MPC 1000/2500

[Guest Ministry of Undos]

There's no JJ on the 500, and JJ is where it's at. The additions are phenomenal. I'd rather use my 1000 than any of my DAW apps, but of course it depends on what you want to do with it. You're not going to replicate the loop functionality of Live or the quick technical chopping of Renoise. But you get something else. Anyway, I think the JJ additions are essential, though I got them as they appeared which spread the cost - getting up to 2XL straight now would be a fair chunk of extra cash. But it expands the sequencing and sampling features massively. You lose the fast ram, because the OS sits there, but with compact flash that's not an issue.

 

My only beef is with the poxy Akai buttons that have previously haunted me on the 2K range. My left cursor is getting fussy, and it's a real pain. I've blasted it with switch cleaner which has helped a little, but I know it's going to be soldering time before long.

 

Actually I do have another beef and that's with the sad state of the onboard effects. And I do prefer the more 'relaxed' pads on my old 2KXL. But everything else about it is a joy.

[soundwave]

not wanting to trawl through the MPC forums but is the latest JJ0S.2 better on the 2500 than the 1000?

 

they're priced differently for the upgrades and the 2500 isn't that much more expensive than the 1000 and it has better pads as standard although the size isn't quite as portable

[Retape]

if I didn't get my 1000 dirt cheap I'd get the 2500 for sure. it has 2 more midi outs which would be really handy in my setup. also 4 more individual outs.

[Guest Ministry of Undos]

It looks like the 2500 OS is the same as the 1000 one - it's .01 version ahead, but the release notes look the same.

 

You can see all the features of OS2XL here (this is the 1000 version):

 

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/os2xl/manual.htm

 

It's proper mental. Non-destructive chop, arpeggiator, timing correct strength, chord mode - well, the list is there and it goes on. I don't know how many more features he can realistically cram into the memory space, but it looks like he's still got a Pong/Space Invaders game in there...

[Guest James Cagney]

mpc 1000 4 life

[digit]

there is no difference between os 2 on the 1000 & the 2500. JJ confusingly grouped the purchases on the 2500 because less people use it.

 

1000 = buy each os seperately.

 

2500 = have to buy all the os's together in a package deal. cannot purchase them seperately.

 

2500 purchase price is more expensive, but you getting all three os's (1,2,2XL).

kind of a rip off if you ask me, but that's how he did it to justify developing for the smaller 2500 user base.

[digit]

btw, there are a million mpc vids on youtube but this is one of my favs.

shows good use of the track mutes live + the qlink slider controlling the filter.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TwRhohpVoE

[YEK]

so everyone is saying with an mpc 1000 and a synth that's all you need?

 

 

how would you utilize the synth?... tap out a melody and record it as a sample ?

 

 

also i assume they have no efx, but they do have a filter... then an efx box would be helpful too?

[digit]

so everyone is saying with an mpc 1000 and a synth that's all you need?

 

 

how would you utilize the synth?... tap out a melody and record it as a sample ?

 

 

also i assume they have no efx, but they do have a filter... then an efx box would be helpful too?

 

 

why sample the synth? you record the midi data in the mpc & then just send that out to the synth. you use the sampler for sounds the synth can't readily produce.

the mpc is known as a sampler, but it's true strength is as a midi sequencer. you've got 64 tracks per sequence and 99 sequences available to be loaded at once. each one of those tracks can contain pad hits that play internal samples, midi note data, midi cc data, midi program change messages, midi sysex strings, tempo changes, etc... pretty much anything you can do with midi can be recorded.

 

you send this out along with midi clock to sync all your external gear. you can be playing internal samples & controlling all of your external gear at the same time. plus playing stuff with the pads realtime over the top. you can even set the mpcs sliders to output midi cc if you want to tweak your external gear.

 

if you've just got a regular synth then i would recommend that you also get an external fx box because the mpcs fx are pretty limited. but this is why i think the nord g2 works so perfect here because it does both synthesis & fx really well. plus you can program all sorts of bizzare stuff in there that you wouldn't find in a typical fx box. so for me those are the only 2 pieces of kit i need, aside from some external midi controllers i use to tweak the nord when recording or making patches.

[Guest Ministry of Undos]

Digit's on the ball here. If you only had a 1000 and a basic synth you'd still be able to make use of the MPC's fx, eq and dynamics - feed the synth (which the MPC can be sequencing) into the MPC, set up the sends for external input, and the MPC works like a very simple mixer. You can have the MPC samples, external input and recorded audio tracks all going through the MPC's internal processing if need be. And you can sample while the machine's sequencing, so it's easy to set up and then grab a phrase or whatever, add it as a sample and then do something else with the synth. This is all with JJOS, I've lost track of what can and can't be done with the Akai OS. I'd say JJ is essential if you have one.

 

What I'd love is a mode that used the 16 pads for TR-style recording. Shift & pad to select an instrument, then tap the steps as usual.

[digit]

What I'd love is a mode that used the 16 pads for TR-style recording. Shift & pad to select an instrument, then tap the steps as usual.

 

you mean like this?:

 

 

 

os2/2xl has this. xox sequencing where each pad = 1 step. hit the pad to toggle the step on/off. very cool feature.

here's the manual page.

 

 

 

also, anyone considering getting an mpc... don't EVER buy one new. mpcs are almost as grotesquely overpriced as elektron gear.

go on craigslist or ebay & you will see tons of them for sale. i got mine in brand new condition off ebay a couple years ago for $600.

you can get them even cheaper than that + some people will sell them with jj os already installed.

[YEK]

so everyone is saying with an mpc 1000 and a synth that's all you need?

 

 

how would you utilize the synth?... tap out a melody and record it as a sample ?

 

 

also i assume they have no efx, but they do have a filter... then an efx box would be helpful too?

 

 

why sample the synth? you record the midi data in the mpc & then just send that out to the synth. you use the sampler for sounds the synth can't readily produce.

the mpc is known as a sampler, but it's true strength is as a midi sequencer. you've got 64 tracks per sequence and 99 sequences available to be loaded at once. each one of those tracks can contain pad hits that play internal samples, midi note data, midi cc data, midi program change messages, midi sysex strings, tempo changes, etc... pretty much anything you can do with midi can be recorded.

 

you send this out along with midi clock to sync all your external gear. you can be playing internal samples & controlling all of your external gear at the same time. plus playing stuff with the pads realtime over the top. you can even set the mpcs sliders to output midi cc if you want to tweak your external gear.

 

if you've just got a regular synth then i would recommend that you also get an external fx box because the mpcs fx are pretty limited. but this is why i think the nord g2 works so perfect here because it does both synthesis & fx really well. plus you can program all sorts of bizzare stuff in there that you wouldn't find in a typical fx box. so for me those are the only 2 pieces of kit i need, aside from some external midi controllers i use to tweak the nord when recording or making patches.

 

 

elsewhere on another forum i was told that the mpcs were best as a sampler rather than a midi sequencer.

[chaproy]

so everyone is saying with an mpc 1000 and a synth that's all you need?

 

 

how would you utilize the synth?... tap out a melody and record it as a sample ?

 

 

also i assume they have no efx, but they do have a filter... then an efx box would be helpful too?

 

 

why sample the synth? you record the midi data in the mpc & then just send that out to the synth. you use the sampler for sounds the synth can't readily produce.

the mpc is known as a sampler, but it's true strength is as a midi sequencer. you've got 64 tracks per sequence and 99 sequences available to be loaded at once. each one of those tracks can contain pad hits that play internal samples, midi note data, midi cc data, midi program change messages, midi sysex strings, tempo changes, etc... pretty much anything you can do with midi can be recorded.

 

you send this out along with midi clock to sync all your external gear. you can be playing internal samples & controlling all of your external gear at the same time. plus playing stuff with the pads realtime over the top. you can even set the mpcs sliders to output midi cc if you want to tweak your external gear.

 

if you've just got a regular synth then i would recommend that you also get an external fx box because the mpcs fx are pretty limited. but this is why i think the nord g2 works so perfect here because it does both synthesis & fx really well. plus you can program all sorts of bizzare stuff in there that you wouldn't find in a typical fx box. so for me those are the only 2 pieces of kit i need, aside from some external midi controllers i use to tweak the nord when recording or making patches.

 

 

elsewhere on another forum i was told that the mpcs were best as a sampler rather than a midi sequencer.

 

This vid is mostly how to setup the MIDI connection between the MPC and the Sytnh, but the end displays what digit is talking about. Most of it is straight forward, but maybe visually it'll show you what is possible.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx5w0BKhphc

[Guest Ministry of Undos]

What I'd love is a mode that used the 16 pads for TR-style recording. Shift & pad to select an instrument, then tap the steps as usual.

 

you mean like this?:

I almost added "I bet it already exists and I just haven't found it yet" to the end of my post.

 

I wouldn't recommend the MPC as a general sequencer out of the box, but with all the visual editing tools JJ adds, definitely.

[psn]

A used MPC1000 costs about the same as a new Maschine. I'd like to get into sampling, and am pondering which would be the better purchase.

 

Does the workflow and power of the Maschine outweigh the standalone-ness of the MPC?

 

Thanks!

 

PS: I'm also a bit intrigued by the Elektron Octatrack, but I'll be on the fence for a few more months on that one and let it get out of beta testing before I decide.

[Guest yikes]

i cut my teeth on an mpc 60

then got a 2000

and i have a 1000 now as a back up/side line item and its great cause of the usb

its good to make music with your ears minus a flat screen sometimes and confined to limited options

i still contend that the the RDj album was sequenced with an mpc

[soundwave]

jjos2xl has the best workstation/loop style hardware midi sequencer i've come across, editing is a breeze and then you have 64 tracks

 

you can also assign mutes of sequences or samples to all the pads over four banks and group mutes together or even switch sample kits back and forth in real time

 

ok you do have to stop and start for some functions so its not the same as an elektron but once you ge into the machine its just as easy if not more easy than software imho

 

the fx are basic but you can resample anything with a kaoss pad or something

[Guest hahathhat]

love love love the mpc1000

[Rbrmyofr]

One other thing that the MPC1000 is great at is rock solid midi clock and midi sequencing. I've a load of synths and drum machines hooked up together via a a midi thru and loads of cables and the MPC1000 can play them all perfectly in time. When using Logic 8 or Ableton with some USB to midi device I've regularly had a few midi timing problems, mostly with things running via midi clock playing out of time with other things being triggered by midi notes. This isn't a problem with the MPC1000.

 

Big up to Roger Linn who originated the design!

[Lucas]

enjoying my MPC1000 since a month or two, what a great piece of gear!

 

I'd like to find out how to do something special though and have difficulties solving that completely alone (I'm on JJOS2XL): I'd like to sample a synth line (need several voices of that synth with different settings) but I'm not sure how to do it. The synth line is poly, actually just one note playing after the other one but the release is long enough so that each note didn't completely faded out when the next one starts. Also it's a straight contrapuntal line: each note plays between the beat.

 

So the problem is, if I sample a bar of that thing, the very first note of the loop won't have the release of the previous one (because there's no previous one), which is ok when I activate the loop for the first time as I'm performing, but as soon as it repeats, the release of the last note of the loop will be cut off.

 

Ok to be honest I didn't think about one thing before I wrote this post haha (classic though). I'll post anyway, can always be useful: so maybe I should record a sample which is say twice long as what I wanted to record, and set the second half of it as a loop? So that this very first note which isn't layered with the release of the previous one just plays once at the beginning, and then the samples keeps playing a loop of the sample with a start point being just before this same note, but with the release tail?

 

Hope that makes sense! I would still be interested in WATMM's views on that, it's quite specific but actually quite common if you sample your gear as soon as there's more than one note.

[sweepstakes]

Ok to be honest I didn't think about one thing before I wrote this post haha (classic though). I'll post anyway, can always be useful: so maybe I should record a sample which is say twice long as what I wanted to record, and set the second half of it as a loop? So that this very first note which isn't layered with the release of the previous one just plays once at the beginning, and then the samples keeps playing a loop of the sample with a start point being just before this same note, but with the release tail?

 

Hope that makes sense! I would still be interested in WATMM's views on that, it's quite specific but actually quite common if you sample your gear as soon as there's more than one note.

Sounds reasonable. I wouldn't even bother with looping it though.

[Audioblysk]

Some people say Elektron stuff is lots of diving and has a steep learning curve... but eff that, my MPC1000 took me longer to learn than any piece of gear I have. Probably my fault, but I have a real love-hate relationship with that thing.

 

It really just sits as a one-shot sample player or to do some drum stuff when I jam around live. AKA - Anyone want to buy this thing so I can get some more Elektron gear?

[sweepstakes]

Some people say Elektron stuff is lots of diving and has a steep learning curve... but eff that, my MPC1000 took me longer to learn than any piece of gear I have. Probably my fault, but I have a real love-hate relationship with that thing.

 

It really just sits as a one-shot sample player or to do some drum stuff when I jam around live. AKA - Anyone want to buy this thing so I can get some more Elektron gear?

Ha, I know what you mean... I can't bring myself to part with mine yet, though. It must be mostly sentiment - I used to have dreams about owning an MPC before I realized what a bland (but with the same token, brilliant) machine it is.

 

Once I get a loop properly chopped up, though, it's easy to get into a trance, just bashing pads w/ no sequencer running. The hours melt away, and it's a much different variety of time travel from that of the Elektrons.

[digit]

i have an octatrack & mpc1000 and i will never part with either of them.

they are so different. it's not like one can replace the other. they actually complement each other really well.

 

sure, the octatrack is more powerful for sound mangling & real-time sampling,

but in terms of sequencing & arranging, the mpc with JJOS is just light years ahead.

 

64 polyphonic tracks vs. 8 monophonic tracks.

each track can be named.

each sequence can either have its own tempo or follow the master tempo.

switch instantaneously between sequences during playback using the pads without resetting to the beginning of the sequence.

play 2 sequences simultaneously.

record/playback sysex data.

pads are pressure/velocity sensitive.

i could go on...

 

if i want to improvise & generate a bunch of crazy fractured stuff, i use the octatrack.

if i want to sequence other gear or actually 'compose' something more ordered, the mpc is the way to go.

[Lucas]

if it's a 4 bar loop just record say, 5 bars (or however long the notes/reverb etc. rings for) and have the sample in poly mode and so that it plays the whole length of the sample each time it triggers.

 

poly mode will mean it doesn't cut the previous trigger iteration of the sample when it gets triggered again each time the pattern loops. maybe adjust the Release in the ADSR section of the amplitude envelope to taste too.

ie. don't bother with looping the sample itself or loop-points.

 

that's very probably the best way to go! didn't think about it, thanks :-)

it's a shame that it's not possible to do that with an audio track though: for that kind of recorded loops it's more appropriate because the sound will play anytime when you unmute the track. If you use a program the sound will just start playing if the track is unmuted at the moment where the sample is triggered, except if you use the MIDI Level mute mode, which isn't an option for me as I use the MPC mainly to sequence MIDI. maybe there's a work-around with Programs but I still didn't find it.

 

edit: regarding the learning curve of JJOS2XL, I find it ok to be honest, as lot of the basic things can be understood without the manual. The manual is really poorly translated though, quite a pain to read!