What’s convoluted about it to you?
You should actually take a look at the SP-404 MKII if you haven’t. I think it’s the most straight forward and best sounding sampler on the market right now especially considering the price.
There are too many options and too much menu diving for me. Same with the 404 mkII. There are no menus on the 404 OG or SX/A. That’s what i like when i worked with them. Just going by ear most of the time. It feels different. Of course i can get used to menus and it’s all muscle memory. It’s just not what i prefer. But the 404 mkII might be the closest thing to what i’m after.
I had a similar feeling/reaction when I got my MPC Live 2… coming from Elektron Digitakt/Analog Rytm/Analog Four, it felt very modern and sterile to me.
I put it away boxed up twice in the first 3 months of receiving it… but then I went back to it when firmware 2.10 came out and there was a lot of discussion, and delved into it again but went deeper.
Suddenly it all clicked, and the idea that it was modern/computer-like evaporated. I suddenly understood how powerful and deep the MPC is, and I felt like it’s soul had become visible to me.
Every time I read from someone that they ‘had an MPC but thought it was like a DAW and didn’t connect with it’, I presume 95% of these people have not put the time in that’s needed to make it click… as I said, I was really close to bailing on it myself, and I’m so glad I didn’t now.
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That might be the case with me. Some devices just click in the first hours and some make it a bit harder to get over the first days of learning it.
I think i’ll try to learn the Maschine now and see if it makes sense for me. But everytime i look at it, it screams “Hello, my name is menu freak and i want you to do a million things with me!” And i’m like “No, you complicated son of a b!” 
But thanks for your reply! I think i need to get into this thing and maybe it’ll be the device i needed. And if not i might have to get a mpc one again and learn that mf.
I made some cool beats with it but all the colorful graphics turned me off. Maybe i could put tape over the screen and learn all the shortcuts.
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Haven’t tried the MPC or Maschine+ pads, but the ones on the Force feel… okay.
Not as good as the Launchpad Pro/X pads, but nowhere as bad as the Medusa pads.
I don‘t get the Pads thing on Pad things. They are fucking escential and noone seems to put enough effort into it some even nothing😂…I really don‘t get it. I sold stuff because of crappy Pads.
And it can‘t be all that hard to make them really good.
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Maschine mk3 and Novation Launchpad Pro mk3 had the best pads I tried so far.
Both much better than mpc live imo.
Rytm mk1 were the worst
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I would have added my voice for ipad, especially for the Korg Gadget ecosystem, but it’s quickly becoming cheaper to get into eurorack with apple raising prices 30%, having moved away from discaountable cards and not being able to create a restore image from your device. Lots of things are subscriptions now. Either direct or indirect, like loopy pro.
But: Synthstrom deluge?
Exactly, I use the Launchpad as my primary controller as its pads are so good for chromatic playing. But whoever designed the Medusa pads wasn’t a pad player for sure.
It depends what you are doing with them, so they’ve always got to find a middle ground.
I find the MPC Live 2 pads are the best I have for playing in beats/finger drumming.
Novation LPmk3, Circuit Rhythm, Ableton Push 2, Akai Force… all feel similar to me, and are way better for playing melodic/keys parts. They’re not as good for beats IMO as the MPC, but if I had to have one style to work with across the board, it would be these.
I have a Rytm Mk2, and yes, pads are just horrid. They’re biggest asset/positive is that they are easy to hit/see on/off switches, that’s how they earn their performance stripes to me.
As melodics or beat pads, just no.
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I believe this is not an accurate description of this model of pricing a few apps have adopted.
What loopy pro has done is offered a good piece of software at a reasonable price. ‘High’ for an iPad app. Average for a nice plate of food or decent bottle of wine.
With this price you get all its features for as long as the app exists. It will not stop working when a certain date has been reached. No additional charges will be needed. It will also be kept up through bug fixes/iOS compatibility etc.
Just like the MPC line, there may be new features in the future that are offered, like the new synths on the MPC. You can read about them, decide if you want them, and pay for them.
If you don’t want them, the core abilities you chose to pay for are still there working as advertised. If the developer wants your money, they will keep adding a feature set that is worthy up purchase. You will get your moneys worth. If they don’t make it enticing and valuable enough, they won’t get your money.
Either way, Loopy Pro will still be Loopy Pro, which is a good app.
It reminds me of the Bitwig model.
That said, having an outdated version gives me update anxiety, that’s probably my biggest gripe with Bitwig. But it’s not a bad model (for other people and for the developers).
I’m definitely the same. Shiny new things shine so brightly for a reason.
I remember using my Ableton 9 for all those years watching Ableton 10 do it’s thing. I was irritating, but I held out until Live 11. Then it got my money.
I can recommend akai force, like it more than mpc (they are more ore less the same feature wise). But as many features these machines have it also means lots of menus and touchscreen use. I mean the machines can do a lot. And more or less using a pc and push is better because editing with a mouse is way better than moving notes on a touchscreen this size. This is the biggest issue for me. If you don’t need that a lot, it is fine. I have a force and love the melodic playing on these pads but as I mostly just jam around and don’t produce complex tracks, I prefer octatrack. I had push too but pc is also just not what I want to use. You can get better sounding effects and vst synths with ableton too, but that’s also not that an issue for me as I like it dirty anyways.
So like fun jams, mostly rytm based music … Octatrack or similar groovebox and a synth all day.
More complex things in terms of composition and chord stuff: MPC or Force
More professional Style Productions: Live and Push or other DAW (no limits more or less)
But that’s just me.
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I bought loopy pro and agree it is a good app and the price is not outrageous, though it is high when compared to other smaller developers of good apps.
I am very wary of the new pricing “scheme”. It is new to me and I am uncertain how this will work in the future, when my update-time runs out and I need to redownload the app on another device or after a factory reset. The developer claims this will be OK, but I don’t trust Apple and I think the developer will need to keep several versions “in the air” and updated in order to keep this promise. At some point, Apple will make this too much work for him and then this purchase will have become a rental. My estimate is five years, when iOS 20 comes around.
If any app lasts 5 years, I’m happy to see it go for such a small investment. A $30 app is of no consequence on my $1000+ iDevice. Just like so many VST’s that come and go, they are just fun tools or toys. So I personally don’t worry about such things. No single app, VST, DAW, or hardware piece will make or break the enjoyment of my hobby.
Speaking of the iOS environment in particular, I readily support smaller, or newer developers to encourage their efforts. I see it like tipping well for services.
As to the Maschine/MPC/DAW/hardware only debate and decisions, I am fortunate that I have all of it.
I use Live. And BitWig. I have large suites of FX and VST synths. I have Maschine. I have analog synths and digital synths. I have drum machines and grooveboxes. I have Elektrons. I have the Force, and a newly acquired Sp404 mk2. I have multiple iPads with plenty of apps.
Sure, if I had to pair down to only a core set I could do it - a DAW, my Akai Force, and Elektron device (or two), a nice poly synth. But I enjoy having the options as exploring the gear is just as enjoyable as producing the sounds and music.
For me, there is no battle in using any of it. I can figure out how to pay rent and get on the internet and fix a leaky faucet, so I’m (just) smart enough to figure out a DAW, a standalone device, a synth, a GrooveBox, some software. It’s never a pain or a struggle to remember some menus, or figure out how things work. It’s fun!
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More and more ppl have to choose and will never have an idevice that is three times the price of the “normal” ipad. That would make the relative investment somewhat different, wouldn’t it? If apps for you would cost $100 on your $1000 ipad, as they cost $30 on my $330 one. (Or more, considering you appear to own one of everything). So while I don’t begrudge you, I don’t take your reaction on my worries seriously anymore.
Menus are fun. If they are really deep you can dive in them - like a pool. Can’t think of a more fun way to spend my days!
I laugh in Electribe 2 menu systems.
You mean there was a time where you did take me seriously? Oh dear…
I’m am trying hard to love the Force but the ergonomics are killing me. No matter how I set up the Force, I find myself either straining to touch the top of the box or struggling to see the screen.
Anyone have any good recommendations on stands or pics of set ups I can try and mimic?
It’s got it all. Works great. Sucks to actually touch and use.
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