Moving to the MPC X after 20+ years on the 2000XL

Fanu wrote:It’s good to understand that there’s a general sample edit, but in editing a program, you can edit how that sample is played by that program, and the same sample can be played differently on different pads.

For example if you want to permanently trim the sample, that can be done, but note that the same sample can have different start points on different pads for example.

Make sure you understand what mode you are in when changing the sample parameters.

Yeah, this I learned through a few hours of initial frustration.. But I did eventually ”get it”. Thanks anyway!

I find that only a part of the issue is the actual difficulty in learning new things, and another part of it is the difficulty of having to let go of the old ways that you are so used to.

So far, fortunately, the good outweigh the bad by a huge margin.

EnochLight wrote:Are you still on MPC 2.x on the new (used) machine? Or did you grab the public MPC 3 beta? Because there are some vast differences between them (pro tip: if you're still on MPC 2.x, don't get used to assigning the same Program to multiple tracks)...

Nah… if they actually plan on doing the program system like that I will definitely be staying on the 2.
A lot of the new things of this new gen I like, but working on an MPC still has to feel like working on an MPC.
From what I’ve seen and read of the 3.xx it’s moving into a whole different workflow that is not for me.

Personally I think Akai is doing a huge misstep if the will implement it like that. They should be focusing on the core of what has always made an MPC an MPC, not trying to move into generic DAW mode territory.

I like how the programs work. I don’t need the extra hassle.

Which is also kinda sad because there are lots of great new features on the beta.

Supraphonic wrote:Nah… if they actually plan on doing the program system like that I will definitely be staying on the 2.
A lot of the new things of this new gen I like, but working on an MPC still has to feel like working on an MPC.
From what I’ve seen and read of the 3.xx it’s moving into a whole different workflow that is not for me.

I mean, aside from the way Programs are now handled (as in, it's true 1:1 track relation), the workflow is very much the same in MPC 3. You can still build Songs via Sequences, and Track Mutes have been made to be like they are on MPC 2.x as well. But I hear you - there's definitely some changes that many classic MPC-heads like yourself might not like. But glad you're enjoying your MPC X on MPC 2.x (I think the latest is 2.15.1)?

Supraphonic wrote:Hi there!
However, for some years now I’ve been struggling more and more with the limitations of floppies, with broken Zip disks and drives

There are SD card and CF card drives that fit in the floppy slot.

johnnytravels wrote:

Supraphonic wrote:Hi there!
However, for some years now I’ve been struggling more and more with the limitations of floppies, with broken Zip disks and drives

There are SD card and CF card drives that fit in the floppy slot.

Yes, I was aware of that, I was looking into getting one…
But you know how it goes - there is always something else to use your money on.
With all the button issues I had, it would have meant that I’d have needed to fix all of the broken buttons first, and then back all of the floppies up before upgrading.
And even with that, I was still struggling with freezes/errors anyway.
At that point I was more focused on other things, so I just never got around to it.


I have to admit, while still not feeling the touch screen, the sampling and editing abilities on the new gen machines is so much more efficient that I really can’t see myself going back to the 2000XL for sampling. For sequencing it is still a great unit.
But the ability to have your sequence playing while sampling? It suits my workflow perfectly.

EnochLight wrote:
I mean, aside from the way Programs are now handled (as in, it's true 1:1 track relation),

This is a deal breaker for me, no question.
It seems incredibly stupid of AKAI to change this.
I guess they are ”looking into the future”, but in reality they are changing a core workflow feature that I consider what makes working on an MPC so fluent and enjoyable.

I know there are workarounds, but I just need to be able to use the programs like I always have.
If they plan on releasing it like that, I won’t even bother to check what other features there will be as I won’t be upgrading.

Supraphonic wrote:

EnochLight wrote:
I mean, aside from the way Programs are now handled (as in, it's true 1:1 track relation),

This is a deal breaker for me, no question.
It seems incredibly stupid of AKAI to change this.
I guess they are ”looking into the future”, but in reality they are changing a core workflow feature that I consider what makes working on an MPC so fluent and enjoyable.

I know there are workarounds, but I just need to be able to use the programs like I always have.
If they plan on releasing it like that, I won’t even bother to check what other features there will be as I won’t be upgrading.

That's cool. Simply put - MPC3 just won't work for some people, and that's perfectly fine. 2.15 is perfectly usable and still offers that "classic" MPC workflow. It's not like anyone is forced to upgrade. Lots of awesome features in 2.15 and if it works great for you, then you're golden!

For others, they'll find the changes in MPC3 as workflow improvements and adapt, or get on with it perfectly fine right out of the gate. Sometimes progress requires change, and sometimes that change is hard at first. For me, the 1:1 track workflow is 200x more logical and easier to wrap my head around, so I'm willing to concede.

I've got on perfect w 3. I've had no crazy crashes or problems opening my os 2 projects and working w them. To me the new workflow seems very logical and not really different than before.

@ Enoch and his lights

I guess you will be able to duplicate the track many times you want, so that should be the same as using the same program in more tracks, beside the fact that you won't be able to edit a single program for more tracks.
My real question is about older projects, will they be 100% compatible in MPC3?
All my projects have single drum programs filled with samples spread in many tracks.
I installed mpc3beta and tried to load them but they were all screwed up and the qlink assignments in project mode were lost.
So I switched back to 2.15.1 and thought that there is still a lot of work to do before 3beta becomes a stable mpc3.
I wonder how they will solve the compatibility with mpc2 projects if there is no programs anymore.

@ Stroker:

Beats me. That said, there are still Drum Programs. They haven't gone anywhere. All Drum Programs open fine from the factory content and any Expansions I've tried. If an MPC 2.x project won't import correctly into MPC 3, then that's a bug and should be reported.

Akai is starting to Gravitate toward the DAW generation of Users. My suggestion is to have an MPC for 2.15 and a Separate MPC(s) for Version 3+

This keeps me Moving Forward with the Advances of the MPC architecture, at same time Opening up "Legacy" MPC 2 Projects on my other Joint

Starting to gravitate? One could easily argue that this happened back in 2017 when the first batch of new-gen standalone MPC's launched with the Live and X (and to a similar degree, the MPC Touch almost 10 years ago), and Force dropped and got the Arranger a few years ago. This move isn't new or sudden - it's been drifting that way for many years.

40Beatz wrote:Akai is starting to Gravitate toward the DAW generation of Users. My suggestion is to have an MPC for 2.15 and a Separate MPC(s) for Version 3+

This keeps me Moving Forward with the Advances of the MPC architecture, at same time Opening up "Legacy" MPC 2 Projects on my other Joint

Sad to say but Akai is moving from sampler legacy MPC to daw style Mpc since the day the released this new Mpc.
It's sad to think how this Mpc, with its resources, could be the most powerful sampler ever made if Akai focused on the sampler side of it, more then focusing on adding bells and whistles and tubesynths.
But then it's still a very enjoyable multi purpose box, so it's ok.
I also thought something similar to what you said, they should let us install both OS, mpc2 and 3, in the same device and let us choose which one to use anytime.
But I am afraid resources are not enough for that.
Maybe when mpc3 come out, time to buy the new 4gb Live they will make and keep the old one with 2.15?

so. sad.

Is it, though?