mpc's

[Mix-Tak-Tix]

hi, basiclly i'm just lookin info from anyone on mpc's. obviously i know aswell as anyone the good name they have for themselves, and that they've helped many producers make some of the best hip hop ever made which is why im lookin to get one. but, i've never used one, or even seen one in action. i was wondering if people can tell me what the deal is with them? how and why they are so much better than software alternatives for example?


thanx guys
:clap:

[Sober]

For me it was the feel of "grooving with your beats." load your samples and kits, loop your sample, and rock your drums over it while recording. It was fun and different for every beat i made. Programming my drums was my main concern, i just had issues with software, i wasn't feeling it i guess. I couldn't really get the swing or vibe i wanted with clicks from a mouse, my finger got tired too.....

[hookiefree]

The aren't IMO. With a good software sequecer and some drum pads u can do way more than u can with an MPC alone for a whole lot cheaper.

[Javascript]

What you put in the MPC, will get out the MPC..

so its all mind work...

[Tha1AndOnlyDJT]

www.mpc-tutor.com

[Haterade]

Originally posted by hookiefree
The aren't IMO. With a good software sequecer and some drum pads u can do way more than u can with an MPC alone for a whole lot cheaper.

Not to rag on Hookie, but dude has probably never used an MPC. I sold my 2000xl 6 months ago and I regret it badly- there is no software alternative that keeps you working as fast and as efficently as a MPC. (and not just for hiphop, a GRIP of techno/house/ambient guys use the Roger Linn grey box)

While it is easy to bang out your drum patterns with it, the magic of the MPC is the feel of the sequencer- it's got more "groove" to it for lack of a better word. I run Logic 5 w/ the MPD pads, and it don't feel like my MPC, nowhere close. Also, while the kiddies will want to load all their drums into Fruity Loops, THERE IS NO SOUNDCARD OUT THERE THAT CAN PRODUCE THE RAW SOUND OF AN MPC. Whew, there, I said it. I still got an MPC 60 that can kick the shit out of speakers, no way I'd trade it for some wimpy soundcard...

[Formant024]

Shit, mpc vs. fl ?!?!?!stop comparing donuts with eggs. There's result with both within different perspectives, not to forget hybrids of mpc with software. People not thinking for themselves is what causes them to sell their mpc's in the first place lol! Dont believe the hype and don't jump on bandwagons...

MPC is cewl, but it's not the miracle whip, after all it's a friggin S2000 inside, that is the definition of a budgetsampler.

[hookiefree]

Originally posted by Haterade
Not to rag on Hookie, but dude has probably never used an MPC. I sold my 2000xl 6 months ago and I regret it badly- there is no software alternative that keeps you working as fast and as efficently as a MPC. (and not just for hiphop, a GRIP of techno/house/ambient guys use the Roger Linn grey box)

While it is easy to bang out your drum patterns with it, the magic of the MPC is the feel of the sequencer- it's got more "groove" to it for lack of a better word. I run Logic 5 w/ the MPD pads, and it don't feel like my MPC, nowhere close. Also, while the kiddies will want to load all their drums into Fruity Loops, THERE IS NO SOUNDCARD OUT THERE THAT CAN PRODUCE THE RAW SOUND OF AN MPC. Whew, there, I said it. I still got an MPC 60 that can kick the shit out of speakers, no way I'd trade it for some wimpy soundcard...

ur probably just not used to sequencing in logic dawg. it took a minute to get ur groove with an MPC at first didn't it? i felt the same way when i tried sequencing with software at first.
i guess by groove u mean how it quantizes ur notes. i never used logic but i know PT has way more quantizing options than the MPC does. suppose u make a tight loop but only 2 notes are off what are u going to do? do it over or scroll through the step editing to find it then change it. boooo. if u use software all u have to do is click and drag it to where u want.
don't get me wrong i loved my MPC, (by the way, i don't have to lie about gear, i got guitars that are worth more than a MPC) and got tight results with it. my beef is that u can spend $1,200 on a sampler/sequencer and just have a samper/sequencer or $1,200 on a whole recording set up. Mics, headphones, industry standard recording software, sound card, sound module, and drum pads. u make the call.
people love what they love whatever works for u go for it.

[MassProduktionz]

Personally, I like the hands on approach the MPC forces you to have. But mostly its a matter of preference and what you're most comfortable with.

[Mega-man]

I couldn't have put it better my self Mass! it's all a matter of preference! I own a MPC 2000, me personly I love it! thats all i work with now! I would suggest trying it out for your self and seeinig if you like it and if its right for you. Don't just get it cause you see kanye using one! use it...If you like it and you think the mpc will suit your production style better than what you have then go for it.

-MEGA

[Equality 7-2521]

i think hardware in general shits on software. not for performane.....just for comfort.

its so much esier having an mpc than having to look at a big computer screen for hours on end. plus working with the mpc is quick to learn (youll know it all in a month depending on how quick you are) and once you know how to use it, its a breeze.

[The Bastard]

''I own a MPC 2000, me personly I love it! thats all i work with now! '' r u saying u dont even need a midi keyboard to play yur synth on? im just curious cuz i wanted to buy an mpc but got turned off to the fact thatll ill still need a keyboard for my my synth i rather have an all in one workstation,sumthin like what people say the roland fantom is, im gunna keep doin research but can u explain to me how a mpc is all u use to make beats

[PrOLifiK]

I dont have an mpc yet but I want one for sure. I know some people that have one, and for me the sound is just way better than any I have seen using reason, FL, or logic. Logic has some good synths though. You will have more fun with an mpc anyways.

[Formant024]

If you dont have one, buy the mpc1000 in combo with logic. Im using the 2kxl with logic and there's simply no limit in how to setup a prefered interface to whatever controller/sequencer. Dont be to jumpy on the sampler, I dont know about the 1k but I suspect that it's engine is derrived from the Zx engine, if not than it's a S2000 but without timestretching and some other utilities. No big problem realy since the USB port allows you quickly transfer samples for editing in your prefered wav editor and then dump it back into their. The more logical I think about it, I'd edit my samples in a kit/project correctly in the pc with soundforge and then dump it into the sampler since it just works faster with pc for GUI instead of the little lcd screen, jog/dial and an engine of a 40mHz or so ( I dunno ). In other terms, a pc with a good dsp card ( like the new EMU pc sampler ) is a good sampler by default when the A/D or D/A is of mentionable quality, which is mostly the case with hardware samplers and not with Soundblaster xxx. So just hook the mpc1k up with pc, ultimate sampler ( Emu said it had equiped the dsp card with all their technology done so far, it actualy has a z plane filter!). Dont worry about delays through midi, the 2kxl can clock like 20ms back and forth, just a practical issue for criticism hehe. Much better would eventualy be a mpc1k with a z8 ( read expensive ) and a pc with digital interface for I/O on the Z8 and like 16 A/D converted inputs other synths or fx sends etc.

[The Bastard]

whats the deal about programing yur synth and samples with the mpc, u have to have some kind of external midi board right

[dioii]

I'm just a newbie on here and when it comes to but there's one thing that really bothers me. Why are there so many people that have only gotten to know either just the hardware or just a software module well that bash the item they haven't taken the time to know as well as their original piece of equipment? Is there anyone out there who has taken the time to know both sides without giving up in frustration? Because those are the people whose opinions would be the most helpful. Is there anyone out there that started out with a MIDI keyboard, drumpads(like the MPD-16) and a software module like fruity loops or reason that switched to hardware(or vice-versa) got to know the ins and outs of both and has an opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of each? Not to knock anyone but from the eyes of a newbie who really needs some help on making a decision this all just looks like a battle between two mostly bullheaded camps(software vs. hardware)

[CooGi_dice]

"whats the deal about programing yur synth and samples with the mpc, u have to have some kind of external midi board right"

@inspecta wu - what do u mean by "programing"

i guess u mean playing external synth keyboards and rack moduals, all u need for that is a midi cable, ha ha.


ive never had to refer to a manual with a mpc, there so dam easy to navigate, evrything is in simple english, no roland or korg cryptic bullsh*t.

sample, edit, midi, make a song or 2 or 3.... so on and so on.

the mpc is Gods blessing to producers........

[HCTarks]

amen coogi.. the mpc is a mean piece of machinery

[The Bastard]

what i mean is playing synth over yur beats .i know mpcs are great for programmin drums but whats the concept of laying the synth ,bass and other effects over them do u have to save them as a sample and punch them in?

[mArkoFdAbEaTz]

to lay down a synth you just need a midi cable going in from the mpc to the module and you can lay out whatever you want, the mpc is a sequencer so it will record the midi data you entered and the synth will play it when the mpc tells it to.

[The Bastard]

sou out of the mpc in to the module? then out of the module into the interface? how do i trigger the synnth,if its a midi board where in the chain does it go sorry for all the nebie questions i been usin software for a year

[mArkoFdAbEaTz]

the same way u have a software sequencer, the mpc is a hardware one. the mpc would control your synths and you would just hook up the audio outs into a mixer or your soundcard to record a track into your computer. no interface, the mpc is the interface unless you want the computer to be the sequencer still and just use the mpc as a sound module type thing to trigger its samples and it doesnt make sense to me to do this since your paying like a g and change for it. i sequence everything on my mpc, midi and samples, i just have a midi cable going into the computer so when i run cubase i can hit record on the computer and my mpc will start playing the beat and i can track it out. hope this helps. 1

[The Bastard]

so i an trigger sound from the module from my keyboard and have it sequence in the mpc?

[mArkoFdAbEaTz]

pretty much. i trigger my module with my oxygen 8 and everything is sequenced in the mpc.

[The Bastard]

woot woot

[The Bastard]

what if ya have samples on zip disks and ya wanna trigger them with yur midi board u jus load the samples and trigger them and the sounds should come out of the mpcs outputs right

[Alleycat]

For me the mpc collection is the SHIT!!!!!
Its all about the hands on approach. There's nothing like bangin the shit out of those pads. - own 3 outta of the mpc collection the 60,2000 and the 1000. Don't get me wrong some software has some tight sounds. But think about it if your computer crashes your're fucked. Oh ye hookiefree you stated that pro tools has more quanitizing options, but check out the groove templates , they have some for the mpc, why would they single out the mpc if it wasn't that fire

[The Bastard]

IS THERE ANY DIFFRENCE BETWEEN THE NEW BLUE 2000XL MODEL AND THE ORIGINAL 2000XL MODEL BESIDES THE COLOR?

[mArkoFdAbEaTz]

just the color

[The Bastard]

WORD ILL PROLLY GET A USED ORIGINAL ONE A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS CHEAPER THEN

[bigdmakintrax]

Hey look Imma have to come to Hooks defense...LATE....I can vouch he had the MPC and did some pretty hot beats on it....even B4 me I just had an SP12.....but I am also using LOgic too, logic is great for making hip hop patterns....I read and article by Eddie F. ya'll know from heavy D...... on the internet if I find it I will copy and paste it...he uses logic and expands on how powerful it is in his production setup.....when I read the article about the 45 king he's using logic as the complete backbone.....but in each of those cases they are still using hardware samplers but doing all of the sequencing in logic....I am using logic to control my SP1200, my mophatt and newly acquired Keyboard, because I use the sp because I cant find any software that comes close to the sounds it creates with an ordinary sample or I make the pattern on the SP and then sync it with my other gear via logic...LOL.....I miss my MPC but I won't lose any sleep, if you even use the sampler in Logic you can do almost the same things and more and you can arrange patterns pretty fast....I dunno the gap is closing between the classic gear and what the programmers are doing, they are listening to all of the talk on this site...

[Formant024]

Logic is the thang when it comes to hardware and my mpc is hooked up via the midi thru. I can work with either one of them or just turn the pc off and only use the mpc for the rest of all the midi gear.

[The Bastard]

only thing im worried about is if ill be able to make complete beats with complex synth, effects and ,bass , in addition to the drum programming the mpc is known for ,is it possiblle to make those kind of complete music pieces all on an mpc and a midi board and sound disks ,from what i picked up off this thread i can load a disk that has synth sounds into the mpc and trigger those sounds from my midi board right ,or would i be better off buying a board workstation and an mpd to punch in the drumms,sorry for the long ass question but i been researchin so long and im still confused aabout what to get ,i just dont want to make a 1000 doller mistake you know

[mArkoFdAbEaTz]

for the last time...yes. but if your worried then just get a computer sequencer which will be cheaper and the mpd. everything has its upside and downside.

[Pinnacle]

I had the same dilemma when choosing to go with software or hardware. I choose to at first learn the hardware, so I purchased an mpc 4000. In my opinion I think the 4000 is a good move to make as far as hardware because it is completely digital and can be upgraded to suite. But don't limit yourself to one or the other, use both its a win win situation.

[Formant024]

Originally posted by inspectah wu
only thing im worried about is if ill be able to make complete beats with complex synth, effects and ,bass , in addition to the drum programming the mpc is known for ,is it possiblle to make those kind of complete music pieces all on an mpc and a midi board and sound disks ,from what i picked up off this thread i can load a disk that has synth sounds into the mpc and trigger those sounds from my midi board right ,or would i be better off buying a board workstation and an mpd to punch in the drumms,sorry for the long ass question but i been researchin so long and im still confused aabout what to get ,i just dont want to make a 1000 doller mistake you know

Assuming you already have a pc, you can use the mpc between the midi IO of the pc and mpc to your hardware. In this manner you can control your hardfware by either pc or mpc or at the same time. This also means that you can program drums by the mpc and save a midi filetype 1 and edit it on your pc's audio platform. Depending on your hardware you can be as accurate on automation and editing by hardware as with software. For what concerns using synth samples into mpc to be controlled by a mpd, I'd recommend a pc with a good midicontroller\masterboard. You can drum just aswell on a keyboard than the mpd aslong as it is touch-senstive.

[The Bastard]

yueah id prolly try to stay away from the pc once i got it cuz its kinda the reason i want it i want to get away from the computer ,but im gunna go for the mpc midi keyboard and sample disks combo thanks

[Double8]

I use FL and Reason.. and I gotta say.. I went to Guitar Center for abut 4 hoursand learned the MPC2500. I made about 4 sequences... and I fell in love with it. The thing I like about it is the interface and how u program the drums because that gives me a good swing. The workflow of that shit can't compare to software EVER! I mean.. you can throw in the hihats, bang in a 4 bar bassline, throw in a melody, and bang in some drums over it... and u don't even need to stop (unless u make a mistake)! Ok.... so I made a kick mistake... I would just like to do it again insted of using a mouse to move the kick over to the right position, because doing it again keeps me up with the vibe. Hmm... I don't like software drum programming... which is why it takes a while to make a beat. Also, i'll needa upgrade my 256MB RAM to atleast 1GB Ram, new processor (maybe), and of course a new soundcard. Don't get me wrong though... FL Studio and Reason are perfect for "Crunk" beats in my opinion! Lol... I try making classic hiphop beats with software... just can't do it. With the MPC... I can. BEST OF BOTH WORLDS HOMIE! If I ever get one... Reason will be my sound module.