noob workflow/connect question: MPC KEY37 *standalone*+DAW

Hello community,

New to the MPC and music making generally. I'm trying to figure out if my workflow concept is possible, leveraging the key37's unique ability to control a daw while in standalone mode.

I want to:

1. Run the Key37 in standalone on v3.0 firmware,
2. Control a daw (Ableton? FL Studio?) via USB to utilize VSTs on the DAW,
3. Seamlessly produce music on the MPC KEY37 both with tracks hosted on the Key37 AND with audio returned from the DAW/PC.
4. Low latency setup desired (so maybe ASIO?)

I'm wondering if this workflow is possible. The MPC doesn't host VSTs, but I want to use it for my work instead of the DAW (mostly). I'd assign tracks to VST's on various midi channels in the daw to trigger them from the MPC.

If this is possible, would I need an audio interface? (I'm assuming yes)
Would I need to send it all to a mixer?

Thanks in advance. Please forgive any ignorance in the question. I'm very new to all of this.

Cheers!

All possible.
When you say "with audio returned from the DAW/PC", if you mean audio via USB back into the MPC, that's a no. Audio via the MPC audio inputs, yes.

As for audio interfaces/mixers, as long as the MPC outputs are ok, then no need for a USB interface on the MPC, the PC, yes.
Most audio interfaces will come with ASIO drivers etc. MacOS uses it's own a lot, especially with class compliant devices.
Mixer, yes, just ensure it has slightly more inputs than you think you need

If you have the cash Presonus do a couple of mixers with built in multi-channel audio interfaces that would probably solve a lot of your issues, like the Arc16 etc.

Neurone wrote:All possible.
When you say "with audio returned from the DAW/PC", if you mean audio via USB back into the MPC, that's a no. Audio via the MPC audio inputs, yes.

As for audio interfaces/mixers, as long as the MPC outputs are ok, then no need for a USB interface on the MPC, the PC, yes.
Most audio interfaces will come with ASIO drivers etc. MacOS uses it's own a lot, especially with class compliant devices.
Mixer, yes, just ensure it has slightly more inputs than you think you need

If you have the cash Presonus do a couple of mixers with built in multi-channel audio interfaces that would probably solve a lot of your issues, like the Arc16 etc.

Thanks for offering all that. I don't even need the audio interface if I'm in controller mode I think, and I'm guessing I don't need the mixer at all if I can pull the audio into the MPC to mix there. Frankly all of this will be irrelevant when there is a version 3.0 of the desktop software. Since they are two different versions and I'm new to all this and I don't want to learn two versions I'm trying to use VSTs, which are part of my workflow, but also not have to switch versions when I do that. I can do all this and controller mode right now but it reverts to 2.15.

If you're in controller mode then whatever audio interface is on your PC is it, if it's a USB one ASIO should be available, if it's the built-in audio then Asio4all works great too.

In standalone v3 changes the workflow but audio recording is pretty much the same and USB audio interfaces are covered in the compatibility thread I started a few years ago.

Neurone wrote:If you're in controller mode then whatever audio interface is on your PC is it, if it's a USB one ASIO should be available, if it's the built-in audio then Asio4all works great too.

In standalone v3 changes the workflow but audio recording is pretty much the same and USB audio interfaces are covered in the compatibility thread I started a few years ago.

I'll want to take a look at that. There's a lot that goes into picking an interface, but low latency is a must. I'm working through how to adjust the latency that's there already.