Akai mpc purchase?

[Relish]

I want to purchase my friends fair conditioned Mpc 1000 to start dabbling into music production and was wondering if 600 is a fair deal. Also I was wondering if anyone who know's about mpc's could tell me the process of sampling etc. Thank you.

[keagan]

600 is alright. Could probably do 550 but....

I paid 400 for a "refurbished" 500 at guitar center.

uh, you plug in you're sound source in the line in, chop it up, and play with it using the pads or a midi controller.

explaining "the process of sampling" is like explaining "the process of playing the tuba" or something...

But MPC's are really only practical nowadays if you already have some other hardware to go along with it. Which you don't.

May I suggest a copy of ableton live and a trigger finger?

[thelaststarfighter]

explaining "the process of sampling" is like explaining "the process of playing the tuba" or something...

But MPC's are really only practical nowadays if you already have some other hardware to go along with it. Which you don't.

(edit: hrm i took this off topic a bit)

ditto.

you could do just as well/better with an MPD or Trigger Finger and a slew of software and vsts.

if you want to get into beats seriously, as in production, sampling is a dying artform. as unfortunate as it is, more and more labels are becoming less willing to clear samples, and if you're waiting for work to be published, this can be a painstaking process. read Just Blazes' blog regarding Saigon's album holdup (which has been done for a year+ and still not released) for more info regarding sample clearances and bullshit.

Not saying that sampling shouldnt be done, I've got crates of 60's and 70's soul/funk/jazz sitting next to me as i type this, but if you're looking to get serious, it's recommended that you strike a middleground between synth/instrumentation and sampling. clearance payouts are a bitch.

[Mr Fingers]

I disagree with the last two dudes. Buy the MPC. $600 is an okay price and nothing compares to having a physical object to work with. The issue of sampling is kind of irrelevant because you don't need to sample from vinyl to use an MPC anyway.

And as long as you don't abuse it, you can resell the MPC for what you paid for it if things don't work out.

[denimdestroyedmylife]

true MPCs hold their value well

so buy, play around, get bored, resell

may i suggest a dr. sample instead?

much cheaper, albeit a different beast altogether, but still all you really need to do sample-based music

[mizanation]

$600 to see if you want to make music or not is kinda steep.

i would get a copy of reason and recycle then see if you want to keep doing music.

but if you like making music with reason/recycle, you will probably not got get a mpc 1000 since it lacks a lot of the stuff sampling features of reason/recyle and higher end mpcs.

[wEstSidE]

I disagree with the last two dudes. Buy the MPC. $600 is an okay price and nothing compares to having a physical object to work with. The issue of sampling is kind of irrelevant because you don't need to sample from vinyl to use an MPC anyway.

And as long as you don't abuse it, you can resell the MPC for what you paid for it if things don't work out.

this is mr fingers, listen to him.

seriously, you don't "need" one of these unless you already know what you're doing.

[mizanation]

a computer with a midi-controller IS a "physical object".

[JohnnyRed]

Keep in mind that the MPC doesn't have sounds in it. You're going to need sample sources. I got an MPC 2000 because I have a bazillion records and I hate working on the computer.

The MPC 1000 is a good way to test if you're into it or not because it'll sell for about what you paid (unless there's a wacky new version out soon). Old MPCs are more expensive, but hold their value much better, I can still probably get what I paid for my 2000. But the 1000 has USB and whatnot, plus a hard drive inside. It's way easier to work with, and you still get to beat the pads.

I say go for it at 600 bucks.

[Corbin Law]

my brother bought MPD pad thing today

just messed around with it a moment ago

i like it alot, i have a feeling it will make electronic shows

a lot less boring. but i dontknow how it stacks up against and MPC

i know it definitely was much less than 600 though,

[JohnnyRed]

my brother bought MPD pad thing today

just messed around with it a moment ago

i like it alot, i have a feeling it will make electronic shows

a lot less boring. but i dontknow how it stacks up against and MPC

i know it definitely was much less than 600 though,

Well it's just a controller. There's no storage or sampling capapbilites on the MPD, so you need to run it with Reason or Live or whatever sampling program on your computer. An MPC is better suited for someone that wants to get off their computer or focus on tapping out human-ized patterns rather than grid-snapping.

[Corbin Law]

thus far we have hooked it up with ableton live

yeah i see what you mean, about mpc having a harddrive

i think its more interesting to watch someone tap out beats

makes it feel more like an actual instrument.

[Relish]

Thanks for all this info. It's more than enough, But I'm still wondering if I do get it (which I most likely will this weekend) What progams do I have to purchase or DL that's compatible for window's?

[insomaniac]

thus far we have hooked it up with ableton live.

\

which version do you use? if 6, is it worth upgrading from 5?

[mizanation]

An MPC is better suited for someone that wants to get off their computer or focus on tapping out human-ized patterns rather than grid-snapping.

mpc does not make more "humanized patterns"--that is up to the user. also, the mpc, like all midi based interfaces, has a grid--in fact, the same midi grid that is in all midi-based software and machines.

i can see this thread turning into a shitty argument with cats who have more opinions than experience.

to the original poster, i hope you enjoy making music, whether you get the mpc 1000 or not.

[onemancult]

fuck all y'alll muthafuckin technology bitches, all workin on computerizations of muthafucking technologies,

i make music using sticks and stones, and i'll break yr bones.

[cuddlysheep]

ive been using reason for years. it works pretty nice. then i got a motif es 6 also.

[JohnnyRed]

mpc does not make more "humanized patterns"--that is up to the user. also, the mpc, like all midi based interfaces, has a grid--in fact, the same midi grid that is in all midi-based software and machines.

i can see this thread turning into a shitty argument with cats who have more opinions than experience.

to the original poster, i hope you enjoy making music, whether you get the mpc 1000 or not.

Having used both the MPC 2000 extensivly and the MPD controller with Ableton, I can honestly say that I'm way more comfortable on the 2000. Of course you can snap both to the grid, but OFF the grid I find the MPD has a slight latency that I can't really deal with.

Plus, I often prefer to work without looking at a screen. I find that I get much more natural patterns when I'm just feeling it, than when Im constantly comparing it to the grid on the screen.

Of course you can make great music with either option, I'm just saying a MPC 1000 is a fine investment, you just need to consider what you're trying to do.

edit: but by the way, yes ALL midi has a grid, but not all grids are created equal. Just as not all mixing algorithms are created equal (this is why Pro Tools and Acid do not sound the same when mixing down the exact same sounds). The timing on the 2000 is different than the 60 is different than the Sp1200 etc etc

[Mr Fingers]

What progams do I have to purchase or DL that's compatible for window's?

That really depends what you intend to do with the MPC.

[Relish]

That really depends what you intend to do with the MPC.

Just recently started Listening or paying more attention to how ill pete rock is and started feening to learn how to make beats and sample like him. I just want to do it for a hobby...nothing serious, just add another trade that I can learn to love. Also started talking to this hip-hop group called happy daze. Look out for them...I think there the truth. This cat Vince P. produces the track and Phillie Pellegrino is one of the illest MC's in San diego and the shedding light on the situation at hand too.

[Mr Fingers]

Sorry, what I meant was how you intend to work. For example, you can chop samples on the MPC, but some people find it easier to chop them on their computer and then bounce back to the 1000. You don't need a computer/software to make beats on the MPC, but you may decide to use the computer to augment it.

[mizanation]

ok.

Having used both the MPC 2000 extensivly and the MPD controller with Ableton, I can honestly say that I'm way more comfortable on the 2000.

Of course you can snap both to the grid, but OFF the grid I find the MPD has a slight latency that I can't really deal with.

latency has to do with your computer and your settings. you can bring down the latency so that it is virtually non-existant. also, it could be because you started off with the mpc. if you started off with ableton, you would probably like it better.

Plus, I often prefer to work without looking at a screen. I find that I get much more natural patterns when I'm just feeling it, than when Im constantly comparing it to the grid on the screen.

stop looking at the grid on the screen.

Of course you can make great music with either option, I'm just saying a MPC 1000 is a fine investment, you just need to consider what you're trying to do.

i think if he already has a computer, software is a much better investment since it is free.

The timing on the 2000 is different than the 60 is different than the Sp1200 etc etc

the timing on the 60, 1000, 2000 and 3000 is the exact same. all four mpc's use 96ppqn (96 parts per quarter note) sequencing. whatever differences you are hearing between mpc's is not timing.

there is a difference between the sp1200 which runs at 24ppqn.

it really is personal preference. i like the mpc, too. it's just that software has gotten so good, it's impossible for me to go back.

[insomaniac]

fuck all y'alll muthafuckin technology bitches, all workin on computerizations of muthafucking technologies,

i make music using sticks and stones, and i'll break yr bones.

when i first laid my hands on these digital music programs, i almost wanted to vomit. what took me hours to figure out on live band setting only took me a few minutes on these things. technology is amazing.

though i do have to say, since i am used to playing in a live, go-crazy-and-break-shit environment, i do not get as much high playing digitally than i do with live instruments.

i miss running into my bass cabs.

[JohnnyRed]

the timing on the 60, 1000, 2000 and 3000 is the exact same. all four mpc's use 96ppqn (96 parts per quarter note) sequencing. whatever differences you are hearing between mpc's is not timing.

I guess it's more on the grid differences that I hear then. My friend swears by his 60 and his grid swing just has something special. I generally just don't grid for my swing. Anyway, good call.

it really is personal preference. i like the mpc, too. it's just that software has gotten so good, it's impossible for me to go back.

Yeah exactly, +rep for this. I fucking love software, and I use Ableton for all loops, and even mixing down tracks. But I just love getting creative on the MPC with the computer off, I'm always happier with how my drum patterns come out.

The bottom line is, you can make whatever tools you have work for you. Just know what you're trying to do, know how to use the shit you have, and make it happen.

[mizanation]

i think working on an mpc, sp or asr is more fun because it's a challenge to work around the limitations and quirks of the instrument.

for instance, on the sp1200, the sliders stick so you have to wiggle them before resetting their value. also, since you only have a floppy disk to work with, you have to speed up the sample which degrades the sound quality--making that distinctive, grainy sp1200 sound.

with machines, the expression of your creativity is really based on how well you can work around these quirks. which really is the same for all instruments. (i.e. for trumpet, you have about a 3 octave range, intervals larger than a major 4th are tough, etc., etc.)

with software, you have very few limitations. in fact, your creativity and talent usually becomes the limiting factor. this is really more of a challenge because you have nothing to really shape what your sound becomes.

[onemancult]

with software, you have very few limitations. in fact, your creativity and talent usually becomes the limiting factor. this is really more of a challenge because you have nothing to really shape what your sound becomes.

this is my exact outlook on working with software, and it is why i choose to work almost exclusively with software.

[JohnnyRed]

with software, you have very few limitations. in fact, your creativity and talent usually becomes the limiting factor. this is really more of a challenge because you have nothing to really shape what your sound becomes.

Yes! Exactly right. Software is virtually limitless in it's possibilities, and I personally prefer to work with limitations. It's harder for me to self-impose limitations, so I work much better on the MPC. It really is just personal preference, I just get way more creative when I'm forced to work around limits or problems.

[Relish]

Well I'd like to have a software program just to start out w/ and possibly in the future just to get over creative blocks. Where would I be able to find software? We should have one big production thread. That would help out alot as well. HAH.

[josephr]

the mpc is an incredible tool. it is self contained, and can do a limited amount of things. a computer is a general purpose workstation, the possibilities are endless. too endless if you want to get started on a track, many times, i think.

as an engineer, i'd rather be on a computer to edit the samples on a screen, etc etc. as an artist, i'd probably rather use an MPC and get to work on making MUSIC, then sorting the sounds later.

i am working on a record with a guy who uses a pair of sp-303s (panda bear ripoff) which are considered really amateurish shitty samplers and makes awesome music. i mean, panda bear uses that too. and from what i hear, madlib.

as far as the "different pieces of hardware sound different" argument and the 96 ppqn etc etc, there are TONS and TONS of variables that factor into minute differences in sound. and when you get to talking about that in terms of digital gear it is almost more complex because the differences are sooooooo small. like a slightly different part in the a/d or d/a converter or something can make something sound "brighter"... see all the guys modding digidesign's pro tools boxes to get "better" sound".

if you want to be an artist i would get the MPC. if you want to be a "producer" (whatever that means) then maybe you should look into getting ableton and all that stuff that will make you SO SLICK TOP OF THE POPS!

[josephr]

i would get a copy of reason and recycle then see if you want to keep doing music.

"get a copy of reason and recylce"...do you mean steal or buy? because if you're buying it's pretty close to $600.

and 600 is not steep AT ALL to get into music...think about the very recent history when you'd have to buy a $$$$ violin, cello, guitar, piano, etc etc to play...