MPC Live pairable device ideas for travel...

CharlesRandolph wrote:

Bezo wrote:Can iMPC be a replacement for MPC 2.X? Is the Live/X mapped to control iMPC?

Because I rely on VSTs, I think iMPC would be good for my traveling set up, but I can't find any info or vids on the Live/iMPC combo.

If you rely on VST's, I suggest getting a Ultra book or Mac Book Air and tethering your live with it.

The idea is not to bring a lap top. I'd bring my Macbook Pro over either of those as it's not THAT much bigger/heavier.

CharlesRandolph wrote:So what did you decide to use on your vacation?

I've shrunk it a ton actually based on recommendations from here...
MPC Live
Pocket Operator Speak
Pocket Operator KO

And that's it. I bought a new flash drive - one of those thumbnail size ones - and I bought a couple large expansion packs (The Repository & The Producer's Choice "Everything" Bundle), grabbed the freebies mentioned by Tutor in these forums, and once I figure out how to do it in my setup, I'm going to auto-sample my FA-06, and some System-8 presets and saves, and depending on time, I'll start ripping stuff off the Peak too. Also going to transfer a bunch of mp3 stuff to the flash drive/internal drive. I'll have the iPads with me as well, but not going to bother bringing the XKey *for now - still up in air depending on the bag I decide to use*.

It just doesn't seem worth the effort to do what I wanted with the D-05, with the new synths in the Live, there is no point in bringing my PO Factory or Sub or buying the Robot. I won't completely dismiss the Volca FM until the last minute, but that's just for practicing FM synthesis more than anything. I've been trying to make growls with it so I can do dubstep/brostep live when I want to get in that bag.

I'm all ears for any other expansion pack recommendations or gear recommendations, but I like my current direction, I have a super sized phone pouch that holds both Pocket Operators, I have the UDG case that holds *just* the Live, and my headphones fit perfectly on there, so I am not bringing a *ton* of stuff, but should have enough to explore - to have fun the whole trip.
- Unreall

Bezo wrote:Can iMPC be a replacement for MPC 2.X? Is the Live/X mapped to control iMPC?

Because I rely on VSTs, I think iMPC would be good for my traveling set up, but I can't find any info or vids on the Live/iMPC combo.

I'm sure that there is someway to map them together, but the iMPC program(s) won't get you very far. Frankly the standalone capabilities of Live/X are at a minimum on par, and in reality exceed whatever the iMPC brings to the table (especially now that we have Mother Ducker). Unfortunately, as mentioned, a laptop would be your best bet if you are a VST user, or you can auto sample the VSTs (thinking of going through Komplete for this exact purpose...but that's going to be incredibly time consuming to do).

I wish you could get a VST in a box...
-Unreall

Lampdog wrote:Why bring a Volca? You have ipad. Your sleeping on a big resource.

Oh, as I mentioned, if I'm bringing the Volca, its just for practice. I'm a complete rookie to FM synthesis, and haven't logged enough time with it. I was able to get *close* to the growl(s) I want with minimal effort, so it would be a great way to *get* there.

I'm not really sleeping on the iPad, for almost a year I used it over the MPC Live (patch 2.3 was what I wanted from the Live out the box honestly) primarily bouncing around with iMPC Pro 2 and Tabletop, I invested in the Pro in fact because of in part "Thor" (god I love that synth...true story I wanted to make my own Thor specific controller for Reason hehe) ...but dammit the iPad just likes to crash whenever I want it to do anything mildly taxing - its not the hardware, its the software, but I've just lost "faith" in it...and I'm HOPING (my wife is confirming, but we know how that goes) that I'll have the time to put in real work, so I'll be taxing whatever I'm using. I figure at some point I will use the iPad, just don't want to rely on it.
- Unreall

Bezo wrote:The idea is not to bring a lap top. I'd bring my Macbook Pro over either of those as it's not THAT much bigger/heavier.

You have a Mac Book pro and MPC Live. Sounds like you have everything you need for a portable rig. Because as you said you rely, on VSTs.

Unreallystic wrote:I wish you could get a VST in a box...
-Unreall

Laptop and controller is VST in a Box. Very slim rectangular box.

CharlesRandolph wrote:

Unreallystic wrote:I wish you could get a VST in a box...
-Unreall

Laptop and controller is VST in a Box. Very slim rectangular box.

I don't have a useful laptop, not looking to get one, and frankly - the idea of using the MPC Live with a laptop feels like hustling backwards, at that point, I would just use the Push2. To "me" - the MPC Live was about not needing to rely on a computer, getting back to being an instrument, I CRINGE when I watch FL Studio producers who click away and hit play every two seconds to build a melody/make adjustments (they are within their right to do this, just saying it doesn't feel like organically making music).

What I mean for the VSTs is akin to Roland's Plug-Out system on the System-1/8 where I can download a synthesizer and it maps to my physical synth, so I am again, dealing with an instrument. Something like the aforementioned Thor from Reason - its a wonderfully complex synth that CRIES for knobs/sliders/buttons when doing sound design. I would LOVE to bring Thor with me in a Peak shaped synth - jjust to mangle sounds until I found something I loved, but I don't really want to deal with a laptop. I've thought about it too honestly - we are finishing our TV payments this month, so I could technically make the move to get a laptop, but its just not something I want to deal with when making music. Hell side stepping the original topic and keeping it a buck, I've been thinking of pivoting away from Ableton entirely since getting the Force, at least for beat creation - between Force, MPC Live, and Digitakt, they all just feel so much more musical than dealing with my mouse, or dealing with the headaches I have with having to use ASIO4All, I've grown to hate my setup, and most of that hate is directed at the computer's inability/difficulty of doing certain things (just trying to stream my setup has become trouble as I need a VST just to get a single output for my streaming software to pull from., since DAWs get so pissy about sound control....but I'm rambling...

Laptops simply aren't for everyone. And for all the pros, there are cons.
-Unreall

Unreallystic wrote:

Bezo wrote:Can iMPC be a replacement for MPC 2.X? Is the Live/X mapped to control iMPC?

Because I rely on VSTs, I think iMPC would be good for my traveling set up, but I can't find any info or vids on the Live/iMPC combo.

I'm sure that there is someway to map them together, but the iMPC program(s) won't get you very far. Frankly the standalone capabilities of Live/X are at a minimum on par, and in reality exceed whatever the iMPC brings to the table (especially now that we have Mother Ducker). Unfortunately, as mentioned, a laptop would be your best bet if you are a VST user, or you can auto sample the VSTs (thinking of going through Komplete for this exact purpose...but that's going to be incredibly time consuming to do).

I wish you could get a VST in a box...
-Unreall

Probably why I'm not seeing anyone using that combo. Shame, it seems like a perfect traveling rig, at least for those of us that are typically in Controller Mode.

I think Akai is missing out on creating a nice ecosystem; iMPC & Advance controllers not pre-paired with the Live/X, VIP features that would benefit MPC 2.X, etc. They have their faults, but I really like what Native Instruments does in this regard.

I've been holding off autosampling some acoustic VIs because of the limited RAM. The feedback I've seen has been something like a 4-layer piano pushes the Live to its limits. I'll have to be happy with the stand alone Air Music VIs and focus on sketching while on the go.

Unreallystic wrote:[
I don't have a useful laptop, not looking to get one, and frankly - the idea of using the MPC Live with a laptop feels like hustling backwards, at that point, I would just use the Push2. To "me" - the MPC Live was about not needing to rely on a computer, getting back to being an instrument, I CRINGE when I watch FL Studio producers who click away and hit play every two seconds to build a melody/make adjustments (they are within their right to do this, just saying it doesn't feel like organically making music).

Technically. Using the MPC is hustling backward, but I understand where you are going. The MPC has always been an inorganic way of creating music. The editing, stopping the music to load, copy a new sequence, stop to sample, so on and so on. Basically the MPC IS like tracking a multi recording session or more in line with the way composer write music. (Play, Stop, Notate, Repeat.)

I would LOVE to bring Thor with me in a Peak shaped synth - jjust to mangle sounds until I found something I loved, but I don't really want to deal with a laptop. I've thought about it too honestly - we are finishing our TV payments this month, so I could technically make the move to get a laptop, but its just not something I want to deal with when making music. Hell side stepping the original topic and keeping it a buck, I've been thinking of pivoting away from Ableton entirely since getting the Force, at least for beat creation - between Force, MPC Live, and Digitakt.

They all just feel so much more musical than dealing with my mouse, or dealing with the headaches I have with having to use ASIO4All, I've grown to hate my setup, and most of that hate is directed at the computer's inability/difficulty of doing certain things (just trying to stream my setup has become trouble as I need a VST just to get a single output for my streaming software to pull from., since DAWs get so pissy about sound control....but I'm rambling...

Yeah, ASIO4All is a painful way to deal with Software Based DAW. The key is having a good integrated audio interface, a powerful/rock solid dedicated laptop/desktop, and well coded Software DAW/VST. All the head aches will go away. I run a Hybrid Studio so I can work any way.

But back on topic, This is the reason I use a Laptop when traveling. I need the workflow flexibility. If not that, I carry a pen/writing pad and notate the music.

Bezo wrote:Probably why I'm not seeing anyone using that combo. Shame, it seems like a perfect traveling rig, at least for those of us that are typically in Controller Mode.

I think Akai is missing out on creating a nice ecosystem; iMPC & Advance controllers not pre-paired with the Live/X, VIP features that would benefit MPC 2.X, etc. They have their faults, but I really like what Native Instruments does in this regard.

I've been holding off autosampling some acoustic VIs because of the limited RAM. The feedback I've seen has been something like a 4-layer piano pushes the Live to its limits. I'll have to be happy with the stand alone Air Music VIs and focus on sketching while on the go.

iMPC can be great, but it needs more elbow work and more love to get to where it could be, with that said, I wouldn't be shocked if part of the reason it doesn't get that, is because it would directly compete with the WAY more expensive MPC2/Live/X.

Your last paragraph intrigues me. On the Force I was having hella issues with Hype - specifically sounds like the organ where I would try and get a bit jazzy with it - playing 7ths and 9ths, and it would just start giving out on me (static, popping, etc). I thought it was that Hype was a resource hog, but maybe what you're talking about is the culprit.
- Unreall

CharlesRandolph wrote:Yeah, ASIO4All is a painful way to deal with Software Based DAW. The key is having a good integrated audio interface, a powerful/rock solid dedicated laptop/desktop, and well coded Software DAW/VST. All the head aches will go away. I run a Hybrid Studio so I can work any way.

But back on topic, This is the reason I use a Laptop when traveling. I need the workflow flexibility. If not that, I carry a pen/writing pad and notate the music.

*Redacted due to unencessary length and complaining*
I've got those, my issue is configuration. That's the real headache to getting everything to work
- Unreall

CharlesRandolph wrote:...Technically. Using the MPC is hustling backward, but I understand where you are going. The MPC has always been an inorganic way of creating music. The editing, stopping the music to load, copy a new sequence, stop to sample, so on and so on. Basically the MPC IS like tracking a multi recording session or more in line with the way composer write music. (Play, Stop, Notate, Repeat.)

I kind of agree, but it actually helps me, at least my Hip Hop. Probably because I'm more song writer & former guitarist than beat maker, and I almost never sample, working linearly in a DAW always had my Hip Hop sounding too song-y. My stuff would sound more like something The Roots would make at times; like a band. One of the last joints I did in Logic, my boy, an MC I work with said the track sounded like a 70s soundtrack. Cool except that's not at all what I was going for.

The MPC workflow puts the hip in my hop. I'm sure I could've made the adjustment in my DAW, but it comes more naturally on the MPC. And I can still do my R&B/Soul & Reggae on it.

What I don't like is having to leave MPC for Logic to mix and sometimes finish sound designing. But I'm about to experiment with using MPC as a plugin in Logic to try & smooth out that transition.

Unreallystic wrote:

Bezo wrote:Probably why I'm not seeing anyone using that combo. Shame, it seems like a perfect traveling rig, at least for those of us that are typically in Controller Mode.

I think Akai is missing out on creating a nice ecosystem; iMPC & Advance controllers not pre-paired with the Live/X, VIP features that would benefit MPC 2.X, etc. They have their faults, but I really like what Native Instruments does in this regard.

I've been holding off autosampling some acoustic VIs because of the limited RAM. The feedback I've seen has been something like a 4-layer piano pushes the Live to its limits. I'll have to be happy with the stand alone Air Music VIs and focus on sketching while on the go.

iMPC can be great, but it needs more elbow work and more love to get to where it could be, with that said, I wouldn't be shocked if part of the reason it doesn't get that, is because it would directly compete with the WAY more expensive MPC2/Live/X.

Your last paragraph intrigues me. On the Force I was having hella issues with Hype - specifically sounds like the organ where I would try and get a bit jazzy with it - playing 7ths and 9ths, and it would just start giving out on me (static, popping, etc). I thought it was that Hype was a resource hog, but maybe what you're talking about is the culprit.
- Unreall

I can see that. When looking into iMPC, I came across some folks doing great things with it. I guess my personal vision is them getting MPC 2.X to DAW status, eliminating the chance for that competition.

I believe on Gearslutz, one person said just playing some simple piano parts pushed the RAM to 65%+. I did the math knowing I'd want maximum detail in all my instruments. I wouldn't get far. So I'm going to get all my VI drum kits into the Live and be OK with that & the Air Music VIs when on the road. I can write on the go and produce when I get back.

simple parts don't push the Force to 65%, maybe if its crammed with FX and stuff on top, but not "simple". And the auto-sampler won't stretch out your MPC, its turning them all to samples, its the synths that the Force and by extension the MPC - cry about. When I do 7ths on up with sampled instruments - everything is A-OK on both 'platforms'.

Essentially I feel like the Force is 4-voice synth, trying to go beyond that is too much, and better handled outside the box. The synth aspect of the MPC/Force landscape hitting such a wall so early makes me glad I only bought one Force (I wanted 2), I'm much better off just mastering what I got first, and then planning on grabbing the next iteration when that finally drops.

Its gotten even weirder though because as I am thinking more and more about leaving Ableton and going all Akai, this issue makes it an instant no go, I'm a scrub, I'm learning the keyboard, but because I'm learning, I'm pushing it hard and I can't feel limited @ 4-notes.

- Unreall

Bezo wrote:. My stuff would sound more like something The Roots would make at times; like a band. One of the last joints I did in Logic, my boy, an MC I work with said the track sounded like a 70s soundtrack. Cool except that's not at all what I was going for.

If it's dope, it's dope!