Are you happy with 1.6?

SimonInAustralia wrote:

IMAKEMADBEATS wrote:The day they add audio tracks ...that'll be the day I don't have to open Pro Tools...

I wouldn't have to open Pro Tools if they just added Place Event to the sample recording process.

This is an MPC, I would like to see synced sample recording with Place Event, to me, that makes more sense in a sequence/sample based MPC workflow than audio tracks, and would be a **** easier to implement, while waiting for audio tracks to be implemented for those who need audio tracks.

This does not make more sense then audio tracks dude! It's a cool idea, I give you that. But if a guy plays keys or scratches, he wants them to automatically go in the exact spot they were played. He doesn't want the MPC to ask where to place the audio. This would probably be cool if you're working on the grid. With what you are suggesting, it sounds like you are depending on the MPC to start recording at the split second the play button is pressed and expecting that sample to be placed in a sample accurate location. Unless I'm not totally understanding your idea!

Airyck wrote:I could see a 1.7 update with one new major feature and a few bug fixes around NAMM time. Simply for the reason that the sooner they can get to 2.0 the sooner they can charge everybody some more money.

I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, at least they are producing updates. Kudos to them on that. On the other, I haven't really found the mpc software full-featured enough to support working in it as a stand-alone solution. I have to run it in a daw and there are some clumsy workarounds with Ableton. It constantly feels like Akai haven't quite thought through the workflow and at this point I'm really doubtful they are going to fix the big issues.

I'm very happy with the step editor feature, incredibly useful and very well implemented. The increased stability is most welcome too.

That aside, the release could have been dealt with better on a professional marketing level with an updated manual, full breakdown of changes-updates-improvements, etc and a higher level of communication.

I think if people knew before hand and had that communication and a better handled release then you wouldn't have so many disgruntled folks on here. The dropping of mac 10. whatever was dealt with quite poorly and I feel for anyone who has been bitten by that slight of hand but that can be nature of computers and software.

Here today obsolete tomorrow.

Anyway's, I'm happy that the updates are continuing and new features being implemented but I can see Akai's marketing/pr and communications can be stepped up big time!

DJ Hellfire wrote:

SimonInAustralia wrote:This is an MPC, I would like to see synced sample recording with Place Event, to me, that makes more sense in a sequence/sample based MPC workflow than audio tracks, and would be a **** easier to implement, while waiting for audio tracks to be implemented for those who need audio tracks.

This does not make more sense then audio tracks dude! It's a cool idea, I give you that. But if a guy plays keys or scratches, he wants them to automatically go in the exact spot they were played. He doesn't want the MPC to ask where to place the audio. This would probably be cool if you're working on the grid. With what you are suggesting, it sounds like you are depending on the MPC to start recording at the split second the play button is pressed and expecting that sample to be placed in a sample accurate location. Unless I'm not totally understanding your idea!

Yes, I don't think you are understanding it.

At the moment, you can record the keys/scratches/whatever in time with a sequence, while the sequence is playing, while you are listening to the sequence.

At the end of the recording, you are left with a sample that you can assign to a pad.

But you have to manually place an event in the sequencer yourself, guessing where it would start, to have that sample playback in the same sync/location/timing compared to the sequence with which it was recorded along to.

I am suggesting that the sample recording process happens exactly the same way as it does now, but that the MPC automatically places an event into the sequencer in the correct location, to trigger that sample at the same time within the sequence as when it was recorded, if you choose that option when assigning the sample to a pad.

This is the Direct Recording/Place Event feature from the MPC2500, or Direct Recording/Record Event feature from the MPC5000.

In the MPC2500, after you have recorded a sample along with a sequence, in Direct Recording mode, when the dialogue box pops up to ask you if you want to assign the sample to a pad, it also has the option to place an event in the sequence that you recorded the sample along to, placing it automatically at the same place within the sequence as when the sample recording started.

This would allow things like external MIDI instrument/sequences, live instruments, vocals, etc., to be recorded into the MPC in sync with the sequence. Sort of like audio tracks, but instead of requiring a dedicated/new linear audio track, it is just creating another MPC sample, like all the other MPC samples.

It already allows us to record a new sample along with a playing sequence, it just needs to have an option to automatically place that sample back into the sequence so it plays along in time.




Do you understand now?

Don't you think this would have to be easier for them to implement than audio tracks, while we wait for audio tracks to be implemented as a whole new track type/process?

SimonInAustralia wrote:

Do you understand now?

Don't you think this would have to be easier for them to implement than audio tracks, while we wait for audio tracks to be implemented as a whole new track type/process?

Ahhhh, yes! That's a great suggestion! I always ran JJOS on my 2500 which did not feature direct recording. So I never used this feature! Jah already requested this!

DJ Hellfire wrote:Ahhhh, yes! That's a great suggestion! I always ran JJOS on my 2500 which did not feature direct recording. So I never used this feature!

Finally, got the point across!

Cool, please see if you can get Akai to see the benefit, and possible ease of implementation compared to full audio tracks, so we can get it ASAP?

I tried to convince Jah of how useful it would be, but he saw it as a threat to the full audio tracks that he wants implemented, continually arguing against it, so I have no idea if it made it through to Akai.

SimonInAustralia wrote:

DJ Hellfire wrote:Ahhhh, yes! That's a great suggestion! I always ran JJOS on my 2500 which did not feature direct recording. So I never used this feature!

Finally, got the point across!

Cool, please see if you can get Akai to see the benefit, and possible ease of implementation compared to full audio tracks, so we can get it ASAP?

I tried to convince Jah of how useful it would be, but he saw it as a threat to the full audio tracks that he wants implemented, continually arguing against it, so I have no idea if it made it through to Akai.

believe me Jah is a bigger advocate for your wishes then you think .just my 2 cents.

Just wanted to say my piece. Been lurking this forum for some time, patiently waiting for 1.6 since Xmas. Like everyone else, my mpc studio has been gathering dust since last January. When I do use it, I have fun, but it's just a toy compared to my Japanese made 2KXL (back when Akai was real). I'm dying to make this thing my centerpiece for beat production, but without the virtual outs it's just counterproductive to what I do. (Seriously the work around is to bounce tracks 1 at a time with FX? WTF. My 2KXL at least has the 8 outs and the thing is 14 years old) FX automation would be nice, but I would rather do that in my DAW anyway. I digress and don't want to beat a dead horse here.

One key feature that I have not seen mentioned is being able to input notes 1 at a time using the controller. On the 2KXL you could hold down the overdub button with the song stopped, press a pad which would then be recorded as an event, and the sequencer would automatically move along to the next step depending upon what your note setting was (1/8, 1/16, 1/32). Yeah sure I can just click the mouse and place notes where ever, but it's just not the same as using the controller. I'll upload a demonstration video this weekend if this needs further explanation. I've never seen this on the wishlist and that's my bread and butter.

I like how the list editor has been implemented, I think they did a really good job on it. It actually gives me some hope that things are going to turn around soon. Can't wait to see what next Wednesday brings. Hopefully we get some virtual outs so I can start using this bad boy. Got a lot more to say on this matter, but I prefer to watch from the sidelines.

Life4M wrote:Just wanted to say my piece. Been lurking this forum for some time, patiently waiting for 1.6 since Xmas. Like everyone else, my mpc studio has been gathering dust since last January. When I do use it, I have fun, but it's just a toy compared to my Japanese made 2KXL (back when Akai was real). I'm dying to make this thing my centerpiece for beat production, but without the virtual outs it's just counterproductive to what I do. (Seriously the work around is to bounce tracks 1 at a time with FX? WTF. My 2KXL at least has the 8 outs and the thing is 14 years old) FX automation would be nice, but I would rather do that in my DAW anyway. I digress and don't want to beat a dead horse here.

Why are you exporting tracks one at a time? You can export each track as a stem, and do all tracks at once. Just need to have each sample on it own track if you want a stem of each individual sample. This is 1000x quicker than tracking, especially through 8 outs. The only thing you can export stems of is multi-timbral synths, but neither can a 2000XL.

I'd be lying if I said I was happy about this. It's been almost 2 years and they still haven't got all the basic functions right. It's like Akai is taking years (literally) to build a regular functioning MPC out of what's supposed to be the most advance MPC ever.... I just don't get why they rushed this machine (no pun) out (because they clearly did) Akai should have put more focus on getting together a competent software team that could stay afloat amongst the competition.

This is embarrassing...My main purpose was to buy the Studio for travelling purposes, but I ended up buying the REN first then the STudio. Team Akai are reminding me of crooked politicians right now with these "promises" and features to look out for that are taking years to materialize.

This is the best and worst MPC I've ever used in my life. I've made so much records on this that I have to thug it out and complete them before I possibly put this back in the box and go back to the XL 25K and 1000.

Seriously.. Like today, I was making a beat with the Time correct off and laying down drums and this flipping drum machine decides to place my drums wherever it wanted, when I was laying them downn...like WTF!?!?

I've never had to use so much workarounds in my life. Just give us the basic functions as promised. It's clear that most of the REN/Studio users could care less about new features right now, because we're all waiting for Akai to fix the basic features we need to continue our workflow smoothly. I wish I could help in some way. I'm not much of a software tech dude but somethings gotta give..

NI are probably somewhere laughing their asses off right now...

Ok, I'm done my rant..back to the music.

DJ Hellfire wrote:Why are you exporting tracks one at a time? You can export each track as a stem, and do all tracks at once. Just need to have each sample on it own track if you want a stem of each individual sample. This is 1000x quicker than tracking, especially through 8 outs. The only thing you can export stems of is multi-timbral synths, but neither can a 2000XL.

I use multiple vst fx and in order to get the automation it has to be done in my DAW. Lets say I have a reverb on a kick, bitcrusher on a snare, and some delay on a sample. I have to export each one separately so they retain there unique fx. More importantly, if I decide I want to go back and change up how I sequence my drums, everything has to be reexported. Maybe I'm missing something here, I sort of remember somebody mentioning stems as the solution. But to me it just messes up my creativity by slowing me down.

Life4M wrote:

DJ Hellfire wrote:Why are you exporting tracks one at a time? You can export each track as a stem, and do all tracks at once. Just need to have each sample on it own track if you want a stem of each individual sample. This is 1000x quicker than tracking, especially through 8 outs. The only thing you can export stems of is multi-timbral synths, but neither can a 2000XL.

I use multiple vst fx and in order to get the automation it has to be done in my DAW. Lets say I have a reverb on a kick, bitcrusher on a snare, and some delay on a sample. I have to export each one separately so they retain there unique fx. More importantly, if I decide I want to go back and change up how I sequence my drums, everything has to be reexported. Maybe I'm missing something here, I sort of remember somebody mentioning stems as the solution. But to me it just messes up my creativity by slowing me down.

As long as your kick, snare, and sample are on separate tracks with their own insert effects, all you have to do is export the stems and they won't effect each other. The only way they will effect each other is if each sound is going to the same effects plugin, like on a send; then yeah, in that case, one at a time it is. But if each track has it's own inserts, you should be exporting stems. The export is usually less than 60 seconds depending on how much you have going on in your beat and how many plugins are used.

I'd rather direct events placed in sequence than audio tracks.... Because then the pgms would translate better on export to hardware mpcs..

None of the stock akai os's on hardware supports audio tracks..

IT would also be great if the plugin versions of software could be multitimbral...

This is an mpc, I could care less about audio tracks, we are on 1.6 and this software still feels like it's in beta testing!!! Took them a year and a half for them to add step edit... period. Let's get a move on.