Qs about workflow on Audio editing ? good, fast ?

Hi,

i read the manual partially, viewed 4k videos on youtube, but are still not shure about some things.

Hows the workflow on cutting audio, getting snippets and loops out of longer files ?
allways zooming in and out, permanent changing the view from seeing the whole file to seeing the samples to get good cuts ?
my impression is that JJOS-1k is much faster, am i wrong ?

i´d need the better audio resolution and the much bigger Ram from the 4k,
i think the 4k stands or falls for me with the workflow on cutting samples out of longer jamrecordings.

i don´t use my MPC much for sequenzing, more like a Wavelab replacement and for chopping up and jaming the chops.
especially the 4k would be the wavelab replacement. Is the 4K something for me ?

As i´m in europe and would have to get me a 4k from the US this is not a easy decission....and i would be broke after a purchase
so any feedback much welcome !

Subjective - depends on what you used before. My background was the Roland S range samplers. I became very fast editing in those. Then I moved to software -became very fast there to. When I got the MPC4k I did try and edit inside the 4k but to me it felt like a few steps backward. But bear in mind I dont make Hip Ho so much of what I do would be quite different from a Hip Hop producer. Essentially it seemed a little pointless to load in massive amounts of samples to edit them in the 4k when I could do it much faster in my Daw and save them to USB or transfer directly via Ak Sys. However, Someone brought up with the 4k will undoubtedly be fast and I can tell its very comprehensive in editing features.

Before I purchased the 4k I pretty much knew I would edit in the computer and transfer from the computer anyway, so it wasnt a big deal for me. A big +++ for me was the 4ks ability to slot in to a modern Daw set up - and it really does do this exceptionally well.

don´t use my MPC much for sequenzing, more like a Wavelab replacement

Really? you consider editing on the MPC faster than you could in wavelab.
Your not going to use the sequencer either

May I suggest and Akai Z4 or Z8. Its an MPC4k without the pads and the sequencer. You can pick one up much cheaper than a 4k as well. The Z4 and Z8 have always been highly underrated samplers due to the fact they were released when software was on the rise big time. But even today (like the 4k) they can easily out perform many hardware samplers made over the last few years.

hehe, i just got a Z4 2 Weeks ago..........really cheap btw. with the out expansion.
it´s one reason more to look for a 4k.
No, Z4 is no option to work at on audiofiles. it just has to fire them up.
what i saw so far is audioediting PITA if not stoneage in comparsion to 1k with JJ2XL.
it could have been me, i had not much time on the Z4,but i think i got it how the audio editor works.
.......thats my fear, that the 4k is the same.
still not clear about it.


No, PC is just no point.
I spend enough time otherwise on the PC. .....it kills sanity if sitting there too much.
i do that no longer just to get up some cool beats.
No hiphop guy myself btw. originated in Funk as a Bassist, now only working with my modularsynth
edit: just worked the last two days with the sequenzer. it´s just not the same for me as chopping up live.
in PROG mode you have 3 octaves +-of pitching with the fader .
i work with pads and fader simultaneous. choping from he audioeditor you get inverse play on the pads accessible. i rec directly to audio, then chop up again...


still not shure about the 4k.
JJOS seem to be so far ahead to me, ......it´s the details !!
but i need RAM and good rec quality, gonna do my first record this year


any more input on auidoediting workflow very welcome !
thanks labcoats for the input !

The 4K hasn't got the best chopping by a long way, but it's decent enough. If that's your primary consideration you'd probably be better off with a JJOS machine though. You can't go wrong with NDC and the way Trim works with those machines.

If sound quality and resolution are bigger factors, then give the 4K some more serious consideration.

The fastest chopper I know is the Yamaha SU700. The 4000 has many button presses for things. I have had mine for almost exactly one year and I am fast on it. I got fast on it after about 5 months. If you use it daily you will be fast on it in no time.

IT is not built for speed when making the tracks from jump but once you have everything in place that big screen and all of the buttons make for fast live performance.

track mute buttons, erase buttons, pad assign...its just great.

I use mine as a sequencer and it is perfect. Having the z4 as well makes it a powerhouse of sounds. For a while I wasn't sure how to use both until I realized that the trick is to have the same sounds but slightly different filters and lfo settings and all that and have the sounds be manipulated by the 4000. then you have layers upon layers of tweakage.
Also the z4/8 has one or two features that the mpc4000 doesn't. So it is actually faster to record many sample sounds in the z4 than in the mpc4000.
Use the qlinks on the z4 and the mpc and you have lots of tweakage.

Having the two also means you can now record at the highest sound quality and not have to worry as much since you have both hard drives and can spread the sample load and ram between the two. I never worry about that anyway.

I did all this research before I bought the z4 and everyone dissed it's sound. I think it sounds great. Then again I am not trying to recreate an older sound. I only wish I had gotten a z8 but none were available. The extra qlinks are nice to have.

To me the z4 was designed brilliantly veryintuitive...especially compared to the yamaha a4000. The mpc 4000 is also well designed. That big screen is a godsend.
you will be zipping around in no time.

I have not owned any other mpc.

Cheers,
Ian

Ian Canefire wrote: Having the z4 as well makes it a powerhouse of sounds.
Also the z4/8 has one or two features that the mpc4000 doesn't.

Cheers,
Ian

is audio editing on the Z4 and 4k the same ? ...zooming, cutting etc.

if so that would help me alots. would give me a kick to finally start into real exploring of the Z4
totally on the fence still, now more tempted to wait
much thanks for the input

Yes the audio editing is the same on both. If you have an old laptop and have aksys running then it is really easy. In any case I find getting around on the z4 and the mpc 4000 easy. It is one of the better laid out designs.
THe z4 just doesn't have a sequencer. The mpc 4000 actually has the z inside it. The Z4 and 8 have what the yamaha a4000 and a5000 have ...a fast sampling process. It works like this. you play the sound and then turn off the sound and the sampler will know to stop recording and then will kick back into record mode the moment another sound comes in.
It puts the samples in a row on the next key. So if you are creative yo can play a record and stop it mid scratch and then start again and get many sounds into your sampler but separated by keys. Then play back the parts as you want and edit less or not even have to. (takes practice)
Don't sleep on the z4/8 .
The hot thing about the mpc4000 is the 4 layers that you can use on a sound. So you have no excuse not to have thick nice bass and drums. or even vocals. The z4 or eight gives you more layers if you use then in sync with each other....and if you are a mad scientist tweaker then you now have a killer synthesizer because of all the editing you can do to the sounds because of the various parameters.
peace
Ian

This is great Info Ian !

my main way to work is to record longer takes from my modular,
getting then the single samples or grooves out of that.
Even if i just need some Bassdrum i proceed better like that,
cause the best hits are to get with patchings that do not just work by:
press a key, get the sample.
regarding layering and fatnes: i never layer sounds.
the fatnes comes from the modularsynth. but finaly i´m not really into fatnes.
it´s overrated in some way imho, it´s more about the special timbres for me.

The other way i work is to jam with chops incl. fadermoves, then record this to the other 1k,
getting then samples and grooves out of this.
the problem is that doe to this workflow mostoften the RAM of both 1K´s is occupied with work in progress

thanks