Workflow Question / DAW Integration

Apologies if this has been asked before.

Currently, I use my MPC Studio to construct the beat using the MPC Software. In most cases I have just been adjusting the mix levels etc within the project (inc adding effects) and then exporting the final mix to a wav/mp3.

Recently I experimented by exporting individual stems from song mode, then importing each track one by one into Logic Pro X to perform the final mix. This was OK, and clearly Logic Pro has far more plugins/effects/EQ options however the whole workflow felt a little clunky and overall didn't make *that* much difference and it started me wondering how others do it.

Do people generally work in the MPC Software and export stems, or do people work within a DAW like Logic and use the MPC as a plugin?

What DAW do people use for final mixing (if not the MPC DAW), and what significant benefits do you find from that approach?

Clearly I want the mixing of my tracks to be as professional as I can get, so curious as to the workflows others follow.

Thanks

I used to use it as a plugin in Pro Tools, but for some reason I always ran into dae errors and/or crashes that way. it was also kind of clunky to me that way. With direct record in the latest versions, I can no play instruments right on top of the beat and have it placed properly... so I've been primarily creating in the MPC software standalone. When i've finished there.. I'll export stems and finish in PT. I'd rather not have to do that, but I don't mind it. I move pretty fast.

I use MPC software as a plugin inside Ableton Live with no crashes so far. I made a autoload template for both Ableton and MPC with the routing already set: Each of the virtual outs of the MPC Software ends up in a particular channel of Ableton.
It's nice cause each time you open up your DAW you Just hit browse on your ren and you can start making music: you build up your beat as normal inside the MPC plugin but you can adjust each channel inside your DAW as well. Then when the basic arrangement of your sequences fits your needs you just hit record inside your DAW and its done!
The only disadvantage for now (besides of possible crashes with other software/hardware configurations) is in my opinion that you cannot use the direct record function to record into the MPC software when running it as plugin. You only can record audio directly into your DAW.

Hope this helps you!

EDIT: I can imagine that doing it that way might need more CPU power; but if you are producing quite minimalistical it should work fine

Edit [wrote long post but realised I was doing something stupid]

Mostly, I use MPC Software only during production process.

Whenever I feel restricted that way (e.g. I want to use one of Propellerhead Reason's sound modules) I usually sync them internally via IAC MC and MMC and be done with it. I've done that not that often recently, since song mode is a mess right now.

I tend not to mix inside MPC Software, I usually bounce stems, since I rather often than not mix in an analogue environment. If that's not possible, I usually try to mix inside Reason, but rarely switch to Logic Pro X for some specific plug-ins I don't have in Reason. Since song mode is buggy, I can put my single sequences' stems into single blocks in Reason and arrange it there quite easily.

On very rare occasions I also hook up Soundflower and use it to track MPC's outputs via SF into Reason directly, but it's ridiculous to set this up properly.

In all honesty the current marriage with MPC and DAW is overall a confusing or should i say messy and "clunky" at best. The process wasn't thought through properly IMO, however thats also on the DAW as well. It would be great to see a "Standard" built for Hardware and DAWS, Like we what had with MIDI... but that's a whole different topic!!


@Mink...

Ultimately you have to find a process that works best for you. It usually comes down to how your mind, thought and musical process, that will always dictate for you the way you need to work. That said there will be times when you will feel like there should be a more efficient way to go about things, but that will come in time as you learn all the functions/features of all your tools. (<= thats when you can make informed decisions about your workflow)

You wont get much info here because a lot of these young bucks here don't take time to learn there gear or RTFM. And not much from old grumpy gits like me!

Now you didn't ask for my opinions, so I will explain my process and why:

- I only use my MPC's when required, depends on what I am making.

- When I do use a MPC I get a skeleton of what I am creating & sometimes push as much as I can out of it, e.g. varying seqs, patterns etc..

- Depending how I feel I either export to stems

- Load as VST and then use the Export to Audio feature in my DAW

- I even somtimes just export the Midi files then load it in my DAW and apply different instruments or same instruments again

- And if i'm in a good mood I might even just real time record audio from the VST to assign audio tracks in my DAW, old-skool like I do with my hardware based MPC's

I can do all this because I take time to learn what my gear can do.

mr3rown wrote:In all honesty the current marriage with MPC and DAW is overall a confusing or should i say messy and "clunky" at best. The process wasn't thought through properly IMO...

^^This. All in all the MPC software is evolving great IMO, but the plugin mode is lagging way behind. It's clear their focus is not (or has not) been on tightening that integration, and probably rightfully so. But still, I'd love to see it tighten up because it would present SO many DAW-based workflow possibilities.

Thanks guys - some really interesting insight. Much appreciated.

Last night I spent ages setting up output channels on the MPC software running as a plugin in Logic, then creating aux channels and mapping these to corresponding busses which then acted as input to audio tracks so that I could see the 'in DAW' tracking working.

It did work, but not without challenges but it was a bit of a pain to set up and I'm not certain it offers any advantage over exporting stems to audio files and just dragging and dropping back into Logic.

I think that's what surprises me most about the whole MPC thing.... the MPC software and hardware major on workflow and making beat making as organic and natural as it can be. And it works really well IMO. Before now, when using just software I found myself too often getting 'stuck' on something and not being able to manipulate things to reflect what was in my head...with the MPC I don't have that at all, and whilst theres a learning curve I find that using a HW controller keeps my focus in a way that all the mouse-clicking in the world didn't.

But then to complete a track and give it that professional mix, you have to venture outside the MPC world and it all seems very awkward and non-intuitive...kinda destroying the workflow for the last mile as it were.

I'm sure I'll work out the best method for me, and in the meantime it is great to learn from people who have been there and done it

Mink wrote:Thanks guys - some really interesting insight. Much appreciated.

Last night I spent ages setting up output channels on the MPC software running as a plugin in Logic, then creating aux channels and mapping these to corresponding busses which then acted as input to audio tracks so that I could see the 'in DAW' tracking working.

It did work, but not without challenges but it was a bit of a pain to set up and I'm not certain it offers any advantage over exporting stems to audio files and just dragging and dropping back into Logic.

I think that's what surprises me most about the whole MPC thing.... the MPC software and hardware major on workflow and making beat making as organic and natural as it can be. And it works really well IMO. Before now, when using just software I found myself too often getting 'stuck' on something and not being able to manipulate things to reflect what was in my head...with the MPC I don't have that at all, and whilst theres a learning curve I find that using a HW controller keeps my focus in a way that all the mouse-clicking in the world didn't.

But then to complete a track and give it that professional mix, you have to venture outside the MPC world and it all seems very awkward and non-intuitive...kinda destroying the workflow for the last mile as it were.

I'm sure I'll work out the best method for me, and in the meantime it is great to learn from people who have been there and done it

These are my thoughts and experiences as well. Right now it's not really valuable as a plugin.

I started by using it as a plugin but i was not satisfied. The sync between the plug in and Logic was pissing me off and killinig the workflow. Right now i build my beat in stand alone mode and export all the tracks in Logic to mix everything and do the mutes etc. And i can still add some plugins tracks in Logic at the last minute if i need to.

Cubase is my DAW of choice but I'm currently using just the MPC DAW. I want to just work out of one DAW. Now that the stem dump isn't as seamless as it once was, I just eliminate all that time consumption just to dump into another daw. Since converting to just the MPC DAW it is more challenging mixing and automation wise, but I'm cool with that..for now. Some new features from the recent updates have made it easier to adjust.