I feel stupid. Multi Track Recording into a DAW/Recorder

So I just got the MPC ONE, and there is no concrete information on this topic.
Working on a Song where I got an external synth being controlled by a midi channel and feeding the resulting sound back into the MPC where then there are internal effects applied to it.
This song has 8 layers, drums, percs, etc. and this mentioned external synth.

I would like to record all these elements live on separate tracks while I do manipulations, so I can export everything and mix it on my DAW afterwards.

Live Multitrack USB Audio into my DAW is not possible, apparently, according to my research.

Is there a way to record all my tracks separately as audio into the MPC itself, while I mute and unmute channels etc.? Also, I want to see all the separate waveforms if that's possible.

I also got a Zoom H8, but it doesn't do jackshit when I press record in multitrack audio interface mode.

You can def multittack audio to a DAW or an MPC. It depends on your interface.
I use a Model 12, but any USB audio interface with multiple analog audio inputs can do the job these days. The biggest limitation to multi track recording on the MPC is the 5 minute cap and 8 audio tracks. A DAW is only limited by the channels provided by your interface.

Than you!

Just for your data points:

I have a Force, hooked up to a Behringer UMC1820 over USB. From that, I can feed 8 channels (4 stereo channels) in parallel to my Tascam DP-32SD using standard TS cabling.

It's kind of like a truck. Big, obvious, and functional. Maybe a little ugly, if you're not into it. But it works.

Yeah. it will cost you around 9 hunid bucks for that.. two decent interfaces, cabling, shipping and the best part is in the end you end up going digital > analog > digital. Filtering it twice twough two sound devices. No analog processing gear to go between? Bounce it.

I already had the Portastudio, and I got the UMC1820 as insurance against the on-board audio interface problems that Forces are known to have, so while it was money, it wasn't money that I hadn't already spent for other reasons.

Granted about the D/A/D conversion steps, but I'm not sure what the bouncing options are for the MPC One, with no disc streaming. If I'm doing all on the device tracks for the Force, then I let the Force render the whole arrangement, no problem. However, if I'm running a dozen external synths it's easier to drive them by MIDI, submix down (with insert and send effects to taste, possibly including the Force as an effects unit) and then track on the Portastudio. If I want to track them all individually, I just run the whole thing a few times and swap out what's going to its inputs.

Gargii wrote:Live Multitrack USB Audio into my DAW is not possible, apparently, according to my research..

What DAW are you using? Live multitrack audio via an appropriate audio interface has been a DAW staple for the better part of 2+ decades. Hell, even Cool Edit Pro did live multitrack audio in 1998!

I think that his point is that using the USB cable direct into the computer isn't working, because the Akai isn't presenting itself as a multi-channel audio source to the computer, and you have to go through interfaces instead.

Or maybe I'm misreading the whole thing.

Because you are supposed to use the mpc software, why track it through USB to a computer when with the software it is already there. If you own a newer mpc, you also own the mpc software 2.0. it is too powerful and well done to just cast it aside off you are trying to get your stems to a computer. You can bounce your files to your favorite daw from there computer too.

You can't tell me what to do!

Dad!

I mean, I could technically write stems from the Force onto an SDcard set up for the Portastudio, then import them into a project for direct digital handling - but why not do the same file wrangling directly on the Force - besides the fact that the Portastudio lets me do fader-riding mix handling.

If you're recording from a bunch of synths you'll need some kind of audio interface anyhow. Gargii said that he has the MPC One, so it's not as if that is ingesting lots of audio without an interface (and if I remember correctly, it doesn't have USB3, which additionally constrains its capacity). Bottom line, whether he's exporting to an MTR, or to a computer, there's probably an interface in the mix anyhow and the MPC One isn't streaming it all to disc. Best case, the MPC One can save the internally-generated stems, and then the external synth can dump data to the computer for later DAW manipulation (that being the plan, after all).

the thing is the OP said he wants to be able to tweak parameters of stuff (synths, drums etc...) while tracking. so bounce is no good. you can do it in controller mode, of course, in this case i think it is the best option, unless you have TWO good audio interfaces (one to hook to the computer for recording, the other to hook to the mpc one just to have multiple outputs). but the best solution would have been to choose a different mpc model from the get go, one with multiple outputs (6 on the Live, 8 on the X). this way you can also integrate effects, processors while recording. another good solution might be a tascam model 12 or 16, because it can act as an audio interface with x channels, and also record on a usb stick without the need of a computer. then you can move the tracks to your daw if you need final touches\editing\mixing...

I agree that an MTR of some sort is the most flexible way to go. The Portastudio line is better (and cheaper) for overdubbing and later edits than the Model series, so that's where I'd go. Two cables from the MPC One, and however many from each synth (or submixer) at a time, then clean up and mixdown on the device itself.