It's difficult to explain shortly, but the arranger actually makes it much easier to compose music that has things like pick up beats, phrases that go over the bar line, or compositions that have less loop based format. I play my own parts on keys/guitar/bass and I sample/resample myself to develop ideas, but it's mostly based on my skills as a keyboardist. This sort of approach is difficult to achieve with the rigidity of the old sequence workflow, unless you do the "one sequence workflow" which is also improved immensely by the new sequencer work flow with the ability to copy bars and merge to the end or within the structure of the song, etc. This is something I think Akai took into consideration especially because they've included and developed more plugins and better audio track functionality. Also, we need odd time signatures again haha.
Accessing Program Edit was never a problem for me with the MPC Live 2 because you can assign it to Menu + Pad 4. With these buttons so close to each other you open Program/Track Edit with a single finger stroke.
Of course, I did the same thing, but isn’t it just strange that in all other mpcs there is a dedicated button, but on the most popular live 2 model there isn’t 🥲
@@MastaKraftprod Agreed. The designers probably overlooked its importance as a production machine at the time, focussing too much on the performing side of the hardware.
I would get the LIve 2 in a heartbeat but the black color makes no sense unless you carry a spotlight around. The retro edition costs already 2k on reverb because of the demand.
MPC didn't cost 2k even when it came out. You don't need a flashlight. After playing around with the MPC for a while, you'll find yourself hitting buttons by memory.
For whatever reason Akai either discontinued it or stopped manufacturing them. So they’re getting rare, hence the reason why people are re-selling them for above market prices
