MPC Live and X

[pflosi]

I searched and didn't find a thread. How are we not discussing these yet?







I must say I'm rather impressed by this first sneak peek. Let's just hope the firmware will be stable... And for support of 24 bit wavs.

[wiss]

24bit would be nice, they had it on the 4000.

The CV output is cool.

[meatballfulton]

Maybe we aren't discussing yet because those videos were just posted today?

I didn't know hiphop was "a whole new genre of music"

A hardware ripoff of Ableton Live is of interest to me for sure.

Live: $1199 "expected 2/6"
X: $2199 "expected 3/9"

[ninja6485]

The mpc touch was cool too, but I don't think we ever talked about it either for some reason!

[abruzzi]

I'm maybe interested in the live, but at least so far, I have no idea what sort of sound engine this thing has. Maybe someone with the touch or the MPC software can comment. I've got a great studio with lots of synths I love, but the complexity of the setup it a drag for the composition process. For the last year or two I've ben looking for a portable workstation for composition. I'd kill for a K2600 shrunk down with 37 keys, unfortunately thats never going to happen. So I've been looking at things like the E-mu command stations and the Yamaha RM1X. Both require me to add a small keyboard (at the moment a Reface DX) for note entry. What I don't know is whether something like the Live has synth voices with some degree of programming (filters, envelopes, etc.) or just lots of one-shot drum kits and loops (not interesting to me.)

If it does, combined with a decent sequencer, I'd be very interested. If its just a glorified drum machine--I'll pass.

(I know I'm unique here, but I really don't like drums. I'll narrow that to just how popular music of the last 60 years in the USA plays drums, classical percussion and some ethnic drumming--tabla, taiko--can be interesting. So any "groovebox" I use is going to have to deal with 99% pitched chromatic instruments. I have an PX-7 with a bunch of ROMs and that is a very competent synth. The RM1X, less so, simply because it doesn't give you much access to editing sounds, but both have decent sequencers.)

[clubbedtodeath]

A hardware ripoff of Ableton Live is of interest to me for sure.

Indeed. Much as I love Ableton, not having to fiddle around with latency tweaks would be a huge bonus.

Live: $1199 "expected 2/6"
X: $2199 "expected 3/9"

Hmmm, not sure if I'm $2199 interested.

[Ashe37]

If it does, combined with a decent sequencer, I'd be very interested. If its just a glorified drum machine--I'll pass.

Just look at what any other hardware MPC is capable of...

[Ashe37]

The mpc touch was cool too, but I don't think we ever talked about it either for some reason!

Because it is a controller?

[Aaron2]

I'm all in on the MPC Live. But it makes me wonder if my purchase of the Pioneer Toraiz will seem redundant. Maybe I'll play around with the MPC, and if I like it better, sell the Toriaz. Time will tell.

[ninja6485]

The mpc touch was cool too, but I don't think we ever talked about it either for some reason!

Because it is a controller?

Isn't it something like Akai-mark's continuing response to Maschine? If it becomes affordable now that the new MPCs are stand alone, it could be the arturia spark of sample groove box studio software + controller packages!

A hardware ripoff of Ableton Live is of interest to me for sure.

Indeed. Much as I love Ableton, not having to fiddle around with latency tweaks would be a huge bonus.

Live: $1199 "expected 2/6"
X: $2199 "expected 3/9"

Hmmm, not sure if I'm $2199 interested.

$2199 is a hefty price tag! If you're starting from scratch with a substantial budget and you don't own a computer that can run maschine studio, it might make more sense I guess. I definitely want the x, but ouch. This is a case where you might want to think if that money can be better spent! Too much fidelity can ruin a sampler, hence why software solutions tend to be unfulfilling. You could probably buy all of the great classic akai samplers AND a sequencer like the squarp pyramid or a large number of then and a used Octotrack for 2199, but I get the sense that these aren't really samplers as much as they are DAWs in a box. I wonder if they host VST plugins like maschine!

[meatballfulton]

Apparently audio recording on the X is limited to 8 tracks, so as a MIDI syncable audio recorder it's a bit of a bust. I wonder if the Live also has 8 audio tracks.

[griffin avid]

For many of us, this is a tough one. marketing aside, it's like a FINALLY product.
Not a great innovation, just a finally product. like 'finally, they made this to catch up...with one EVERYONE has been asking for. And I hate when people comment anything like "AKAI listens to its customers, well done!" Like all this wasn't asked for before the damn little MPC 500.
Or no one understood why the iMPC was so limited.
The MPK controllers had no sequencer....lol....that idea sounded crazy till someone else started doing it.

C'mon now.

This is for AKAI users or MPC heads to get excited about.
I don't know if I even care about a standalone Maschine.

I got three thoughts, individual to me that I'm sure no one cares about.

1) Portable to make music where? If I'm out and want to make songs, I'd rather have something with keys. Even mini-keys. For me, playing melodies on the pads with bits of sound is just okay. Still haven't truly solved that yet. Small enough to travel but serious enough so what I make isn't just a sketch of ideas. It's got to hold up back in the studio.

2) I need to see something new sequencer-wise. I feel old-as-h**l still doing the little dots on a grid system. I know linear recording is BETTER than patterns in little 4-8 bar chunks, but....I dunno. I feel like it's decades later and I'm still doing the same thing and being told it's new and advanced.

3) I got a million drum hits (for different genres) that I would love to find an end all, be all to dump them in. Every MPC has been too big, expensive or limited in features for serious consideration. KORG still wont do a proper storage medium or filing folder- [use names] kit-building system so......Maschine is what I've been using, but I would like a sample-based drum box. Now if the MPC Live can play nice with the Arturia Drum Brute, maybe that becomes an idea.
-----------------------
Drumbrute accepts & provide Midi for the following parameters:

1. MIDI OUT:
==> Midi Notes -> from the Instruments' pads
==> Velocity -> from the Instruments' pads
==> Transport -> From transport button through MMC or CC
==> Clock
-----------------------

Might be crazy to run the brute INTO the MPC LIVE and use its effects while at the same time use the sequencer on the brute to trigger the MPC....sounds impossible, but maybe.
I thought the KORG Samplr would expand my drum hits range, but it's complicated and cumbersome to add your own samples.

Now that price tag is a little steep.
Big hurdle there.

Might have to get off my own buIlsteet and stick to Maschine and stop being silly and looking for an excuse to buy something shiny and new.

[meatballfulton]

New video showing audio recording and battery operation in actual use.

[Blue Monster 65]

Sonic State + MPC Live:



around 6:30 or so he says you can record "8 tracks of stereo audio."

[n3wt15]

Ive tried a few Mpc's now and just never got a hang of the workflow, Ill check on these near the end of the year and see reviews, but the touch screen and cv capabilities on the mpc x are really interesting to me.
I hate working on a composition, and as much as I love my elektron boxes, Im always trying to do more with them that I can not. I hope these turn out well.