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 zipdisk Sun Jun 26, 2022 2:51 pm
Is it possible to use tracks instead of sequences to build a song? I usually make 1 sequence with all the sounds and then export the tracks and arrange it in my DAW. Seems like the only way to make a song is by duplicating the sequence and delete sounds or make new sequences as I am making a beat. Would be much easier if I could just build a song with individual tracks like in most DAWs.
By mpc_fan_2022 Sun Jun 26, 2022 3:37 pm
Sequences can be up to 999 bars, so obviously you can use a single sequence to build a song.

Now is it the easiest way to make a song is anybody's guess...
By HouseWithoutMouse Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:17 pm
Even in Force and the Arranger that many people seem to want so badly in MPCs, it isn't really practical to build everything into the arrangement tracks, because there are no _clips_ or other container blocks there, it's like one huge MPC Sequence. The arrangement is supposed to be used as an intermediate stage where you record a performance of your scenes and clips, and you can do some fine-tuning of individual notes and automation. But because there are no clips on the arrangement tracks, working with song blocks is not very practical. When you record things into the arrangement, MIDI events go straight on the tracks, and there's no container block element between track and event. (Except for audio tracks there's the Region concept, but there are no "MIDI regions".)
By zipdisk Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:47 pm
mpc_fan_2022 wrote:Sequences can be up to 999 bars, so obviously you can use a single sequence to build a song.

Now is it the easiest way to make a song is anybody's guess...


Usually when I make beats, I use an 8 bar loop for my main sequence and add everything to there. Then duplicate all those tracks for the length of the song and delete tracks to form the whole song. In FL studio you can make a sequence with all your tracks and then split by channel and it will let you create a song with the individual tracks instead of the whole sequence. My question is can I replace sequences with tracks in song mode?
By HouseWithoutMouse Sun Jun 26, 2022 5:50 pm
No. Quote from the user guide

Song Mode lets you arrange sequences in a specific order and/or repetition to create songs


In other words, the song mode is a sequence arranger. A song consists of ordered sequences.
By SakisX Sun Jun 26, 2022 6:49 pm
HouseWithoutMouse wrote:Even in Force and the Arranger that many people seem to want so badly in MPCs, it isn't really practical to build everything into the arrangement tracks, because there are no _clips_ or other container blocks there, it's like one huge MPC Sequence. The arrangement is supposed to be used as an intermediate stage where you record a performance of your scenes and clips, and you can do some fine-tuning of individual notes and automation. But because there are no clips on the arrangement tracks, working with song blocks is not very practical. When you record things into the arrangement, MIDI events go straight on the tracks, and there's no container block element between track and event. (Except for audio tracks there's the Region concept, but there are no "MIDI regions".)


+1000
It's not even an arranger , it doesn't arrange anything (scenes/clips) , just a classic linear recorder
I got the Force and still haven't touched the "arranger" . I will definitely use it if I finish something and want to write automation for master or submixes . Working linear on this small screen ,scrolling zooming , plus few hit or miss on touch (it's not an ipad) , is hard for me .
I'm sure most mpc users haven't tried the arranger , maybe it worth spending some time with the hakai firmware to simply test the Force OS on MPC (and the "arranger")
By Drew Hamlett Sun Jun 26, 2022 7:58 pm
SakisX wrote:
HouseWithoutMouse wrote:Even in Force and the Arranger that many people seem to want so badly in MPCs, it isn't really practical to build everything into the arrangement tracks, because there are no _clips_ or other container blocks there, it's like one huge MPC Sequence. The arrangement is supposed to be used as an intermediate stage where you record a performance of your scenes and clips, and you can do some fine-tuning of individual notes and automation. But because there are no clips on the arrangement tracks, working with song blocks is not very practical. When you record things into the arrangement, MIDI events go straight on the tracks, and there's no container block element between track and event. (Except for audio tracks there's the Region concept, but there are no "MIDI regions".)


+1000
It's not even an arranger , it doesn't arrange anything (scenes/clips) , just a classic linear recorder
I got the Force and still haven't touched the "arranger" . I will definitely use it if I finish something and want to write automation for master or submixes . Working linear on this small screen ,scrolling zooming , plus few hit or miss on touch (it's not an ipad) , is hard for me .
I'm sure most mpc users haven't tried the arranger , maybe it worth spending some time with the hakai firmware to simply test the Force OS on MPC (and the "arranger")


This. I don't know why people want the Force arranger. It's awful. I'd rather just link my sequences up in song mode on MPC.

It's hard to record at specific spots, you can't clear/erase out multiple tracks, and it has no mute quantization. I don't want to perform my music to release it. Now if you could select your scenes to put in arranger like in Maschine then maybe we're talking. The only issue is scenes in Maschine can reference the same patterns, but Force doesn't work like that, so you basically have to duplicate clips anyway which takes you back to the MPC style workflow anyway. In the end, the MPC is currently better at arranging with song mode.
By HouseWithoutMouse Sun Jun 26, 2022 8:24 pm
It just now occurred to me how tragicomic a misnomer "arranger" is. After you've recorded your things into the arranger, you don't really arrange anything anymore. ;) You've basically burnt your MIDI notes and audio on a linear timeline, and after that there's only minor polishing to do. After I learned what the idea actually is, I've only used it as a tool for making audio mixdowns. And it is true that you have to record a performance to get a damn mixdown done. Why do people want this for the MPC? Maybe because they don't know what it is. ;) Arranger = one big sequence. I can understand why people prefer the MPC song mode. But myself, I'm much more comfortable with Force's clips and scenes than with the MPC song mode and its sequences.

One thing about the Force that doesn't get mentioned often is that you can have some tracks coming from the linear arrangement, and others from clips. That way the arrangement can work as a performance tool.
By Drew Hamlett Sun Jun 26, 2022 8:59 pm
HouseWithoutMouse wrote:It just now occurred to me how tragicomic a misnomer "arranger" is. After you've recorded your things into the arranger, you don't really arrange anything anymore. ;) You've basically burnt your MIDI notes and audio on a linear timeline, and after that there's only minor polishing to do. After I learned what the idea actually is, I've only used it as a tool for making audio mixdowns. And it is true that you have to record a performance to get a damn mixdown done. Why do people want this for the MPC? Maybe because they don't know what it is. ;) Arranger = one big sequence. I can understand why people prefer the MPC song mode. But myself, I'm much more comfortable with Force's clips and scenes than with the MPC song mode and its sequences.

One thing about the Force that doesn't get mentioned often is that you can have some tracks coming from the linear arrangement, and others from clips. That way the arrangement can work as a performance tool.


Yea I assume people just don't know what it is which is why they want it. You're right, it's not really an arranger in the first place. It's literally a slower way to arrange than going to song mode selecting sequences and then converting a song to a long sequence. At least MPC has the desktop tool so you once it's in long sequence it can be edited somewhat easily if you want that. I usually just put all my transitions and such in the individual sequences and only use song mode.
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By Lampdog Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:36 pm
zipdisk wrote:My question is can I replace sequences with tracks in song mode?

No.
By brisket Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:55 pm
mpc_fan_2022 wrote:Sequences can be up to 999 bars, so obviously you can use a single sequence to build a song.

Now is it the easiest way to make a song is anybody's guess...


IMHO It's not the easiest (I find myself having to do basic math in my head whenever I need to copy/paste/insert etc regions of the composition, when I obviously wouldn't have to do this with Akais recommended build sequences then go to song mode workflow) but it certainly isn't much more difficult to go the one sequence song workflow route. Feels more intuitive for the linear mindset I tend to have when making songs