By ancaja123
Fri Sep 10, 2021 5:01 am
Audio Tracks seem to be one of the most elusive additions to the MPC software, something that certainly sets it apart from legacy MPCs to a large degree. I have, in fact, used them a hell of a lot, especially with mono synths, and especially with CV. It's great to get a patch and something cool going, be able to track it, and move on to another layer. I really like this quick, rudimentary almost Audacity style recording. I like that it tracks with the transport, so you can start from any point, scrobble through the audio, punch in record, its all very useful and it works.
That being said, I think there are some major improvements that could be had. I've thought about this a lot, and while it sort of makes sense upon first use to have Audio Tracks be per sequence and not Project-wide, it also makes naming, mixing, and general organization of these tracks really, really limited. It really sucks, for instance, to want to add something into Audio Track 2 in the chorus section of a song that is different from the verse. Because everything but the AUDIO ITSELF remains the same throughout the plethory of sequences you can have on the MPC, it starts to not make much sense after a while, and recording acoustic instruments, vocals, live playing or whatever, only becomes useful once you've made a whole song, and converted to a sequence (which is in fact my usual workflow on any MPC). Your and everything you do to that track to really blend it into your mix, stays static over the span of what could sometimes be dozens of sequences. I'd like to know how you guys make use of Audio Tracks, like I said I love using it to multitrack mono synths and have them playback immediately. I also use them for live sets to put in playback/backing tracks, however this quickly eats up memory, obviously. But out of all the MPC Live/X/One users that I know, I'm the only one who has even touched Audio Tracks.
What I really, really think could elevate Audio Tracks, would be to at least have the OPTION for Audio Track Programs. The idea would be that you could have a Program of 8 Audio Tracks that you could use on any of your Sequences, and at any time you could switch to a different Audio Track Program, and have another 8 Tracks, complete with different FX, Mix settings, everything. This isn't that crazy considering you can already have as many Audio Tracks as you want within the constraints of the RAM! And on that note, if Akai ever implemented Disk Streaming, it would make a whole lot of sense. You could have Intros, Verses, Choruses, made of Audio Tracks without having to stick to the same settings. You can have a full live set, with different songs built out of actual stems, backed up with Programs, Keygroups, and Plugins. You could have a full hybrid DJ live set with the ability to remix acapellas into your tracks and other fun stuff like that (this ones a reach but it could be done in combination with a DJ mixer quite well). This is all stuff that Disk Streaming would make much more useful.
But If Disk Streaming DOES ever become a thing, how would you guys even use it? Incredibly detailed, sample laden/layered Keygroup Programs? I can see Disk Streaming solving memory issues with this, sure. Long audio samples onto pads? If you go that route you get into the territory of having to listen to an entire song to get to a certain point in the sample, something that drove me crazy when using the Octatrack's One Shots for long samples. But it would work, and currently thats the only workaround to having more than 8 audio tracks inside a Project, with varying settings (aside from using Automation, which doesn't solve insert FX remaining static).
The only other thing I can see that would make the Audio Tracks infinitely more useful, would be extending them from 8 to 16, or possibly 32. Given the class compliant interface addition, this seems like a no brainer and would take the MPC to multitrack heaven.
So...how do you guys use Audio Tracks? Would the ability to have Audio Track Programs be useful? And on the topic of long audio, how would you guys use Disk Streaming if ever implemented?
That being said, I think there are some major improvements that could be had. I've thought about this a lot, and while it sort of makes sense upon first use to have Audio Tracks be per sequence and not Project-wide, it also makes naming, mixing, and general organization of these tracks really, really limited. It really sucks, for instance, to want to add something into Audio Track 2 in the chorus section of a song that is different from the verse. Because everything but the AUDIO ITSELF remains the same throughout the plethory of sequences you can have on the MPC, it starts to not make much sense after a while, and recording acoustic instruments, vocals, live playing or whatever, only becomes useful once you've made a whole song, and converted to a sequence (which is in fact my usual workflow on any MPC). Your and everything you do to that track to really blend it into your mix, stays static over the span of what could sometimes be dozens of sequences. I'd like to know how you guys make use of Audio Tracks, like I said I love using it to multitrack mono synths and have them playback immediately. I also use them for live sets to put in playback/backing tracks, however this quickly eats up memory, obviously. But out of all the MPC Live/X/One users that I know, I'm the only one who has even touched Audio Tracks.
What I really, really think could elevate Audio Tracks, would be to at least have the OPTION for Audio Track Programs. The idea would be that you could have a Program of 8 Audio Tracks that you could use on any of your Sequences, and at any time you could switch to a different Audio Track Program, and have another 8 Tracks, complete with different FX, Mix settings, everything. This isn't that crazy considering you can already have as many Audio Tracks as you want within the constraints of the RAM! And on that note, if Akai ever implemented Disk Streaming, it would make a whole lot of sense. You could have Intros, Verses, Choruses, made of Audio Tracks without having to stick to the same settings. You can have a full live set, with different songs built out of actual stems, backed up with Programs, Keygroups, and Plugins. You could have a full hybrid DJ live set with the ability to remix acapellas into your tracks and other fun stuff like that (this ones a reach but it could be done in combination with a DJ mixer quite well). This is all stuff that Disk Streaming would make much more useful.
But If Disk Streaming DOES ever become a thing, how would you guys even use it? Incredibly detailed, sample laden/layered Keygroup Programs? I can see Disk Streaming solving memory issues with this, sure. Long audio samples onto pads? If you go that route you get into the territory of having to listen to an entire song to get to a certain point in the sample, something that drove me crazy when using the Octatrack's One Shots for long samples. But it would work, and currently thats the only workaround to having more than 8 audio tracks inside a Project, with varying settings (aside from using Automation, which doesn't solve insert FX remaining static).
The only other thing I can see that would make the Audio Tracks infinitely more useful, would be extending them from 8 to 16, or possibly 32. Given the class compliant interface addition, this seems like a no brainer and would take the MPC to multitrack heaven.
So...how do you guys use Audio Tracks? Would the ability to have Audio Track Programs be useful? And on the topic of long audio, how would you guys use Disk Streaming if ever implemented?