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.
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By Jean-Marc Liotier Mon Feb 05, 2024 2:44 pm
Both user interfaces manage the same track mutes, but of course only the Channel Mixer mutes audio tracks... So far, so MPC (I'm still not over audio tracks not appearing in Track Mute, but it is what it is and yes, I make drum programs to launch clips)... But contrary to track mutes, which are local to a sequence, the audio tracks mutes in the Channel Mixer are global.

I find this inconsistency confusing... Is it a bug or a deliberate feature that has a purpose that I haven't understood yet ?
By indirect Tue Feb 06, 2024 1:51 pm
You'd have to understand the difference between midi system and audio system. You can mute midi tracks on "track mute" mode. It causes midi events to stop, but tails of the samples still play (if you don't have 'instant mute' on tho). You can automate midi volume, midi mute, midi pan. All these parameters work independently of audio system, but still influences it. Mixer mute is a different story. You can route your programs, plugins and audio tracks to subgroups and operate just subgroups.
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By Jean-Marc Liotier Tue Feb 06, 2024 3:38 pm
Indeed, audio tracks don't take MIDI input. Is there any technical reason why they shouldn't respond to MIDI events relevant to audio, such as mute, volume and pan ? Outside of the MPC world, some MIDI-enabled audio mixers do just that with the appropriate CC messages. Even MPC effects can be controlled by MIDI. So why not make some audio track functionality MIDI-controllable ?
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By Jean-Marc Liotier Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:03 pm
Yes, but my question is whether there are apparent blocking issues to that software development, such as performance issues. From what we see, all the functionality (muting an audio track) already exists. So, either complicate the track mute screen so that it includes audio tracks, or make the audio tracks receptive to MIDI if that it what it takes for the track mute display to control them.

Or maybe I'm the only one with that pet peeve and everyone else is happy with launching audio clips from drum programs, which I admit is a decent workaround.

But imagine the sort of live looper the MPC could be if audio tracks were controllable from track mute !