mpc ren 1.6 update

Louie lou wrote:Pete say on 30 Oct 13

"Today is exciting MPC conversation day."

With Who? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Pete say on 7 Nov 13
"Back in the UK office, deep in the MPC mines. Really excited about what's coming up."

Looks like he gets excited pretty easy. Lets see what gives in the next update.

Pete says on 13 Nov 13

"Introducing new team member to the MPC codebase. Fun times."

Looks like they got some more muscle on the MPC development. Lets see if he/she knows their craft.

Exactly what I was going to quote.

evillmusic wrote:Yeah they are working on the update as we speak...Akai Pete has posted tweets about it and they hired a new guy to work on the software so hope the new guy is good...Maybe all of us will be happy with the 1.6 and beyond!

I never doubted the updates would continue but this news definitely excites me.

That aside, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you can't make music with the Ren at 1.5 you really have no business calling yourself a producer/beat maker.

Nubian Mindz wrote:

evillmusic wrote:Yeah they are working on the update as we speak...Akai Pete has posted tweets about it and they hired a new guy to work on the software so hope the new guy is good...Maybe all of us will be happy with the 1.6 and beyond!

I never doubted the updates would continue but this news definitely excites me.

That aside, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you can't make music with the Ren at 1.5 you really have no business calling yourself a producer/beat maker.

EXACTLY! Plus if the updates stop this early then they are not trying to be competitive at all. They have a lot at stake with the Ren and the rest of the line up because of NI.

Too much negative energy is being wasted on what they are or not doing right now in regards to updates and improvements. I do agree that time will tell but at least one thing is for sure software wise they can really push it to the limits and it would be a big fail if they don't.

Also they are YOUNG in the software game so I expect some bumps in the road as with most new software companies. As long as they stick to it they'll be fine.

I feel more that they are going to follow NI in the path of updating the hardware but continuing updating the software too, which, if they do the NI way, should mean Ren and Studio MK1 are going to be supported even with MK3 on the street.
Also I would prefer seeing 1.5.1 1.5.2 etc updates come quiker than a big 1.6 update in 3 months.We actual users will enjoy more some things fixed fast and adding features 1 by 1 that a big update.
Just my 2cents.

I'm sure there are lessons being learned with the software developers. One thing I wish would happen is a concrete and official day for an update. Instead some of us track every word that Akai Pete says on twitter and try to decode it. The good thing is at least they are listening and have proven that with the features added in previous updates. For example, the double tap button feature. Great idea and they implemented it. So I encourage everyone to keep posting suggestions. Those suggestions just might make it into the next update. Including myself a lot of us like the Ren even with the limitations that we encounter while using it. As with any software I believe it will evolve and get better. I just wish it would come sooner than later.

Back to the beats.

So...when a company release an update a few weeks ago and a whole new software (essential) that's complementary with the other one existing and dont give news for 3 weeks, you guys think they're balling out and trashing everything ?

I wonder why so many people on this forum are spending so much time debating on BS they outted off nowhere.

MiniDX wrote:So...when a company release an update a few weeks ago and a whole new software (essential) that's complementary with the other one existing and dont give news for 3 weeks, you guys think they're balling out and trashing everything ?

I wonder why so many people on this forum are spending so much time debating on BS they outted off nowhere.

That's my point as well. It would be an incredible waste. Its wasted energy to debate on such things so early in the game. Now what I understand is that some do not approve with their methods of releasing updates which I cant say I'm totally happy with but at least it has been getting done so far.

Yes I know all to well of the history with AKAI and hardware updates since I am a hardware lover myself but come on some are just being plain ridiculous imo. This is a new venture for them so some slack is needed. I say stay on a pace you can handle but it would be nice to excite the existing customers with plans or progress that is being made on the next updates. On the other hand I dont know a lot of software companies that do that either. We can still wish.

well i'm quite happy they released many updates this year. Out of all my hardware and software, Akai is hand down 2013 winner of updates amount.

BTW how long did it take to NI to go from 1.8 to 2.0 ? I think it took them like a year.

Also it's nice cause you can always read pete on twitter and see he's up.

However, i would like to see a non detailed plan sheet for the next updates. D16 has a nice plan sheet for their Lush-101 synth here :
http://d16.pl/index.php?menu=254

It would be cool to have such planned developement for the MPC Software. It's hard though, since Akai probably reorder their priorities according to the louder users requests, but i think when they release 1.5, they know what's coming into 1.6, right ?

I happy with it as well. Honestly I didn't buy my Ren until 1.5 but I did track the progress before hand. From what I understand by reading here in the forums the beginning was a mess.

Yes it took NI 2 years at least to put their pants on right with the Maschine from start till now which imo may be close to the amount of total time for Akai to probably be where they need to be as well. I really do hope it happens sooner tho.

That's awesome that D16 does that. Its really shows their commitment to their customers by doing that. Akai can really learn from that.

I do believe they have a plan. How tightly they stick to it is the question. They really took on a great deal by letting us know that this time around they are listening to us which could be great or a foot in the mouth. Out of all the gear I own I think that we (AKAI users) are the most demanding and passionate about what needs to be done or at least what we want to see. I just hope the next update is significant enough to soothe the masses.

Im anxious, excited and somewhat impatient as well to see the next update.

Numark needs to sell akai to a company that actually cares about the history present and future of the mpc series!

Mr.ED77 wrote:Numark needs to sell akai to a company that actually cares about the history present and future of the mpc series!

NI + AKAI mergers sound about right! lol

Louie lou wrote:

Mr.ED77 wrote:Numark needs to sell akai to a company that actually cares about the history present and future of the mpc series!

NI + AKAI mergers sound about right! lol

Sounds cool but I don't think NI would be interested or feel as tho that they need AKAI. Although most of my history has been with AKAI I have to say that NI is doing the damn thing right now. But in all fairness give AKAI the same amount of time it took NI to get to the point they are at right now.

I remember considering getting a Maschine after it dropped but the people who bought it at the time was sh!tt!ing on it saying what it lacked or what it should do. Some hated the workflow. I admit it discouraged me. Now look at it. Over time (at least 2 years) it grew and now...Awesome.

I am one of the guys who felt like Akai dropped the ball after the 2500. Making that 5000 to compete with the MV8800 (which I own). They didn't include the color screen or the ability to add a monitor which I thought was brilliant. All they did was copied adding a synth engine. I really felt like they came up short so for that I didn't cop it. My 8800 is still great just slow. After that I welcomed the combo of software and hardware even if its just a dope controller with awesome software.

Trust when I say if they come up short within that time I have no problem with saying so. Even when I committed myself to the 8800 for very long time I really missed that MPC workflow but the 8800 with audio tracks, synth, color screen, etc was just better for my creative juices at the time and I still love it but there's nothing the MPC workflow imo.

Could they drop the ball? Yes they have before. Is it likely with this new line up? I would like to say no but honestly that's up to them. I lost faith in them after the 2500 and I could do it again if they screw us on the drop of a dime

I'll say it again tho, with so much invested in this new line up I doubt they could just let it go this time without going bankrupt but we will see.

Nubian Mindz wrote:

evillmusic wrote:Yeah they are working on the update as we speak...Akai Pete has posted tweets about it and they hired a new guy to work on the software so hope the new guy is good...Maybe all of us will be happy with the 1.6 and beyond!

I never doubted the updates would continue but this news definitely excites me.

That aside, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you can't make music with the Ren at 1.5 you really have no business calling yourself a producer/beat maker.

I'm gonna have to disagree, wheres the FX plugin automation, wheres the group channels (inserts on submixes). Making a professional production completely on the Ren is pretty lacking without these missing things.... which is why mine has been shelved for the last couple of months. I'll keep an eye out but for now it's Cubase for me :/

Airyck wrote:

Nubian Mindz wrote:

evillmusic wrote:Yeah they are working on the update as we speak...Akai Pete has posted tweets about it and they hired a new guy to work on the software so hope the new guy is good...Maybe all of us will be happy with the 1.6 and beyond!

I never doubted the updates would continue but this news definitely excites me.

That aside, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you can't make music with the Ren at 1.5 you really have no business calling yourself a producer/beat maker.

I'm gonna have to disagree, wheres the FX plugin automation, wheres the group channels (inserts on submixes). Making a professional production completely on the Ren is pretty lacking without these missing things.... which is why mine has been shelved for the last couple of months. I'll keep an eye out but for now it's Cubase for me :/

+1. And I keep saying this... If you make 2 bar loops of kick, snare, hi hat and sample, then yes, there's no way you shouldn't be able to make music on the ren / studio. But more complex compositions? You run into too many roadblocks to creativity. It's just not ready to be the center instrument of a studio, like MPCs are designed to be.

Without getting into an argument I will put to you it is those very roadblocks that spark the creative process!

I am very used to DAW's and groups/full automation/sub-mixes,etc and it can make your mixdowns sound quite spectacular and I'm hoping one day, in the not-so-distant-future Akai can provide something similar for the Ren. However, working within those parameters that the Ren provides means I learn what it CAN do and go about making the very most of that.

Someone mentioned pitched envelopes/mod envelopes? I employ Kontakt for those, if needs be. If you don't have Kontakt any software sampler should be able to provide that. The global mixer situation is very important but doesn't stop me making and mixing tunes on the Ren.
I'm very cautious of the headroom and build every sound to fit in from the get go as I know it will be a headache if I keep boosting everything.

The other aspect to this is I make sure my sounds fit from the beginning as best as possible. DAW's allow you to keep doing a trillion and one things to your sound right up till the very end and can act as a distraction to getting work finished because of it. l know what the Ren can and can't do and I build within those parameters and push them back wherever I can while also hitting Akai up with future updates ideas and supporting those who are making very good suggestions on how to improve it further.

It's the limitations of the MPC that attracted me in the first place as the modern DAW is becoming crazy convoluted with options after options which tend to hinder my creative process rather than allow me to focus in and create, shape sounds and get my ideas down quickly.

Just my two cents.