Question For DAW Users

When I got my Mpc ,I was gonna use it with a daw , but it didn't really work , so I ditched my daw and used the Mpc standalone , which at the time sounded like a good idea ,but that kept crashing ,projects wouldn't load properly ,didn't want to work with other hardware ,like aggregate 2 sound cards , or using audio over usb from a tb3 , so I sold it and brought maschine which I use without a daw ,but if I want I can use a daw because maschine works really well inside a daw especially ableton ,which is ironic because akai work with them on push. I get what your saying about standalone ,but I also get what the others are saying , especially as the Mpc software can be very temperamental.
have you seen the new akai pad controllers they will prob work better in a daw.
The Mpc should not be a daw it should stay as a groovebox/sampler with the ability to use with a daw like every other Mpc

Mistamixx wrote:YES!! That's what I'm talking about! F*%k a daw lol.

But you want audio tracks in the Mpc which would effectively make it a digital audio workstation or daw for short .pmsl

I really believe that once Akai go down the path of adding more and more 'DAW' features, they are making a rather gargantuan rod for their own back. People will never be happy with the way these DAW features are implemented, because ultimately the MPC was never envisaged to have these features and the entire core infrastructure wasn't designed with that in mind; it will always be a 'fudge'.

There has to be a cut-off point IMO where we accept that an MPC is an MPC, it was never intended to be a DAW replacement.

The other issue is that all these extra features will eventually have to come at a price, I simply cannot see Akai indefinitely adding major features to the MPC Software for free. Then the question is - are the purist MPC users willing to pay for v2.0, v3.0 etc upgrades whose main purpose is to transform the MPC into a half-baked DAW? Or would people rather the developers concentrate on creating more innovative features based around the core MPC workflow and ethos - e.g. improved chopping, new program features, live performance enhancements etc?

bobbybland wrote:I hope audio tracks etc. make it in the Mpc, and I hope you hope DAW users get a simple option for midi out etc.

MPC-Tutor wrote: Or would people rather the developers concentrate on creating more innovative features based around the core MPC workflow and ethos - e.g. improved chopping, new program features, live performance enhancements etc?

This is what i'd prefer...

Was funny reading this thread...

MPC-Tutor wrote:I really believe that once Akai go down the path of adding more and more 'DAW' features, they are making a rather gargantuan rod for their own back. People will never be happy with the way these DAW features are implemented, because ultimately the MPC was never envisaged to have these features and the entire core infrastructure wasn't designed with that in mind; it will always be a 'fudge'.

There has to be a cut-off point IMO where we accept that an MPC is an MPC, it was never intended to be a DAW replacement.

The other issue is that all these extra features will eventually have to come at a price, I simply cannot see Akai indefinitely adding major features to the MPC Software for free. Then the question is - are the purist MPC users willing to pay for v2.0, v3.0 etc upgrades whose main purpose is to transform the MPC into a half-baked DAW? Or would people rather the developers concentrate on creating more innovative features based around the core MPC workflow and ethos - e.g. improved chopping, new program features, live performance enhancements etc?

If Akai is happy with the sales of the Mpc Ren/Studio then our requests for daw like features may be falling on def ears. I don't see why it would be so hard to create an environment like Reason Record inside of the mpc software. I would definitely pay for an upgrade with these features an believe a lot of others would also. It doesn't have to have a million features. Basic audio editing features would allow people to use the Ren to create an arrange an entire song with vocals if necessary.

Honestly, in 2015 there is nothing special about the Ren that sets it apart from other production equipment, it's a nice nostalgic controller without these features at the end of the day.

Bain wrote: It doesn't have to have a million features. Basic audio editing features would allow people to use the Ren to create an arrange an entire song with vocals if necessary.

That's where I feel the problems will start though. Because once they implement a basic audio track system, many people will still not be satisfied as it is 'too simple', so the pressure is on to build it more and more complex, with more and more bells and whistles to try to make it a complete replacement to a dedicated DAW - it's never ending, and eventually the MPC loses its unique identity.

Far better to ensure it remains good at what MPCs have always been good at, just with more concentration on improving the way it can interface/integrate with a modern computer-based set up. The more they try to make an MPC like a modern DAW, the less reason people will have to buy it.

MPC-Tutor wrote:

Bain wrote: It doesn't have to have a million features. Basic audio editing features would allow people to use the Ren to create an arrange an entire song with vocals if necessary.

That's where I feel the problems will start though. Because once they implement a basic audio track system, many people will still not be satisfied as it is 'too simple', so the pressure is on to build it more and more complex, with more and more bells and whistles to try to make it a complete replacement to a dedicated DAW - it's never ending, and eventually the MPC loses its unique identity.

Far better to ensure it remains good at what MPCs have always been good at, just with more concentration on improving the way it can interface/integrate with a modern computer-based set up. The more they try to make an MPC like a modern DAW, the less reason people will have to buy it.

Seconded. Most people tend to ignore the fact that classically DAWs and sequencers are not the same. DAWs are for recording audio material, sequencers are for handling controller data, although nowadays most combine these features. MPC Software doesn't try to do that, and it's good the way it is. Period.

I use my MPC-1000 in conjunction with Ableton Live, both to create music, as well as perform it on stage. The main reason I transfer from my MPC into my DAW is to do more signal processing with plugins in my DAW. I am able to use EQ, Compression, Distortion, Saturation & other effects to process the audio in ways I am unable to using only my MPC.

For example, I can EQ my drums & use Parallel Compression with a little Distortion to bulk them up, at which point I usually mix them down as new audio samples & transfer them back to my MPC. This way, I have all the effects I want on my drums that are available in my DAW, but I can play the drums with my MPC pads live on stage.

I guess the biggest reason I transfer from my MPC into my DAW is it allows me way more control in mixing my music than my MPC does by itself.

bobbybland wrote:Right on, I preferred my 4k tbh over all the Mpcs I ever owned, though the JJ2500 was pretty slick. Btw I really dig that album you got, nice work!

Thanks! Appreciate the listen.

MPC-Tutor wrote:That's where I feel the problems will start though. Because once they implement a basic audio track system, many people will still not be satisfied as it is 'too simple', so the pressure is on to build it more and more complex, with more and more bells and whistles to try to make it a complete replacement to a dedicated DAW - it's never ending, and eventually the MPC loses its unique identity.

Far better to ensure it remains good at what MPCs have always been good at, just with more concentration on improving the way it can interface/integrate with a modern computer-based set up. The more they try to make an MPC like a modern DAW, the less reason people will have to buy it.

This!!!

Now everyone just go buy the album in my signature... You too Mistamixx.

It's really simple! Can a brother get some audio tracks and basic editing features so I can lay some vocal tracks down in the mpc along with my beats? Let them deal with the mpc plugin daw drama lol.

U guy's keep it up and the mpc will only be a plugin smh... I see the day coming.

Somebody made it so I can't even edit my post smh... I'm done! How can you call it a MPC when it's going to be nothing more than a plugin?? Just make it open so people can buy the software and use any controller they want just like any other plugin.

Mistamixx wrote: Just make it open so people can buy the software and use any controller they want just like any other plugin.

In that case, why bother buying an MPC in the first place? Just use any DAW with a generic controller.

i seriously doubt our requests to fix this half-baked plugin implementation will make them think it's better to make the MPC a plugin only. That would be a seriously bad decision. But they need to finish it - before they abandon it and move on to the next big thing.

IMO the MPC in its current implementation isn't based on a core that makes full plugin OR audio tracks "easy". The entire way it functions isn't conducive to either. I don't envy the dev team having to figure either of them out. For example, to function as a plugin, IMO they would have to have a way to turn the sequencer off. No sequences or song mode would be needed. For audio tracks, the basic suite of editing features would have to be pretty big to be useful.