I totally get the mouse, I don’t so much get the appeal of modern MPCs vs a laptop with a full fat DAW.
I like the old program / track relationship. I thought that was the whole point of using MPC vs anything else.
Akai MPC 3 - OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED!
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I do get the appeal of modern mpc vs laptop with full fat dawJackjackdaw wrote: ↑23 Jan 2025I totally get the mouse, I don’t so much get the appeal of modern MPCs vs a laptop with a full fat DAW.
I like the old program / track relationship. I thought that was the whole point of using MPC vs anything else.
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Yeah, I've spent some time with MPC 3 and really enjoy the changes. Lots of controversy from many (read: most) of the older MPC-heads that are angry AF that the way Programs are handled was changed (they're true 1:1 track, so you can no longer assign 1 Program to any and all tracks that you want like you could in 2.x), as well as the removal of time signatures and a pesky MIDI note off bug. That said, Akai are aware that the time sig and MIDI bug is a priority and have stated they are working on correcting them both.avasopht wrote: ↑23 Jan 2025MPC 3 is out.
They've partnered with Native Instruments to give you an MPC edition of the Play Series (but you have to buy it separately even if you own the normal NI version).
I didn't try the beta so this is my first time with the new workflow. I like it. I'm not using arranger mode, but even the way it manages tracks and instruments is a huge improvement.
Not sure if you had a chance to spend time with the new Advanced Keygroups, but they're incredible now - it's a massively improved synth engine with an incredible 32-slot modulation matrix. You can also automate pretty much anything, unlike the "Legacy" Keygroups. They do eat up some CPU, though. Check out some things you can do with them here:
The desktop MPC software isn't updated yet - it will still work as it does in 2.15 currently. Also, any MPC 3 Project is not compatible with the desktop MPC 2.x software. But Akai have traditionally designed and released the standalone firmware first, and then updated the desktop software. They did this almost a decade ago with MPC desktop software 1.0 and 2.0. We'll definitely see an update to the desktop software for MPC 3 eventually, but I'd wager it won't be out for a long time.Jackjackdaw wrote: ↑23 Jan 2025Is the desktop version getting updated or are they ditching it? It seems like it’s just a normal DAW in a box now which is fine, but it kind of makes a mockery of the MPC workflow mythology. Even more so if you want a mouse as well!
Whether Akai are making a mockery of the old workflow - I dunno', jury is out on that. It's moved forward and become much more modern, which is a win for everyone IMHO. The traditional (read: old school) MPC workflow was never intuitive, and a lot of things were just ass-backwards compared to modern production techniques. We've come a long way in the 37 years since it came about. And you can still compose mostly how you used to - just using Sequences and building Songs out of chaining Sequences together, so - the core workflow is still there for those who want it.
# Miserable Degenerate | Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite | Reason 13+ | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD
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I'm not entirely sure I get it either.Jackjackdaw wrote: ↑23 Jan 2025I totally get the mouse, I don’t so much get the appeal of modern MPCs vs a laptop with a full fat DAW.
It just feels different.
But maybe it doesn't. I don't know, but since I got my MPC at the end of 2022, I've not touched anything else.
The workflow is designed around the limitations, while the buttons provide direct access to functionality that feels convenient.
Overall, it feels like I'm interacting with an instrument and a complete production environment, even if it has fewer important features than a desktop DAW.
And what's best, I always have the option to use the desktop version, but I've never felt the need.
Whenever I think about using a desktop DAW, I feel a sense of redundancy (even though there's a lot where the MPC cannot match).
I even considered selling my NI library because it's just collecting dust.
Jon Makes Beats explains it best. After years with a desktop DAW, he decided to switch to a combination of hardware synths and a Digitakt (and more recently, the MPC).
Note: he's not explaining in this video, ...
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Since I've been working with Mpc Live 2, I've forgotten about Reason, the Mpc Beats software is the perfect complement. It's a shame that Reason doesn't support multichannel midi in vst, because Mpc Beats would use it intensively as vst.
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For me it's not just Reason. It's everything.
I had Reason+ for a year and barely touched it. My NI library is collecting dust. I sold my Maschine a few weeks ago because it's just been sitting neglected in its case for the past 2 years!
I had the Luna trial and didn't use it, not even once (though I do regret not using it to at least mix).
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Same here with Akai, I have the Force, and since I own it I never touched Live or Reason anymore……
I love the way it works, and effordlesly ideas come up and get recorded. Even a few complete compositions which need final mixing.
I hope mpc3 implementations come for the force too as last update!
I love the way it works, and effordlesly ideas come up and get recorded. Even a few complete compositions which need final mixing.
I hope mpc3 implementations come for the force too as last update!
Greetings from Miyaru.
Akai Force, Reason12, Live Suit 10, Push2, Presonus Eris E8 and Monitor Station V2, Lexicon MPX1,
Korg N1, Yamaha RM1x
Akai Force, Reason12, Live Suit 10, Push2, Presonus Eris E8 and Monitor Station V2, Lexicon MPX1,
Korg N1, Yamaha RM1x

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I've got a Force as well (in addition to a Live 2). I know I tend to be a half-glass full sort of bloke, but something tells me us Force users won't be left out in the cold too much longer. Now that MPC 3 has officially went public, it's pretty much Force OS now (aside from the missing Clip Matrix). It won't be much effort for Akai to just push a Force update out. Just hoping...


# Miserable Degenerate | Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite | Reason 13+ | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD
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The desktop software is still missing the 3.0 update 
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