The Official MPC Element Thread

M-Chop wrote:

you can mix the pads inside the MPC software, in the program mixer (i.e. assign different fx or eq to each pad).
So, the essentials software doesn't offer virtual outs, just a stereo out.
With the Ren/Studio software you have the option to use 8 virtual stereo outs.

But i mean... if you are using your essentials with a powerful DAW, why in the world would any one want to mix and apply fx or eq inside the elements software..

this is strange.

I admit it's limiting, the essentials software is meant as an entry level software though, which has certain limitations you can overcome by getting the studio or ren package.

I admit it's limiting, the essentials software is meant as an entry level software though, which has certain limitations you can overcome by getting the studio or ren package.

no offense, I'm just doing research before I make any purchases.. but this product is made to work within your DAW, but so far it doesn't even seem as though Akai has got that method rite

it's a great ideal but poor execution without to much thought into the product..
take a page out of fxpansion geist, and how that works within the daw, there is drag and drop, there is routing to different channels in your daw's mixer etc..

I dunno, the essential is a lighter Ren/Studio software, but it seems even lighter then essentials

Big Pete.

Can we do all drums on 1 track 1 plugin. Kick snare hat
duplicate the plug in 2 times
delete snare hat on plug 1
delete kick and hat plug 2
delete kick and snare on plug 3

that would be a poor man's explode lanes. Like Reasons Kong.

M-Chop wrote:it doesn't really matter the amount of tracks the essentials has, especially when your running it inside a daw, but since there are limited amount of tracks, is there at-least a way you can route each pad to the mixer channels in your daw.. that would be good.

if not that means you would have to place each percussion sound on separate tracks.. and that wouldn't sit to well for finger drummers and just people who record drum loops playing their drums, snares etc together

No virtual outs = no way to assign the pads to separate tracks and you would have to run a separate instance for each drum sound. Which is pretty silly.

Think about it...you would have to open one instance with the same drum program loaded in each instance. I am not sure how DAWs would get around this for finger drumming.

I use FL Studio, so I can open an instance for each drum part and than use a layer channel so they are all triggered altogether. But this is absurdly inefficient and shows that the idea here by AKAI is half-baked, at best.

peteblues wrote:The Essentials software excels when used inside a DAW. You can run multiple instances inside the DAW, and mix them separately. Not only that, but each instance can have it's own sequence length, so you could have a 2 bar drum beat in instance 1, a 16 bar riff in instance 2, etc.

Independent track lengths (as seen in Korg workstation sequencers such as the Triton, M3, Kronos, etc) is something I always wanted to have in an MPC. So I certainly like this function now that an MPC plugin can be used on multiple tracks.

Has there been in public statements regarding:
1. Is the MPC Essentials software free for existing Ren/Studio users?

2. If existing Ren/Studio users purchase the Element controller, can it be used with the current flagship MPC Software?

JAH wrote:
Has there been in public statements regarding:
1. Is the MPC Essentials software free for existing Ren/Studio users?

2. If existing Ren/Studio users purchase the Element controller, can it be used with the current flagship MPC Software?

no, he didnt answer that.


its weird how companies announce a product, even a release date.. and dont have all the details straight

JAH wrote:

peteblues wrote:The Essentials software excels when used inside a DAW. You can run multiple instances inside the DAW, and mix them separately. Not only that, but each instance can have it's own sequence length, so you could have a 2 bar drum beat in instance 1, a 16 bar riff in instance 2, etc.

Independent track lengths (as seen in Korg workstation sequencers such as the Triton, M3, Kronos, etc) is something I always wanted to have in an MPC. So I certainly like this function now that an MPC plugin can be used on multiple tracks.

Has there been in public statements regarding:
1. Is the MPC Essentials software free for existing Ren/Studio users?

2. If existing Ren/Studio users purchase the Element controller, can it be used with the current flagship MPC Software?

1. don't know
2. no

Art James wrote:ok so i was like everyone else like (WTF!!!!!)

but i just thought bout the fact that this might be the closet we're goin to get to using the ren/studio software with out a controller. with the size you could just run a usb from a bag and work without having the controller out. ofcourse thats IF you can use it with the ren/studio software. IF...

The same result could be accomplished by using an iLok USB stick. Much more convenient (even though I'm not a big fan of dongles:) and way less than $149.

kaydigi wrote:Big Pete.

Can we do all drums on 1 track 1 plugin. Kick snare hat
duplicate the plug in 2 times
delete snare hat on plug 1
delete kick and hat plug 2
delete kick and snare on plug 3

that would be a poor man's explode lanes. Like Reasons Kong.

yeah, that would work.

Hobbs wrote:

I use FL Studio, so I can open an instance for each drum part and than use a layer channel so they are all triggered altogether.

yeah using that trick there is no point in even using the element software at all... plug the controller in and throw the install cd in the trash.

anyways, if the pads and buttons are decent on this, 150 is not too overpriced for an mpd18 with transport buttons.

mr_debauch wrote:

Hobbs wrote:

I use FL Studio, so I can open an instance for each drum part and than use a layer channel so they are all triggered altogether.

yeah using that trick there is no point in even using the element software at all... plug the controller in and throw the install cd in the trash.

anyways, if the pads and buttons are decent on this, 150 is not too overpriced for an mpd18 with transport buttons.

It's a terrible and inconvenient workaround....Especially considering I don't even do my drums in the FL sampler channels. I use Battery, load a kit and each pad is already mapped to it's own mixer track. Boom.

The only reason I really want to use the Essentials software is to take advantage of the Note Repeat (but...if I am constrained to laying all my drums on one channel....it's useless...and I do finger drum, so the "per instance" isn't a viable solution) The 16-Levels and Chopping (but I can't map the loop points/Q-Links via Midi CC).

So really all I am left with is a $149 pad controller with transport. Which I guess isn't the end of the world. But whatever

yeah same here.. I do use wave traveler a lot for drum breaks etc.. one of the best NDC samplers IMO because of the simplicity.

this software seems like a cool idea if you don't have anything else already.

peteblues wrote:I admit it's limiting, the essentials software is meant as an entry level software though, which has certain limitations you can overcome by getting the studio or ren package.

That's the bottom line lol...Thanks for the honesty.

It's a terrible and inconvenient workaround....Especially considering I don't even do my drums in the FL sampler channels. I use Battery, load a kit and each pad is already mapped to it's own mixer track. Boom.

The only reason I really want to use the Essentials software is to take advantage of the Note Repeat (but...if I am constrained to laying all my drums on one channel....it's useless...and I do finger drum, so the "per instance" isn't a viable solution) The 16-Levels and Chopping (but I can't map the loop points/Q-Links via Midi CC).

So really all I am left with is a $149 pad controller with transport. Which I guess isn't the end of the world. But whatever

if it can't do those basic things.. then it's really a useless product