC Live at Musicians Friends at at a discount of 20% l paid $959 for my live. 20 or 10% is good call around. If the rep give you a hard time ask them to speak to a manager. Bargain with them. Try and go to a company you spent money with and bargain. If not that still speak to a manager that you have the money right now. Thats all you can afford. As you call around see who has the best deal call up another company and ask tjem can tjey beat that price/discount. You don't say match it, ask them to beat it. They wanna get those units out of there.

Peace

John Vandenberghe wrote:Excellent, thanks again.
Well my mind is made up, just gotta save up and find a good deal out there.

Haha, man, I don’t know about expert... but glad you got some value from my approach man.