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.
By Ajax Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:15 pm
I’m curious how many of you with an MPC X that do this more than a hobby (whether you’ve made albums yourselves or just sold beats here and there) take the time to track out individual tracks/stems (into a DAW or a recorder) or whether you mix down within the X and just record out the entire song through the two main outputs…

If you track out, do you separate each drum and melodic sound on its own individual track? Do you find it imperative to have kicks, snares, etc on different tracks?.. How many tracks do you normally have on any given song/beat?
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By Monotremata Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:24 pm
I work with one instrument per track in mono with all my stuff. I've got 8 tracks on the MPC, one for each audio output on my interface, my EMU has another 8, then every synth I have for another 6, and my Rev 2 is in stereo so the last two for 24 channels. All goes into a Soundcraft console, then a patchbay, patchbay is hooked up to my 24 channels of I/o into my Mac, hit record in Cubase, mix, bounce, done. The console is inline so I can record into the DAW through it, and then mix 24 tracks from the DAW back into it if I want.

For breaks/drums, I used to prefer one drum/channel, and if I'm recording my band or 'real' music I'll still do that. But with electronic stuff, the MPC's drum programs (or Groove Agent in Cubase) give you enough internal micro managing/mixing features, you can make a nice stereo/mono mix of your drums.
By J.O.BEATS Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:26 pm
I mix everything within the mpc environment

But when I sell a beat or working with an artist and they need the stems I track out. Yes, every element of the beat is tracked out to its own stem usually. Im mostly a sample based beat maker so the track count is usually pretty small regardless. Usually looks like this:
Sample
Bass/sub
Kick
Hat
Snare
(If using a break it gets tracked out on one track)
Percussion
Hits/stabs
Other instruments ir samples I’ve layered with sample for hook etc (all on their own stems)

But sometimes if I don’t want the mix engineer do too much then I’ll track out certain sounds together (think layering of drums and effects that are crucial to the sound/vibe of the beat)
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By Lampdog Sun Jan 29, 2023 3:00 am
Inst per trk.
1 drum per trk.
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By Lampdog Sun Jan 29, 2023 1:40 pm
I don’t track out.
Mix inside X.

Everything in X, no computer.
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By Telefunky Sun Jan 29, 2023 4:00 pm
I use a similar strategy like Monotremata, but instead of the console Pro Tools 5 TDM is the centerpiece for analog and digital io.
(2 Adat busses for MPC4k and a MacMini M1, 3 Digidesign boxes for preamps, synths,fx, iPad)
I can use PT fx for the MPC in live mode (including external gear or AUs on the MacMini) or do it later on the DAW track.
After latency is measured once it can be applied reliably and sample accurate in future projects.
It‘s also very convenient to (re)sample from a PT track because it will do exactly the marked section, no trimming needed. :smoker:
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By Monotremata Sun Jan 29, 2023 4:25 pm
Telefunky wrote:I use a similar strategy like Monotremata, but instead of the console Pro Tools 5 TDM is the centerpiece for analog and digital io.
(2 Adat busses for MPC4k and a MacMini M1, 3 Digidesign boxes for preamps, synths,fx, iPad)
I can use PT fx for the MPC in live mode (including external gear or AUs on the MacMini) or do it later on the DAW track.
After latency is measured once it can be applied reliably and sample accurate in future projects.
It‘s also very convenient to (re)sample from a PT track because it will do exactly the marked section, no trimming needed. :smoker:


Holy shit you still have a TDM system up and running?? That's rad!! A friend of mines dad (who's designed some shit for A Systems) used to use our rehearsal space for tracking/mixing once in awhile when he would come up to Ventura. 2004/5 and this guy was still carting around a PowerMac 9600 with his TDM system in it and refused to update or upgrade it because it was his money maker system and just worked. We finally got him to try out OS X around 2007 or so when we gave him one of the extra G4s laying around the studio haha.
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By Telefunky Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:21 pm
Actually „still running ...“ would be the wrong description... I‘m a (very) late starter.
A couple of years ago a Mix24 system (2 DSP cards, 882/20 converter and cables) was offered for a price too low to refuse, so I tried it on a blue-white G3 (saved from trashing for design sake) :mrgreen:
It worked much better than expected (the system was intended as a Virus/FX rack only), but adding the DAW part was just a couple of months. Then I added more cards, cables, converters and Adat bridge.
A dedicated Mutec MC7 sorted clock issues and improved the Digidesign boxes significantly. (I also have a Win7 Creamware Scope System)
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By Telefunky Mon Jan 30, 2023 2:29 am
To give this some context:
I‘m mainly after connecting components digitally via Adat, so a 2nd Adat Bridge is needed to integrate the Scope system. The 19“ box is cheap, but cables are rare and expensive, in particular the Y-cable to have full 16 channels on a single card connection.

There are some nice (and some unique) synths on Creamware Scope plus a hidden gem called VDAT, a 99% exact replica of Adat recorders (up to 4 reliably) and can be controlled by a physical Alesis BRC (big remote controller).
(record/playback without a DAW screen, and without lag of tape sync/positioning)
If it works, it‘s really cool... but the thing is a **** to sync and setup. (details skipped)

Because both PT and Scope are hardware DSP based there‘s no io-buffer needed for data transfer and audio stays in the digital domain when passed multiple times.

The b/w G3 has been replaced by a G4/800, but still running OS9, so aksys does the job for the MPC4k and Sounddiver is used for Yamaha TX7, Casio VZ8M, CZ1k, Kawai XD5 etc.
The file system is pretty lame, but at least it‘s supported by my Synology NAS.

Another reason to add the Scope Win7 system is longer (or bigger) session tracking.
And though I can cut/edit in PT, it‘s way faster in SAW Studio, another favorite oldie but goldie. :mrgreen:
Reading all the trouble here with Akai‘s MPC DAW software attempts, I‘m quite happy I got the MPC4k to integrate it into a (rather) classic studio environment. :smoker: