MPC X, MPC Live, MPC One & MPC Key 61 Forum: Support and discussion for the MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One & MPC Key 61; Akai's current generation of standalone MPCs.
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By Monotremata Wed Feb 19, 2020 3:39 am
'Multi mode' and multi-timbral are kinda the same thing, at least in the way my Waldorf's and E-Mu and every other synth Ive owned use the term 'Multi Mode'. Its just the ability to play more than one patch at once. AKA one patch on each channel for a full 16 channel rig. Multi mode is just your synth or samplers multi setup, as opposed to single Program mode. Folks wanna be able to play multiple channels at once in the MPC so multi-timbral input is the right word. Technically the MPC is already in 'multi mode' its playing back a shit ton of whatever it wants to at once on multiple tracks/channels. It just cant deal with input to control them all at once.
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By Lampdog Wed Feb 19, 2020 4:38 am
Monotremata wrote:Technically the MPC is already in 'multi mode' its playing back a shit ton of whatever it wants to at once on multiple tracks/channels.


Yes.
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By DeaDeus Wed Feb 19, 2020 2:10 pm
Monotremata wrote:'Multi mode' and multi-timbral are kinda the same thing, at least in the way my Waldorf's and E-Mu and every other synth Ive owned use the term 'Multi Mode'. Its just the ability to play more than one patch at once. AKA one patch on each channel for a full 16 channel rig. Multi mode is just your synth or samplers multi setup, as opposed to single Program mode. Folks wanna be able to play multiple channels at once in the MPC so multi-timbral input is the right word. Technically the MPC is already in 'multi mode' its playing back a **** ton of whatever it wants to at once on multiple tracks/channels. It just cant deal with input to control them all at once.


Hold it: " Its just the ability to play more than one patch at once" - as you say it and the MPCs can play more than one patch at the same time! = "Multi Timbrel"
But recording 16 channels of information is something completely different. The MIDI interface must be capable to do this - there is a lot of information coming through the "old" round MIDI cables causing jittering and delays - USB might be capable, but I have no experience yet.
By Elektrobolt Sat Feb 22, 2020 1:32 am
Monotremata wrote:'Multi mode' and multi-timbral are kinda the same thing, at least in the way my Waldorf's and E-Mu and every other synth Ive owned use the term 'Multi Mode'. Its just the ability to play more than one patch at once. AKA one patch on each channel for a full 16 channel rig. Multi mode is just your synth or samplers multi setup, as opposed to single Program mode. Folks wanna be able to play multiple channels at once in the MPC so multi-timbral input is the right word. Technically the MPC is already in 'multi mode' its playing back a **** ton of whatever it wants to at once on multiple tracks/channels. It just cant deal with input to control them all at once.

Since there is no technical standard for multi-timbral in terms of MIDI, one could spend an eternity discussing it.

The expression multitimbral basically just means more than one tone, or sound, patch, etc., and really has nothing to do with MIDI per se, other than that electronically, at least in the past, MT generally meant "different sounds by MIDI Channel". And also of course, by MIDI Port. Though, as has been pointed out, devices like the MPC's can already do multiple sounds even on a single MIDI channel, e.g. a simple drum kit.

So considering that, I think that Akai's "multi mode" has nothing to do with MT, and is more the concept of DAWify the MPC, in terms of current general all-round DAW "standards" and with MIDI. If that sounds threatening to anyone, one could just say trackify the MPC properly instead of the current "some kind of" tracks. That is, being able to route MIDI to and from multiple tracks and MIDI Ports/Channels. This would likely include the 1-to-1 style Tracks/Arranger and more. Hopefully this also means that we could finally get a tempo track, and mixing time signatures, etc.. ;)
By lordradish Sat Feb 22, 2020 4:29 am
CharlesRandolph wrote:
lordradish wrote:How about us guys that have 3 or 4 hardware synths and pretty much play stuff live? I mean, it called LIVE, right?


If you have 3 or 4 hardware synths, wouldn't an MPC X be a better fit? How are you connecting your MPC LIVE now?

I have MIDI out A going to my Access Virus, and Out B going to a midi splitter box that goes to my DAW, my Moog, my Digitakt and my Wavestate.
By Elektrobolt Mon May 11, 2020 11:25 pm
Lampdog wrote:http://www.philrees.co.uk/articles/midimode.htm

I seems to me that both the MIDI multi-timbral concept, which refers to multiple timbres within a sound engine, and the "MIDI Channel Mode" aspect, which is in reference to how that sound engine allocate its available voices internally, are often misunderstood. This is what Phil is trying to clarify (and I think he's right on the spot) in that link.

The "MIDI Multi" they're about to drop, is not about multi-timbral (because the MPC already is). I am thinking of what Akai is about to release as more a matter of a "MIDI super-router" across both channels and ports. It could ALSO mean some form of internal (within the MPC sound engine) allocation scheme, but not that I have seen.
By eLuSiVeMiTe Mon May 11, 2020 11:32 pm
Elektrobolt wrote:
Lampdog wrote:http://www.philrees.co.uk/articles/midimode.htm

I seems to me that both the MIDI multi-timbral concept, which refers to multiple timbres within a sound engine, and the "MIDI Channel Mode" aspect, which is in reference to how that sound engine allocate its available voices internally, are often misunderstood. This is what Phil is trying to clarify (and I think he's right on the spot) in that link.

The "MIDI Multi" they're about to drop, is not about multi-timbral (because the MPC already is). I am thinking of what Akai is about to release as more a matter of a "MIDI super-router" across both channels and ports. It could ALSO mean some form of internal (within the MPC sound engine) allocation scheme, but not that I have seen.


Just basic midi routing internally
And letting us specify a in channel rather than Omni.

I'm still staggered it wasn't included in mpc 1.0

Huge oversight.