This is the video that won me over the Force.Its like an instrument you can play
The regular MPC also seems to get more and more features from the force. The 2.10 update just brought the hype synth for example. People are waiting for a possible arranger view also coming to the MPC.
So keep that in mind alsoā¦
Just wanted to mention the deluge from synthstrom again, it keeps getting ignored and I donāt understand why haha
Quite similar to OP I had to decide between an MPC One, OP-1, OP-Z, Polyend Tracker and deluge and I couldnāt be happier with my choice.
Itās a battery powered, very portable synthesizer (subtractive, FM, RingMod, soon Wavetable), sampler, sequencer, looper etc. Completely standalone, yet very connective and expandable.
No Iām not sponsored by synthstrom audible, Iām just very satisfied with it
I know here in the UK after shipping and import duties they are very expensive. There are no local resellers.
Thatās true, you have to buy it from the manufacturer in NZ, unless you get it used from the ācraigslist of your countryā. But offers like that donāt stay online for longer than a few days.
I bought it before they raised the price from $899 NZD to $999 NZD and I ended up paying around 950ā¬.
I think they look amazing to be honest and I would love to get one. The amount of functionality in addition to being portable is nothing short of stunning.
I canāt say enough great things about my MPC One, especially after the 2.10 firmware upgrade that delivers even more synths and effects to use.
I got the MPC One to switch things upā¦ let me compose away from renoise and then bring it to my computer to work along with Renoiseā¦ well after six months of having my MPC One, I still havenāt used renoise let alone renoise along with my MPC. My MPC quickly became my entire studio for the time being. Thereās plenty that I miss about Renoise, Renoise can do plenty of things the MPC canāt. But even the limitations of the MPC One/Live/X are inspiring. In Renoise I was always spoiled by the potential to use as many effects and synths as my PC can handleā¦the MPCās limited amount of available effect slots helped teach me another thing or two about sound and mixing.
Same situation as youā¦ I only use the computer to mix tracks (final eq on each track, compressors etc).
The fact that the MPC does not have an eq with a spectrum view makes me stop obsessing about those things, Iām actually making music. Iām caring about the nerdy non musical stuff (like careful eqing etc) only once the track is done and the tracks exported.
On the downside the end game of making a track like arrangement and adding variations is painful, without any way to visually see clips, but wellā¦ you canāt have all.
Edit: the way the pads can be used with chords, the 16 levels mode, the way each pad can have an effect chainā¦ this is the game changer that makes the workflow so fast. Doing a track is not like drawing a painting, for me itās trying out many things until something fits and you find the good idea. this process has to be fast and thatās why workflow is so important.
I own the MPC-X and I have been testing using it as Standalone, Linked to Ableton, using it as a drum machine from external midi (didnāt work!), and of course with the MPC software.
I have now settled to using it as standalone only. Sampling vinyl and chopping up is one thing it does well.
Then, controlling stuff with the touch knobs is alright, but itās not there yet. After the 2.1 update, I can know name the midi CC to my own liking, but still, I find there are things missing. After finding my way around the MPC workflow, doubling the length of sequences, recording automations and then resampling-recording the track in Audio stems, which I can then chop up or just leave them as audio tracks. At the end, you can save your stuff on the SD card and bring to the computer. You can save in ableton format too.
It would be great for someone who has modular synths, an analog mixer/usb interface (that tascam one) and hw synths , plus a turntable.
Still, I wouldnāt mind selling it and sticking to Renoise and this is important. You do not need anything else.
Thanks for your input.I think at this point Akai Force is the best standalone Daw in a box and in a very fair price