Using Audio Interface is eating up all 8 of my audio tracks.

Just got the MPC Live because I read about the update and became interested with the audio interface connectivity. I play a multiple synth setup live and use a Scarlet 18i8 and Octopre combination for 16 inputs. Running them all stereo so I have 8 pairs.

I have the MPC talking to the Scarlet / Octopre and working. But by connecting the MPC via usb to Scarlet I lose all of the analog inputs being able to play audio through the mains.

In order to hear any of my other synths I need to set up each as an audio track in the MPE. It works, but the problem is that I need to use up all 8 MPC audio tracks in order to hear my other synths when I play them, even if not recording or anything.

Is there a way around this or is it just the only way to monitor the other synths is through audio tracks?

Ableton reacts in a similar way meaning I need to add audio tracks for each synth, but it is not an issue because I can have unlimited tracks with Ableton. I am new to MPC but 8 audio tracks seems pretty limiting to me, When I have all audio tracks recording in Ableton without any soft synths I am only using 2-3 % CPU. That is also with over 20 audio tracks recording at the same time because I use a TR8s with individual USB audio in which is 11 tracks and also a Yamaha MODx over USB audio which records 7 separate audio files.

Hoping I am just missing something on how to set this up.

Thanks in advance.

While I don’t have an answer for you, I’m posting because I’m seeking the same info. I’m planning on a similar setup for my Force (expecting it to get USB class compliant audio in the next update…eventually!).

How is your latency with the Scarlet 18i8?

The limitation of 8 audio tracks has been a gripe for many since the beginning, and there seems to be no hope of an improvement. (Perhaps a limitation of the SoC and RAM?) At some point, Dan (formerly) from Akai mentioned that even with disk streamed audio the limitation of 8 audio tracks will remain.

If this is truly the case, then the only way to handle this is using external mixer routing. But this would require some physical switching to “activate” a particular synth to a record-arm track while the other synths are bussed together for play-through. Not ideal. I really want multiple stereo hardware units each on their own track for manipulation within the Force and I bet you’re hoping for the same.

You may not have discovered the other big issue with this: limited capacity for audio recording. I think the hypothetical max is something like 53(?) minutes and this gets lessened depending on what else you have going on. Don’t expect to perform and record a full set using 8 separate audio tracks. This could change with audio disk streaming?

I have high expectations for what I think I “want” the Force/MPC to be capable of but I don’t think the hw/sw is really there yet. It may be the next generation of hardware before that’s possible, but I do think it’s on the way. Not holding my breath, though.

Even if there are only 8 audio tracks, couldn't there be more monitoring input channels, for routing into submixes and send effects etc?

Re: Focusrite Scarlett and Akai MPC. Have you checked that the audio output is glitch-free? My Scarlett 18i20 produces a 21 ms silent gap after every 40 seconds with the MPC One. Like, 40 seconds of audio, pause for 21 milliseconds, 40 seconds of audio, pause for 21 milliseconds, etc. Every 40 seconds. But with Macbook Pro and a Linux machine (updated to 5.12.x kernel and Geoffrey Bennett's mixer drivers) the audio output is continuous, no gaps.

And have you checked the Focusrite Control application? If I understood correctly, at least with the large models, it should be possible to set up routings for monitoring, and have the routings stored so that the same monitoring routings work when you use the Scarlett with the MPC.

Phishroom: I just got the MPC yesterday and this was the first thing I focused on doing because it is one of the main functions I am looking for. Took me a bit just to get this working because I am completely new to MPC so was hoping I was missing something. I was hoping was hoping the MPC was an easy way to record into tracks with touch screen and layer in some sampling on top. The hardware may just not quite be there yet. I didn't even consider the MPC until the new update because with only a couple audio ins before it just doesn't fit in my setup. The live looping recording seems a bit weak also to me, but again maybe I am missing something. I am still looking at the new Boss Looper coming out soon and may end up returning the MPC and just going with that for now and continue working in Ableton. Not looking to add a mixer into my setup at the moment so not an option for me.

I didn't notice any latency with the Scarlet or Octopre especially with monitoring the 8 tracks, everything seemed to work fine other than it eating up all 8 audio tracks. However, I don't have a lot of time with it so I wouldn't say it isn't there, I just didn't notice any yet. I only recorded in a couple of 16 bar loops from different synths to test things so I don't know about the cutting out of sound on longer recordings, I will have to check.

I was able to connect all interface inputs to the MPC. 18i8 on channels 1-8 and the octopre come in as 13-20. It doesn't recognize the ADAT inputs like Ableton where the octopre shows up as ADAT Inputs 1-8. So I had to just test out the inputs in the MPC until I found the right channels for the Octopre. One thing I did notice is that for some reason channels 10-11 had a horrible screeching noise out of them for some reason. Not sure what that is about. Not a big deal since nothing is needed on those because MPC starts ADAT at the 12, but thought it was weird.

I will post back as I find more info.

Group your audio inputs based on what kind of processing you need for them. If you have synths that need heavy reverb, group them into one stereo track, synths that only require a room ambience, group those into one stereo track etc. Treat the 8 audio tracks like a submix bus and you should be fine.

Housewithoumouse:

That was kind of the solution I was hoping there would be.

I guess it makes sense though because Ableton does function the same way but just doesn't have the limitations. In fact I couldn't get sound to come out at all at first even though I was seeing the sound levels come into the MPC, I came to this forum actually to see why not and as I was typing the issue I was explaining what I do in Ableton as a comparison when the light bulb went off that maybe I need to create individual tracks for each synth to monitor. Once I tried that it worked, just the problem of using all audio tracks to do so.

There may be a way to do so with Focusrite Control but I am unaware of it. I will look into it. I use two different "snapshot" set ups with the Focusrite. One where I run all outputs through to the mains, this allows me to jam out with no need to have the computer on. Then I load another snapshot when I am going to want to record something into Ableton. In that mode I have to add DawPlayback to Scarlett mains. Once I do that all other INs of the Focusrite are no longer routed to the mains. I can only hear them by creating separate audio tracks in Ableton and running everything through Ableton.

I created an aggregated audio device in Mac with all the USB audio enabled synths that I have. I have Ableton use that as the audio device in which has 44 channel inputs total. I then have a templates saved in Ableton depending on what I want to record. I can load the "everything" template in Ableton which loads all 44 inputs routed correctly and could technically record all 44 at the same time although I never do. Almost 20 of those inputs come from the MODx and TR8s where you can record each sound separately in its own track. I can just easily delete any channels I don't want to use in Ableton which is quicker and easier than creating and routing new ones when I do want certain channels. I also have a couple templates set up where I record only the analog ins of the Focusright, and others where I only record the mains from devices and not the individual tracks.

Anyways, just sharing so that maybe it helps you do what you are looking for if you can't through the MPC/Force.

I have not given up yet on the MPC and hopefully will find a decent workaround, but not looking super great at the moment for what I would like it to do. Maybe there will be a workaround using it in combination with Ableton in Ableton Control mode. I actually only got the MPC Live instead of the MPC One because of this feature, so hopefully once I look into it I find a solution.

Good luck.

Bonsaipanda wrote:Group your audio inputs based on what kind of processing you need for them. If you have synths that need heavy reverb, group them into one stereo track, synths that only require a room ambience, group those into one stereo track etc. Treat the 8 audio tracks like a submix bus and you should be fine.

How do I do that? My synths are connected to the Focusrite/Octopre on channels 1-16. 8 stereo pairs. When I create an audio track in MPC I can only select one stereo input pair per track. If I could group all 8 of the pairs into one audio track that would work great (actually the solution I was hoping for) as that would just be there for me to hear all synths and I could use individual audio tracks for recording which ones I want. I rarely if ever need to record all synths at once, the issue is just not being able to hear them even without recording.

HouseWithoutMouse:

Actually, after replying to you I thought about the Control Center some more, and it is possible to route simultaneously the inputs and the daw/mpc. When I saved the routing to work within Ableton I set up the routing to only play the DAW playback and disable the normal inputs. I forget that I did this and it isn't a hard setting when connected to a DAW. The reason I did this was to not hear double sounds from the same synth. One unprocessed on top of the processed sound coming from Ableton, rather than having to constantly be switching on/off monitoring in Ableton I just routed everything through Ableton, once I am connected to Ableton anyways it is just easier especially since there are no limitations.

With the MPC I could setup routing for everything to play normal including the MPC outs and just turn the monitoring on/off as needed in the MPC. I will need to test out tonight it working in practice but I think it should work.


Bonsaiponds: I would still like to know how to group audio tracks together if possible.

Thanks for the help all.

allreddv wrote:

Bonsaipanda wrote:Group your audio inputs based on what kind of processing you need for them. If you have synths that need heavy reverb, group them into one stereo track, synths that only require a room ambience, group those into one stereo track etc. Treat the 8 audio tracks like a submix bus and you should be fine.

How do I do that? My synths are connected to the Focusrite/Octopre on channels 1-16. 8 stereo pairs. When I create an audio track in MPC I can only select one stereo input pair per track. If I could group all 8 of the pairs into one audio track that would work great (actually the solution I was hoping for) as that would just be there for me to hear all synths and I could use individual audio tracks for recording which ones I want. I rarely if ever need to record all synths at once, the issue is just not being able to hear them even without recording.

You could connect your synths to a mixer and then just plug the output from the mixer into the input of the MPC. I don't really use audio tracks, so I don't know the limits - I haven't messed with a multi-input soundcard as I don't have one yet, but I would guess that all of your inputs are visible in the Audio Mixer page where you can route them and apply live effects to them.

Bonsaipanda wrote:
You could connect your synths to a mixer and then just plug the output from the mixer into the input of the MPC. I don't really use audio tracks, so I don't know the limits - I haven't messed with a multi-input soundcard as I don't have one yet, but I would guess that all of your inputs are visible in the Audio Mixer page where you can route them and apply live effects to them.

Thats what I do, but I hadn't suggested it because the OP already stated that a mixer isn't an option at this point.

Crumb$ wrote:

Bonsaipanda wrote:
You could connect your synths to a mixer and then just plug the output from the mixer into the input of the MPC. I don't really use audio tracks, so I don't know the limits - I haven't messed with a multi-input soundcard as I don't have one yet, but I would guess that all of your inputs are visible in the Audio Mixer page where you can route them and apply live effects to them.

Thats what I do, but I hadn't suggested it because the OP already stated that a mixer isn't an option at this point.

Ah, missed that one. Mixer would be the most hassle-free option for single input, imho. ^.^

Are you using a midi program to control you synths? If so, there is an 'audio' tab on the bottom left hand corner that allows you to route audio so you wont need to use an audio track.

I am also coming from Ableton and was using Audio tracks for routing my external synths until I found that tab. I am only using the onboard audio interface inputs but I assume it should be the same for the Scarlett.

8 Audio tracks is 8 more than I had on my MPC 4000, so it's a matter of perspective.

You're only going to get 8 Audio tracks in Standalone, you'll have to work with the limitation...

Originally in a Studio, this type of issue was solved by a patchbays