MPC3 is cool, what is the plan for the software side?

After the recent news, I'm stoked that they are keeping the software alive. Over the past year or so, I've been using controller mode more and more. It's a seamless workflow (for me) with very minimal interactions with a mouse. It's like standalone expanded, and probably the most stable it's ever been. I even mix with it these days too.
I hope the beta can run as a seperate app alongside 2.15 instead of overwriting it (or at least have a legacy mode) so I can compare and not worry about older projects messing up.
I'm down for learning new ways of doing things and I hope they add some much needed features that keep up with modern DAWS. Given their new deals with Native, I expect VST3 compatibility to run their instruments (and Air/Akai's own recent plugins) at the very least.
It does seem software users like me are a rare breed, but I'm glad they haven't forgotten about us.

I'm definitely relieved they're not abandoning the software. I used it primarily to get projects into Reaper where I have an easier time arranging, mixing, and finishing projects. That said, not having it since 3 came out has got me digging deeper into the mixing possibilities in standalone.

Zlornick wrote:I'm definitely relieved they're not abandoning the software. I used it primarily to get projects into Reaper where I have an easier time arranging, mixing, and finishing projects. That said, not having it since 3 came out has got me digging deeper into the mixing possibilities in standalone.

I actually think mixing on the MPC itself is great. Everything is there to do it successfully, albeit limited to the built in plugins (that's why I do it in the software). Unless you want to do multiband sidechaining and in-depth metering, you should definitely give it a go!

DET1200 wrote:I actually think mixing on the MPC itself is great. Everything is there to do it successfully, albeit limited to the built in plugins (that's why I do it in the software). Unless you want to do multiband sidechaining and in-depth metering, you should definitely give it a go!

I've done several simpler projects completely in the box and it's been great. The FX, minus the reverb, are all really solid. But for more complex songs, I find it easier to be able to move things around in a DAW, and having more intricate VSTs, mixing, and automation options are good as well. Probably what I should do is work on performing complex arrangements in the box and recording it straight to 2 track into Reaper.

Masi wrote:I'm curiuos if they overhaul the UI of the software version. In theory everything should be better accessible but I never got to terms with the menu and button system.

The MPC2 hardware and software were both a UI design mess. The MPC3 hardware is better (although not intuitive) but I wonder how the software can be improved. Its a maze of windows.

DET1200 wrote:

Zlornick wrote:I'm definitely relieved they're not abandoning the software. I used it primarily to get projects into Reaper where I have an easier time arranging, mixing, and finishing projects. That said, not having it since 3 came out has got me digging deeper into the mixing possibilities in standalone.

I actually think mixing on the MPC itself is great. Everything is there to do it successfully, albeit limited to the built in plugins (that's why I do it in the software). Unless you want to do multiband sidechaining and in-depth metering, you should definitely give it a go!

I got an MPC because I wanted a box where I could make all inside, no computer, no other gears.
I may say that now, as MPC2 reached the final development, I am able to do it, I really like it, AIR fx are good enough to make a good mix, that box sounds damn good when connected to a mixer and used to perform live.
I never used the software, never installed it.
If I want to record, I play it live and record 3 stereo outputs in real time to Studio1, and then I make the final mastering on it.
It works great this way for me.
I just wish there was a virtual tape recorder on MPC to put on the output (or to the 3 stereo outputs) so I could also record inside the box and then export the files directly to Studio1 for mastering.

Straker wrote:I just wish there was a virtual tape recorder on MPC to put on the output (or to the 3 stereo outputs) so I could also record inside the box and then export the files directly to Studio1 for mastering.

On the Mackie VLZ Pro series mixers you can press the mute button which doubles as an send to the alternate outs 3 & 4. I have these outs connected to the Force’s inputs so any channel on the mixer can get recorded. Would something like that work for you?

Straker wrote:I just wish there was a virtual tape recorder on MPC .

There literally is unlimited disk streaming/recording (AKA virtual tape recording) on MPC 3. Like... 8 stereo tracks. Yes?

B-Wise wrote:

Straker wrote:I just wish there was a virtual tape recorder on MPC to put on the output (or to the 3 stereo outputs) so I could also record inside the box and then export the files directly to Studio1 for mastering.

On the Mackie VLZ Pro series mixers you can press the mute button which doubles as an send to the alternate outs 3 & 4. I have these outs connected to the Force’s inputs so any channel on the mixer can get recorded. Would something like that work for you?

Yes, it might work.
I was also considering Tascam model12,
The perfect solution would be to play live and meanwhile record each track separately as it is played.

EnochLight wrote:

Straker wrote:I just wish there was a virtual tape recorder on MPC .

There literally is unlimited disk streaming/recording (AKA virtual tape recording) on MPC 3. Like... 8 stereo tracks. Yes?

On Mpc3 you can play a project and record each track separately in real time, I mean, the audio of the track, with everything that's happening inside, like it was a tape recorder?

Maybe a cheap Zoom recorder for 2 track output? It's also portable for live/field recording

Straker wrote:The perfect solution would be to play live and meanwhile record each track separately as it is played.

Can't you do that in arranger when you do a audio mixdown or even Bounce to sample or the Flatten track features if your not working with ext MIDI or CV tracks?

B-Wise wrote:

Straker wrote:The perfect solution would be to play live and meanwhile record each track separately as it is played.

Can't you do that in arranger when you do a audio mixdown or even Bounce to sample or the Flatten track features if your not working with ext MIDI or CV tracks?

I think the arranger is tied to the sequence.
And it doesn't record audio, just midi data.
I just need a recorder that, regardless of sequence or anything else, records exactly the audio you are playing, exactly as you connect a digital recorder to the output and push save.
So if you make a performance of 20 minutes, you record 20 minutes of audio, not data.
It's ok as it is now, 3 stereo outs give you a good chance to record 3 "groups" simultaneously through an audio card and then you can finalize all on a software.
But the ideal solution would be a multitrack audio recorder.
BTW the arranger doesn't even save track mute events, so it's kinda useless at the moment, and it's a sequence midi recorder, not an audio one.