Support and discussion for all of Akai’s modern standalone MPCs including the MPC X / X SE, MPC Live 1, 2 & 3, MPC One / One+, MPC Key 37/61.
By ShengTao Wed May 06, 2020 2:49 pm
Couldn't tell from the vids.. do you think that performance mode settings will be on a per tracks basis? I.e. you can set track 1 to chromatic, track 2 set to scale, track 3 chords, etc.. It looks like the new performance mode soft button is more a part of the track settings, right? I'm hoping it won't be global across all tracks, but still a welcome improvement. Can't wait for this update!! Thank you Akai!
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By bees80 Wed May 06, 2020 3:16 pm
ShengTao wrote:Couldn't tell from the vids.. do you think that performance mode settings will be on a per tracks basis? I.e. you can set track 1 to chromatic, track 2 set to scale, track 3 chords, etc.. It looks like the new performance mode soft button is more a part of the track settings, right? I'm hoping it won't be global across all tracks, but still a welcome improvement. Can't wait for this update!! Thank you Akai!


In the video, you see the track is being changed while in performance mode and the chords he plays are still the same, so i would likely assume this is global across all tracks.

However.. that would be a bit of an annoying option i think? Let's say you have a midi track to a synth where you use performance mode with progression chords. If you'd then move on to a new midi track on another synth, you'd have to switch performance mode off again, instead it by simply being a whole new track without any performance mode on.

So per track would actually make a lot of sense yes.
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By Monotremata Wed May 06, 2020 3:25 pm
djhighfly wrote:Great Update!

Am i right that my ESI M8U XL 8-In / 8-Out USB 2.0 MIDI Interface (or similar) will work?


It should! And now that means its time for me to finally upgrade my old AMT8. Was set on the ESI cause its cheap but I think I may drop another $100 and get the MioXL instead.
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By EnochLight Wed May 06, 2020 3:27 pm
c-real wrote:Overall, this is really good news. Akai moves to the right direction in my opinion. Here is my feeling about all these enhancements:

- Multi-MIDI : yes! we are finally rewarded for our patience. And sincerely, it goes beyond my expectations. I mean, 32 devices is a loooooot. I guess we will not force to use a USB hub to connect two USB MIDI keyboards but just use the two inputs ports instead. They still keep a way to set a master device, which is a good idea. And we can rename the ins/outs! Now, the MPC Live can truly be called MPC "Live". By the way, the track inspector of the main page as well as the track view mode will really be good for something :)

- Perform mode : yes! we now can use perform pads without being on the perform page. And the feature of creating our own progressions in standalone is a great addition (the way of doing seems clever)

- Workflow enhancements : for me, it's the best things and it shows that Akai listened to some of our suggestions. The main + pad to change track will be dope. The pad perform icon on the main page instead of a dedicated mode is welcome (the shift + 16 level shortcut too). Copying pads/pad range/banks between programs is also important. Drum mapping will be very useful too. I just hoped we could create presets but maybe it will be added later. The on/off button on the TC window is great too, as well as the "click" shortcut on the track view mode and both shortcuts "shift + TUI metronome/TC" to enable/disable click/TC

- Retrospective record : very unexpected addition! When Ableton Live added this feature 2 years ago, I thought... well, so what? But now I use it all the time. So I'm very happy to see this on the MPC

- Q-link overlay : someone suggested that feature last year, and sincerely I did not believe Akai will implement this, but it's very welcome. I wish we could disable the option if we want. Another great thing would be to auto-focus the q-link function when touching the screen in some modes (program mode, mixer mode, etc.)

- Send MIDI track to another track : quite surprising feature but I guess it could be useful, if only to create synth layering. And it is chainable, working like MIDI thru sockets


I 100% agree with all of this. Spot on!

c-real wrote:With all of that, it will be not surprising that Akai implement class compliant USB audio interfaces, disk streaming and some other workflow improvements. Look forward to the next week :)


Class compliant USB audio interface support seems like wishful thinking, but we all know they're looking into disc streaming. Just hoping it appears before the end of 2020. :lol:
By ShengTao Wed May 06, 2020 3:59 pm
bees80 wrote:
ShengTao wrote:Couldn't tell from the vids.. do you think that performance mode settings will be on a per tracks basis? I.e. you can set track 1 to chromatic, track 2 set to scale, track 3 chords, etc.. It looks like the new performance mode soft button is more a part of the track settings, right? I'm hoping it won't be global across all tracks, but still a welcome improvement. Can't wait for this update!! Thank you Akai!


In the video, you see the track is being changed while in performance mode and the chords he plays are still the same, so i would likely assume this is global across all tracks.

However.. that would be a bit of an annoying option i think? Let's say you have a midi track to a synth where you use performance mode with progression chords. If you'd then move on to a new midi track on another synth, you'd have to switch performance mode off again, instead it by simply being a whole new track without any performance mode on.

So per track would actually make a lot of sense yes.


Thanks. I need to watch again.. I thought he was only changing presets.
By a.ko Wed May 06, 2020 7:46 pm
Hi,

in all the announcements and videos one thing is not clear to me. Is it possible to have different midi channels on different DRUM tracks? All the videos are showing Plugin tracks or midi tracks but no drum tracks. I'm not using external gear for me the most important thing is will this work with midi drag and drop to my daw and have the ability to route the midi of the tracks.

I want to do the final arrangement in my daw (but without exporting audio stems from the MPC Software) and have access to the midi data.

Does anyone know if it's possible?!

Regards
By eLuSiVeMiTe Wed May 06, 2020 8:18 pm
a.ko wrote:Hi,

in all the announcements and videos one thing is not clear to me. Is it possible to have different midi channels on different DRUM tracks? All the videos are showing Plugin tracks or midi tracks but no drum tracks. I'm not using external gear for me the most important thing is will this work with midi drag and drop to my daw and have the ability to route the midi of the tracks.

I want to do the final arrangement in my daw (but without exporting audio stems from the MPC Software) and have access to the midi data.

Does anyone know if it's possible?!

Regards

Sure tubedigga mentioned having drums on one program layered with tubebass on another

Can't imagine why they would leave it out. ( Your reason is my reason too. Export midi edit and drive the mpc as a drum module from reaper )
That said I can't imagine why they would have left basic midi routing out of the mpc Renaissance and MPC 1.0
By JeriKo Jackson Wed May 06, 2020 9:14 pm
TBH I didn't think we'd see multi midi til 3.0. There was hype around the leaked plug ins and such that I never would've guessed.
Akai has shocked me with this one. BUT, with that said, it's been 3 years! Core business like this should have come in the first couple major updates and at least before splice and live control.
I don't see 3.0 being some major rewrite as some have predicted, considering all that's been added and we are one update away.
By Yentz Thu May 07, 2020 12:44 am
I am wondering what else they have got in the pipeline. This is huge and being a 2.8 update instead of a 3.0 makes me wonder what they are up to, I really dont think any new plugins are worth more than a flexible midi management.
By robleighton22 Thu May 07, 2020 1:01 am
Well I would say disk streaming, 1 to 1 tracks, new mixer, new arranger, new plugins would be pretty much complete the machine in my eyes. And most of these are somewhat confirmed or have even been previewed.

Wonder what the midi timings will be like using a usb hub.
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By Bezo Thu May 07, 2020 2:24 am
Yentz wrote:I am wondering what else they have got in the pipeline. This is huge and being a 2.8 update instead of a 3.0 makes me wonder what they are up to, I really dont think any new plugins are worth more than a flexible midi management.

Both niche request. As a 3 synth owner, all mastered by my Live, the plugins are worth more to me.


robleighton22 wrote:Well I would say disk streaming, 1 to 1 tracks, new mixer, new arranger, new plugins would be pretty much complete the machine in my eyes. And most of these are somewhat confirmed or have even been previewed...

Yup! To add on to workflow efficiencies, modernize the editing and implement the remaining software-only features to standalone.
By nicolasbulb Thu May 07, 2020 9:48 am
The multi MIDI implementation looks really interesting and well thought.

But The addition of features like the Q-Link or Tracks selection Overlay for MPC Live and One users as well as function like copy PADS (bank, range…) to another program is a really, really good new. For me, it’s a game changer like when they were introducing shift-shortcuts to speed up the workflow. I really like this kind of detail that makes these machines shines.

Looking forward to test it on the 14th.

Cheers