Automation from Live & X touch screen, When will it happen?

Automation Lanes:

I know I've said it a lot of times already so please bare with me. (I love the unit's but it's just frustration )

When the MPC X and Live were promoted, Dan Gill & Andrew Mac were saying that everything that you can do on the software can also be done on the hardware. And that the software on the PC is exactly the same as on the MPC X and MPC Live. (Now we all know that both statements ain't true )

Now I know you won't be able to see your VST gui on your touch screen (for obvious reasons). But if we put VST's aside the only reason I have to look at the PC is to edit automation.

I don't understand why after 1,5 year release this feature has not made it to the hardware yet??

Instead we get a lot of nice to have features, but functionality that is really needed is not implemented (sidechaining, PDC) together with obvious bug fixes (24 bit bounce & clip launching).

I don't know if automation Lanes is something that's currently being worked on (I doubt it) but If it will ever see the light of day here is my suggestion:

In grid edit mode we have a nice little arrow in the lower right section of the screen (see red marking below). When you tap on that arrow the velocity lanes will pop up half way. Tap it again and it pop up a 100%.

I believe that it would be great to switch between velocity mode and automation lanes when this pops up by simply putting an automation button at the blue marking below.

And of coarse the full automation options should be integrated in velocity mode (see white marking).



Akai has done some great things, so not everything they've done is negative. I mean I can't remember the last time the software has crashed on me. They also seem very commited to bring the unit's to an succes. They've opened the sofware up for legacy units such as the renaisance. I can go on but in short:

Good Job..

Again I know I've been complaining about automation a lot of times.. (But I don't care) I will keep doing this .
I too want the MPC to succeed. And If my complaining can help to bring it to a succes I will gladly continue to do so..

Just like most of you guys, I spend a great portion of my time on these units and I love doing it. But there are just some things that need to be taken care of to make it a better system.

i think it deserves it's own tab... and next to velocity it should have all the other 16 level modes such as pitch, as well as note panning.

mr_debauch wrote:i think it deserves it's own tab... and next to velocity it should have all the other 16 level modes such as pitch, as well as note panning.

Sorry If I didn't explain it right. I didn't mean for only automation on velocity, We need automation on everything (including 3rd party vst's).

I only mentioned the velocity tab and arrow because it would be the most obvious place to implement it.

yes i agree. I think regular internal things, and everything else.. but i was talking standalone mode on the live, so "automating" midi events though the midi ports as well.

yep im waiting for this badly, need usb out midi feedback to get this for recorded parameters of usb devices too and to make them light up correctly

zangetsu01 wrote:

mr_debauch wrote:i think it deserves it's own tab... and next to velocity it should have all the other 16 level modes such as pitch, as well as note panning.

Sorry If I didn't explain it right. I didn't mean for only automation on velocity, We need automation on everything (including 3rd party vst's).

I only mentioned the velocity tab and arrow because it would be the most obvious place to implement it.

Yep, it almost looks like they meant to put other automation parameter options there, but just never got round to it.

I would be happy if they at least added track volume automation for a start, on both midi and audio tracks.

The joy of automation


Now we all no how sweet this would be, if you could do this from the touchscreen :