Feels like the MPC's are the Force's underdogs.

So, with the latest release of 3.1.0 for the Akai Force I was triggered by the fact that the Force actually has received the features that we as MPC users have been asking about for years. And in my opinion these are basic features that could make things a lot easier for some of our workflows. But it's almost as if most of our good ideas have been gathered and been made into the Akai Force.

On the other hand, if I look at my personal feature request list, some of them have actually made it into the MPC but I still wish for the others to make it as well.

I just did a search through my old posts (as well as those of others) on this forum and came up with a feature request list and some of these features have made it into the MPC and others have made it to the Force instead.

The list is as follows:

1) Copy and paste in grid edit mode;

*This feature actually made it to the MPC*

2) Project overview in standalone, just like the way it looks in track view on the PC (This is basically arranger mode);

*This feature is still not available on the MPC but instead made it to the Force*

3) Side chaining;

*Yep, still remember how much noise we've made about this feature and finally Akai delivered the "Mother Ducker"

4) Draw automation from the touchscreen and a way to draw linear lines in automation as well as a way to automate the sub mixes and master bus;

*It took them a long time but we are finally able to put in some automation from the touchscreen. But I still don't know if it's possible to draw linear lines and how to draw automation more precise (+1 increment instead of jumping to 3 increments or higher) if you figure this out, please let me know in the comments).*

*To my surprise the automation of the sub mix busses and master bus have made it to the Force.*

5) More audio tracks and disk streaming;

*This feature has made it to the Force (again)*

6) Better and more modern mixer;

*The Force*

7) Akai to communicate better, Keep the customers updated there is no shame in telling us what's causing the delay. And even if you can't tell us about the exact cause. Tell us about a new date you are aiming for to release promised stuf (Akai Dan). Support us so we can support you.. Feedback goes both ways.. It's the same as trust.

*Gave up on this one a long time ago*

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few features like class compliant audio cards, the midi features we've been making a lot of noise about, the Hype Synth and finally got it delivered after a lot of years but that's not my point.

I wonder if there is strategic reason that so many of the features that we've been asking about (that would really make our MPC's shine) were served to the Force community instead of the MPC community.

Some would say that it might be better to sell your MPC and get a Force instead or to get both.
Personally, for me that's a No Go because I do like the software but I dislike the hardware of the Force. maybe it's something that still has to grow on me but knowing for a fact that MPC's are capable of running those missing features and the only limitation is the fact that the software hasn't been made yet is surely stopping me from getting both.

And what happened to Akai Dan? sometimes he pops up over here or at the gearspace forum making some promisses about these missing features will be made into 3.0? He's been MIA for a while now.

Well let's forget about 3.0 for now, because after getting my hopes up after 2.9 there came 2.10 and we might as well stay version 2 until we reach 2.99.

Okay so what are your thoughts about all of this? Do you also feel like the MPC's are running 2 or 3 years behind the Force? Or are you satisfied with the way things are at the moment? Are there any missing features that you would like to see implemented that I forgot to mention in my list?

For me? I feel like the Force ain't with us.

Anyway, Let's get this conversation rolling.

I'm indifferent to a few features that will likely come to mpc eventually. I don't currently have them and its not hindering my ability to be creative in any way. It's not like many of those features are worth busting out another thousand for.

Ultros wrote:I'm indifferent to a few features that will likely come to mpc eventually. I don't currently have them and its not hindering my ability to be creative in any way. It's not like many of those features are worth busting out another thousand for.

Same. I definitely don't want or need the Force but if Akai developing firmware updates for it means I get more features for my MPC in a free update in a couple months, great! I'm not complaining. But I am mostly laughing at how disappointed and upset people are. Hilarious

So the "arranger mode" is just the computers Track Mode?? I would be totally down for that if thats the case. I dont ever use that to enter notes or edit, but I really missed that view when I moved to the Live. Im one of those 'visual feedback' folks and that screen helped a lot to look at the overall flow of a sequence so I can organize and get to the next ones a bit quicker. Im positive they could've squeezed that in to the current track mode, and just let the screen scroll like Grid Edit does.

ok so it works like this

you fill out the columns, with your choice of instrument, and each row is a sequence. when you are done filling out all that crap, you can hit the record button and then play back sequences or single instruments and it tracks it out in the arranger. You can also point and click and drag stuff around in the arranger. The arranger is the tracking ui people want that resembles a multi track daw. Though with the force its rarely used point and click style.

For me arranger is must have.

Seems to me that people make a lot of noise about stuff that gathers dust, wasting the 1 programmers time at Akai . I think I've seen some others here post theories as to why the arranger isn't here yet.

Is it the fact that, tracks aren't tied to sequences, that breaks the whole concept? That would definitely be a hard thing to undo, and would likely break most peoples old projects. I'm having difficulty wrapping my head around a solution to that, other than selecting it at project open (something like arranger mode or mpc mode) and using 1 or the other.

Maybe....the arranger could have region indicators at the top specifying which sequence you're seeing, and when they pass to the next region, the tracks would change. Tracks that would be static throughout would need some kind of indicator like (labeled "song tracks") or something. I think I can understand why it's not in the MPC yet. It's a beast that needed to be slain from the beginning.

zangetsu01 wrote:...
For me? I feel like the Force ain't with us.
Anyway, Let's get this conversation rolling.

Few weeks ago MPC had features the Force hadn't . It's just a matter of time where those new features will come to MPC

Monotremata wrote:So the "arranger mode" is just the computers Track Mode??

It's simply a linear recorder , nothing to do with arrange . Strange name Akai used for it

jabberwalky wrote:Is it the fact that, tracks aren't tied to sequences, that breaks the whole concept?

no problem with that , the "arranger" can simply list all tracks

Seems more like force users are beta tester for MPC users lol.

All I want is Q Link Auto switch on every screen. All the plugin screens on the Live and Force have it. You touch any parameter and the physical qlink automatically switch to that parameter.

You leave that screen and go to main mode or sample edit and nothing, the qlinks are brain dead and are set to manual mode.

And sure bring on the arranger….

To Me...Arranger Mode is basically a Dumbed Down Version of FL Studio's Playlist Screen. Not a Necessity to Bang Out Hits, but more or less another Visual version the MPC's Song Mode.

New Generation Needs that Visual Component when Making Music.

I wouldn't mind a Spectrum Analyzer of some sort added!

40Beatz wrote:To Me...Arranger Mode is basically a Dumbed Down Version of FL Studio's Playlist Screen. Not a Necessity to Bang Out Hits, but more or less another Visual version the MPC's Song Mode.

New Generation Needs that Visual Component when Making Music.

I wouldn't mind a Spectrum Analyzer of some sort added!

Real Time Spectrum Analyzer would be incredible! Definitely hoping for it and the Mixer screen from the Force/Ableton Live control

I feel like people who haven’t fully dove into forces arranger don’t know how useful it really is. There are things you just can’t do quickly and as smoothly using sequence by sequence. In addition to the fact that you can arrange and not touch your sequences so it acts as a kind of scratch pad. Now that you can record master and submit automation it’s makes even more useful for doing drops and transitions taking an idea into a full arrangement a easier endeavor

They compliment each other. The Force is effectively now a multi-track recorder and what better instrument to pair it with than an MPC- especially an X. Possibilities almost become endless as far as sampling and song making go.

Fess wrote:They compliment each other. The Force is effectively now a multi-track recorder and what better instrument to pair it with than an MPC- especially an X. Possibilities almost become endless as far as sampling and song making go.

That's not the point here.. (No offence) But one machine MPC or Force is capable of doing both.
I've got the Force firmware loaded on my MPC-X and it it runs smooth.

Only problem is that the MPC's don't have all the buttons needed to interact with with the software.
Akai could easily fix this.

But all we actually need is the mixer and the arranger from the Force.

Even tough I've got the money for it I still can't justify buying 2 devices that (with a little bit extra effort from Akai) could do the same thing.

I don't want to see new features in the next update, I just want the MPC's to catch up to the Force:

1) Arranger;
2) Mixer;
3) Disc streaming.

Just let the Force distinguish itself with the clip launching stuff.