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akai mpc's
 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 12:50 [#01928823]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular



i've never owned or used one, but as far as sequencing goes
how detailed can you get w/ one? as detailed as you want, or
are there limitations? which is better, programming a piece
of hardware with a computer or with an mpc?


 

offline swears from junk sleep on 2006-06-28 12:54 [#01928825]
Points: 6474 Status: Lurker



I dunno, it just has a certain sound to it, which you would
have to mess around with software on a PC to get.
There's nothing it can technically do that pretty basic
wares like floops can't.



 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 13:06 [#01928829]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to swears: #01928825



it seems awesome cause you've got a sampler that has 2 midi
outs. soudn card in the 1000 is good, too. no need for a
computer there really, and thats whats enticing..


 

offline avart from nomo' on 2006-06-28 13:14 [#01928833]
Points: 1764 Status: Lurker



people use mpc's for the rhythmic "swing" + live playing
with the pads + making grooves & sequences without a
computer... I guess they also crash a lot less than a
windows pc. They are a dedicated tool for musicmaking and I
guess that is the real advantage - it's hard to waste time
on the net with an mpc.

You can't program stuff on a mpc as detailed as you can with
a computer, but how "detailed" does your stuff need to be?

computers offers battery power and a lot of more easy
editing of samples.

soundwise, there really are differences in sound between
hardware samplers and computers sound hardware my akai s2000
- same hardware as mpc 2000 - sounds a lot different than
any of my macs. Not better, but different.



 

offline avart from nomo' on 2006-06-28 13:24 [#01928837]
Points: 1764 Status: Lurker



an mpc-60 would be nice, it's 12-bit!
(bitcrusher plug ins on a computer can't come any way near
that sound)


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-28 13:31 [#01928845]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to avart: #01928833



Ummm. Yeah, you can. Its extremely intuitive. A lot more so
than most music software. It just takes you a little while
to get used to. You can work so fast on an mpc that a mouse
seems like a waste of time. You can automate your effect
sends, and the note repeat button combined with a slider for
either pitch or amplitude can get you some great sound
design.

I prefer the mpc sound to computers. You can get some great
bass hits that seem to end up muddled with most music
software. Plus, you don't have all the added hastles with
recording in on a computer when you are sampling with it.
Editing of short files is so fast. Long files should be done
on a computer, at least to get them into managable sizes.


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 13:32 [#01928846]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular



is the sequencer in the mpc responsible for the swing or is
it the user that's responsible for that? haha

but yeah i just need an alternative to the laptop man, and
this thing fucks up so much.


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 13:34 [#01928849]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to Taxidermist: #01928845



can't you drop midi files straight into the mpc?


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 13:37 [#01928852]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular



(so that you kinda can still do some machine-gunning/rapid
notes )


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-28 13:43 [#01928859]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to cygnus: #01928849



Ummm. well, its hard to explain. Loading and moving around
files is kind of like working with an older computer. You
can load midi files straight off the mpc.

If you end up getting one, I would suggest not doing your
file moving through the USB port. Just get a CF card reader
for your computer.

I am not going to say its the solution for everybody, but I
found it more than inspiring for what I was doing musically,
where I was getting so bored with software that I would open
up cubase or reason or fruity for five minutes and then turn
it off.


 

offline vveerrgg from life (Canada) on 2006-06-28 13:47 [#01928865]
Points: 846 Status: Lurker



I'm all hardware and I have to say.... it's alot different
then doing it all on the computer.. but you can import
sounds, and sequences into the MPC.. so if you build it half
on the computer and then move over to the MPC it;s not bad
at all.

I like the turn it on and go simplicity..

The MPC is great for setting up sequences and also patterns
and jamming with them. (which is how I make my tunes) So you
can setup a sequence with a bunch of patterns in it.. and
then mute and un mute them as you go along.... plug in a
midi controler and you're all good... might as well be on
the computer.. .but without the computer overhead or
distractions..

I say go for it.... just use the computer for finishing up
the track.. but do the majority of your work on the gear and
then record it or stripe it into the computer...... ce la
vie!

good times all around.

BTW: if you're looking for the best hardware sequencer out
there.. I would suggest getting your hands on a QY700 and
using a sampler or an RS7000 and expand the memory on it. I
have both an MPC and an QY. While I love my MPC and love
working with it... the QY700 has the best hardware sequencer
I've ever used. Very versatile. Way closer to using Cubase
then any other hardware sequencer I've ever used.


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 13:52 [#01928868]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to Taxidermist: #01928859



let's say ive got the mpc hooked up to the nord or another
synth, it can actually be sending notes right? and have it
respond to variations in, you know, adsr, and any other
things the nord might recognize like lfo rate change or etc.



 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-28 13:54 [#01928872]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to cygnus: #01928868



Yeah. Just have your nord set to on of the the midi in and
out chanels. Thats how I have my nord. Its on chanel A1-A4.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-28 13:55 [#01928874]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker



I am going to be getting a Virus C soon. That will be my
master controller and second main synthesizer.


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 13:58 [#01928875]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to vveerrgg: #01928865



those yamaha's look really nice


 

offline vveerrgg from life (Canada) on 2006-06-28 14:19 [#01928909]
Points: 846 Status: Lurker



the yamaha is a VERY CHEAP alternative to the MPC....

and thas how I have my setup. I have it like this.

909 --send midi clock--> MPC (midi in)
MPC --send midi out--> Nord Modular
Nord M --send midi in--> MPC (midi in)

So the 909 and it's wacky timing is the driver of
everything. And I use the Nord as a sound engine (a1-a4) and
also use it to send note information into the MPC for
playing sounds in the MPC instead of using just the pads.


 

offline impakt from where we do not speak of! on 2006-06-28 15:26 [#01928944]
Points: 5764 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



I'm gonna buy me an MPC asap. I have some serious GAS issues
:p


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 15:56 [#01928962]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to impakt: #01928944



what:!:!??


 

offline impakt from where we do not speak of! on 2006-06-28 15:58 [#01928965]
Points: 5764 Status: Lurker | Followup to cygnus: #01928962 | Show recordbag



Hehe, Gear Acquisition Syndrome :p


 

offline fleetmouse from Horny for Truth on 2006-06-28 16:08 [#01928971]
Points: 18042 Status: Lurker



Can you do Ableton sorts of things on an mpc, like have a 4
beat, 8 beat and 16 beat pattern all playing at the same
time in a scene, so the 4 beat pattern plays 4 times as the
16 beat pattern plays, and so on, or do you have to arrange
that beforehand like in a normal boring hateful sequencer?
And can patterns have arbitrary lengths from 1 beat to
something silly like 17 beats?

Also, can you change the loop points of samples as they're
playing for that jelinek-ish approach?


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 16:16 [#01928977]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to impakt: #01928965



didja ever get that tr909? or was it another piece you were
tryin to snag off of ebay?


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 16:17 [#01928979]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to fleetmouse: #01928971



ableton clips can be any length you want, and you can have
as many playing simultaneously in a 'scene' as you want.

and yeah you can mess indefinitely w/ loop points, trigger
points, etc. same with envelopes


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 16:19 [#01928981]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular | Followup to cygnus: #01928979



i read your post incorrecty! im sorry. i dont know if you
can do that on an mp3, taxi-sensei or verg can prolly tell
you tho


 

offline cygnus from nowhere and everyplace on 2006-06-28 16:20 [#01928984]
Points: 11920 Status: Regular



MPC* damnit!!!!


 

offline impakt from where we do not speak of! on 2006-06-28 16:25 [#01928991]
Points: 5764 Status: Lurker | Followup to cygnus: #01928977 | Show recordbag



No, he tried to scam me :(


 

offline fleetmouse from Horny for Truth on 2006-06-28 16:27 [#01928994]
Points: 18042 Status: Lurker



:feels confused and worried:


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2006-06-28 16:55 [#01929021]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



can someone either
a: record a video of themselves doing some fun with an mpc
including playing pitch of a sample using an external midi
keyboard
or
b: in a case where no video is available, audio would be
nice too


 

offline Taffmonster from dog_belch (Japan) on 2006-06-28 18:12 [#01929073]
Points: 6196 Status: Lurker



I'm going to invest in an mpc when i get to Japan (and I've
saved up) all i want is an mpc and a nord! would be such a
sweets et up withs oem outboard effects!


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-29 01:21 [#01929157]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to fleetmouse: #01928971



Can you do Ableton sorts of things on an mpc, like have a
4 beat, 8 beat and 16 beat pattern all playing at the same
time in a scene, so the 4 beat pattern plays 4 times as the

16 beat pattern plays, and so on, or do you have to arrange

that beforehand like in a normal boring hateful sequencer?
And can patterns have arbitrary lengths from 1 beat to
something silly like 17 beats?


Not really. You can't play more than one sequence at a time,
but in the song mode you can sequence the order the
sequences go in, so one sequence can be three bars, looped
four times, then the final sequence can be five bars, then
the next sequence can be one bar looped, so on and so forth.


Its not as easy right off the bat as software. You get
hardware for the sound, the interface, the stability, and
how it can help inspire you. You don't get it for
convenience. I have heard it said that when you invest in
software you are investing in tools, and when you invest in
hardware you are investing in instruments.

Also, can you change the loop points of samples as
they're playing for that jelinek-ish approach?


Another not really. You can set the same sample across a
variety of pads with envelope triggers set differently for
each pad, so if you hit pad one, the envelope decays sooner
than pad two for the same sample. You can also set filters
to do the same. Not only can you do it for one pad to
another, but you can load the same sample four times onto a
single pad, have separate settings for each instance, and
then just map the different samples to varying velocity
settings.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-29 01:22 [#01929159]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker



If you want that kind of sample manipulation, the roland
VP9000 would be more what you are looking for.


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2006-06-29 04:49 [#01929222]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to Taxidermist: #01929157 | Show recordbag



real-time pitch change by knob.. possible?


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-29 04:55 [#01929226]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #01929222



Yeah. Just assign one of the sliders (or knobs on the 2500)
to the pitch of the sample.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-29 04:56 [#01929228]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker



I am always playing with the volume and filter cutoff of the
samples with the sliders. Its good fun.


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2006-06-29 05:05 [#01929232]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to Taxidermist: #01929226 | Show recordbag



k, cool

can one apply timestretch to keep the length of the sample
constant while pitching?


 

offline fleetmouse from Horny for Truth on 2006-06-29 11:14 [#01929442]
Points: 18042 Status: Lurker | Followup to Taxidermist: #01929157



Thanks for the info - sounds like it has plenty of its own
tricks up its sleeves.


 

offline bogala from NYC (United States) on 2006-06-29 12:35 [#01929501]
Points: 5125 Status: Regular



Im after an electrix repeater. Very immediate stuff. More
fun than staring at an lcd screen.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-29 13:37 [#01929526]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #01929232



Yeah. They just did that with the 2.01 OS upgrade. You can
do only pitch, and you can do only length.


 

offline Taxidermist from Black Grass on 2006-06-29 13:39 [#01929527]
Points: 9958 Status: Lurker | Followup to bogala: #01929501



The electrix repeater is awesome. Now that electrix has been
revitalized, they are going to be re-repeasing the repeater,
so it should be a bit cheaper soon. You also might want to
look into the looperlative. It gives you 8 stereo
channels to work with instead of 4 mono channels, but I
don't know if you can sequence with it quite as well. But it
allows you loop locking and unlocking, timestretching,
varying lengths per loop, reverse and all that other stuff
on the fly.


 

offline bogala from NYC (United States) on 2006-06-29 13:44 [#01929528]
Points: 5125 Status: Regular



Perfect machines for people with ADD. Like me.


 

offline hevquip from megagram dusk sect (United States) on 2006-06-29 18:54 [#01929604]
Points: 3381 Status: Regular



i sequence on a roland mc500 mkII that i like alot.
everything is saved onto and loaded from 3.5 floppies, it
has two outs and a through, quantizes up to 1/96. 8 channels
you can mute and unmute, as well as a seperate track for
rhythm programming, step and real time programming and was
cheap to buy. i think it's the sequencer i will always use.
i have always liked the mpc's as well. i'd probably buy one
if i ever find one for a lean price, they seem like a good
sample and rhythm themed workstation.


 


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