Andy Mac open to discussions

Coz wrote:

Blue Haze wrote:3 programs hmmmmmmmm. I'm guessing program mix is just the mix page, program is of course the edit, zones, and program matrix, the other I don't know. Better labeling is needed by something.

They seem to have devoted a lot of buttons to navigating the file system.

It might just be me, but I find navigating a bunch of sounds, plugins, projects much easier on the computer screen with a trackpad/mouse with Maschine rather than relying on the dedicated knobs and LCD.

If I'm going through a bunch a sounds I just use the down arrow on my keyboard with it set to auto play. It's faster IMO.

Wait a minute now, just a minute Wasn't all the hoopla to work from the hardware controller being able to control everything from the small screen ha,ha

If I can or if anybody else can let's try to post up a pic of a 3k layout or 5k for comparison to the Ren. Damn I only had side views of my former 3k.

Blue Haze wrote:

Coz wrote:

Blue Haze wrote:3 programs hmmmmmmmm. I'm guessing program mix is just the mix page, program is of course the edit, zones, and program matrix, the other I don't know. Better labeling is needed by something.

They seem to have devoted a lot of buttons to navigating the file system.

It might just be me, but I find navigating a bunch of sounds, plugins, projects much easier on the computer screen with a trackpad/mouse with Maschine rather than relying on the dedicated knobs and LCD.

If I'm going through a bunch a sounds I just use the down arrow on my keyboard with it set to auto play. It's faster IMO.

Wait a minute now, just a minute Wasn't all the hoopla to work from the hardware controller being able to control everything from the small screen ha,ha

Exactly......

Coz is cool I was just messing around not coming from a mean spirited point of view. I don't want to get the taste slap out of my mouth.

DJ Hellfire wrote:Me too! I'm just saying from the standpoint of having more active chops in a program than just 64. Like there were times on my 2500 where I would chop a sample into 90+ pieces and I had to make multiple programs. Those extra pad banks combined with JJ's global program edit would have been amazing!

WOW, I've never quite stretched to 90+ chops!

I can see the benefit of more pad banks in this respect.

Blue Haze wrote:Wait a minute now, just a minute Wasn't all the hoopla to work from the hardware controller being able to control everything from the small screen ha,ha

Waveform editing - 100% yes!

Multiple buttons to navigate files - Not so important.

Dedicated sample record and duplicate buttons - Fingers crossed!

Blue Haze wrote:Coz is cool I was just messing around not coming from a mean spirited point of view. I don't want to get the taste slap out of my mouth.

I can have a perfectly rational discussion with you Haze, because you hold a balanced and well thought out viewpoint. I also know you're a fellow producer.

Some people don't venture beyond the talking.

If it wasn't wanting 8 dedicated pad bank buttons it would be something else. I am laughing at many of the posts in these forums. As over the years when we were created feature requests in all these forums indicating what type of product we would like to see...many of you guys were quiet..not a peep. Then a new MPC surfaces and everyone is a critic.

I don't venture beyond the talking...and right now, I see some one contradicting the hell out of themself...and will enjoy talking about it

JAH wrote:I am laughing at many of the posts in these forums.

What's funnier is the fact that for the first time we have the opportunity as end users to make feature requests while the product is still in the prototype stage, and you're nowhere to be seen!

JAH wrote:I don't venture beyond the talking

We are fully aware of this.

Coz wrote:

What's funnier is the fact that for the first time we have the opportunity as end users to make feature requests while the product is still in the prototype stage, and you're nowhere to be seen!

My feature requests? What I wrote about 3 years ago looks exactly like the MPC Ren.

JAH wrote:24 Jan 2009
A virtual MPC is something I thought about for years. And at one time, Akai even advertised this on their website. But with the release of Motu and Native Instrument products that expands of this idea, I think it is time for Akai to make a product that can capitalize on their strengths.

So I suggest the new MPC 5000 Unplugged! The hardware/control surface is based off the MPC 5000. It ill even be as heavy/robust as the MPC 5000 to get the rugged hands on feel. But there will be no hard drive, cd drive, cf card reader, RAM, sampler, sequencer, synth, etc. The software (sequencer, sampler, synth) would reside completely on a PC (or Mac). This way it wouldn't be limited by RAM, polyphony, etc. The control surface will be connected to a PC via ethernet using a protocol similar to Pro Tools control surfaces. It will transmit/receive bi-directional information to/from a PC. Akai could completely update the UI to include all the pretty colors and graphic representations of knobs/sliders, etc. To the MPC user, it would feel like that are still working on an MPC. This is the most important aspect. Every parameter should be selectable from the control surface but you can still use a keyboard and mouse for further editing. It will still have the full spectrum of MIDI inputs and outputs as well as analog and digital inputs/outputs. But the PC software would actually be doing all the sampling and sequencing. This MPC 5000 Unplugged will act as a big dongle. If it is not connected to your PC, the software will not work.

JAH wrote:I don't venture beyond the talking

Coz wrote:We are fully aware of this.

We chit chat in the forums....but you don't know me.

JAH wrote:My feature requests? What I wrote about 3 years ago looks exactly like the MPC Ren.

If I shot a machine gun into a crowd of people, at some point I would hit someone in the face. That doesn't make me a sure shot. In other words, I've seen numerous feature requests from you where you also talk about a true hybrid with everything possible from the controller (including waveform editing). Controllers have become industry wide, so stop making out you're Mystic Meg with your finger on the pulse.

It's obvious where Akai were heading if they were to release another MPC.

If you want to add to the discussion about button placement, that's cool. If you don't, stay out of the discussion.

JAH wrote:We chit chat in the forums....but you don't know me.

Likewise.

Blue Haze wrote:I can see the song button on top for mode to order the sequences. But project button would take the place of song files just like any other sequencer like maschine, logic, ableton you name it. To have two buttons for Song sequence and song files isn't practical if you have what 4 to 5 project folders?

Andy or Dan need to explain the logic behind it, or while it is still early change the function and the label since this is only a prototype plus it would be confusing for any user who haven't read a PDF manual on it. We have agreed on most things but TWO SONGS buttons should be reduced to one button and the user like any only mpc can page through it. Project mode should contain the saved song files or compacted sequences.

Plus I got to go with Dan's plan to switch the places of the main and shift buttons.

The song filter is now project, which is more commonly needed I think.

As to a dedicated song button, that won't change. The response for song mode came from several, and when I say several I mean dozens of producers. Watching them work, they constantly used it, not just as song mode, but for combining two sequences, building bigger sequences on top of others etc. this may not be your work flow, but it's a popular one.

To sampling, most people we worked with will usually do all their sampling ini one sitting, or sometimes, they will grab several samples they want to use for a particular project at once. Consistently, they jumped in to the mode, recorded samples, and stated there for a while. There wasn't a lot of bouncing in and out. Again, this may not be your workflow, but it was overwhelmingly what we saw.

The data filter buttons for the browser are now:

Project
Sequence
Program
Sample
No filter

What's "No Filter"? It will show all formats?

Hey Dan thanks for the reply. And to clear up my end we all use song mode to string several sequences into a song that a part of every mpc every made. But what I didn't get was the need for a song filter. On every mpc I used I could use all the functions for song in song mode under one button.

As for the saving and loading of songs I figured that was what the project button under data filter was for.


Since we now have free button (no filter) you mentioned what can the alternative?


As for the others buttons also mentioned the three program buttons how are they to be used?

Thanks again Dan and could you add a pic of a side by side comparison of the Renaissance and the mpc 3k if possible?