MPC 3 -- Let's GO!!

J.O.BEATS wrote:

jpeg wrote:

The whole structure of programs, seq, tracks, song mode is a key part of what makes an MPC what it is.

are those really the key aspects of what makes an MPC and MPC? I dunno bout that

A sequencer, sampler with 16 pads is the essence of an mpc.

I dont think programs defines an MPC nor does song mode resspectfully; mayber it does for u; but others may feel different.

some people prefer the legacy mpc workflow hence the older akais are still popular; maybe u can just keep ur MPC's on version 2.X

Definitely seems like some people might just have to stay with 2.x if the new unified track system is forcing undesired workflow changes. But hopefully akai will see the reaction and hopefully change things, if possible

I will try it and see what's up. It seems to me thou, that as much as I like some of the updates this is end of line for the MPC workflow. For me working on a daw is uninspiring, as I mentioned before. The only daw that I feel inspired by is Reason because of the rack paradigm. We'll see if I feel as confortable with the new update as I am with the classic MPC workflow.

MPC-Tutor wrote:Definitely seems like some people might just have to stay with 2.x if the new unified track system is forcing undesired workflow changes. But hopefully akai will see the reaction and hopefully change things, if possible

it seems like an easy feature to restore so I strongly suspect Akai will add that aspect back

jpeg wrote:

pedro_oliveira1993 wrote:So we're lookin at an MPC that's not exactly an MPC anymore. It does so much shit it almost feels like a DAW. And it's something I purchased to get away from a DAW. So I might as well use a DAW because it's faster that this pseudo daw with a touch screen.

Is this it?

its still an MPC; adding an arranger does not stop it being a MPC, some workflows have been speeded up or changed

If things were changed, then they're not what they used to be. Track Mutes behaviour is a blatant example. The change of structure is another.

Which, to me, is a pretty huge part of my MPC workflow. Big enough to not even try the beta. If the idea is making an Ableton knock off, in a tiny screen and make me waste time zooming, tapping and pinching into exhaustion I might as well use Ableton and a Push.

Some people like what it did and how it did it. Updates are fine. No need to ruin it just to appeal to people who can't think outside the linear concept.

I've already been called a "legacy mpc user" by a guy that bough an MPC and got mad because it wasn't linear like Ableton thus making the MPC "outdated". Buy first and research later I guess.

But to each his own. I can always keep it the way I like it so there's no issue. Too bad there's some neat stuff in there.

jpeg wrote:are those really the key aspects of what makes an MPC and MPC? I dunno bout that

A sequencer, sampler with 16 pads is the essence of an mpc.

I dont think programs defines an MPC nor does song mode resspectfully; mayber it does for u; but others may feel different.

some people prefer the legacy mpc workflow hence the older akais are still popular; maybe u can just keep ur MPC's on version 2.X

It defines a workflow for many.

I've never worked in a linear fashion on my MPCs.

One sequence. 4/8/16/32 bars depending on genre
6 tracks of drums. 1 program.
Kick snares hats etc.

3 bass tracks various variations for song changes.
Same for keys lead etc.

Il jam an arrangement playing track mutes
When the core parts of the track are in place and initially mixed il copy that sequence mute and create my intro
Copy seq again and so on building up the track in song mode.

Then individual sequences can be edited for builds fills etc working within small chunks rather than 200 bars to scroll through and try and set fiddly loop points.

When I'm happy. Convert to a new sequence and record automations.

As somebody said above. If I want to work in a linear fashion I may as well sit on my pc with many times the ram and a 49" ultrawide instead of piddling around with fat fingers on a tiny touchscreen.

My workflow evolved to keep my tracks structured across sequences and to avoid editing long midi tracks while being able to build full complex tracks quickly.

The current changes completely kill my workflow.

On your last point regarding staying on 2.15

My X was bought just before the XL dropped. I'd be losing any further support.
No more bug fixes. No more quality of life improvements.

Yeah. This update adds a lot but so many small changes that would have improved things are still absent.

A basic file management system. Copy move paste is a pretty basic thing to implement but is still missing.

Mute groups. So much wasted potential here. Mute polarity for instance. So muting one track automatically unmutes a second track. Or second third and Fourth track are muted when another track is unmuted. Jj managed this.

The only option for navigating the grid is your fingers. Despite a jog when and arrows. Having spent years on jjos grid it can be incredibly fast to highlight copy and paste sections compared to a touchscreen.

So yeah. No further updates sucks.

The workarounds to make it work for me are cumbersome and defeat the point of the machine for me.

I don't see the point of keeping sequences in that new workflow without programs.

Well I can't wait. Might take a day or two to get used to the layout, but I look forward to trying it out and making it work for me. Kinda got excited for some of the added improvements. Bet there's a lot that we haven't been shown as well.

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I dont think programs defines an MPC nor does song mode resspectfully; mayber it does for u; but others may feel different.

some people prefer the legacy mpc workflow hence the older akais are still popular; maybe u can just keep ur MPC's on version 2.X

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It’s A key element of what makes an mpc an mpc not the ONLY thing. It directly impacts the workflow. It’s much more musical to build up different sequences than it is to draw on a linear path. When we make music on an mpc we are performing in real time and recording performances and putting it together in a song.

Maybe I’m way off but I think the people who want this change are the same people who have always complained about the mpc workflow because they come from clicking a mouse. If you use an mpc as a core element of beat making I can’t imagine the desire to get rid of the way the mpc actually makes music. This seems like a desire to make a portable daw rather than improving an MPC. But akai will no doubt bring in more new customers with this change.

I always thought an arranger view would be great for converting song to sequence. I don’t see the need of completely changing the workflow

And as far as staying in 2.X that’s obviously what many of us will do but it’s frustrating to know there will never again be improvements and support for the classic mpc.

Neodymium wrote:

KaoticShock wrote:
This is exactly what I'm curious about. 8 layers for keygroups would be whole nother level. We still need more modulation possibilities, but this would be a good start.

And for some layers to be either samples or wavetables

Luckily, I've got this on my Waldorf Iridium

I always thought an arranger view would be great for converting song to sequence. I don’t see the need of completely changing the workflow

Thats exactly my use case as well, for when the song is nearing completion and all you're doing is adding small changes here and there, it's handy to have the whole song accessible and displayed with every track (and ability to modify each track independently) in a linear arranger, basically the DAW method. I don't find it as easy to do these types of 'late changes' when working in 8 bar, 1 sequence only chunks because I lose the flow of the song.

But I'll take the legacy MPC workflow for everything up to that point.

Of course, some will say why not just export to a DAW when nearing completion to achieve the same thing. But I don't use a DAW, I don't even have a PC.

J.O.BEATS wrote:Maybe I’m way off but I think the people who want this change are the same people who have always complained about the mpc workflow because they come from clicking a mouse. If you use an mpc as a core element of beat making I can’t imagine the desire to get rid of the way the mpc actually makes music. This seems like a desire to make a portable daw rather than improving an MPC. But akai will no doubt bring in more new customers with this change.

I wonder if it has more to do with unifying the force and MPC firmwares for convenience. Though I'm sure what you say has a bearing.

J.O.BEATS wrote:I always thought an arranger view would be great for converting song to sequence. I don’t see the need of completely changing the workflow

I posted about this earlier.

If the arranger view took the place of sing mode it would be great.

So you insert sequences into the arranger in the order needed.
You get a visual representation of the midi/audio in order and easy access to each sequence and track by clicking on the elements.
That would have been a very handy tool.

A lot of good things in the update but all overshadowed for me by the loss of programs

jpeg wrote:

I LOVE that every sequence automatically has the same tracks and type. No more slightly different sequences to chain into a song. At the same time, this is going to piss off a lot of people.

like others I used to copy sequences, mute and unmute tracks, change tracks.
Also change programs, for instance quite often I would copy and change a program slightly, make a variation.
How the sequences are arranged I would only decide in song mode, making the "song" longer and shorter there, change order of sequences etc.

This, for me, was the basic and distinct MPC workflow.
For others it was live firing sequences, and recording that.
If these two things are gone ( if, I am not sure this is actually the case) its a different product now.


Then I have the choice to stay in 2x forever, never buy a new plugin for the machine, never get any fixes or uodates.
Or to sell it.
Or to switch to this new product.

There is a rule, in my old business, which incidentially was audio software products, but this rule also exists in other branches: dont fix things that arent broken.

I hope Akai will stick to that rule and its all a mistake from our side. AFAIK song mode is still there. so, there is hope.