Namm 2022

[karmathanever]

...a little bit more here:-
https://www.synthanatomy.com/2022/06/ak ... mpler.html

[Sharp]

Two completely dodgy things about all AKAI Mpc's right now is that they all only have 2GB of RAM system wide for the OS and personal use, and worse, they convert all 16Bit samples you load into 32Bit samples meaning they use up twice the amount of RAM. Translation, you basically only have in around 650MB for personal samples.

An old AKAI Z4 sampler from 20 years ago supported 512MB of end user samples Seems things haven't moved on that much in general.

Sharp.

[Koekepan]

The Force at least will stream samples from SDcard, so that's a bit less of a limitation.

I'm really interested to know what Casio has up its sleeve, because they've been on a slow-but-steady reconstruction path. Not just their pianos, but also their other tools show evidence of a plan.

[Bachus]

Also both the mpc as well as the force treat sounds on a remote PC the same way as local sounds.. making the mpc key a perfect controller

[Bachus]

Atleast I was hoping to see some news from Akai, the much rumored 61 key MPC live ..

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... bc4641a2c7

Strange how none of the major online vloggers showed this instrument so far

[SeedyLee]

Two completely dodgy things about all AKAI Mpc's right now is that they all only have 2GB of RAM system wide for the OS and personal use, and worse, they convert all 16Bit samples you load into 32Bit samples meaning they use up twice the amount of RAM. Translation, you basically only have in around 650MB for personal samples.

An old AKAI Z4 sampler from 20 years ago supported 512MB of end user samples Seems things haven't moved on that much in general.

Sharp.

Lots of missing features in the new MPC line compared to even the 1000/2500 series: you still can’t change tempo within a sequence, the workflow for actually creating a song is painful, can’t change the order of IFX, clip functionality is very, very half-baked.

Try having an audio track that runs the length of your project. Try creating a project that fades out at the end of the track…

Even things like the way it handles pad mutes seems daft. Pad mutes are an awesome way to potentially build up a track or create variations. But of mutes are recorded as events that get looped within a sequence, whereas olegerynither type of mute gets recorded as automation with its own timeline independent of any sequence loops. Why? Kills the feature and there’s no documentation about this behaviour.

Finally, I just though the sound quality was pretty lacklustre, especially with the synths. Perhaps unsurprising given its running a 5 year old ARM platform less powerful than a Raspberry Pi 4…

It has some cool features, but I didn’t find it enjoyable to work with in the slightest. As a sampler and for making beats, it is pretty good. But it’s not a workstation killer by any stretch.

[Sharp]

Seems someone found images of the Box for the AKAI MPC Keys.
https://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.ph ... 9#p1847719

Price will be $1899

Looks really nice.

[afr]

I don't know how the MPC family instruments work

Are they just a sample loop player + a basic sequencer?

Or in a certain way they can be compared to the Korg workstation?

Is it possible to create multi track midi recording?

Thx in advance

Seems someone found images of the Box for the AKAI MPC Keys.
https://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.ph ... 9#p1847719

Price will be $1899

Looks really nice.

[Narioso]

I don't know how the MPC family instruments work

Are they just a sample loop player + a basic sequencer?

Or in a certain way they can be compared to the Korg workstation?

Is it possible to create multi track midi recording?

Thx in advance

Seems someone found images of the Box for the AKAI MPC Keys.
https://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.ph ... 9#p1847719

Price will be $1899

Looks really nice.

It seems to me from control to be like MPC Live, and manual for MPC X and LIVE and the rest is the same manual.

But 128 midi tracks should tell you that it is extensive as sequencer.
MPC X had 4 din midi outs, and 2 din midi ins and even with fw update allowed class complient midi interfaces to be attached to extend further.

8 audio tracks.

I took from manual here with some basics.

"This chapter should help explain some fundamental aspects of the MPC universe.
The MPC workflow is quite different from traditional digital audio workstations (DAWs). In most typical DAWs, each track
uses an instance of each instrument, and all tracks are always playing even if they don’t contain any audio or MIDI
information. Furthermore, your entire project needs to be arranged just as the resulting song would be. This isn’t the case
with MPC, which offers much more flexibility within your project. It’s important to understand some basic terms, though:
A sequence is a “building block” of a song. It contains multiple tracks that play at the same time like a normal
DAW. In a project, you might create one sequence for your verse and another sequence for your chorus, alternating
and/or repeating each one in a specific order to create the song. (A project can contain 128 sequences.)
A track is a layer in a sequence. There are two types of tracks:
MIDI tracks consist of MIDI data only, no audio data. These tracks produce sound by using programs,
described below. Unlike a normal DAW, each MIDI track exists only in its sequence. The advantage of this is
not having to manage empty or unwanted tracks across all of your sequences—each sequence contains only
the tracks you want to use in it. If you want to use the same track across multiple sequences, you can copy
the track from one sequence into another. (A sequence can contain 128 MIDI tracks.)
Audio tracks consist of a recorded audio signal, like a traditional DAW. These tracks do not use programs
because the audio is already contained in the track. Also, unlike MIDI tracks, audio tracks are present in
every sequence in the project, even if the tracks themselves are empty. (A sequence on your MPC hardware
can contain 8 audio tracks. A sequence in the MPC software can contain 128 audio tracks.)
A program is a preset through which MIDI tracks are routed. Programs may contain audio samples that are
triggered when tracks play through them, producing the sound you want on that track. Programs are
independent of tracks and sequences, so you can set multiple tracks to use the same program (unlike normal
DAWs where each track requires its own set of samples). Furthermore, you can use the same program/programs
across multiple sequences. (A project can contain 128 programs.)
Each program can be played using the 16 pads (across eight pad banks, which gives you access to 128 pads in
each program). Each pad plays a MIDI note when you press it, but that MIDI note will trigger something different
for each program. For instance, in drum programs, the pads are assigned to samples—one pad could trigger a
kick drum sound and another could trigger a snare drum sound—whereas in keygroup programs, each pad
triggers a MIDI note that plays the corresponding pitch of the sample assigned to its keygroup. "

[afr]

Thanks for the clarification

I don't know how the MPC family instruments work

Are they just a sample loop player + a basic sequencer?

Or in a certain way they can be compared to the Korg workstation?

Is it possible to create multi track midi recording?

Thx in advance

Seems someone found images of the Box for the AKAI MPC Keys.
https://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.ph ... 9#p1847719

Price will be $1899

Looks really nice.

It seems to me from control to be like MPC Live, and manual for MPC X and LIVE and the rest is the same manual.

But 128 midi tracks should tell you that it is extensive as sequencer.
MPC X had 4 din midi outs, and 2 din midi ins and even with fw update allowed class complient midi interfaces to be attached to extend further.

8 audio tracks.

I took from manual here with some basics.

"This chapter should help explain some fundamental aspects of the MPC universe.
The MPC workflow is quite different from traditional digital audio workstations (DAWs). In most typical DAWs, each track
uses an instance of each instrument, and all tracks are always playing even if they don’t contain any audio or MIDI
information. Furthermore, your entire project needs to be arranged just as the resulting song would be. This isn’t the case
with MPC, which offers much more flexibility within your project. It’s important to understand some basic terms, though:
A sequence is a “building block” of a song. It contains multiple tracks that play at the same time like a normal
DAW. In a project, you might create one sequence for your verse and another sequence for your chorus, alternating
and/or repeating each one in a specific order to create the song. (A project can contain 128 sequences.)
A track is a layer in a sequence. There are two types of tracks:
MIDI tracks consist of MIDI data only, no audio data. These tracks produce sound by using programs,
described below. Unlike a normal DAW, each MIDI track exists only in its sequence. The advantage of this is
not having to manage empty or unwanted tracks across all of your sequences—each sequence contains only
the tracks you want to use in it. If you want to use the same track across multiple sequences, you can copy
the track from one sequence into another. (A sequence can contain 128 MIDI tracks.)
Audio tracks consist of a recorded audio signal, like a traditional DAW. These tracks do not use programs
because the audio is already contained in the track. Also, unlike MIDI tracks, audio tracks are present in
every sequence in the project, even if the tracks themselves are empty. (A sequence on your MPC hardware
can contain 8 audio tracks. A sequence in the MPC software can contain 128 audio tracks.)
A program is a preset through which MIDI tracks are routed. Programs may contain audio samples that are
triggered when tracks play through them, producing the sound you want on that track. Programs are
independent of tracks and sequences, so you can set multiple tracks to use the same program (unlike normal
DAWs where each track requires its own set of samples). Furthermore, you can use the same program/programs
across multiple sequences. (A project can contain 128 programs.)
Each program can be played using the 16 pads (across eight pad banks, which gives you access to 128 pads in
each program). Each pad plays a MIDI note when you press it, but that MIDI note will trigger something different
for each program. For instance, in drum programs, the pads are assigned to samples—one pad could trigger a
kick drum sound and another could trigger a snare drum sound—whereas in keygroup programs, each pad
triggers a MIDI note that plays the corresponding pitch of the sample assigned to its keygroup. "

[SeedyLee]

I had an MPC One. A lot of its features are severely over represented.

For certain genres of music, it’s fine. But I definitely didn’t find it to be a great general-purpose sequencer not sampler.

I sold it as I just found it too hard to gel with, which is a shame as there’s a lot of potential there.

For reference, I have an MPC1000 and, despite the lower MIDI resolution and antiquated Ui, I would say it’s a far more capable sequencer than the new MPC line.

Also, the “8 audio tracks” on the MPC is a bit of a lie - they’re basically glorified samples. They have to be loaded in memory (no disk streaming) and can’t spam multiple sequences - so if you chain multiple sequences together to make a song (which you have to do if you want tempo or time stnwturenchanges), audio tracks don’t really work.

[Sharp]

I have the MPC X. It’s kind of a love hate relation ship. The only reason why I still hang into it is that AKAI said long ago that they would add streaming. The Force just got that, but still no sign of the MPC getting it. I just can’t live with 2GB of RAM any more, so I’m interested in seeing what the Keyboard has. If there’s a considerable improvement, I may consider it. If not, I’ll probably sell the MPC X and just give up on AKAI and switch to a MASCHINE+.

Sharp.

[Narioso]

A couple of alternatives for sequencing I looked at if to go dawless

https://squarp.net/pyramid/

https://www.sequentix.com/shop/cirklon- ... -sequencer

Maybe combined with Tascam Model 12 that has DIN Midi MTC sync output and do audio stuff on.

[Bachus]

I have the MPC X. It’s kind of a love hate relation ship. The only reason why I still hang into it is that AKAI said long ago that they would add streaming. The Force just got that, but still no sign of the MPC getting it. I just can’t live with 2GB of RAM any more, so I’m interested in seeing what the Keyboard has. If there’s a considerable improvement, I may consider it. If not, I’ll probably sell the MPC X and just give up on AKAI and switch to a MASCHINE+.

Sharp.

So far pretty much what cam to the force also came to the MPC X and Love.. its more or leas the same OS..

[Sharp]

Seems this is a list of the plugin synths that will be installed in the MPC Keys.

Hype
Type Synth
Stage Piano
Fabric Piano
Fabric Electric Piano
Fabric
Frbric XL
Electric
Stage EP
Organ
Studio Strings
ARP Odyssey
Solina String Ensemble
Mellotron
OPX 4
Drum Synth
Bass Line