MPC X, MPC Live, MPC One & MPC Key 61 Forum: Support and discussion for the MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One & MPC Key 61; Akai's current generation of standalone MPCs.
By theabstract Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:11 pm
Yes, I am happy with it (MPC Live). It's not worth the price to me, but I kinda knew that going in (in Canada, it's much more expensive than in the US). So for me, it's a luxury.
If I had one piece of gear, it would be a PC with FL Studio, with a keyboard.

Hopefully AKAI keeps the updates coming making the standalone product a bit more comparable to a DAW.

That's my 2 cents.
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By optik415 Sun Aug 18, 2019 7:05 pm
I'm considering switching to Ableton to be honest. I'm not all the way happy with the music I've been making on my Live lately. I need something new and fresh! I've been a MPC user for over 10 years. I can't even use the software without something going wrong and standalone is too limited for me. Just my 2 cents. I'll keep my 1000 but might sell my live and get push 3 in the future
By Unreallystic Mon Aug 19, 2019 6:25 pm
optik415 wrote:I'm considering switching to Ableton to be honest. I'm not all the way happy with the music I've been making on my Live lately. I need something new and fresh! I've been a MPC user for over 10 years. I can't even use the software without something going wrong and standalone is too limited for me. Just my 2 cents. I'll keep my 1000 but might sell my live and get push 3 in the future

I've been on a MPC break the past 1-2 months as I lost my power cord (found it this weekend YAY), I don't even have it patched heh. During the break I've gone BACK to Ableton and picked up FL Studio & Komplete.

It's become an eye-opening experieince. One one hand, I can laydown song ideas, and sculpt loops super fast on the MPC, on the other hand, I can build songs, and just have a much wider selection of sounds to use via DAWs. I also find that as I get aclimated to FL Studio (I haven't used it since it went by Fruity Loops and people were still like "OMG 9th Wonder uses it!") that my "sound" and feeling - has transferred well and isn't suffering.

I don't want to part with my Live, but I'm struggling to want to go back to it now that I have a laptop + akai fire. Maybe when I get back into sampling I'll get more excited to use the Live, but I feel like any song I try to make on the MPC Live in standalone, I have to do twice, I have to explode it and transfer it to Ableton to mix it down or apply more FX, but in FL/Ableton, I can do it right then and there. It's just become a losing battle of practicality, the MPC is super portable and quick, but if yo ualready have the tools so that cost isn't a driver, the DAW options just seem better.
- Unreall
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By Bezo Tue Aug 20, 2019 2:54 pm
I've recently realized that I dig the Live. It's the software I dislike.

Not the standalone type, but I'm figuring out how to couple that with Logic now. I may need to dig my pre-amp out of the closet as I now need 2 audio inputs I don't have.

Might need that MIDI interface too as I miss my 3 synths.
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By optik415 Wed Aug 21, 2019 2:24 am
Unreallystic wrote:
optik415 wrote:I'm considering switching to Ableton to be honest. I'm not all the way happy with the music I've been making on my Live lately. I need something new and fresh! I've been a MPC user for over 10 years. I can't even use the software without something going wrong and standalone is too limited for me. Just my 2 cents. I'll keep my 1000 but might sell my live and get push 3 in the future

I've been on a MPC break the past 1-2 months as I lost my power cord (found it this weekend YAY), I don't even have it patched heh. During the break I've gone BACK to Ableton and picked up FL Studio & Komplete.

It's become an eye-opening experieince. One one hand, I can laydown song ideas, and sculpt loops super fast on the MPC, on the other hand, I can build songs, and just have a much wider selection of sounds to use via DAWs. I also find that as I get aclimated to FL Studio (I haven't used it since it went by Fruity Loops and people were still like "OMG 9th Wonder uses it!") that my "sound" and feeling - has transferred well and isn't suffering.

I don't want to part with my Live, but I'm struggling to want to go back to it now that I have a laptop + akai fire. Maybe when I get back into sampling I'll get more excited to use the Live, but I feel like any song I try to make on the MPC Live in standalone, I have to do twice, I have to explode it and transfer it to Ableton to mix it down or apply more FX, but in FL/Ableton, I can do it right then and there. It's just become a losing battle of practicality, the MPC is super portable and quick, but if yo ualready have the tools so that cost isn't a driver, the DAW options just seem better.
- Unreall


Interesting transition! But most importantly it works for you. I've been struggling the past week trying to level up my workflow and I haven't found anything that works yet. I tried Ableton but Its actually slowing me down. I really wanna try FL Studio! I actually started making beats on that back in the day so I think I will feel more comfortable with it.
By Cockdiesel Wed Aug 21, 2019 4:12 am
Bezo wrote:I've recently realized that I dig the Live. It's the software I dislike.

Not the standalone type, but I'm figuring out how to couple that with Logic now. I may need to dig my pre-amp out of the closet as I now need 2 audio inputs I don't have.

Might need that MIDI interface too as I miss my 3 synths.


That’s where the magic of it is for me. A live and some cool gear to partner with is is awesome. You can dedicate the time to just that gear and the live. Sometimes the live and a effect pedal can be just as fun as the live with a synth and an iPad. It keeps things interesting and helps me not have gear just gather dust. When it gets stale, just change it up.

I track everything into the Live and export to ableton, you can do the same with logic. An iPad, mpc live, and some effects are way more than you need. Finding synths with audio inputs can help with that some too. I even run a mixing board into my live at times when I want to set up multiple synths. It’s endless. Also cool to buy cheap synths make keygroups and when they get stale sell them and buy another cheap synth.

I don’t hate on the people using the software, I am a standalone type guy. However, when people talk about using software, I am like WTF in my head. I make most of my keygroups with my soundcard, and cannot stand the software. It’s functional and all but I’d get the software glitch’s after 8 keygroups, I’d try to fiddle with audio tracks and they’d never line up for me. While standalone I can do everything I want almost blindfolded. Never had much of any issues.
By Caustic Yoda Wed Aug 21, 2019 6:42 am
while my live has many short comings i use it regularly for writing and gigs (it seems to crash before every show but not during thankfully) theres no way i would prefer writing songs in a daw environment compared to the live stand alone or any mpc, my live has a hard time competing with my digitakt which is way more fun to write on but a bit limited to write a whole song, my mpc2500 (akai os 1.24) is the real competition as live is still missing many of my fave legacy functions and it just doesnt have the weight and punch that the outputs of the 2500 have and while live has better pads etc it just feels like a toy to play on, anyway waiting on akai to step things up for the next standalone sampler they release as live and ren before it have just been a super long beta testing program waiting for all the promised features to be added, also i still cannot latch hold a sample from a note on state which is why i take an sp303 to every show, i actaully hate akai for not implementing or caring about this, most basic sampler function since 1988
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By Bezo Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:56 pm
Cockdiesel wrote:
Bezo wrote:I've recently realized that I dig the Live. It's the software I dislike.

Not the standalone type, but I'm figuring out how to couple that with Logic now. I may need to dig my pre-amp out of the closet as I now need 2 audio inputs I don't have.

Might need that MIDI interface too as I miss my 3 synths.


That’s where the magic of it is for me. A live and some cool gear to partner with is is awesome. You can dedicate the time to just that gear and the live. Sometimes the live and a effect pedal can be just as fun as the live with a synth and an iPad. It keeps things interesting and helps me not have gear just gather dust. When it gets stale, just change it up.

I track everything into the Live and export to ableton, you can do the same with logic. An iPad, mpc live, and some effects are way more than you need. Finding synths with audio inputs can help with that some too. I even run a mixing board into my live at times when I want to set up multiple synths. It’s endless. Also cool to buy cheap synths make keygroups and when they get stale sell them and buy another cheap synth.

I don’t hate on the people using the software, I am a standalone type guy. However, when people talk about using software, I am like WTF in my head. I make most of my keygroups with my soundcard, and cannot stand the software. It’s functional and all but I’d get the software glitch’s after 8 keygroups, I’d try to fiddle with audio tracks and they’d never line up for me. While standalone I can do everything I want almost blindfolded. Never had much of any issues.
Ha! I'm one of those WTF people. I was trying to use the MPC software instead of Logic. Logic is re-replacing the MPC software. I rely on virtual instruments too much to use just the Live. I just really dig the MPC/groovebox workflow.

I'll use the MPC standalone in 2 ways:

I'll sketch on it whether on the road or just not wanting to be in the studio space. I finally transferred all my old multi-samples from my Z4, and took the time to create some drum programs. I'll use those & the standalone VSTs to do what I normally do in software. When back in the studio, I'll use the MPC sequences to trigger VSTs in Logic and record audio. Logic will serve as my recorder and sound module. Most of the sounds in my Live will serve as place holders.

But most of the time the Live will serve as a sequencer & controller for Logic while creating, adding the occasional sample/chop.
By Unreallystic Wed Aug 21, 2019 1:10 pm
optik415 wrote:Interesting transition! But most importantly it works for you. I've been struggling the past week trying to level up my workflow and I haven't found anything that works yet. I tried Ableton but Its actually slowing me down. I really wanna try FL Studio! I actually started making beats on that back in the day so I think I will feel more comfortable with it.

I look at DAWs and DAW like packages and workstations, like I do video game systems, they all have their strengths/weaknesses, and yet they all accomplish the same thing. My XBOne is my current favorite system, its terrific for non-gaming activities, my PS4 is just for Rainbow 6 Siege, my PS4 Pro is for 4K content and single player games - because Sony's interface is a POS, and has been for over a decade.

I look at all of these methods of production as the same thing. There isn't a perfect one, and different tools excel at different things. FL Studio's Piano Roll absolutely destroys everything I've used - Reason, Sonar, Ableton, Cool Edit Pro *har*, Digitakt, MPC, etc., but I find the setup for everything else to be overly complicated or shrouded in menus. Ableton is like the ultimate lego brick, I feel I can do anything with it, it latches onto other physical and software based tools better than anything else I've used, the Push is the best controller series that I've used*, and its popularity make it EASY to get help if I needed it.

Then there is the MPC - my Live is portable - easily, as someone who's biggest pitfall is time/availability, that's huge. The MPC lets me "groove" more naturally as a finger drummer, there is some mystical mojo Akai slammed in there. Honestly, the MPC Bible was one of the best resources I've come across for learning something in the audio world, as someone with a list of 30 classes on Udemy that he's chewing through - that says something. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the bible should be packaged deal with the MPC. But the Live's format for arrangements sucks. Non-stackable building blocks were fine when beat making was extremely loop heavy (I laugh when I hear "Grand Finale", not even a two second loop for like a 4 minute song), but modern composition is so complex that this is HURTS significantly transforming it to a scratch pad :| .

Just like video game systems, I CAN play Netflix & Youtube on the PS4, but the layout of the PS4 is so annoying that I don't want to do anything but hop into the game I am playing. That's the MPC for me now.
-Unreall

* - The Push is the best controller I've ever used, but the Akai Fire's format has the most potential. They both however suffer from "missing the point" syndrome though.
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By Lampdog Wed Aug 21, 2019 3:28 pm
Unreallystic wrote:...30 classes on Udemy


I've been telling people about Udemy and Cybrary for years.
It's one of the things I suggest when onboarding new personnel.
By Unreallystic Wed Aug 21, 2019 4:11 pm
Lampdog wrote:
Unreallystic wrote:...30 classes on Udemy


I've been telling people about Udemy and Cybrary for years.
It's one of the things I suggest when onboarding new personnel.

Yeah, just wait for one of their 90% off sales that they have every other week. Some of these classes are weak sauce, but most of the ones by REAL trainers are quality.
- Unreall
By Cockdiesel Thu Aug 22, 2019 6:05 am
@bezo you many be able to create midi clips and save them. Then it’s just drag and drop on the logic side. You may do this already but it seems like it might be good for your work flow.
I’m not big on using daws other than to mix but I can’t see the Mpc software stacking up to most of them. i Think it’s great for writing on a standalone piece but not much more I think having the software is Nice but it’s not a replacement for any daw. Especially if you lean on the computer for effects and vst plugins.
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By Bezo Thu Aug 22, 2019 3:04 pm
Cockdiesel wrote:@bezo you many be able to create midi clips and save them. Then it’s just drag and drop on the logic side. You may do this already but it seems like it might be good for your work flow.
I’m not big on using daws other than to mix but I can’t see the Mpc software stacking up to most of them. i Think it’s great for writing on a standalone piece but not much more I think having the software is Nice but it’s not a replacement for any daw. Especially if you lean on the computer for effects and vst plugins.
Clip Programs? Honestly, I'm looking to remove steps & obstacles, not add. But I'm not sure how those would help me.

I rely on VSTs too much not to use DAWs. And yeah, the MPC software is not up to par. But experimenting with standalone, I can replicate my workflow enough do some good sketches using my multi-samples & the standalone plugins. Problem is, Logic may not be designed to work with external sequencers out of the box. I may have some advanced MIDI routing to do. That's when I start to dislike software as I'm not very tech savvy.

So software is not cooperating with me at the moment. I may be in the market for another DAW. I had always been interested in Studio One. Knowing now not to expect what I consider basic, I can research my next move better. Can't wait to get back to being productive. This is nuts!
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By Monotremata Thu Aug 22, 2019 7:56 pm
Bezo wrote:I rely on VSTs too much not to use DAWs. And yeah, the MPC software is not up to par. But experimenting with standalone, I can replicate my workflow enough do some good sketches using my multi-samples & the standalone plugins. Problem is, Logic may not be designed to work with external sequencers out of the box. I may have some advanced MIDI routing to do. That's when I start to dislike software as I'm not very tech savvy.

So software is not cooperating with me at the moment. I may be in the market for another DAW. I had always been interested in Studio One. Knowing now not to expect what I consider basic, I can research my next move better. Can't wait to get back to being productive. This is nuts!


Yeah I cant wait for the day I can feel safe using a plugin not made by Akai or AIR in the software hehe. My poor Absynth is getting neglected, so is VCV Rack.. But its making me not be so lazy and actually turn on my synths again hahaha. I bought my Blofeld almost 4 years ago now, and Ive used it more in the last month than I have that entire time Ive owned it. I even broke out the Microwave XT and its funky rubber orangeness again too! Im making due with it on its own and finding I actually like it a bit better. I love having ALL the toys but man I just waste most of it and never use it. I have an almost 100GB library of samples I NEVER used either and now every single day Im having to dig through new folders to find stuff I haven't used yet haha.

Dont worry we'll get that Logic shit figured out, Ill probably finally end up learning how to use the Environment by the time were done after all these years right before Im ready to ditch it haha. Youre right though, its not meant to play nice with other sequencers other than "Im the Master Control Program, you will do what I say when I say it". Im still software only but Ive tried the plugin a couple times and it worked ok. I had to setup the IAC bus thing too so I could do start/stop/record from the MPC inside it (using the Studio is too much fun to not) but it went ok. I didnt try to add anything along side it in Logic though. I was pretty much just trying it out to see how well that worked as opposed to just bouncing out the tracks. I know it screwed up my song when I reopened it on its own in the MPC later though heh. I opened it as a multi-output instrument and routed all the MPC tracks to their own track in Logic. I saved the Logic project so I could come back later if I wanted to, but what it did was not only made that Project Data folder for the plugin, it also saved the actual MPC project file too. When I opened it on its own later, it left all those output assignments set so I heard nothing when I hit play in the software heh. I think you have to pick one way of working or there other and stick with it. Once I get the hardware that wont be a worry cause its going to do everything it does and Logic is just going to be a tape deck like it should be.

Im rather curious now to see this new song arrangement mode though.. One of the Force guys on GS commented that its basically Ableton Live combined with the MPC. Ive never wanted to move to Live from Logic but I do love the way Live works and makes things so easy to get going. It reminds me alot of the MPC workflow. It sounds like its going to be killer to me when it gets done. Hopefully theyre almost done so we can start beta testing it for ourselves!