Considering a Rennaissance but I've been out of the loop for

I've currently been using a 2500 after having a 1000, and I also have a 4000. I have a lot of experience using Reason too, and I usually just use 2500+Reason. The thing is, I hate having to go back and forth from each but making beats only on Reason is a pain in the ass even if i use my axiom pro keyboard. I mainly use Reason for basslines and things of that nature.

Anyways, I've always wanted to have an MPC where I can also edit sequences on the computer, but if it's the same as just making beats on Reason then maybe it's not for me either.

Ultimately everything ends up in Pro Tools, so I need something that will give me the quickest route into Pro Tools without having to go back and forth from everything, I just don't wanna deal with it anymore.

Maybe I'd be better off keeping my MPCs and getting a Maschine? I've never used native instruments. I was assuming the MPC rennaissance was similar to the maschine but I was hoping it would be better. I see a lot of people selling them but I'm sure a lot of them are people that are convinced older MPCs will magically turn them into DJ premier. I like the sound of that old equipment but dealing with the limitations sounds like a nightmare, I want whatever gives me the most headache free and quickest experience.

Thanks for any advice.

Almost locked this.

What advice do you want that hasn't been posted a million times already?

Ren has been out almost 2 years now, and the software is its weakest link.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=170658

It's been 8 months since the last update to 1.6, a whole PREGNANCY dammit.

http://6be54c364949b623a3c0-4409a68c214 ... eNotes.pdf

All of that should have been in 1.0.

Clint wrote:It's been 8 months since the last update to 1.6, a whole PREGNANCY

Sig worthy for the Ren sufferers.

Maschine's sequencing style differs a bit from an MPC but it's a more stable and featured product. It delivers on what it is, a mature product that has 5 years of development and improvements behind it. Their updates take a long time but have been far more major than the Ren. Where it's mostly just be fixing countless stability issues and adding or changing things to what you might have expected in the first place. It appears fair to say NI has a team coding, where Akai is basically relying on one guy.

You might want to consider still rolling with a 1k or 2500 JJ unit MiDI'd to a DAW like Ableton and just use a lot of MIDI tracks. You're still only working with the small LCD on the MPC end but you're not going to suffer so many stability issues.

JesseHolmz wrote:
I want whatever gives me the most headache

Can't go wrong with a Ren in that case...

You're on fiyah Clint.

Clint wrote:Almost locked this.

What advice do you want that hasn't been posted a million times already?

Ren has been out almost 2 years now, and the software is its weakest link.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=170658

It's been 8 months since the last update to 1.6, a whole PREGNANCY dammit.

http://6be54c364949b623a3c0-4409a68c214 ... eNotes.pdf

All of that should have been in 1.0.

Well in all fairness Maschine has been around longer than the Ren and we had the same aspect with it.
Took a long time to get a lot of rudimentary or standard features added and many still haven't added.

The workflow of Maschine is somewhat awkward in some ways and brilliant in others.

You say you have a 4k and 2500, not sure which you use more but if you start something on the 4k you can load it in the Ren with most of it's integrity intact.
Makes for a smooth workflow.
Not sure about the 2500 since I rarely ever feel inclined to work on it.

JesseHolmz wrote: I mainly use Reason for basslines and things of that nature.

If that's what you use Reason for then you probably could benefit from using something else or sampling back into the MP.

FWIW I still run my Ren just like any of my other MPs, I feed it into an external mixer and whatever else then into the audio interface.
Still wish NI would have given at least one of the versions of Maschine a interface, USB ports can really get used up quickly in some setups.

If that's what you use Reason for then you probably could benefit from using something else or sampling back into the MP.

FWIW I still run my Ren just like any of my other MPs, I feed it into an external mixer and whatever else then into the audio interface.
Still wish NI would have given at least one of the versions of Maschine a interface, USB ports can really get used up quickly in some setups.[/quote]
I usually just transfer the bassline or whatever back into the MPC, then track everything out into pro tools. It's a huge timesuck, it makes me not even wanna deal with it anymore now that I'm so busy with other things. Ideally I want whatever is going to let me track things out fast. I saw something about being able to just drag and drop a project from a Maschine into logic (I'd hope you can do the same into pro tools.)

I almost exclusively use the MPC for drums it seems, but it feels best doing drums on it. Using a midi controller with Reason just isn't the same, the way it records, etc just sucks.

I want whatever is going to let me basically have an MPC like control, as in, the same type of count in and sequence recording as the MPC while not having to go back and forth from hardware constantly, it's just a pain in the ass at this point.

The general flow you desire as far is it involving a computer and a DAW, for me it took dropping $1300 on an RME interface. Now it doesn't matter what I'm using. MPC+DAW, MPC as only only sending MIDI, Masshine, even my pad modded MPD with Reason, Live or whatever.

Being able able to have essentially the exact same low latency and rock solid MIDI timing with software heavily involved was worth the $1300. Simply because it made all software I have and any future acquisitions better and gave that missing that hardware type immediacy that software lacks until you can rock a 32 buffer even using a ton of plugins or modules in Reason's case.

Not the answer you were looking for but the MOTU's, Apogee's, Echo's and RME's of the world are really worth the cost for the benefit you get. Then I just fluctuate as to how far an MPC will be involved.

And yes, Maschine's drag and drop from the plugin is fast and easy.

Metatron72 wrote:The general flow you desire as far is it involving a computer and a DAW, for me it took dropping $1300 on an RME interface. Now it doesn't matter what I'm using. MPC+DAW, MPC as only only sending MIDI, Masshine, even my pad modded MPD with Reason, Live or whatever.

Being able able to have essentially the exact same low latency and rock solid MIDI timing with software heavily involved was worth the $1300. Simply because it made all software I have and any future acquisitions better and gave that missing that hardware type immediacy that software lacks until you can rock a 32 buffer even using a ton of plugins or modules in Reason's case.

Not the answer you were looking for but the MOTU's, Apogee's, Echo's and RME's of the world are really worth the cost for the benefit you get. Then I just fluctuate as to how far an MPC will be involved.

And yes, Maschine's drag and drop from the plugin is fast and easy.

Good interfaces and a 32 buffer setting will not give you anything more than a more efficient computer workflow, it does not change the workflow of using a DAW or something like LIVE.

What makes people use something like the MPC software or Maschine is that it gives a workflow that is more directly akin to using hardware.

Most people who are after the more true hardware-like workflow would rather use Maschine or Ren with a larger buffer than use a controller with a buffer of 32.

The 32 buffer should yield a very responsive setup (notice I said should but it's not a guarantee) but it still has the same common workflow disconnects that will have you mousing around to do things.

Look at LIVE we previously had things that were done better with the APC and things that were done better with the MPD.
Now thanks to PUSH we have a controller that allows much better integration and captures more direct interaction.

The more direct interaction you capture the more like hardware it feels when using.
Currently this still requires a dedicated product.

JesseHolmz wrote: I saw something about being able to just drag and drop a project from a Maschine into logic (I'd hope you can do the same into pro tools.)

You have the option of dropping audio or MIDI, a lot of people who use this a lot are people who don't like the Arranger in Maschine since it can make doing certain types of arrangements more work than it's worth.

Then you have some who system doesn't run effectively with it as a plug in or they don't like the way it changes workflow when used as a plug.

One of the drawbacks of dropping and dragging audio is that you walk a fine line with using effects or how you process things prior to doing the drop since it can make for a challenging mix.
Being committed means doing some planning on the front.