NEWS Flash!! New MPC concept shown at Build 2014

masada2502 wrote:what would it take for each for you to buy this new hybrid?features ? specs? price?

first of all . you gota build back a relationship the with the people who supported you for over 15 years or more .. then finish the fuking mpc ren

What do you think?
New MPC or Add-On to existing hardware!?

New hardware, but based on existing hardware and MPC Software, reworked for the standalone operation in terms of hardware controls, and the user interface when working with the software through a larger/more graphic touchscreen.

The GUI would have to be reworked for the smaller screen, using the current software on such a small touchscreen would not be practical.

SimonInAustralia wrote:New hardware, but based on existing hardware and MPC Software, reworked for the standalone operation in terms of hardware controls, and the user interface when working with the software through a larger/more graphic touchscreen.

The GUI would have to be reworked for the smaller screen, using the current software on such a small touchscreen would not be practical.

If I had to guess/design the ren2 myself, I'd think they'd put a larger touchscreen maybe on the q-link area of the current ren then a smaller non-touch colour display in the traditional area for an mpc. Then they would be able to offer full computer control as well as mpc workflow. The touchscreen would show the mpc software but would probably also be switchable to a touchOSC/lemur style control layout for q-link stuff.

I only just bought my ren a month or two ago, so i probably won't be looking at getting a ren2. the only way i'd cop it in the next 2 years is if they outfit it with motor-faders and some hella good on-board dsp effect chips

Here's hoping that the designers at Akai saw into the future even just a tiny bit while designing The Renaissance.
Why put out a piece of hardware that everyone is going to be trying to get rid of within two or three years of release? It tarnishes brand identity.
Would it not be easy to just release an adapter for the tablet to replace the LCD screen and carry on with hardware that the company had faith in in the first place? (Akai, you did try to design a piece of timeless gear, right? Start an MPC renaissance, remember?)
Releasing a new colour way with built in tablet is obvious but PLEASE don't outdate the current model!
It would suck to see The Renaissance fade away as a dated controller.
I would not mind upgrading but would most likely not buy Renaissance 2 for a very long time, if ever.

masada2502 wrote:what would it take for each for you to buy this new hybrid?features ? specs? price?

If it turns out decent I'd consider buying it irrespective of price. We all want affordable gear but sometimes you have to cough up for the best stuff.

Obviously the build quality needs to be good, and ideally you wouldn't have to remove 50 screws just to get inside to add/replace a hard drive or swap the end cheeks. If they want to sell it without a hard drive but with CF card streaming as standard, they need to allow for the fact that people will want to get in there painlessly on day one to kit the unit out with an SSD.

I think the Renaissance software should be a sister product and not a vital component to the overall ecosystem. So while the files could be completely interchangeable, I wouldn't personally want to have to use it if I didn't have to. In the same vein, there should be a comprehensive way of exporting your projects for further work in a DAW, whether that be exporting a song as stems or individual sequences with reverb and delay tails in tact. Piecing it back together in Cubase would be child's play and save shit loads of time. Likewise, if that little i5 processor is getting hammered with effects, there should be a super quick way of rendering the effects onto the audio similar to 'bounce in place' with Logic. Workflow tweaks add to the user experience.

Plugins are a grey area with this thing. To cut to the chase, I'd like to see Akai enhance their current effects and license some extra on top. With a useable reverb, delay, filters, EQ, compressor, saturator, distortion, and modulation, you can do a lot before you start thinking about your 'regular' plugins or hardware effects. An analogue filter would be killer but I can't see that happening.

Ergonomics. Stick an iPad Mini on your MPC Ren and you'll realise in 5 seconds that it heavily favours left handers. That's assuming they add some form of waveform manipulation or anything that requires dexterity with the touchscreen anyway. Just attempting any kind of 'pinch to zoom' with either hand feels 100% unnatural and clunky. In reality I don't think an MPC is the most natural device to be adding a touchscreen to. You might be able to eliminate the F keys and add a few workflow tweaks, but I'm yet to be convinced on what it may add. I'm much more interested in how they integrate it with the hardware controls. You still NEED a Jog Wheel! Multifunction please, with scrubbing.

We'll see…

I'm hijacking this ish... sorry. Everything you trolls are biatching about has already been released. It's called an IPAD with APPS... nanostudio and or Beat Maker 2. Grab an alesis io dock for $9.00 on ebay and you have BEYOND MPC RENAISSANCE CAPABILITIES. Touchscreen included! Jay is using a synthstation 25 to PLAY THE KEYS while recording!

WATCH IT BEING USED CRYBABIES:
















NanoStudio is a recording studio for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. It has virtual analogue synths, sample trigger pads, a comprehensive sequencer, a sample editor, a mixer and multiple effects all integrated into a single application.

Record your ideas in real time, mix synth layers with samples, compose and arrange your tune using the powerful sequencer and bring the mix alive with effects such as reverb, compression and EQ. Share your tune on SoundCloud from wherever you are or use the comprehensive audio mixdown options and MIDI export feature to get your ideas over to your desktop DAW when you get back home.

NanoStudio’s intuitive user interface frees you to get creative yet has loads of depth for when you need it. To try it out head on over to our website where you can download the OS X and Windows versions for free.

What’s New in Version 1.33

* Retina display support for new iPad
* Eden sample page supports note slicing, so samples can be sliced across the keyboard in up to 64 slices
* Files can be emailed from within NanoStudio
* .nsp, .wav and .mid files are now associated so they can be opened with NanoStudio from other apps
* .nsp files are associated so they can now be opened with NanoStudio by double-clicking (OS X/Windows)
* Computer keyboard support for typing file names, playing keys/pads and basic sequencer operation (OS X/Windows)
* NanoStudio for OS X is now available via the Mac app store
INSTRUMENTS

Up to 6 simultaneous instruments (including mixer) or upgrade with the ’16 Instrument Tracks’ in-app purchase, particularly recommended for newer devices.

‘Eden’, a powerful 16 voice subtractive synth with dual oscillators, 2 pole resonant filter, 3 envelope generators and 4 LFO’s per voice and 2 dedicated insert effects. Eden’s virtual patchbay lets you hook up almost anything for modulation mayhem.

The ‘TRG-16′, a performance pad for triggering samples. Adjust pitch, pan, volume and envelopes and assign each sample to one of the 3 output busses, each with its own effect sends and filter setup.

SAMPLING

Record samples with the built-in mic (iPod Touch requires external mic), resample NanoStudio’s own output or upload your own samples using NanoSync for OS X/Windows. Edit your samples using NanoStudio’s built-in wave editing tools (with multiple undo/redo) and process them offline with custom effects chains.

SEQUENCER

Record performances in real-time using the keys and trigger pads or create patterns and controller sweeps by drawing them in the piano roll editor. Arrange your patterns into a complete song using the track editor. You can edit while the song is playing and every operation has multiple undo/redo.

MASTERING

Nanostudio’s mixer has 2 global effects sends, 4 insert effects per channel and you can record, edit and playback all your fader and pan changes. When you’re ready to share your mix with others you can upload it direct to SoundCloud or use NanoSync to copy the exported .wav file to your Mac/PC.

EFFECTS

NanoStudio’s reverb, compressor, parametric EQ, waveshaper, delay, chorus, and bitcrusher effects are all highly optimized so you can run lots of them.

FEATURE SHORTLIST

* 6 simultaneous instruments, up to 16 with in-app purchase
* MIDI input with the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer, Akai SynthStation 25 and Core MIDI
* Audio copy/paste for sharing audio with other compatible apps (Sonoma and Intua standards supported)
* Upload your mix directly to SoundCloud
* Eden synth (also plays samples) – single or dual keyboards, XY controllers, pitch bend and accelerometer control
* TRG-16 sample trigger pads
* Sequencer with up to 64 tracks and a piano roll editor for note, velocity and controller events, all with undo/redo
* Mixer with 4 inserts per channel, 2 global send busses and volume/pan automation on every channel
* Sampling and resampling, sample editor and effects processor with undo/redo
* Transfer samples, final mixes and individual track mixdowns to your Mac/PC using NanoSync
* Built in help

NanoStudio is available for $14.99



http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=146723&f=11

ehm thanks....that Will dry up My tears...


worst hijack ever, hijacking a plane on the scrapyard with tinfoil wrapped around your head....


on topic had beatmaker when I had a iPhone and it was a nice app...those other apps and screenshots look nice....and probably could produce some nice music....but imo incomparable.... But yes the capabilities of your apps stretch as far as the ren should do in its own terrain.....

Seems to me there's a real place for tablet-focused stuff, that is entirely touch screen. I know I like the apps on my Surface and iPad. They're fun to play at home or when on the plane (or train or bus or whatever).

Of course, you can also make a strong case for hardware. I love the feel of hardware controllers. I love the tactile feedback. I like being able to grab and twist a knob to make something happen. That interaction on touch screens still isn't quite there. Maybe with haptic feedback or something, that will improve. With real knobs, pads, and buttons, I feel a lot more connected to the instrument, and more likely to experiment and do fun stuff with it. I know I'm not alone there.

There's also a real place for hybrid solutions. My car has a touch screen, but it's not the whole experience; it's simply part of it. My phone has physical buttons to take a photo, power on/off, and change the volume. I like the touch screen on my Surface, but when I want to type something more than a tweet, I really like to use the keyboard cover to do it.

Similarly, I love the feel of the MPC pads, and the pads on my Push. It's much more satisfying (and easier on my fingers) to play those than to to slam my figures on a glass screen over and over again. They're also easier to find in the dark or when looking away, where a touch screen lacks the button edges that help guide your hand.

However, when it comes time to do non-performance things, I prefer a touch screen. For example, I think the Push would be faster for me to navigate if it had a larger touch screen instead of being surrounded by pads and knobs that line up with stuff on a character display. The level of indirection required to navigate around a menu by using a wheel or buttons is not something I enjoy. This is why my wife uses her touch screen on her Windows 8.1 laptop more often than she uses her touch pad: it's faster just to tap something on the screen than it is to move an indirect pointer to a point on the screen, and then click a button.

What I do enjoy for performance on touch screens are things that are more free-form. For example, adjusting parameters by smoothly dragging points around on an X/Y grid.

tl;dr: there are great cases to be made for touch-only, touch + hw, and hw only.

Pete (Microsoft Pete, not Akai Pete)

Well said!

I like Microsoft Pete!


and I was wondering bout that surface tablet, since my Lumia has little to no use full music apps available...i like the tablet hesitant for that reason, but it could be put to good use u say?? Good to know

MPCHolland053 wrote:Well said!

I like Microsoft Pete!

and I was wondering bout that surface tablet, since my Lumia has little to no use full music apps available...i like the tablet hesitant for that reason, but it could be put to good use u say?? Good to know

Thanks

You won't find many high quality music creation apps in the Windows Store today. There are a few (FL Studio Groove is my favorite with MorphWiz as a close second).

FL Studio Groove with MorphWiz and some other gear and software (warning, I am not a musician by any stretch, just a tinkerer, and it doesn't really pick up until around 3 minutes in, but it's mostly just background stuff). MorphWiz is snapped to the right on my Surface 2, FL Studio Groove is on the left. Recorded in my home office.


MorphWiz on a 27" all-in one Windows PC with touch screen

(for existing PCs, you can buy touch screen displays from Dell and others)

FL Studio Groove with MIDI support will be in the Windows Store soon.

If you like JR (people tend to love or hate his music, but he is an incredibly nice and talented guy) you can see his Build 2012 opening performance here. He even demos his apps on Windows.
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2012/0-001

I and others are working with a bunch of developers to help build up this ecosystem. We also needed to get MIDI support out there, and explain how to lower audio latency today. Those last two points were why Jason and I did this talk at our Build developer conference at the beginning of this month:
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/3-548

But, to put it plainly, if you're buying a tablet primarily for its touch-based music apps, we're not the best choice right now. Working to fix that, but that's the reality of the moment. If you're looking for an all around tablet, Surface 2 is great, and Surface Pro 2 is basically a full laptop (can run all Windows apps) plus a full tablet. At Decibel in Seattle, we were set up with Surface Pros running Traktor and other apps.

Pete

MPCHolland053 wrote:Well said!

I like Microsoft Pete!


and I was wondering bout that surface tablet, since my Lumia has little to no use full music apps available...i like the tablet hesitant for that reason, but it could be put to good use u say?? Good to know

Thou I do own hardware, some apps work directly with the dedicated hardware. Such as for my Yamaha MOX6.


There are a lot of apps on the iDevices to produce serious music with. Do not underestimate that power, especially with core midi 2. Which sets the ability to connect all your virtual instruments. And with WIST the ability is to connect multiple iDevices in real time, flawless.























And so on....

dope

I don't think anyone doubts the ability of the iPad as a music making tool. It's so far ahead of the competition that it's pointless looking at competing products if that's what you want a tablet to do. It's not for everyone though.

Some of the benefits get wiped out when you strap it to a piece of hardware. You're potentially further away from the screen so you'd need larger icons and menus. Double and triple presses to activate a feature would get annoying real quick with tiny on-screen buttons. Having it fixed to a piece of hardware also takes away its biggest asset… portability. If you make music on your iPad you can change position 50 times to get comfortable without even realising it, whereas if you've got 16 pads, buttons, Q-links and whatever else in the way, it's not so simple. There needs to be careful thought about how things are laid out and what functions best from the hardware and what works on the touchscreen. People sit at the MPC for 10 hours straight so it needs to be bang on if it's to be really successful.

Attaching an iPad is definitely not the answer.

An iPad would probably have enough power to perform like an older MPC.

If you expect the functionality of a newer MPC, such as the MPC4000, it is probably not going to cut it, and if you want the functionality of MPC Software, with VST plugin integration, forget it.