JJOSXL 3.20 limitations?

It has been awhile since I used the JJOS and even longer since I touched an MPC 2500. Well after just using the MPC 2500 running JJOSXL 3.20, I found some bugs or some glaring limitations.

From the Main Mode, if your start recording a sequence and change modes...you will be taken old of recording.

This happens when entering the following modes:
1. Grid Edit
2. Step Edit
3. Effect
4. Mixer
5. Program

Is this a bug or a limitation of the JJ OS?

i think it may be specification. i haven't noticed personally because i don't switch modes while recording, but i'm doing some testing today and will look into it.

seems like it'd be nice for some people if recording would persist while switching between various recording screens (grid, main, and step edit), in my next communication i'll ask what the situation is with that.

You notice that it does not act this way when you go the opposite direction. Say record/over dub in grid edit does not stop when you go to the main screen. unless you are using a foot switch you have to stop playing anyway to change screen right. Unless you have 4 hands.
So to me its no big deal as you can easily change tracks with out the recording or overdub stopping. And this is way more handy than say changing to a different screen. Why do you need to change screens anyways, have you set them to only show certain data?? I usually start in grid edit then go to main. So wonder why ?
So if you are using 2 hands to change screen then you cant be playing at the same time can you. So makes total sense to assume you wont be needing to record, because your hands are not playing but instead changing screens on MPC. To be honest it can easily be over come with foot switch.
foot switch set to OVERDUB + PLAY means you can toggle the recording back on and off hands free, even when you change screens. This is a great way to do it as it means it never has to stop playing ever, especially in loop mode of course. I wont mind if it did keep recording but as i can tap my foot anytime it makes no difference. Just makes sense that its that way and seems like a thought out spec brought about by the limitations inherent in the OS and hardware. you dig. If you really think its a limitation then you got the wrong end of the stick IMHO
peace

It's really quite simple. If I am recording and decide to switch modes, I expect an MPC to stay in record. The only time I would expect otherwise is when it is impossible to record in the mode I am switching to.

So if I start recording while in Mixer Mode and switch to Main Mode...and the MPC remains in record.....that it should perform the same way in reverse. This is not a limitation of the hardware. And it 'should' not be difficult to maintain this consistency throughout the software.

Granted...I am coming from MPCs that perform much differently. In a real world application, I would be in Main Mode recording some drums. And then I want to record mixer automation. I shouldn't have to stop the sequencer from recording. I should be able to enter Mixer Mode and use the Qlinks to immediately start recording mixer/effect automation. *Note - still learning my way around this OS. I can only record automation using the Qlinks in Main Mode. I haven't figured out how to record mixer changes while in Mixer Mode.

yeah i dont know if i would compare it to other MPCs OS but i know what you mean.
You see to me its one thing to expect something but another to need something though.
'So as a workflow thing its not about if it is like other MPCs but what JJ and the MPC can do for you.
But like Nym and myself, we got foot switches and that means that step becomes a toe tap and solved. Oh and I think its might be that the undo function needs an end point to. I mean if you went all over the shop and never stopped recording, then hit undo, you lost everything you made. well till you hit undo again that is. So i actually like that it stops over dubbing/recording after going to another screen as it just gave me a new undo point or level i guess. no multi undos but this way means you can build up stuff but can always undo last pass say, of midi info or new drum track.

So if you make a lot of music you know that as you make it, you are going to want to change things or make mistakes, so makes no sense you would make a whole huge sequence with out leaving record mode. get me. So not bothered myself but I think its good that it gives you a point to undo in this current set up. You try making a 16 track 128 bar sequence with out making a single mistake. not easy.

Sounds like JJ needs to implement a Redo in case some users with fat fingers accidently hit the Undo button (I expect/require all future MPCs to have Undo/Redo functions).

I appreciate your paragraphs of feedback. And I have never used a footswitch with an MPC ever...and never will; this has nothing do to with this topic.

With everything you wrote...the bottom line is that I believe the 2500 should never be taken out of record 'unless a user wants to'. This has nothing to do with recording 16 tracks of 128 bars. If going from one mode to another doesn't stop recording, then this should be applied to the entire OS. Otherwise, it is sloppy and not professional. Consistency is what I expect from a professional product. Any MPC that doesn't meet my expectation, I will give the same type of feedback. This is an obvious bug as it makes no sense to perform one way and not the other.

Respectfully submitted,

Jahrome

PS - What do you expect me to say? Beta testers give open and honest feedback. They give opinions/reasons why they feel a function should be implemented a certain way. Otherwise, the product will never be improved.

Can't you see I am busy testing MPCs?

'Test' less, make music more!

Well look at here...looks like Jah does have beta testing skills. That's good bug detecting work right there.

i would definitely consider the F1 TC issue a bug, because as someone else demonstrated, selecting a different TC option via the TC/TAP TEMPO button does not disable RECORD MODE. so, if one can do it, the other one should be able to as well unless there's something else at play. so - we have both a fairly inconsequential bug to report and a workaround to use.

for the rest, doing a little testing - a user can freely navigate in between grid edit, step edit, trim, track mixer, pad mixer, FX, GPE, QLINK, and the OTHER/MIDI modes without losing RECORD/OVERDUB.

when a user has RECORD ENABLED and leaves any of the above screens for MAIN, RECORD stays on. however, if a user then leaves MAIN for any other screen, RECORD is disabled. this could be a bug, or this could be some sort of necessary system thing whose explanation i'm unclear on (like why STOP must be pressed after recording before a NEXT SEQUENCE can be set up) but it's worth reporting. i'll draft something up.

guys, the jjos forum has been drama free for a loooong time, let's keep it that way. be impersonal and professional, because as demonstrated above, progress can still be made here.

the only thing i really dont like about JJXL is that when you record a sample and audition it, the playback is significantly lower than what you recorded. im sure it has something to do with system only playing at 80% volume. also if you turn up levels in pgm to 100% and you go to edit them in trim they play at 80% compared to the level they are in your program.. i had to run the akai os to make sure that mp wasnt broken and sure enough the akai os sampled and playback maintained the same level when you audition the sample..

ive looked all over the boards and the manual to see if there was a way to remedy this, and i cant find anything.. the lower volume in trim mode doesnt bother me as much as the lower volume when you audition what you just recorded.. often i raise the volume, listen to the playback, then press keep only to have the record volume BLAST through my monitors since i raised the main volume..

Yeah a while back I asked if he could do something to make the audio levels more coherent between all the different modes. I was told it would take much time and it was difficult. You can add LOAD mode to your list. From what I remember I think the output level is weaker.

I find those differences very annoying, especially because I often use headphones and when I'm not I have to tweak my calibrated setup.

Nym wrote:i would definitely consider the F1 TC issue a bug, because as someone else demonstrated, selecting a different TC option via the TC/TAP TEMPO button does not disable RECORD MODE. so, if one can do it, the other one should be able to as well unless there's something else at play. so - we have both a fairly inconsequential bug to report and a workaround to use.

for the rest, doing a little testing - a user can freely navigate in between grid edit, step edit, trim, track mixer, pad mixer, FX, GPE, QLINK, and the OTHER/MIDI modes without losing RECORD/OVERDUB.

when a user has RECORD ENABLED and leaves any of the above screens for MAIN, RECORD stays on. however, if a user then leaves MAIN for any other screen, RECORD is disabled. this could be a bug, or this could be some sort of necessary system thing whose explanation i'm unclear on (like why STOP must be pressed after recording before a NEXT SEQUENCE can be set up) but it's worth reporting. i'll draft something up.

guys, the jjos forum has been drama free for a loooong time, let's keep it that way. be impersonal and professional, because as demonstrated above, progress can still be made here.

Nym, I just tested the free JJOS. You can navigate to any mode (with the exception of load/save) and it won't disable sequencer recording. They same is true for pressing TC or Click F keys.

I agree that there's bugs to iron out and features to fix (at least to be more consistent). I really hope that all this XL LCD stuff doesn't completely end "small screen" development just yet.

it would be in jj's best interest to maintain at least some active development in os2xl (primarily support for any late-in-the-game bugs like this one), for sure.