MPC Thread : MPC Live - MPC X - MPC One (Part 1)

The Lounge Other Gear
#2265

I ended up cancelling my pre-order of the Live after asking myself a few questions:

  • How often would I really sit on the sofa/garden with something that’s as big as the OT and that’s already connected to all the stuff in my studio?
  • I have Maschine, what does the MPC offers apart from a questionable reputation on software and bugfixes?
  • Sure Maschine is software-based but the my laptop is on my desk anyway, doesn’t change anything…

It doesn’t mean I won’t be interested in this in the future, but I realised I was falling for a hype machine while I already had a very capable and reliable solution handy.

Only missing audio track…

2 Likes
#2266

No I don’t own a Touch. I am just trying to figure out why people are touting MPC Live as some sort of revolutionary device.

#2267

Can kind of see your reasoning but -

  • I spent first 3 months of owning OT learning it in spare moments. Sofa/Bed etc… Racked up around 40 tracks in that ‘non-studio’ time. And if the Live is on your desk, just pull the cables out the back and leave them on desk to put back in just as easily. Take literally 5 seconds…

  • Don’t know much about Maschine to compare functions. Akai definitely seem hungry tho… Hopefully translates to some interesting stuff added after release.

  • If you only do music at your desk and are able to find a decent amount of time to be there…Yeah, I’d skip it too.

Anyone playing shows (and wanting to lug less gear around/no computer etc), anyone that has young kids/hectic life etc that doesn’t allow them much time at their main setup or an environment where laptop/cables aren’t practical around the house etc… For those people Maschine isn’t really even in the same product bracket really. Totally different purposes…

#2268

Probably because it kind of is? Does a hell of a lot standalone + total daw integration. Obvious really :wink: The functions/connectivity/memory are super generous/deep comparatively with other standalones. And personally I’m hyped to not be hemmed in by Elektron step sequencer/voice limits/lack of global saving of some parameters for sounds etc etc on one of my boxes and use them all together for what each is best at. Rather than the ballache workarounds that are needed to do linear/polyphonic stuff in my OT.

Show me something else that compares? Hence the hype :wink:

2 Likes
#2269

I suppose one of the big attractions of the MPC Live is that it allows you to bring a hardware generated sequence into the software domain and vice versa.
I can’t think of another device that does that?

#2270

Glowing green buttons…

#2271

Well, except portability, MPC Touch can do everything Live can do and it’s cheaper. MPC Touch has been around for a long time already and the reception hasn’t been very good from what I gather. Just because they now have a battery in the device and it needs one USB cable connection less to be functional, doesn’t make it very revolutionary in my opinion.

As for stand-alone units, I’d like to have something that is truly stand-alone and not reliant on a desktop software (MPC Software in this case) for some of its functions. Doesn’t MPC Live require the “MPC Software” for importing and exporting projects etc?

I really wish Elektron would release a similar stand-alone device with 2017 technology, maybe call it “Octatrack 2”… I am sure I’d like it more than what AKAI is offering. Unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be happening though.

#2272

The new MPCs are truly standalone. The have export capabilities. Being able to do more with them when tethered to a computer is just extra, not SOP

#2273

You’re missing the point dude. You can’t say ‘well except portability’, and brush that off as if standalone isn’t a MASSIVE, defining aspect of a unit and doesn’t make it a totally different game of comparisons. Without standalone we’d compare to push and Maschine. With standalone we’re now equally comparing its functions to stuff like DT, OT, Toraiz, old standalone MPCs etc etc. Soooo different. + v2.0 software adds a ton to the overall functionality across everything using it. I can see why Touch got lame reviews running the old MPC software.

It isn’t reliant on desktop software for any of its functions. It just does more when it’s connected to a computer. Same as an A4 has separate outputs + blah blah blah when its connected to overbridge. But from my POV it’s less to ‘make up for what’s missing’ with the mpc. And more ‘damn, this is convenenient/fast way to intergrate hardware in to mixing environment and vice versa’.

Just check the functions out and wash all that Daw/Hybrid junk out of your equations. If the functions suck to you and aren’t functions you think would help you compose full tracks, or don’t stack up well against other hardware, then swerve it.

3 Likes
#2274

If standalone is not an issue for you then its not a game changer. If standalone is a big thing for you then yep its the biggest game changer in years.

6 Likes
#2275

You should try iPad. It’s got a touchscreen, is portable, stand-alone and there are tons of awesome audio apps for it.

#2276

I thought standalone was a game changer for me, then I realised that I’m studio based, so the laptop is pretty much there 99% of the time so it doesn’t make much of a difference

#2277

Nice try :wink:

#2278

Looks killer as an instrument in its own right too tho? Like a circuit on mega steroids or very capable drum machine, polyphonic hardware sampler with ton of voices, Midi step sequencer with automation etc etc. Tho if Maschine has this all covered equally or better (+Kontakt, Ableton etc if you’re happy using ITB) and you don’t want portable, yeah doesn’t seem like something you really need.

I have Push 2 but still hyped for the Mpc. Obvs for standalone but also to use as hands on drum machine in Sonar. Push doesn’t work in Rewire :confused:

#2279

For me personally mpc touch has zero interest to me as i have ableton and push with a maschine mikro i run inside ableton as a vst. Touch doesn’t come close to what they can do

But

Live is an interest because i can easily transfer projects, tracks and DJ style clips for live performance to the MPC live and be fully portable while leaving home studio at home. I can use it live in the club or bring to others studio to record vocals and instrument parts. One machine running off battery and the ability to record and perform anywhere is a huge thing.

2 Likes
#2280

Yeah man, for a lot of people it’s looking like the most practically useful/helpful thing to drop in a long time… Anything that helps with that side of stuff boosts visible productivity way more than p-locks or conditional trigs etc. For that stuff I have OT, AK if I want to switch a dull mpc sketch pad track to external midi and add it. Doddle… The Akai for me will mean getting more stuff started/finished and switching between sofa/studio/rehearsals/shows pretty seamless…

Plus I think some people are maybe failing to see how the interaction between different modes and resampling etc makes this almost Op1ish in how easy/fast/hands on it’s gonna be to do some very weird shit too…

1 Like
#2281

the demo’s of the x/y fx thus far are so bad. the same little weak sounding filter sweep an’ a poorly executed beat repeat.
I hope it turns out the interface for fx and automation is amazin.

I’ve ordered a DT but I’ma gon keep my eyes on the Live. Gnomesein >:)

1 Like
#2282

Haha yeah, Andy Mac loves that lame x/y filter sweep :wink: Should be way better in the right hands tho. They need to update so you can assign multiple parameters to it and do OT scenes kinda stuff…

Thing is tho, at least that x/y is there on the Live as an option. And obvs you have the assignable q-knobs etc too. Still waiting to see what/any performance macro/scenes kind of feature on DT… Hopefully Elektron aren’t Skipping that on DT in fear of product overlap…

#2283

Ahhh that sofa mode is what i love most…I’m too lazy sometimes to sit on the studio and that sofa inspires me…Game changer for me for sure!!!

1 Like
#2284

iPad is pretty good alternative for sofa mode.