Controller Mode?

IT just makes the mpc ren much more flexible... See you can load multiple vst instances of maschine into your fav daw.. plus each sound or group can be assigned midi notes and channels inside each instance... Sure you have to assign them with the mouse but once it's set, you can jump through instances and midi mode via controller(maschine) This way means you can avoid drag and drop midi into daw, because your sequencing straight into your daw via maschines pad in midi mode eliminating the need to drag and drop..


The goal isn't to copy maschine way of doing things, rather take what works and add a few more things that would make it quicker to intergrate with other software technologies/daws..

The ren is a midi controller... It's just a very basic one when it comes to using it with other software than its own...it should be able to be a good host and a good slave. This is where maschine has the advantage .. IT works on par with the ren with it's own software but surpasses the ren with its midi controller mode... The ren cannot be a vst plugin and have multiple pgms be sequenced by a daws midi and once a vst instance is loaded into your daw, you lose the ability to control/sequence midi into the daw with the controller because you cant switch the controller out of it's software mode..

If the ren has midi controller mode with the option of editing midi mapping via hardware in realtime from the controller, plus the option of pgms to midi via the controller, it would probably sell alot more to a wider audience. Without the usb plugged in perhaps the ren can be a standard midi controller..(via physical midi outputs) ... This is where it starts getting good...


This is why i still use mpc1000 with jjos live, i can set pads to trigger other hardware devices and daws actions/commands, but also in the same pgm use other pads as normal drum/sample sounds to trigger.. to me it has much better customisable midi intergration than the ren at this point...

JAH wrote:What would you like to see exactly? Specifically....how would you like it to be implemented? Inquiring minds would like to know......

Combed the thread and summarizing the wanted features:

1. Add a dedicated MIDI Controller Mode within MPC Software.

2. Controller Mode Editor. It should be a standalone app that can be used to control DAW or plugins without the MPC software.

3. Presets. Presets for the leading DAWs and software instruments should be available as well as creating user preset templates.

4. All Qlinks, buttons, and pads should be mappable to the greatest extent possible.

5. Pads should be able to me mapped to Note Number or MIDI CC

6. Qlinks, buttons, and pads should have options to make them 'Absolute', 'Relative', 'After touch', etc as applicable.

7. Control Mode should be accessible via a combination of [SHIFT] + another button. [SHIFT] + [ENTER] has been suggested. This should toggle between MPC Software and Control Mode.

8. Editing the MIDI Control Mode or dedicated app should be possible from the MPC hardware

9. When unplugging the USB cable, the Ren/Studio controller should act as a stand alone MIDI controller. Great for controller other MIDI gear such as keyboards/soundmodules

10. MPC Software should have an option to send MIDI from Pads using any track type like legacy hardware MPCs. This is much better than Maschine's Pad to MIDI function.

11. DAWs should be able to host multiple MPC VST/AU/RTAS plugins

12. MPC Plugin should respond to incoming MIDI from a DAW. This should include plugins hosted by the MPC Software.

13. Increase the number of MPC Software virtual outs from 8 to 16 stereo (32 mono)

14. Users should have the option to disabled the MPC plugin sequencer to use it only as a sound module hosted with a DAW


Great feedback fellas!

just to add

I dont exactly know how the default templates work for daws but im guessing you dont need to program presets for plugins I think that the daw put a basic mapping to the plugins itself based on your layout provided in the template

so once they have a mapping layout of the ren like the mpd and others it does the rest this would most likely be the case because new plugins come out every day and you can dowload free ones and they will all have a commons sense mapping that you can use on the fly

everything else you have is spot on

The list looks like it covers just about all people would like to see.

AyePee the Maschine editor has only minimal bundled templates. Battery, Massive, Pro-53, Traktor, GM Drums, Mackie Control and Ableton Live.

But if you think about it, these choices provided offer the basic starting points to map tons of plugins and other DAWS as you have alluded to in your last post.

You've got good adaptable maps for synths, drum plugins, DJ software and then the Mackie/DAW stuff.

The main draw as has been brought out in this thread is that yeah you may need to make/adapt the mapping, but you've got free reign to do page after page of controls and can set things up to your preference. And as with most things like this that have editors, people can share mappings and maybe try to get an online collection going in places like this forum as we see with the XML mappings on Ren.

Number 8 on the list would be an improvement over NI's way. Although it's no big deal to have the editor app open and save an edited mapping file then load it with the DAW running still based on the controller mode being a separate toggle.

Number 11 would be huge as well, as it's more versatility but also the major fact that multiple instances is the only way to circumvent the single core operation limits. A multi core DAW will take multiple instances of a single core plugin and give each individual one it's own core, minus the ones the DAW is using (generally 2) until you run out.

This includes virtually run cores. So a quad you're looking at like 6 cores to play with. Any multi core plugs hosted outside the Maschine instances (potentially Ren in this theoretical), will play nice generally even with the 6 cores in use as the DAW's and their multi thread code are coded to get the CPU threads they need intelligently and dynamically as needed.

Yea I get you about the small number of templates but as you say they are a good start for others

but mainly I like it because the basic mappings you get when you load up a plugin Ive always been happy with a few Ive tweaked for personal pref


I agree with multi core but that doesn't seem like an easy thing to code even some daw's didn't have it to start with

this controller mode will make you need the mouse even less and make the mpc be used for almost everything

apart from what you would want to do on a keyboard playing wise


work flow would be amazing

Well all the hosts have multi core at this point except Maschine and Ren. So if it stays that way for a while yet, the multiple instance "trick" is really helpful in addition to other workflow reasons you'd like to have multiple ones going.

I find a separate editor app easy to use, and well worth the little bit of time it takes as you know you'll save it and use it for years really. And it's pretty standard to fully make use of all our modern stuff on computers a bit of with a bit of "pre-game" setting up with saved templates, that's worth it for the next 100-1000's of times you use your software/gear.

You mentioned less mouse, AyePee, you've got the cursor and jog wheel on the Ren which Maschine could have really benefited from, so even more possibilities there perhaps.

Whatever, to any head butting me and Jerome ever have, that's a good list up there.

JAH wrote:

JAH wrote:What would you like to see exactly? Specifically....how would you like it to be implemented? Inquiring minds would like to know......

Combed the thread and summarizing the wanted features:

1. Add a dedicated MIDI Controller Mode within MPC Software.

2. Controller Mode Editor. It should be a standalone app that can be used to control DAW or plugins without the MPC software.

3. Presets. Presets for the leading DAWs and software instruments should be available as well as creating user preset templates.

4. All Qlinks, buttons, and pads should be mappable to the greatest extent possible.

5. Pads should be able to me mapped to Note Number or MIDI CC

6. Qlinks, buttons, and pads should have options to make them 'Absolute', 'Relative', 'After touch', etc as applicable.

7. Control Mode should be accessible via a combination of [SHIFT] + another button. [SHIFT] + [ENTER] has been suggested. This should toggle between MPC Software and Control Mode.

8. Editing the MIDI Control Mode or dedicated app should be possible from the MPC hardware

9. When unplugging the USB cable, the Ren/Studio controller should act as a stand alone MIDI controller. Great for controller other MIDI gear such as keyboards/soundmodules

10. MPC Software should have an option to send MIDI from Pads using any track type like legacy hardware MPCs. This is much better than Maschine's Pad to MIDI function.

11. DAWs should be able to host multiple MPC VST/AU/RTAS plugins

12. MPC Plugin should respond to incoming MIDI from a DAW. This should include plugins hosted by the MPC Software.

13. Increase the number of MPC Software virtual outs from 8 to 16 stereo (32 mono)

14. Users should have the option to disabled the MPC plugin sequencer to use it only as a sound module hosted with a DAW


Great feedback fellas!

DAMN GOOD LIST!!!!! (caps intended)

This list is a very good list...

IT basically covers every type of midi use it can have... And makes it usable in every situation... = more sales ...


What excites me is using it without my computer live...(i like my computers to be safe at home in a non beer punter spilling environment) ie having one legacy hardware mpc and the ren in hardware midi mode with some other things the rc300 all connected via midi.. I can use the ren to control everything ... Fuk yeah!!! Even so just had a thought, i can use it with rme uc .. (rme as a digi mixer) Fuk i hope they implement it

IT potentially turns it into a real center stage control sequencing station...

Thank you JAH for taking time to listen to our ideas and for making a list our needs. Very well thought out.

If they manage to implement these midi controller features and the sending midi from the daw stuff, akai will no doubt sell a bucket load more rens.

Nice work putting this list together