You can make great music with both devices, in the end it just comes down to which workflow you prefer. People need to stop blaming gear for their lack of musicality 😂
Amazing video!! You’re right. They are two completely different forces. Everyone things I am team Maschine but I love it all. I am just trying to wrap my head around the MPC because it’s soooooo different from the Maschine’s software. Definitely gonna keep working on using my Live 2!! Thanks fam!
Sarah, you are awesome and one of my favorites. Love the microwave cook ups you do live, too. Are there any specs I need to have for a computer so that I don't experience any latency with the MK3? The computer I do have is too old to use, so I want a new one, but I need to make sure I have the necessary specs. Any specs you can provide would be appreciated.
The crashing stuff would annoy the heck out of me. I work on computers all day so having a stand alone like the MPC Live 2 is a game changer. Being able to be productive sitting outside or chilling is awesome! Thanks for the honest reviews Bolo. Glad i found your channel... i'll be subscribing to keep up with your flow :D
I work, and game, on my computer, so I got a Live II so I wouldn't have to be on the computer to make music. It's not perfect, but it's doing what I need, and I'm sure I haven't uncovered the full potential. As soon as Bolo said the Maschine crashes I knew I picked the right one.
I've been making tracks since the Boss DR-550 drum machine & the ADAT recorder. I'm 50 years old. It truly depends how savy you are with a work flow & patches
Here’s where I am after 1 year with MPC Live after being a Maschine aficionado for the last 8 years…MPC sounds GREAT…IN the box…stemming out? Maschine murders it. The MPC sounds are very VERY sharp on the high end and if you have a complex sequence or patterns again it’s a pain in the butt stemming because quite honestly you can’t separate all of your sounds in EACH sequence in song mode. Maschine is much easier to stem out and finish full songs. Sampling MPC is KING. Touch screen man ease of use it just kills. Maschine for more “musical” pieces. The plug ins are just more natural. Scarbee basses are KING. Great video per usual brudda!
Everyone talks about Maschine+ crashing alot, I have never had mine crash, just saying, however, I only use mine in standalone mode. What I have run into issues with on the Maschine+ is CPU usage, and most of that is related to using sounds from expansions that have multi layered effects. The way around this is to disable effects that are placed on the default sounds, as many of the effects are unnecessary or have very little impact on the sounds being played. What can make it frustrating in this regard is, when the CPU has trouble keeping up, sounds are choppy, regardless of what the CPU usage is showing on the device. If the sounds sound choppy, disable effects. The MPC Live 2 is stable as f*. I have never had CPU usage issues with my MPC Live 2, I mean, I did once but that was intentional when I was trying to see what I had to do to actually push the machine. You are going to be hard pressed to find situations where you will have CPU usage issues on the MPC platform. Usability between each device is just different. If you are good with shortcuts on a computer keyboard, the Maschine+ is going to appeal heavily to you. If you get around more visually, the MPC platform will appeal to you. The sounds builtin to the Maschine+ are just better. The Maschine+ synths are heads and shoulders above the MPC synths, with the exception of one key area, drums. The MPC platform has, what is in my opinion, a drum synth that can virtually replace just about every drum sample you have. Yes, it's that good, and it doesn't require a degree in soundshaping to use it. Using either of these devices as a controller is a moot point, that is not what these units are designed for. They are both functional, the software for the Maschine is better on PC, yes, but I am guessing most people already have Komplete in some form, just use your MPC as a controller for the Maschine software on the PC, ignore Beats 2, it's meh. In other words, if you have a MPC or a Maschine plugged into a computer, use Maschine software on the computer. These are both competent controllers. Alot of people like to talk about linear writing, as if that kind of functionality is not existant on the MPC. These people would be mistaken (see next paragraph). This requires a one sentence explanation, what is linear writing? Linear writing is the notion of writing each bar of music from scratch. This does not necessarily mean you arent copy and pasting, it does however mean you are manually adding content for each measure, for each instrument across the length of your track. MPC's take a different approach, which is wholly appropriate for beat writing, each segment of your song is designed to allow for easy copying. The most common way to write music on the MPC involves picking a few instruments / filling a couple banks of sounds on the pads (usually about two to four banks), writing out a segment of your song that will have all or nearly all of the instruments playing at once and then utilizing the track mute functionality to simply mute certain instruments during certain segments of your song. During your chorus for example, you would probably have nearly every instrument playing, during your verse, you would likely only have a few instruments playing, so you'd write your chorus to have nearly all the instruments playing, then in the verse, mute some instruments. Then, you simply arrange your song to play each segment with some tracks already muted first, then the next segment with nearly all the instruments unmuted (in the most simplistic example). Think of a song as having an introduction, a verse, a chorus, a verse 2, a chorus, repeating the chorus, a bridge, a chorus, another chorus, and an ending. In most modern music, nothing much changes between each segment, just more instruments are added to increase intensity. If you want to write linearly on the MPC, just increase how many bars you have in your segment to something ridiculous, like 999 bars. Done, now you have the ability to write linearly. The MPC just has more features and more functionality. Whether those features and functionality are something you need is a matter of debate, but if soundshaping and warping / mangling sounds is your thing, MPC wins hands down. Just as the quality of the synth sounds on the Maschine are better, so too are the effects. the difference however is marginal. The tradeoff is that the Maschine needs a ton of CPU to do the same things that the MPC does with almost no CPU usage. I like each platform for unique reasons. For me, the deciding factor is usability. The MPC has a touchscreen. I use a ton of different devices, I don't live inside the world of a device exclusively (or even close to exclusively), therefore, for me, the visual feedback and ques makes the MPC significantly more usable for me. If however I primarily wrote music on one solitary device, I could see the Maschine+ being faster than the MPC. Most everything is available on the Maschine+ through some combination of key shortcuts, where as the MPC will require menu diving to some degree. The menu diving doesn't bother me, but just know going in, on the MPC platform, expect to menu dive and on the Maschine+, expect to spend a few weeks learning and memorizing shortcuts, and definitely expect to have a cheatsheet handy until you have learned all the shortcuts. It gets real fun for both platforms when you find shortcuts that are undocumented, because they are shortcuts that were added after the documentation was written :) Bottom line is, whatever device you have, enjoy it, don't worry about what you are missing out on, they are both great.
Akai is on the cutting edge, the integration with with DAW is getting even better, Eurorack control is way ahead of everyone, if they can only add CV input, that will be a game changer!
Really like stand alone.The Akai force was a uphill battle at first but after learning the basics, the work flow is actually easier than using a Midi controller with Fl Studios. Touch screen is excellent my only caveat is that using it flat on a desk can be stressful on the arms. So I bought a mixer stand and boom problem solved
used to own several MPCs, from 3000 up to 2500, love those boxes, very intuitive and musical. I got Maschine recently second hand during lockdown, to kill the boredom. It is a concept of AKAI MPC, for me it was super easy to swap, few differences but general idea is the same. I can say one big difference at the end of the day - Maschine i a VST compatible, so you can use it within your DAW or you can use within the Machine VST plugs or instruments you already have. MPC is different software, it is really a matter of choice - per person, as you can make great music on any of the box!
AIFF/WAV (the two formats are essentially the same with respect to sound quality and files sizes) are uncompressed, and therefore sound better than MP3s, but take up more space on your disk. MP3s need to be decoded in order to be played, and therefore require more processing. If you are looking at this question from the point of view of computer performance, uncompressed audio required less processing time, because it does not need to be decoded, but requires much more disk time, because of the amount of data being moved around. Peace, keep up the good work Bolo !!
CORRECT!!! BOLO. Just flat-out HONEST about both products. I use them both MPC X and the MK2, GREAT GEAR in the right hands. Now the game-changer is my New MPC KEYS 61 WAKE UP CHURCH !!! Thank you Bolo for your INSIGHT and Professionalism.
@@magnuseriksson8081 You have to deal with the Mpc, look at it as a musical instrument that you should learn. First of all you need to know what sequencer, track, program mean in the Akai world. The connections between the basics. If you understand that practice, practice. Worth it
@@tuneunleashed Most would not agree, and you have no song mode in the MPC at all if I understand it correctly and that is a no no for me, how can any company create a solution without a proper or good song mode, Maschine is not perfect in that area either and I am not sure if any Dawless setup is??
Thank's for video! Maschine+ is absolutely awesome! I'm using it in a standalone mode and after last update almost all problems with crashes has gone! But I wish to test MPC too)) Just need more money and free time for all this stuff))))
interesting to hear. ive been kind of curious about the Mashine but the one time I tested the software on a desktop I never really got comfortable with it, not that the MPC was a super intuitive thing but between the two the MPC way was easier for me to work with. My live is portable, stable and the internal sounds are simply first class./Ed
I have a Force and a Maschine plus and used to have an MPC. Never had Akai crash ... and the Maschine does crash occasionally - and I have never had it hooked to a computer. I'm still learning the Maschine - I still like the Force sequencing better, but the pads and sounds on the Maschine are awesome. I loved the stock Maschine sounds and I added 5 packs for $99 on a special and those are fire also. Best of both worlds - you can control the Maschine plus with the Akai - you can set each Maschine bank for a separate midi channel and thus have 16 kits or synths at once. Store a few projects like that and you can pull up one project on the Maschine and instantly map your favorite 16 kits. Works great, you should try it.
Wow that's amazing, because I never get crashes. I use an HP Envy, with an i7 processor. I have an MK2, MK3, and 2 Maschine Studios. And I still have my MPC 2000. But both of your product reviews are valid for sure.
3:15 I’ve NEVER had my MK3 crash…🤨 that’s strange. I’ve been using Mascine for 11 years (started on the OG. That was fun 🙄) with no hiccups. Now the Plus, 🤷🏾♂️ I can’t use stand-alones for that very reason. Reliability. 😎
Thank you. I have the mpc live 2. I was gone get the machine plus. I changed my mind now. I need something easy. And standalone. So I'm keeping the live.
My first and only Akai product is Akai Force and man I’m all in with it on the go and in the studio! I would go with the Live 2 compared to Maschine plus based on my knowledge of Force, NI Komplete Kontrol S61 keyboard and Maschine Mikro. Get a Maschine MK3 or Maschine Mikro MK3 if going to mainly use with computer!
I’m starting to use my MPC Renaissance to make my drums because they sound better with less work added. Then I will Port everything into Maschine and finish everything off because I love the workflow for Maschine.
Hey! I think your review sounds super real and fair to me and this is why it was so hard to choose one over the other, I honestly fell for the workflow, and high-quality feel of the Maschine, love the sound from both, I might be more towards the MPC dirtier sound too but it depends on what I create, surprised by how good my vocals sounded on the Maschine after very little processing but I used my Roland MV1 vocal affects into the Maschine and maybe that helped me too. Please have a go-through on how to work with vocals on the Maschine with clips (how to convert patterns to clips), in the software and standalone as I love to work in a standalone mode and when needed hook it up with the computer, but I like to draft ideas in the standalone mood. I just have not figured out how to place vocals across the whole song and make sure it is all in sync as I want
Place the vocals in its own group. Then when making scenes place the vocals at the beginning of the intro if you did all the vocals for songs n one take. If you did hook and verse separately put them in corresponding scene…
@@magnuseriksson8081 In arrange mode as a clip. You have to have the vocals last as long as the song is. So if the song is 72 bars the vocals will play for however many bars you program it for..
If you have a verse with 16 bars set the vocals for 16 etc. I usually have all the vocals play for the full song. Place them as a clip at the beginning and the run for the entire song..
@@toyonakaproductions3467 I need to be able to convert a partner to a clip and it does not really make sense to me that the vocal clip has to be exactly that long? According to NI you can place the clip however you like across the song?? I just need to know how you do that when I know how to convert my pattern to a clip on M plus
I own multiple MPCs and have used the Maschine before and I totally agree with you. The workflow of the two systems are completely different. Each of these has it's advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I prefer the MPC over the Maschine. To add to this topic, I also have the Akai Force. Although the sound engine and featureset of the Force is very similar to the MPC, the workflow of the Force is also completely different from that of the MPC and the Maschine. With that said, I like the way the Force works as well because it is very similar to Ableton Live.
I have the original mk1 and still run it with my old 2011 MacBook Pro. I’ve been using this set up since 2011. No crash what’s so ever. I hella push it and use it like 8 hours a day. I don’t plan to upgrade cause it’s still running good and it does what I need it to do.
It's crazy this is some divine shit, was just saying to myself earlier I wonder what the difference is between these as I'm thinking of investing in one and here comes bolo saving the day!
can I combine the Akai MPC one and maschine mk3 together makes it a power house ---- MPC one for as your main station for drums and you can use the Maschine Mk3 for sampling, leads ,chords, atmospheres etc!
MK3 User/Owner here. The Maschine Software contains around 80 "Keyboard"-Sounds. Maybe you searched under "Instruments",but there are only the Synths. You find "real" Instruments like Pianos,Guitars and such under the category "Sounds". Can't speak for the Plus in Standalone,but on the MK3 Software crashes only happened on my Mac M1 (happily sold 5 Months ago). It seems that the Maschine Software is more mature on Windows - which is the reason why i sold my Mac. Everytime the Software Companies catch up,Apple makes unpredictible jumps and they have to start all over. Under Windows the Machine Software is mostly solid and in combination with Komplete a beast like you said. In terms of Connctivity try to hook up a Tascam Model 12 or similar to the Machine. ;) In Situations where you need the connectivity you are in a studio anyway. i personally think both machines are quite on the same level,altough the MPC is more portable due to the internal battery. I'm curious for the Maschine Software 3.0 in November.
I was thinking about the Maschine+, but went with the MPC One Retro to go with my MC-707. I love control of the MPC One. The One is basically the same as the ll without the battery, speaker and SSD. I have it controlling my dawless synth setup. I do want to get add a Live ll.
I have both systems. I can't say which is better or worse. It's similar but still different. I don't know if I'm imagining it, but the end product sounds punchier, crisper with the MPC, especially for Hiphop production.
I have literally the exact same opinion as you. Like you took the words right outa my mouth. I started with maschine in 2011, the live 2 was my first mpc. Everything immediately sounds better in the mpc without effects. All my stuff sounds muddy in maschine plus and I don’t know why.
ive had the maschine for 3 years and the MPC live 2 for about a year and a half. for real I bought the MPC for its standalone capabilities. I was tired of being behind my computer. the sounds on MPC are SO good sounding right out the box. so crisp and they all seem to have been engineered to fit perfectly together. its real fun to use and it feels like a professional tool that you can take anywhere. that said, I really dont like how old school they are with the folders and samples. the way it doesnt overwrite a program if you are loading it into one you have selected right now and need to delete later is a bit annoying. the folder system kind of annoys me, and the pads are not sensitive enough. they do feel sturdy and like you could hit it with a hammer every day without them falling apart the Maschine in my opinion has steeper learning curve. one reason is the lack of touch screen and that it is all buttons and knobs. it does come with many famous digital synths and the most immense library of sounds EVER. it is complete insanity how many sounds and groups it comes with. it also has a much better overview of your project and the song mode (especially since the clips update) is way more superior to me. I can start of with some ideas, paste them in the "song mode" as to speak and edit them in there as I like, without it feeling like its a completely separate part of the tool i'm working with(feels like that with the MPC. also the pads on the Maschine are FAR MORE SUPERIOR than those of MPC. hands down. there is no contest there. they are much more sensitive and expressive. I do not own a maschine + but I heard its seriously underpowered. they should have probably worked on it for a couple more years. the reason I NOW use my Maschine MK3 more than my MPC is because I recently got a mac pro and a simple dongle to attach my Maschine to. I also use the mac exclusively for either music or photo editing, so I am not very distracted by what is on my computer for daily use. the only real downside I see is...that Maschine needs downloaded software and likely has licence check going on. I can blow off the dust of my MPC in 20 years from now and make beats the moment I turn it on again.
@@qtv6496 I dont own the maschine plus. but i'd say its just that you have some standalone capabilities. but...as far as i've seen and heard the experience isnt really as great as with the MPC because the Maschine MK3 was not originally designed with standalone in mind. there's a bunch of softsynths that you just simply dont have a lot of intuitive control over without a computer. they are also very CPU intensive, exactly again because they arent really designed to be used in a standalone device. but the fact...that you CAN...maybe one day i'll get the plus.
I been banging on the maschine since day 1 but I think Imma grab a MPC One soon I like the maschine but... I have messed around with a friends MPC an if you can afford it I think there is a place for both.
When it comes to the crashing for the + or mk3, when I used my windows computer it never crashed but on my MacBook pro , it would crash like u said so that might be how it runs on the Mac
Weird i have the mk3 and it never crashed. Using with windows11 pro. But i love also the mpc sound aswell. Tough decision. Thanks for your honest opinion. I like my Maschine though.
Just some random thoughts and a couple of questions please: The connectivity of the MPC plus the touch screen makes it more attractive than Maschine +. I didn't know about Maschine + and the crash issue until this video, thanks. Maschine used to have metal add-on skins before Maschine Studio. Not sure how support is for MPC. Support for Maschine/NI during the pandemic is hit and miss. Does Maschine + have a built-in audio interface like Mk 3 and what is the device you are using for your camera? Thanks, Bolo 😀
Man ain't nothing more headache than that sucka shutting down in the middle of your input on the pads or adjusting parameters... I wanted to throw in the river 😆 🤣 😂
I like the Maschine workflow better in my opinion. I have MPC beats the free version and I like the sounds for sure but the MPC workflow is not my favorite at all. The Maschine is more user friendly
Bolo=Dope 🔥🔥🔥 I watch you all the time bro you taught me so much about different programs and software you are the truth .. I think you where put on this Earth for people like me who don’t like to read manuals LOL 😂
You're being very nice about that maschine+... I'm loving the mk3 for $350 if you know what I am saying. Tha Akai software....mmm mmm. Like you said... SMH in shame. MPC deserves better. Sounds are great.
Bolo I’ve been on machine for two years used to crash so mines doesn’t crash at all anymore and it works very well light gray device you just gotta learn
Maschine user here. I’ve the Mk3 and the + . Maschine’s workflow is awesome but I agree with Bolo in that it’s much better when hooked up to the computer as the software is great. I was also quite dissapointed with the connectivity: no midi thru, no gate/cv, no individual outputs, no xlr input or headphone out at the front. However, something that many ignore is that you can use the headphone out as an aux send to route groups or sounds through external effects units. The thing I most dislike is not being able to sample something and exporting the sample right away. You need to place it in the arranger first and then export, which is a huge pain point. Other than that Maschine is such a joy to use and feels great under your finger tips. Now I want to get a live2 and have both, especially for that awesome mpc standalone vibe.
I holding off until the next generation of the mpc I’m pretty sure it’s in the Akai lab. I could imagine the next MPC will have linear song arrangement with a better processor!!
I still want the MPC X. I will say I've considered the Maschine just because you've been working with it and did a few pros and cons. I'ma get that big boi tho. Thx for making these.
Hey Bolo. Thanks for an informative video. Do you still feel pretty much the same way now that MPC 3.0 is out and apparently a lot of the Maschine crashes are resolved? Thanks
The maschine+ crashes are not resolved. Mine got brciked a few months ago and im on an on-going chat with support, theyve given so many solutions to try but nothing has worked so far. Maschine+ is quite unreliable for this reason. The Akai seems to be truly portable, however with the maschine, you are still needing wallpower or another powerbrick to keep it on.
I have the OG Live and dig it. But I use a lot of NI and NKS instruments, controlling them with my Komplete Kontrol. Because of this, I'm quite interested in a Maschine. Since I do 99% of my studio work hooked to the CPU, I'd go with the MK3 if I go that route. But the lack of touch screen scares me. How folks edit MIDI without one is a mystery. I assume they use a mouse when connected. Standalone? How? Yeah, the MPC software sucks. They could have a nice DAW after all these years. Why they haven't developed it, I can only imagine is because so much of the user base is standalone. It's a shame. I haven't used it, but the Maschine software does look slick. And the browser is nice! That's another thing sub par with the MPC, even on 2.11. Cool comparison!
I run 16BG ram and my mk3 crashes all of the time. It's irritating. Just started playing with the new key61. It seemed to me that the two machines were different animals of the same kingdom. They each shine im different ways. Good take man, I agree fully.
You can make great music with both devices, in the end it just comes down to which workflow you prefer. People need to stop blaming gear for their lack of musicality 😂
True
BIIIIIIG facts 😎🥃
Exactly true
💯 correct workflow and what you personally click with.
I got both…..I prefer the mpc…..the mpc is almost my most prized possession
Amazing video!! You’re right. They are two completely different forces. Everyone things I am team Maschine but I love it all. I am just trying to wrap my head around the MPC because it’s soooooo different from the Maschine’s software. Definitely gonna keep working on using my Live 2!! Thanks fam!
ruclips.net/video/N_TzYv4lRFk/видео.html - MASCHINE Mk3 all day
Sarah, you are awesome and one of my favorites. Love the microwave cook ups you do live, too. Are there any specs I need to have for a computer so that I don't experience any latency with the MK3? The computer I do have is too old to use, so I want a new one, but I need to make sure I have the necessary specs. Any specs you can provide would be appreciated.
The crashing stuff would annoy the heck out of me. I work on computers all day so having a stand alone like the MPC Live 2 is a game changer. Being able to be productive sitting outside or chilling is awesome! Thanks for the honest reviews Bolo. Glad i found your channel... i'll be subscribing to keep up with your flow :D
I work, and game, on my computer, so I got a Live II so I wouldn't have to be on the computer to make music. It's not perfect, but it's doing what I need, and I'm sure I haven't uncovered the full potential. As soon as Bolo said the Maschine crashes I knew I picked the right one.
I've been making tracks since the Boss DR-550 drum machine & the ADAT recorder. I'm 50 years old. It truly depends how savy you are with a work flow & patches
Love the sound of the DR-550!
@@BoloDaProducer yeah bro. I showed my nephew that DR-550, plugged it into a mixer on 1/4 Jack's. He was like "DAMN that BASS. Is that an 808?"🤣😂🤣
I STILL have my dr-5 bro ! 😁
Here’s where I am after 1 year with MPC Live after being a Maschine aficionado for the last 8 years…MPC sounds GREAT…IN the box…stemming out? Maschine murders it. The MPC sounds are very VERY sharp on the high end and if you have a complex sequence or patterns again it’s a pain in the butt stemming because quite honestly you can’t separate all of your sounds in EACH sequence in song mode. Maschine is much easier to stem out and finish full songs. Sampling MPC is KING. Touch screen man ease of use it just kills. Maschine for more “musical” pieces. The plug ins are just more natural. Scarbee basses are KING. Great video per usual brudda!
Everyone talks about Maschine+ crashing alot, I have never had mine crash, just saying, however, I only use mine in standalone mode. What I have run into issues with on the Maschine+ is CPU usage, and most of that is related to using sounds from expansions that have multi layered effects. The way around this is to disable effects that are placed on the default sounds, as many of the effects are unnecessary or have very little impact on the sounds being played. What can make it frustrating in this regard is, when the CPU has trouble keeping up, sounds are choppy, regardless of what the CPU usage is showing on the device. If the sounds sound choppy, disable effects.
The MPC Live 2 is stable as f*. I have never had CPU usage issues with my MPC Live 2, I mean, I did once but that was intentional when I was trying to see what I had to do to actually push the machine. You are going to be hard pressed to find situations where you will have CPU usage issues on the MPC platform.
Usability between each device is just different. If you are good with shortcuts on a computer keyboard, the Maschine+ is going to appeal heavily to you. If you get around more visually, the MPC platform will appeal to you.
The sounds builtin to the Maschine+ are just better. The Maschine+ synths are heads and shoulders above the MPC synths, with the exception of one key area, drums. The MPC platform has, what is in my opinion, a drum synth that can virtually replace just about every drum sample you have. Yes, it's that good, and it doesn't require a degree in soundshaping to use it.
Using either of these devices as a controller is a moot point, that is not what these units are designed for. They are both functional, the software for the Maschine is better on PC, yes, but I am guessing most people already have Komplete in some form, just use your MPC as a controller for the Maschine software on the PC, ignore Beats 2, it's meh. In other words, if you have a MPC or a Maschine plugged into a computer, use Maschine software on the computer. These are both competent controllers.
Alot of people like to talk about linear writing, as if that kind of functionality is not existant on the MPC. These people would be mistaken (see next paragraph). This requires a one sentence explanation, what is linear writing? Linear writing is the notion of writing each bar of music from scratch. This does not necessarily mean you arent copy and pasting, it does however mean you are manually adding content for each measure, for each instrument across the length of your track. MPC's take a different approach, which is wholly appropriate for beat writing, each segment of your song is designed to allow for easy copying. The most common way to write music on the MPC involves picking a few instruments / filling a couple banks of sounds on the pads (usually about two to four banks), writing out a segment of your song that will have all or nearly all of the instruments playing at once and then utilizing the track mute functionality to simply mute certain instruments during certain segments of your song. During your chorus for example, you would probably have nearly every instrument playing, during your verse, you would likely only have a few instruments playing, so you'd write your chorus to have nearly all the instruments playing, then in the verse, mute some instruments. Then, you simply arrange your song to play each segment with some tracks already muted first, then the next segment with nearly all the instruments unmuted (in the most simplistic example). Think of a song as having an introduction, a verse, a chorus, a verse 2, a chorus, repeating the chorus, a bridge, a chorus, another chorus, and an ending. In most modern music, nothing much changes between each segment, just more instruments are added to increase intensity.
If you want to write linearly on the MPC, just increase how many bars you have in your segment to something ridiculous, like 999 bars. Done, now you have the ability to write linearly.
The MPC just has more features and more functionality. Whether those features and functionality are something you need is a matter of debate, but if soundshaping and warping / mangling sounds is your thing, MPC wins hands down.
Just as the quality of the synth sounds on the Maschine are better, so too are the effects. the difference however is marginal. The tradeoff is that the Maschine needs a ton of CPU to do the same things that the MPC does with almost no CPU usage.
I like each platform for unique reasons. For me, the deciding factor is usability. The MPC has a touchscreen. I use a ton of different devices, I don't live inside the world of a device exclusively (or even close to exclusively), therefore, for me, the visual feedback and ques makes the MPC significantly more usable for me. If however I primarily wrote music on one solitary device, I could see the Maschine+ being faster than the MPC. Most everything is available on the Maschine+ through some combination of key shortcuts, where as the MPC will require menu diving to some degree. The menu diving doesn't bother me, but just know going in, on the MPC platform, expect to menu dive and on the Maschine+, expect to spend a few weeks learning and memorizing shortcuts, and definitely expect to have a cheatsheet handy until you have learned all the shortcuts. It gets real fun for both platforms when you find shortcuts that are undocumented, because they are shortcuts that were added after the documentation was written :)
Bottom line is, whatever device you have, enjoy it, don't worry about what you are missing out on, they are both great.
Bruh, this dude didn't write a comment he wrote a book.
@@Jae_MaV 🤣
@@Jae_MaV I appreciate it though🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for the deep explanation.
Impressive fam .... and thanks for going into detail
I have both and use Maschine 90% of the time. The MPC is good for when im traveling.
Akai is on the cutting edge, the integration with with DAW is getting even better, Eurorack control is way ahead of everyone, if they can only add CV input, that will be a game changer!
I pick the live II but, I use both
Mate, I love everything about you; knowledge, honesty and humour! Always a pleasure watching your vids. ❤
Thanks!
I’m a 20 yr mpc user and after a while I grew to prefer the Maschine pads over the mpc
Indeed
Facts
Really like stand alone.The Akai force was a uphill battle at first but after learning the basics, the work flow is actually easier than using a Midi controller with Fl Studios. Touch screen is excellent my only caveat is that using it flat on a desk can be stressful on the arms. So I bought a mixer stand and boom problem solved
I agree with everything bolo said. Spot on
used to own several MPCs, from 3000 up to 2500, love those boxes, very intuitive and musical. I got Maschine recently second hand during lockdown, to kill the boredom. It is a concept of AKAI MPC, for me it was super easy to swap, few differences but general idea is the same. I can say one big difference at the end of the day - Maschine i a VST compatible, so you can use it within your DAW or you can use within the Machine VST plugs or instruments you already have. MPC is different software, it is really a matter of choice - per person, as you can make great music on any of the box!
I love the MPC X!!
Me too!
YES ON THE USING KONTACT! We should be able to pull up all NI vst on the plus. Messes with my workflow
Thankz 4 the review, Ive owned Akai MPCs since 2000..but thinking about purchasing a mashine try something new
MPC live for ever!! I don't have a computer and the mpc in standalone mode is just incredible! Love it so much!!
How do you print your beats
I agree with Bolo on the crashing aspect of it great video you told the truth 100% and I am a machine user
So far the best head to head gear video. Thank you.
Thanks!
Maschine MK3 Gang ALL DAY!!!!
AIFF/WAV (the two formats are essentially the same with respect to sound quality and files sizes) are uncompressed, and therefore sound better than MP3s, but take up more space on your disk.
MP3s need to be decoded in order to be played, and therefore require more processing. If you are looking at this question from the point of view of computer performance, uncompressed audio required less processing time, because it does not need to be decoded, but requires much more disk time, because of the amount of data being moved around. Peace, keep up the good work Bolo !!
Great info
Everybody know this! I think his point was to have that option
CORRECT!!! BOLO. Just flat-out HONEST about both products. I use them both MPC X and the MK2, GREAT GEAR in the right hands. Now the game-changer is my New MPC KEYS 61 WAKE UP CHURCH !!! Thank you Bolo for your INSIGHT and Professionalism.
Excellent videos. Thorough and detailed. Thank you.
My Maschine Studio has NEVER CRASHED on me, NEVER in 4 years!!!!
I definitely enjoy the Mpc more with a computer. It’s easy to sequence all the vsts. Love it
My MPC Live 2 should arrive tomorrow. I'm new to all of this and have a lot to learn. It'll become a good hobby
I’ve had both and they both have great workflows.. That is what it comes down to when you have to decide.. I like the MPC better
Most are telling me that the MPC workflow is a bit harder to work with and no song mode? No linear way of working
@@magnuseriksson8081
You have to deal with the Mpc, look at it as a musical instrument that you should learn. First of all you need to know what sequencer, track, program mean in the Akai world. The connections between the basics. If you understand that practice, practice. Worth it
@@magnuseriksson8081 Man trust me its easy I find Machine harder to use lol
@@tuneunleashed Most would not agree, and you have no song mode in the MPC at all if I understand it correctly and that is a no no for me, how can any company create a solution without a proper or good song mode, Maschine is not perfect in that area either and I am not sure if any Dawless setup is??
Thank's for video! Maschine+ is absolutely awesome! I'm using it in a standalone mode and after last update almost all problems with crashes has gone! But I wish to test MPC too)) Just need more money and free time for all this stuff))))
Oakland CA... You're wearing my hat😎
Super detailed and informative video. Thank you!
I definitely agree with the MP3 issue
interesting to hear. ive been kind of curious about the Mashine but the one time I tested the software on a desktop I never really got comfortable with it, not that the MPC was a super intuitive thing but between the two the MPC way was easier for me to work with. My live is portable, stable and the internal sounds are simply first class./Ed
I have a Force and a Maschine plus and used to have an MPC. Never had Akai crash ... and the Maschine does crash occasionally - and I have never had it hooked to a computer. I'm still learning the Maschine - I still like the Force sequencing better, but the pads and sounds on the Maschine are awesome. I loved the stock Maschine sounds and I added 5 packs for $99 on a special and those are fire also. Best of both worlds - you can control the Maschine plus with the Akai - you can set each Maschine bank for a separate midi channel and thus have 16 kits or synths at once. Store a few projects like that and you can pull up one project on the Maschine and instantly map your favorite 16 kits. Works great, you should try it.
cool vid bolo. love the breakdown. yep!
I use both 👍👍👍👍
Wow that's amazing, because I never get crashes. I use an HP Envy, with an i7 processor. I have an MK2, MK3, and 2 Maschine Studios. And I still have my MPC 2000. But both of your product reviews are valid for sure.
I wanna get a Maschine +
3:15 I’ve NEVER had my MK3 crash…🤨 that’s strange. I’ve been using Mascine for 11 years (started on the OG. That was fun 🙄) with no hiccups. Now the Plus, 🤷🏾♂️
I can’t use stand-alones for that very reason. Reliability. 😎
The same here . Even now im using with M1 Mac and never had crash :)
Thank you. I have the mpc live 2. I was gone get the machine plus. I changed my mind now. I need something easy. And standalone. So I'm keeping the live.
My first and only Akai product is Akai Force and man I’m all in with it on the go and in the studio! I would go with the Live 2 compared to Maschine plus based on my knowledge of Force, NI Komplete Kontrol S61 keyboard and Maschine Mikro. Get a Maschine MK3 or Maschine Mikro MK3 if going to mainly use with computer!
I’m starting to use my MPC Renaissance to make my drums because they sound better with less work added. Then I will Port everything into Maschine and finish everything off because I love the workflow for Maschine.
Ya dude! You nailed it.
Hey! I think your review sounds super real and fair to me and this is why it was so hard to choose one over the other, I honestly fell for the workflow, and high-quality feel of the Maschine, love the sound from both, I might be more towards the MPC dirtier sound too but it depends on what I create, surprised by how good my vocals sounded on the Maschine after very little processing but I used my Roland MV1 vocal affects into the Maschine and maybe that helped me too. Please have a go-through on how to work with vocals on the Maschine with clips (how to convert patterns to clips), in the software and standalone as I love to work in a standalone mode and when needed hook it up with the computer, but I like to draft ideas in the standalone mood. I just have not figured out how to place vocals across the whole song and make sure it is all in sync as I want
Place the vocals in its own group.
Then when making scenes place the vocals at the beginning of the intro if you did all the vocals for songs n one take. If you did hook and verse separately put them in corresponding scene…
@@toyonakaproductions3467 That is not going to work? You will only have the vocals in the first scene then and after all the rest of it???
@@magnuseriksson8081
In arrange mode as a clip.
You have to have the vocals last as long as the song is. So if the song is 72 bars the vocals will play for however many bars you program it for..
If you have a verse with 16 bars set the vocals for 16 etc.
I usually have all the vocals play for the full song. Place them as a clip at the beginning and the run for the entire song..
@@toyonakaproductions3467 I need to be able to convert a partner to a clip and it does not really make sense to me that the vocal clip has to be exactly that long? According to NI you can place the clip however you like across the song?? I just need to know how you do that when I know how to convert my pattern to a clip on M plus
Love your videos homie! Always keep it a buck!!
I own multiple MPCs and have used the Maschine before and I totally agree with you. The workflow of the two systems are completely different. Each of these has it's advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I prefer the MPC over the Maschine.
To add to this topic, I also have the Akai Force. Although the sound engine and featureset of the Force is very similar to the MPC, the workflow of the Force is also completely different from that of the MPC and the Maschine. With that said, I like the way the Force works as well because it is very similar to Ableton Live.
I’ve been trying to figure out the MPC software since the first version came out. I gave up a while ago.
keep blessing us with the good stuff.
I have the original mk1 and still run it with my old 2011 MacBook Pro. I’ve been using this set up since 2011. No crash what’s so ever. I hella push it and use it like 8 hours a day. I don’t plan to upgrade cause it’s still running good and it does what I need it to do.
Can they be used as a controller in any DAW, like Logic, etc.?
Would love for you to continue doing videos like this comparing and reviewing equipment much love
"My x never crashed on me." Bolo wtf. Good stuff man. Mpc is the king of standalone
The plus supports audio interfaces in cc mode for expanded i/o
💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾🔥
I got the mpc live & I've had the maschine MK2 I think the MK2 sounds good but the live seems to be a little more professional....
mpc live 2 all day! :D
Just found your channel.. Subscribed! Thank you.
Thanks for the sub!!
It's crazy this is some divine shit, was just saying to myself earlier I wonder what the difference is between these as I'm thinking of investing in one and here comes bolo saving the day!
Great Video Boss, I totally agree with You!
You told me what I need to know.
So much valuable information!
Akai does a good job with there updates ,
DistroKid dope
can I combine the Akai MPC one and maschine mk3 together makes it a power house ---- MPC one for as your main station for drums and you can use the Maschine Mk3 for sampling, leads ,chords, atmospheres etc!
MK3 User/Owner here. The Maschine Software contains around 80 "Keyboard"-Sounds. Maybe you searched under "Instruments",but there are only the Synths. You find "real" Instruments like Pianos,Guitars and such under the category "Sounds". Can't speak for the Plus in Standalone,but on the MK3 Software crashes only happened on my Mac M1 (happily sold 5 Months ago). It seems that the Maschine Software is more mature on Windows - which is the reason why i sold my Mac. Everytime the Software Companies catch up,Apple makes unpredictible jumps and they have to start all over. Under Windows the Machine Software is mostly solid and in combination with Komplete a beast like you said. In terms of Connctivity try to hook up a Tascam Model 12 or similar to the Machine. ;) In Situations where you need the connectivity you are in a studio anyway. i personally think both machines are quite on the same level,altough the MPC is more portable due to the internal battery. I'm curious for the Maschine Software 3.0 in November.
MK3 gang!!!!
I was thinking about the Maschine+, but went with the MPC One Retro to go with my MC-707. I love control of the MPC One. The One is basically the same as the ll without the battery, speaker and SSD. I have it controlling my dawless synth setup. I do want to get add a Live ll.
what about the touch screen are they the same ?
@@detroittrickster3327 the Live and One have the same touchscreen.
@@wren23_bass-synths thx 4 this info!
The best
Comparison , I have a MPC and Maschine!
fastforward to your most recent content ..thats ur answer
I have both systems. I can't say which is better or worse. It's similar but still different. I don't know if I'm imagining it, but the end product sounds punchier, crisper with the MPC, especially for Hiphop production.
but at the end u export on daw ?
Do a null test.
I have literally the exact same opinion as you. Like you took the words right outa my mouth. I started with maschine in 2011, the live 2 was my first mpc. Everything immediately sounds better in the mpc without effects. All my stuff sounds muddy in maschine plus and I don’t know why.
@@lartisan6274 no, mix /master everything out of the box.
@@heffe4257 same here, muddy describes exactly the Problem I had too.
If it feels good, do it! I use MPC but I can see the appeal of the "dark side" too. Nice to see you are doin' alright!
ive had the maschine for 3 years and the MPC live 2 for about a year and a half.
for real I bought the MPC for its standalone capabilities. I was tired of being behind my computer. the sounds on MPC are SO good sounding right out the box. so crisp and they all seem to have been engineered to fit perfectly together. its real fun to use and it feels like a professional tool that you can take anywhere. that said, I really dont like how old school they are with the folders and samples. the way it doesnt overwrite a program if you are loading it into one you have selected right now and need to delete later is a bit annoying. the folder system kind of annoys me, and the pads are not sensitive enough. they do feel sturdy and like you could hit it with a hammer every day without them falling apart
the Maschine in my opinion has steeper learning curve. one reason is the lack of touch screen and that it is all buttons and knobs. it does come with many famous digital synths and the most immense library of sounds EVER. it is complete insanity how many sounds and groups it comes with. it also has a much better overview of your project and the song mode (especially since the clips update) is way more superior to me. I can start of with some ideas, paste them in the "song mode" as to speak and edit them in there as I like, without it feeling like its a completely separate part of the tool i'm working with(feels like that with the MPC. also the pads on the Maschine are FAR MORE SUPERIOR than those of MPC. hands down. there is no contest there. they are much more sensitive and expressive.
I do not own a maschine + but I heard its seriously underpowered. they should have probably worked on it for a couple more years.
the reason I NOW use my Maschine MK3 more than my MPC is because I recently got a mac pro and a simple dongle to attach my Maschine to. I also use the mac exclusively for either music or photo editing, so I am not very distracted by what is on my computer for daily use.
the only real downside I see is...that Maschine needs downloaded software and likely has licence check going on. I can blow off the dust of my MPC in 20 years from now and make beats the moment I turn it on again.
lol so which one is better?
@@qtv6496 Maschine with a mac or another light laptop. imo
@@cyborgchimpy is the maschine plus any different from the mk3
@@qtv6496 I dont own the maschine plus. but i'd say its just that you have some standalone capabilities. but...as far as i've seen and heard the experience isnt really as great as with the MPC because the Maschine MK3 was not originally designed with standalone in mind.
there's a bunch of softsynths that you just simply dont have a lot of intuitive control over without a computer. they are also very CPU intensive, exactly again because they arent really designed to be used in a standalone device.
but the fact...that you CAN...maybe one day i'll get the plus.
I been banging on the maschine since day 1 but I think Imma grab a MPC One soon I like the maschine but... I have messed around with a friends MPC an if you can afford it I think there is a place for both.
When it comes to the crashing for the + or mk3, when I used my windows computer it never crashed but on my MacBook pro , it would crash like u said so that might be how it runs on the Mac
Weird i have the mk3 and it never crashed. Using with windows11 pro. But i love also the mpc sound aswell. Tough decision. Thanks for your honest opinion. I like my Maschine though.
Just some random thoughts and a couple of questions please: The connectivity of the MPC plus the touch screen makes it more attractive than Maschine +. I didn't know about Maschine + and the crash issue until this video, thanks. Maschine used to have metal add-on skins before Maschine Studio. Not sure how support is for MPC. Support for Maschine/NI during the pandemic is hit and miss. Does Maschine + have a built-in audio interface like Mk 3 and what is the device you are using for your camera? Thanks, Bolo 😀
Connectivity: Both USB to Computer
Audio Interface: Both have them
Camera: A7III
Man ain't nothing more headache than that sucka shutting down in the middle of your input on the pads or adjusting parameters... I wanted to throw in the river 😆 🤣 😂
@@BoloDaProducer Thanks. Should have been more clear. I meant the device holding the camera. Like the camera mount. lol
Thank you
Excellent review
Good information. Thank you sir.
so as far as the computer software is concerned, do you prefer the maschine or the mpc ?
Maschine software is better to me
"...is like comparing apples to broccoli," caught me off guard 😂
Bolo ..u ever gna do any more bm3 videos
Yep when they come out with another update
@@BoloDaProducer lol that's if they do
The last akai I had was mpd32 so after using the mk3 for a year now I really wanna get back to akai. Thanks Bolo!
I just ordered the LIVE for my son who wanted it. I think I'll get one fir myself after this video
@@RealCoachRonn You can get me one as well I'm your virtual son.
I like the Maschine workflow better in my opinion. I have MPC beats the free version and I like the sounds for sure but the MPC workflow is not my favorite at all. The Maschine is more user friendly
Comparing workflows without the accompanying hardware controller is inevitably going to be disappointing.
Bolo=Dope 🔥🔥🔥 I watch you all the time bro you taught me so much about different programs and software you are the truth .. I think you where put on this Earth for people like me who don’t like to read manuals LOL 😂
Solid review Bo
I saving up for something like this ...but Iv not saved up enough to get a pocket operator yet
You're being very nice about that maschine+... I'm loving the mk3 for $350 if you know what I am saying.
Tha Akai software....mmm mmm. Like you said... SMH in shame. MPC deserves better. Sounds are great.
I didn't know you could only use specific kontakt instruments man, whats that about? I need to look that up
Great Vid Fam 🥃🥃
Bolo I’ve been on machine for two years used to crash so mines doesn’t crash at all anymore and it works very well light gray device you just gotta learn
Maschine user here. I’ve the Mk3 and the + . Maschine’s workflow is awesome but I agree with Bolo in that it’s much better when hooked up to the computer as the software is great. I was also quite dissapointed with the connectivity: no midi thru, no gate/cv, no individual outputs, no xlr input or headphone out at the front. However, something that many ignore is that you can use the headphone out as an aux send to route groups or sounds through external effects units.
The thing I most dislike is not being able to sample something and exporting the sample right away. You need to place it in the arranger first and then export, which is a huge pain point.
Other than that Maschine is such a joy to use and feels great under your finger tips.
Now I want to get a live2 and have both, especially for that awesome mpc standalone vibe.
Love my mpc one
I holding off until the next generation of the mpc I’m pretty sure it’s in the Akai lab. I could imagine the next MPC will have linear song arrangement with a better processor!!
I still want the MPC X. I will say I've considered the Maschine just because you've been working with it and did a few pros and cons. I'ma get that big boi tho. Thx for making these.
Hey Bolo. Thanks for an informative video. Do you still feel pretty much the same way now that MPC 3.0 is out and apparently a lot of the Maschine crashes are resolved? Thanks
The maschine+ crashes are not resolved. Mine got brciked a few months ago and im on an on-going chat with support, theyve given so many solutions to try but nothing has worked so far. Maschine+ is quite unreliable for this reason. The Akai seems to be truly portable, however with the maschine, you are still needing wallpower or another powerbrick to keep it on.
Who needs all these machines/old school hardware when all you need is FL Studio.
🤣
ask this Havoc, 9th Wonder , Dj Desue ...🤫
Hard to argue there. All you need is a mouse and an idea. I've seen Fruity Loops being used but never got into it myself.
Lex Luger, Metro Boomin, D4L, Soulja Boy, etc
@@double8beats bo1da, v don, o.z
Which one has the better pads? Just looking for a controller.
I love MPC pads
Bolo did u know the 5 folder icon in browser are for favourite folders? I say that cuz u mentioned about certain folders pulling up first.
I have the OG Live and dig it. But I use a lot of NI and NKS instruments, controlling them with my Komplete Kontrol. Because of this, I'm quite interested in a Maschine. Since I do 99% of my studio work hooked to the CPU, I'd go with the MK3 if I go that route.
But the lack of touch screen scares me. How folks edit MIDI without one is a mystery. I assume they use a mouse when connected. Standalone? How?
Yeah, the MPC software sucks. They could have a nice DAW after all these years. Why they haven't developed it, I can only imagine is because so much of the user base is standalone. It's a shame.
I haven't used it, but the Maschine software does look slick. And the browser is nice! That's another thing sub par with the MPC, even on 2.11.
Cool comparison!
I run 16BG ram and my mk3 crashes all of the time. It's irritating. Just started playing with the new key61. It seemed to me that the two machines were different animals of the same kingdom. They each shine im different ways. Good take man, I agree fully.