How does the browser work?

On my mpc 2500 the program edit page allows you to quickly audition sounds using the wheel - Hit pad you want to edit -> wheel through sounds -> sounds are playable instantly even with 16 levels on, no need to press enter etc.

Obviously there is the extra annoying step of having to load samples to memory first but I'm assuming this isn't necessary going forward.


On the Ren is this workflow the same?


When you're browsing through your sounds can you preview them on the pads without having to load/drag them? - For example you're playing a pattern with your left hand and want to use your right hand to quickly scroll through sounds like the usual program edit screen.

When you hit a pad does it show the current sample you're using in the browser like the 2500+Maschine?



Sorry if there are silly questions but I couldn't find any info on this. Very few software samplers give you this kind of functionality. Logics EXS24 has a preview within sampler option but Kontakt certainly doesn't. Edit - BPM and Geist have autoload. Battery 3 has autopreview.

1. Press [BROWSER] button
2. Press [F2] to turn on auto play
3. Turn data wheel to hear your samples as your scroll through the list
4. Find a sound you like, strike a pad to selection destination (turns green)
5. Press F6 [Load] to load onto Pad

Note - Sequencer stops when loading. However, you load a folder full of samples. Assign some of the samples to pads and create a sequence. And while the sequence is playing, you can change the sounds on the drum pads without it stopping the sequencer as a way to demo different sounds.

Thanks for taking the time to answer Jah,


Main question - With autoplay on, can you can play the sample on the pads before you commit to loading? With 16 levels on like the 2500? This would be akin to "in kit/sampler" preview option in Battery 3.


If not that's a big step backwards. That's one of the best things about the 2500, how quickly you can try out sounds.


An even better workflow would be an autoload option like BPM, Geist and the 2500 where the browser reflects the sample on the pad you have selected, then you can just scroll through and it'll change to whatever sample you have selected.


I've figured out the names of what I'm asking about are Autoload and Auto preview


Regarding the sequencer stopping, that's gotta be a 1.0 issue right? Can't be a technical reason for that choice these days.

I own an MPC 2500. It doesn't perform the way you indicated.

To clarify.

The program screen on the 2500 autoloads/autoassigns samples to the pad selected when you scroll through the sounds that are loaded to ram. Agreed?

Seeing as this is software I'm assuming the whole loading to ram step on old MPC's isn't necessary.


In a nutshell -

Does the Ren have an autoload/autoassign or autopreview option in the browser?

JAH wrote:Sequencer stops when loading.

FAIL

dongrammar wrote:To clarify.

The program screen on the 2500 autoloads/autoassigns samples to the pad selected when you scroll through the sounds that are loaded to ram. Agreed?

Seeing as this is software I'm assuming the whole loading to ram step on old MPC's isn't necessary.


In a nutshell -

Does the Ren have an autoload/autoassign or autopreview option in the browser?

Not exactly. You can scroll through files in its browser and [Play] to audition the sample before loading. Once you press [Load], 'Assign to pad' prompt opens. You strike a pad and then press [Keep] to load that sample to a pad. This is how the MPC 2500 (OS 1.14) works. The JJOS doesn't do any better and is actually worst that the official Akai OS in this regard IMO.

The MPC Ren has really fast loading. Just close your eyes and use the data wheel to hear all the sounds on your drive. Then you stop at the sample you want. Strike a pad and press [Load]. Then repeat this process.

Jah I think you're getting a bit confused or deliberately misunderstanding. As stated I'm not talking about the 1000/2500s [Load] screen, I'm talking about the [Program] screen.



You see that bit where it says "if you had many samples in memory, you could scroll through until you find the sample you need"?

There is no pressing [Load] in the program screen, you're passed that at this point. You just scroll through the sounds and they appear on the pad instantly ready to play even with 16 levels on.


Do you agree this is MPC's work?



The old Maschine has a Next/Previous button which basically works the same, it autoloads the next/previous sample with one button press. This still isn't quite as good as using the scroll wheel on an MPC but sounds a lot better than the convoluted process you're describing.

JAH wrote:The MPC Ren has really fast loading. Just close your eyes and use the data wheel to hear all the sounds on your drive. Then you stop at the sample you want. Strike a pad and press [Load]. Then repeat this process.

What you're describing is adding an extra step compared to the [program] screen on the MPC. It's actually much worse since you need to load it to a pad before you can play it.

What happens when you land on a sample you like but want to play it again?
Is there a [play] button to hear it again?
If not then how do you hear it again?
If so then why not allow the pads to play the sound? Much nicer than a small button
Lets go one step further and just autoload the sample to the currently selected pad so you can play it straight away.



Scrolling samples, or presets (in vsts or other gear) needs to be a one click/actuation affair so you can play with one hand and quickly change sounds with the other. Surely this is UI 101. You'll barely find one piece of gear that doesn't at least have a next/previous button - and I'm talking everything from VSTs to guitar fx pedals to iPods and DVD players. As soon as there is more than one click or action involved there is a usability issue.



I really hope you've just missed this feature and they haven't dropped the ball on this.



I wonder if xparis001 can jump in and address this also?

Dude isn't that simply pad assign? Most mpc's do that and I don't have an Ren it has pad assign and it should be the same whatever samples are in the Ren Project can be loaded into a pad as the sequence plays same as 4k using pad assign button on the front panel. You don't even need to go to program page.

dongrammar wrote:Jah I think you're getting a bit confused or deliberately misunderstanding.

Are you joking? I answered your question in my first response. First I mentioned loading from the 'browser' (which is the traditional MPC Save/Load screen). Then I added that you can load samples to memory and use those sounds without stopping the sequencer as you are now describing in a clearer manner.

Your original questions was "How does the browser work?" In MPC Ren terms, this is talking about loading and saving. What you are talking about is the Ren's Program Edit Mode or Pad Assign function. Both accomplishes exactly what you need equal to or better than any MPC.

Blue Haze wrote:Whatever samples are in the Ren Project can be loaded into a pad as the sequence plays-------You don't even need to go to program page.

Hi Blue,

This should be possible for ALL samples no matter where they are in the browser, regardless of whether they are in the Ren Project or not. This is how modern soft samplers work.

JAH wrote:

dongrammar wrote:Jah I think you're getting a bit confused or deliberately misunderstanding.

Are you joking? I answered your question in my first response. First I mentioned loading from the 'browser' (which is the traditional MPC Save/Load screen). Then I added that you can load samples to memory and use those sounds without stopping the sequencer as you are now describing in a clearer manner.

Your original questions was "How does the browser work?" In MPC Ren terms, this is talking about loading and saving. What you are talking about is the Ren's Program Edit Mode or Pad Assign function. Both accomplishes exactly what you need equal to or better than any MPC.

The whole concept of loading to memory is outdated and unnecessary in 2012. I would have assumed they'd have done away with that step and rolled it all into the Program Edit mode so you have access to all your sounds from this one page.

Actually if you use battery, ultrabeat, Ableton sampler, maschine, spark, or exs it is the same samples are all over the hd, you got to bring them into your bin, set, project, session, instrument or whatever you want to call it. It is the same principal bring the samples into the instrument so they can be recognized and referenced by the sampler. The midi note on the pad or key is used by the sequencer to play the sound on that note. It can't look all over your hd to find the sound no maschine does that unless you build links to a virtual copy.

Anyway if you don't want have your sequencer huffing and puffing trying to find that lost sample somewhere in the depths of folder on you hd or even external drive. Follow the design that every software and hardware sampler/sequencer has followed.

Thats actually not true. The whole point of a browser is so you can access files from anywhere. Not just those you had the forethought to bring in beforehand.



Try these out;

Battery 3 - Click browser tab. Activate "In Kit Preview". Now the pad selected will play whatever sound you have highlighted. You can just use the up or down keys to change sound.

From the Cell tab you can also use Next/Previous to load the next sample in that folder.


EXS24 - Has a "preview audio in EXS instrument" option in the file browser.

Ultrabeat - Also has a "preview sample in ultrabeat voice" option in the file browser.

BPM - Has Autopreview and Autoload


Maschine - Has a next/previous button so you just need to load one sound in a folder then you can quickly fly through the rest.


Ableton sampler I won't include since the Hot Swap function requires you to hit enter after you've landed on the sound you want

Dude, dude, dude, my man you have to load them first from the drive, then assign them to the pad!

Everything you give describe is assigning after the fact.