Mpc live 2, Mpc one or just stick with Beatmaker 3

Korakios

@WigWamBam said:
Hi guys, I’ve had Beatmaker for a while but gave up on it due to it crashing all the time on my old iPad. I have recently purchased a new M1 12.9 iPad Pro and it seems way more stable.
My question is I really really fancy an MPC but I can’t decide whether to get an MPC Live 2, an MPC one or whether I’m best just to stick to Beatmaker. I also have a Launchpad Pro btw so I’m good for a pad interface.
Please let me know your opinions.
Thanks

BM3 doesn't interact with a controller (bidirectional) and midi learn support is basic since day one , one of the main reasons I gave up any hope for this app
Great opportunity lost to launch hardware controllers like Mikro,mpc studio/ren, push, maschine etc ...

As for MPC One vs Live , it depends no how you plan to use it . With One you need a power source and it's not the same even running it thru a strong powerbank ,so not portable
But don't forget to check Force . Different workflow ,as I've seen on video tutorials. Best feature (among others) is you can sample directly to a pad and loop it

on iOS my bet was on Stagelight (now Zenbeats) but still it lacks a true sampler module
Now with Loopy Pro , I think at some point a sampler module will come (slice to pads is already there) , but I guess not soon since it's beyond the scope of a performance looper . Also it doesn't have midi sequencer yet .

WigWamBam

Anybody else got a force who can comment on it?

What about a Maschine + too?
I’m so confused what to get

MrSmileZ

I make hiphop, Force is my joint!!!! Yes its drummable! It has all the same features as mpc but it adds a live feel! Has a mic pre and fantom power! Great to perform live! And it has the arranger! This over mpc all day for me, although i have both.

MrSmileZ

Maschine + is aight! i own that too. Mpc vs imaschine is a win for akai presently! The sound library in maschine is a no brainer being better but maschine plus is a limited preset machine and lacks alot of features to compete with MPC or FORCE. I’d compare maschine + with the roland mc707 more and even then im more likely to go mc707 tbh! Plus nothing about maschine plus makes it worth 1500.00, if you could get one for around 1000.00 maybe it would be great at that pricepoint

MrSmileZ

@Littlewoodg said:

@MrSmileZ said:
DO NOT confuse a hardware MPC with that poopy Impc mess....THIS IS NOT comparable!

I hate impc.
I love my mpclive and my force

Ive not tried both (I’m not even close to that beautiful workspace in your picture) but what is the difference in functionality between iMPC Pro 2 and current MPC hardware - I understand there’s a range of hardware, MPCX and the rest…

In specifics the differences in access to sound sources (instrument and fx plugs), soundware storage, track and sequence building, piano roll, live playin etc etc.. In terms of hardware interface Ive got Akai pads (Element) with iMPC Pro 2. Element isn’t something most people have tried obviously, so maybe set that aside as a query (you’ve probably not tried that rig)

Ive asked this question many times on the forum without reply, and you’ve obviously got strong opinions about the differences, (“NOT comparable!”) so i thought you might share specifics. Ive been tempted many times by MPC hardware including vintage stuff…so you might help me spend some money (or save some)

IMPC sucks
Here is what is going to be different

You will still have a touchscreen with an xy mode, drawable step sequencer, depending on which unit you will have a certain number of capacitive knobs, pads are better on the actual device imho. Buttons for muscle memory…so eventually way faster workflow in time on hardware. For instance the mpcx will have the most powerful surface for workflow out of em all but that will come with real estate consumption and a wallet hit! Also ins and outs are better than ios all day!!! Direct support for splice built in if that floats your boat! Better sequencer in my opinion! Better sequencer edit functions!! Built in instruments such as hype, electric, arp, and a niceeee mellotron, etc etc. over 200 effects plug in including new vocal suite! Hardware has better effects configuring. Fairly constant updates! An included
10 gig library, you can add a user installed hard drive, thumb drives, and sd card.
It would be like comparing garageband ios to logic pro! Just not the same at all really!

Oh and dont get me started on the included drumsynth and per pad effects
One of the best drum synths ive heard, i like it better than the one on maschine plus

StudioES

@WigWamBam said:
Anybody else got a force who can comment on it?

What about a Maschine + too?
I’m so confused what to get

Don't currently have the Maschine, but do use it occasionally in other folk's studios. It's great too.

I've had most of the MPCs and currently have a Force.
The Force and the modern MPC are fairly similar; both are standalone.
Some folks are still unsure as to what the Force is, so here's a recap that I posted on another forum -

Similarities between the Force and the modern MPC -

• Both are standalone.
• Sampling and sample-editing on the Force is nearly identical to the MPCs, other than the Sampler window (detailed below). Force's touchscreen and pads can be used for advanced chopping and editing, like the MPC.
• Audio tracks (up to 8), Drum + Keygroup program tracks (up to 128), MIDI + CV tracks (up to 128), Synth Plugin tracks (up to 8) are nearly identical on both.
• AIR synths + FX are now the same on both. (Synths: Bassline (synth-based), Electric Piano (sample+synth-based), Hype (multi-synthesis), Mellotron (sample-based), Odyssey (synth-based), Solina (sample-based), TubeSynth (synth-based). 9x drum synths (synth-based); FX: over 100).
• MIDI editing is nearly identical.
• USB multi-MIDI is the same, with the same bugs.
• Both have a step sequencer mode for the pads, and an onscreen step sequencer for fine-editing automation, but it's no Elektron, and there are bugs.
• Force's mixer is laid out like a traditonal mixer, but has the same routing as MPC's (8 submixes, 4 returns, and 2 stereo outputs for the physical outputs. Each has 4 insert FX slots). Both have pad mixers as well.

Biggest differences between the Force and the modern MPC -

• 16 pads vs 64 (Force has 64x2 pads (or 16x8 Pad Banks like MPC, with 3 optional 16-levels modes (chromatic mode, velocity, filter, layer, attack, decay) for the other 48 pads). The 64 pads can also be configured to use the bottom 32 pads for playing drums or keys while the step sequencer or clip-launcher is on the top 32 pads).
• 4 vs 8 Q-Link knobs + 8 OLEDs. On Force they are pre-mapped to many different parts of the machine, or can be user-assigned. The 8 OLEDS are handy when editing samples or navigating in the MIDI editor or arranger.
• MPC X, Live II, and One have 8 CV Outputs, Force has 4.
• MPC X and Live II have more audio+MIDI I/O than Force. Force has 2 inputs, 4 outputs, and 1x1 DIN MIDI I/O. MPC One has 2 fewer outputs than Force.
• MPC X and Force have Neutrik-style combo input jacks, for mic, line, and Hi-Z instruments like electric guitars and basses, MPC Live II and One don't.
• MPC includes MPC 2.0 Software for Mac/Windows, Force doesn't. The MPC 2.0 software can host plugins.
• MPC can be used as an audio+MIDI interface and controller with the MPC 2.0 software on Mac/Windows, Force can't. Force can be used as a 2-Input, 4-Output USB audio+MIDI interface, but only in Computer Mode, where the Force's standalone mode is disabled.
• Force's Ableton Live Control mode has more hands-on control than MPC's, but it's still no Push 2. Force can switch between Live Control mode and standalone mode nearly seamlessly and instantly, but there are bugs. We still cannot play Live's instruments and plugins using the Force's pads - they are only used to launch clips in Live.
• MPC's Sampler window has a Slice mode, Force's doesn't. Though on Force, you can record audio (and MIDI) to clips, without stopping the sequencer/clock, but that's a different process.
• MPC supports lazy-chop while sampling, Force supports lazy-chop after recording the sample.
• MPC has the traditional pattern-based MPC sequencer, Force has a pattern-based clip-launching sequencer (like Ableton Live's Session View). Both have their strengths and weaknesses. On Force, each clip in each track can have a custom length, and each clip has its own launch-quantize option, as well as a legato/acapella playback option for switching to different clips partway through rather than from the very start of the next clip.
• Force has a linear arranger, in addition to its clip-launcher; both can run simultaneously; MPC's song mode is basic, and cannot run simultaneously with the pattern sequencer.
• MPC supports meter and tempo changes, Force doesn't. (Force only supports 4/4, triplets, + polymeters, but with a bit of math, clip-length tweaking, and a custom metronome - anything is possible.)
• MPC has track explode, Force doesn't.
• Force has Macros, crossfader, pad grid (can be used as modulation source), envelope followers, and global LFOs, MPC doesn't.
• Force supports disk-streaming audio, MPC doesn't, but it's coming according to Andy from Akai and the beta leakers.
• Force has audio-expansion using class-compliant USB audio interfaces, but there are bugs, MPC doesn't yet.
• MPC has more factory demos and programs vs Force. You can grab the factory content for the MPCs online, and MPC Expansions work on the Force (drum + keygroup programs only, not Songs). Legacy MPC program data mostly works, too.
• Force has more bugs, some of which also affect the MPC. (Ableton Live Control mode, disk-streaming, audio expansion, automation, onscreen automation editor step sequencer, synths, FX, MIDI, etc.)
• Both can feel more DAW-like than instrument-like, and both have a deep learning curve.

Beatmaker 3 vs Akai -

• An iPad running Beatmaker 3 is, imo, overall, slightly more powerful than the Akais, for example BM3 can host plugins. Though the MPC includes the MPC 2.0 Software for Mac/Windows, which can host plugins.
• Beatmaker 3's sampler is slightly more powerful than the Akais, for example more-advanced modulation, and playing slices chromatically, though there are workarounds on the Akais for this.
• Force's clip-launcher is more powerful than Beatmaker 3's, and is arranged vertically.
• The clip-launcher and the arranger can both be used simultaneously in both BM3 and the Force, but imo, it's easier to manage on the Force.
• Both are equally buggy, but in different ways, ime. With BM3, crashes seem to be linked to poor audio file management, certain AUv3s, extreme slicing, automation, etc. With the Force, well, the crashes and freezes are a bit more random, as the recent firmware update introduced a lot of new features, and bugs.
• Last night I was working on a tune on the Force. I needed a mid-side processing plugin to remove the mono content from a sample, but the Akais don't have one, nor does the Sample Editor have that function. This could easily be done in BM3 with several different AU plugins.

Littlewoodg

@MrSmileZ said:

@Littlewoodg said:

@MrSmileZ said:
DO NOT confuse a hardware MPC with that poopy Impc mess....THIS IS NOT comparable!

I hate impc.
I love my mpclive and my force

Ive not tried both (I’m not even close to that beautiful workspace in your picture) but what is the difference in functionality between iMPC Pro 2 and current MPC hardware - I understand there’s a range of hardware, MPCX and the rest…

In specifics the differences in access to sound sources (instrument and fx plugs), soundware storage, track and sequence building, piano roll, live playin etc etc.. In terms of hardware interface Ive got Akai pads (Element) with iMPC Pro 2. Element isn’t something most people have tried obviously, so maybe set that aside as a query (you’ve probably not tried that rig)

Ive asked this question many times on the forum without reply, and you’ve obviously got strong opinions about the differences, (“NOT comparable!”) so i thought you might share specifics. Ive been tempted many times by MPC hardware including vintage stuff…so you might help me spend some money (or save some)

IMPC sucks
Here is what is going to be different

You will still have a touchscreen with an xy mode, drawable step sequencer, depending on which unit you will have a certain number of capacitive knobs, pads are better on the actual device imho. Buttons for muscle memory…so eventually way faster workflow in time on hardware. For instance the mpcx will have the most powerful surface for workflow out of em all but that will come with real estate consumption and a wallet hit! Also ins and outs are better than ios all day!!! Direct support for splice built in if that floats your boat! Better sequencer in my opinion! Better sequencer edit functions!! Built in instruments such as hype, electric, arp, and a niceeee mellotron, etc etc. over 200 effects plug in including new vocal suite! Hardware has better effects configuring. Fairly constant updates! An included
10 gig library, you can add a user installed hard drive, thumb drives, and sd card.
It would be like comparing garageband ios to logic pro! Just not the same at all really!

Oh and dont get me started on the included drumsynth and per pad effects
One of the best drum synths ive heard, i like it better than the one on maschine plus

Uh oh…i see a wallet hit in my future.

Thanks for taking the time comrade.

(to put my bank account in harms way)