joeClockwork Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I've decided that I've had enough of moving audio regions around with a fucking mouse to make beats, so I've been looking at USB midi controllers to use with Logic X. Main requirements are bashing out tracks, possibly taking out on the road and just general offline jamming. Don't reeeeeally want to go over £150 if I can help it. Any recommendations? I've been looking at the Akai MPD226, which looks a bit tasty. Anyone ever used one of these? If so, any gripes? I seem to remember people saying that Akai have gone to shit since InMusic took over. Thanks in adv. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danswift Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I've decided that I've had enough of moving audio regions around with a fucking mouse to make beatsHurrah ! Death to the computer mouse ! Sorry, never used any Akai kit except for rack samplers so can't recommend stuff. Fuck it.....just get a SP -404 (or two preferably) a mini disc recorder,dust off the tape deck and you'll be good to go my dude !!.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 Haha, I thought you might say that! I actually have two of those things, after my mate donated me his MDS-PC3 deck. Nah, I'm just looking for a USB controller at the moment... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubba Dutchdj Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 MPD226 looks like a dope bit of kit but Ive got no experience using it... Joe have you got an iPad? the Logic remote app by Apple looks like a really good utility tool for ditching the mouse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 MPD226 looks like a dope bit of kit but Ive got no experience using it... Joe have you got an iPad? the Logic remote app by Apple looks like a really good utility tool for ditching the mouse. No mate, unfortunately I haven't. My wife has but I'm not sure how keen she'll be on me hijacking it At this rate I'm thinking I might just cop an MPD226 on pay day, unless anyone chimes with any advice before then. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubba Dutchdj Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Akai must have a have a decent template for MPD226 logic control, for its price tag I can't think of any better for what your after.Upon suggesting logic remote to you Ive jus installed the iPhone version which also controls GarageBand (what I currently use for linear audio cut&paste edits as Maschine is a nightmare for that stuff), iPhone version of logic remote only covers % of the iPad app features but for what Im using Garageband for the iPhone app seems really dope in the short play Ive had, total control of loop cycles, project transport controls etc... basically all the shit I now don't have to use the mouse for.However Im not gonna bum apple to hard..... my 4th gen iPad jus misses out on ios11 which means know logic remote, fuckers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Rock Well Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Get the MPD mate. There will definitely be plenty of Logic templates out there for it too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 Akai must have a have a decent template for MPD226 logic control, for its price tag I can't think of any better for what your after. Upon suggesting logic remote to you Ive jus installed the iPhone version which also controls GarageBand (what I currently use for linear audio cut&paste edits as Maschine is a nightmare for that stuff), iPhone version of logic remote only covers % of the iPad app features but for what Im using Garageband for the iPhone app seems really dope in the short play Ive had, total control of loop cycles, project transport controls etc... basically all the shit I now don't have to use the mouse for. However Im not gonna bum apple to hard..... my 4th gen iPad jus misses out on ios11 which means know logic remote, fuckers! Damn. Apple are bastards like that. @Rocky: sold - I've been reading up and watching some vids. Looks like it does all I need. Cheers all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike-L Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 If you just want pads + a few knobs. The MPD218 is pretty good and fairly cheap. I have one and the pads are nice and responsive. I assume they are the same pads as on the other models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 Cheers Mike. I think I'm going to go for the MPD226. Now I just need to find time to use the damn thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Dunno if it's of interest to you but I've got a MK1 Maschine that i don't need anymore, I'll have to double check but i think i'll have the licence for the software as well. say £80? + P&P (that's with decksaver) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 Thanks anyway mate but I went and ordered an MPD about 10 mins after my last post! That sounds like a good deal though man. I'd get it up on the Sales & Trades section if you're looking for a quick sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexinoodle Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Apparently new MPDs at NAMM next week, but could be rumour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djdiggla Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 I use an Akai APD but the MPD is tight and has more of a MPC feel which is sounds like is what youre looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 I use an Akai APD but the MPD is tight and has more of a MPC feel which is sounds like is what youre looking for. Yeah, that's exactly what I'm after. Moving audio regions around with a mouse is the most frustrating way to make music. It's why I stopped making beats and stuck to scratch based music. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danswift Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Moving audio regions around with a mouse is the most frustrating way to make music. How people have the patience to be able to do this is beyond me in the first place. Squashy fat drum pads or even a midi keyboard controller to make stuff with at the very least ..but a mouse ? no fucking chance ,fuck that. Fair play to anyone who can tho but its not for me personally,I have tried it once for some edits I wanted to make of some old jam tracks I'd recorded but I found the whole process so tedious and it just completely did my head in over the sheer amount of time it took to do really simple shit that would take 30 seconds to do with a sampler,some pads or a keyboard. Definitely not for me i'm afraid 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexinoodle Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Try retiming a 16 track live drum recording without keyboard and mouse, it definitely has its uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 Try retiming a 16 track live drum recording without keyboard and mouse, it definitely has its uses. Yeah, I'll still be doing this. Any hits that don't land where I want them can be tidied up with the mouse. My current workflow is: Sample into Logic from vinylSpend ages getting the loop running in timeChop up the audio and nudge any bits that don't fall on the drumsEnvelope all the audio regions so there's no clippingMix and arrangeDecide that it sounds crap and give up. It's fucking miserable. It's actually less hassle to make scratch music, which is notoriously fiddly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danswift Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Try retiming a 16 track live drum recording without keyboard and mouse.No thank you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broma Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Try retiming a 16 track live drum recording without keyboard and mouse, it definitely has its uses. Yeah, I'll still be doing this. Any hits that don't land where I want them can be tidied up with the mouse. My current workflow is: Sample into Logic from vinylSpend ages getting the loop running in timeChop up the audio and nudge any bits that don't fall on the drumsEnvelope all the audio regions so there's no clippingMix and arrangeDecide that it sounds crap and give up. It's fucking miserable. It's actually less hassle to make scratch music, which is notoriously fiddly. Have you tried Ableton Live? It's much easier to do most of that than in Logic IMO, especially looping, chopping, enveloping. Some people really don't get on with it but might be worth a go on the demo to see if you like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Try retiming a 16 track live drum recording without keyboard and mouse, it definitely has its uses. Yeah, I'll still be doing this. Any hits that don't land where I want them can be tidied up with the mouse. My current workflow is: Sample into Logic from vinylSpend ages getting the loop running in timeChop up the audio and nudge any bits that don't fall on the drumsEnvelope all the audio regions so there's no clippingMix and arrangeDecide that it sounds crap and give up. It's fucking miserable. It's actually less hassle to make scratch music, which is notoriously fiddly. Have you tried Ableton Live? It's much easier to do most of that than in Logic IMO, especially looping, chopping, enveloping. Some people really don't get on with it but might be worth a go on the demo to see if you like it. I have considered it before but there are two things stopping me: 1. Having to learn a new DAW (this would be my third)2. Buying a new DAW If time and money weren't an issue I would probably switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broma Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Yeah, that's fair enough man. I actually started on Ableton Live really briefly, then went to Cubase, then Logic, then back to Ableton, at first because I was jamming a lot with mates and Logic was an absolute fucker to have multiple midi controllers across multiple channels, then just found Live so much easier to do what you've listed and more and haven't looked back. Maybe if you're still finding Logic a ball ache in a couple of months fink abaaaaat it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeClockwork Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 Same here; I started on Cubase then went to Logic, on bad advice. I find Logic quite user unfriendly, I must admit. Version X is an improvement on 9 though, which was really frustrating. I mostly use it for multi tracking mixes, which is fine. I don't use multiple controllers so that problem shouldn't really affect me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNOD Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Have you tried Acid Pro? Features like Ableton, workflow like Cubase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Maschine (as a plug-in in logic possibly too, either all the way through or just for mix) would be another way - it doesnt get much more hands on than maschine when it comes to chopping up beats. I suppose theres also MPC studio/renaissance too. A bit over budget but maschine 2 or mpc studio are pretty low price esp second hand. Also, exs24 is definitely usable especially when you shortcut some stuff - easier and quicker than audio regions for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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