Howard B. Knoxz in the Studio with His iMPC

I was thrilled to see Gadget of Scratch Magazine TV post another great iMPC video of Howard B. Knoxz recently.  I wrote about Howard's iMPC car video this past summer and requested he post a follow-up video showcasing more of his work with Akai's production app.  Here we see Howard showcasing several iMPC beats of his and highlighting some of the programming for beats like "Bodega Stories" (9:00 minute mark).  As he demonstrated in the above mentioned car video, one of the most attractive features of the iMPC is the portability.  The most significant upside to the various beat making apps out there is that simplifying the transportation of gear gives producers the ability to tap their creativity in any setting.  Howard explains around the 12:00 minute mark that you can use the iMPC, "In the bed, chillin' on the couch, parking lot...wherever".  Viewers trying to master the iMPC will be happy to see that in addition to highlighting the portability of the app, Howard demonstrates some of the sampling and chopping features around the 13:00 minute mark.

As a fan of many of the DMV producers, I'm excited to see Howard continue to grow as a producer.  It is clear he has a lot of talent and great ideas.  I look forward to hearing more from him as he continues to master the iMPC and his various other samplers and keyboards.  

Howard B. Knox Using the iMPC

When Akai first released the iMPC app, it wasn't exactly embraced by the beat making world.  It does seem to be gaining traction, however, and I've noticed people like Dunc from DTMD giving it their co-sign.  I think it's a great program for the price tag of $6.99.  It functions as a portable sketch pad and helps you get out ideas in the moment.  While the sound quality of beats produced on the iMPC cannot measure up to more advanced programs like Maschine, I think Akai is taking the right steps towards making it an effective mobile production unit.  

I'm curious how much Akai will invest in this app.  As companies like Ableton AG and Native Instruments continue to blend new technology with the analog button pushing aesthetic, it will be interesting to see if apps can ever become a serious part of the producing community.  While the iPad itself is expensive, I'm sure the affordability of various production apps like iMPC makes them attractive to younger producers and amateurs alike.

The amount of YouTube content featuring people on the iMPC continues to grow and I'm willing to wager it won't be long before a major player makes a video of themselves rocking with it.  One of my favorite videos featuring the iMPC has DMV producer Howard B. Knox using the program while riding in the passenger seat of his friends car.  What he makes in the brief video (there is also a Part 1) sounds great and I'd love to hear the finished product.  Seeing Howard make a beat while riding around in a car is cool as shit.  He should take this idea and turn it into a series.  

Shout outs to the folks behind this clip, Digital Hustle Films, for producing an endless stream of high quality videos and introducing me to Howard B. Knoxz.