Have you noticed how these videos do not show anything?
There isn’t a single informative video online at the moment, Akai must have put plenty of red tape until the 19th.
Yeah be interesting to see if things are ‘controlled’ at Namm… Or hopefully they’ve finished the software and it’s solid and some looser/deeper demos show up…
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For instance, I haven’t see how the praised real time pitch shifting sounds one or two octaves down…
It’s a bit scary how attention is put to let such details in the shadows…
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Anyone know if ‘16 levels pitch’ goes up AND down 16 each way? Ive only seen it go up. Like if I played it from external midi Op1 for instance, does it go 16 each way?
Or is this something I’d need to use Keygroup for? If so I’m hoping/guessing Keygroup is setup to default spread sample across all keys, and quick to audition sounds in this way without always having to setup zones etc? Unless I’m making a multisampled instrument/set…
And does timestrech option exist in Keygroup? Not sure if that was confirmed yet? Heard someone say it’s confirmed in 16 levels, but don’t think I heard definite confirmation that it exists in Keygroup?
It can be played down, you see the guy shifting from 1 semitone at the end of this review :
BTW on this demo the bass feels a bit out of tune, once shifted, whereas on the original tone it’s much more accurate.
But maybe it’s me.
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Keygroup does what you want. Just engage the first layer, set poly mode to what you want and set the key ranges to max for a chromatic sample player.
Not sure if you can use the 16 levels mode with ext MIDI though. You might be able to offset further by using the pad bank buttons.
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Maybe, but I also think there’s alot of MPC heads out there who only use drum programs with oneshots and chops, progam a few sequences and make a song chain, export and mix. The “just wanna make beats” and keep things simplistic without much interest to more “exotic” features. Many cats will never need ext MIDI, or roll their own intricate keygroup programs with splits, layers etc. That has always been one big appeal of the MPC among non-technical musicians, it’s dead easy to use and fast to get results, no faffing around, no RTFM required.
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The reason this interests me is exactly that, I just want a machine that does quick sampling/editing so I can make my own drum kits and sample programs. It seems ideal so far.
But I haven’t pulled the pre-order trigger yet because of that damn blurry photo…
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Someone critisizing the ergonomics on the X
Claims the touch screen is too far away to be ergonomical. I don’t necessarily agree though.
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I still have my preorder set, but can cancel it anytime before the item is shipping (it’s a big retailer). So plenty of time to see how things unfold.
But no matter what the new elektron box will be, I very much doubt it’ll give me the MPC sequencing workflow. I can always buy the elektron later (elektron boxes have always been easy to buy in Finland)
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Can’t be much need to even use the touchscreen on the X? ton of knobs/buttons…
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Good point. Remains to be seen if the X’s UI is so comprehensive that a touchscreen is mostly a redundant part, or if some aspects still require a lot of “swiping”.
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I kinda like the X… like only the X and Monitors on a desk… a super nice Office Chair… and Start to layering ideas hummm plain and simple
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I have a Ren and can vouch that very little interaction with the software (in the case of X, the screen) is required if you learn how to use the interface / controls, which are much faster.
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Yeah, I do believe a touch screen that far his an anomaly wrt ergonomics.
Put your keyboard 20 cm further from its actual position and try to keep this posture for 10 mn if you’re not convinced
IMO its a typical case of a UI that hasn’t been rethought once a new impacting feature is added.
MPC Live doesn’t have this problem precisely because it’s based on a MPC version that had been conceived around the touchscreen.
From what I saw on the demo, I wouldn’t agree that the touchscreen is something you don’t really use.
So for me it’s a total GAS killer for the X.
One comment wrt that has been made: “If you place your elbows on the armrest, the ergonomics will be fine”. I’d still test this personally at a store if I were considering the X.
Not a big deal with a tilted stand I think.
Next version’s screen should be wireless !
I’d wager if it’s there you need it… would take a good few hundred off the consumer price if it wasn’t there. Which is better for everyone.
No way a touchscreen adds £300 value to something in 2017!? Can get decent response tablet screen (with cpu, ram etc) for £50 these days…
Edit - Akai Renaissance user above has already said you can basically use it without need for touchscreen…
Obvs there’ll be couple of things but in general the cursor keys, knobs and function buttons should cover most stuff. Just lean across to place slice markers or whatever jobs the touchscreen excels at.
I’m not interested in the x personally, very in to the idea of the Live… But will use buttons/knobs on it wherever possible 
50 quid then mate, you know more than eye… im sure its possible to use without it, especially as you can plug control devices into it, but its definitely there for good reason, or it wouldn’t be there as a big selling point. Im more interested in the live too, but still… id like the big one (with its big touch screen)