mpc 500?

geek · Post by **geek** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:01 am

Hi

Does anybody out their use an MPC for anything other than hip hop.
I write electronic music and am thinking about getting an MPC 500 so i can get stuff done outside of the studio. I plan to record unfinished stuff into it (like loops) and take them away with me to work or anywhere i cant be in the studio. This is the best portable machine i can find. What do you recon?

I go to berlin for 9 days in july and think this might be essential at times of inspiration.
Maybe i should save for a mac book but i thaught it might be a nice change to get away from a computer screen. CHEERS

geek · Post by **geek** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:25 am

I thaught these things where pretty popular. Maybe not. Or maybe they are just for hip hop.

m:o · Post by **m:o** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:54 am

No clue about the mpc 500 in detail, but the mpc series is a midi sequencer/sampler combo with a long tradition in hiphop. The reason for this is (beside the famous swingading) , that it is very easy and fast to sample sounds and layer them on your pad's.

I use the mpc 1000 for sequencing and triggering elctronic music (external and internal sound sources) - and it's a hell of groove machine. I also love it's (compared to software - limited) sampling option, which gives me a different approach to edit sounds. With the jj os it's def. a killer toy for electronic music.
hand's on man.

donnydonny · Post by **donnydonny** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:59 am

The MPC will be a good buy if you like playing your own beats using the pads. For a guy like me, who does mainly 4beat oriented material, a tool like this is pretty unnecessary. It comes more useful for breaks/dnb/hiphop, so if that's an area that you're in and it compliments the way that you work, personally, then get it and you'll be very happy about it.

m:o · Post by **m:o** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:34 am

donnydonny wrote: For a guy like me, who does mainly 4beat oriented material, a tool like this is pretty unnecessary. It comes more useful for breaks/dnb/hiphop, ....

Does 4x4 beats have to be static. I don't think so. It can give much bootyshakin' to your beat.

geek · Post by **geek** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:38 am

Cheers guys

It is mainly 4/4 stuff over here too. But that battery opperation is giving me snail trails. ha. I like the idea of having a hardware sequencer i can work with anywhere i like. which will stop me from losing inspiration and ideas.
SOUND CONTROL HERE I COME.

Bong Sau · Post by **Bong Sau** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:12 am

Hi Geek

I'm very tempted by the 500 too so I've been keeping an eye on the MPC forums to get an idea of what current users make of it. It's mainly positive, aside from grumbles about the need for a OS update and maybe some polyphony issues. The portablility is very appealing and the battery life can apparently be up to 4 hours with the backlight off which is more than enough for my journey to and from work

Please keep us posted as to how you get on with it.

The Mysterious Flying Pum · Post by **The Mysterious Flying Pum** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:43 am

m:o wrote:With the jj os it's def. a killer toy for electronic music.
hand's on man.

Hi!
I have an MPC 2500 with the standard Akai firmware. I am wondering what are the benefits of JJ OS? What's really different? Is there new functionality?

Thanks.

rikhyray · Post by **rikhyray** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:44 pm

It is nice but I don't like the digging into submenues. The small display is the reason ( and fabulous JJ OS too) I stick to MPC 1000.
If rhythm, groove etc are of importance to you any MPC is must have.
Anyone saying that you will be better of with PadKontrol and Battery or similar. is missing the main point, PC or Mac are never as tight.
For actual playing the pads feel better too, the standalone are all very light and they always give in ( even if the pads are same - Akai). MPC feels more like real drum due to the full body and weight.

theque · Post by **theque** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:00 pm

batteries good, the pads on the 500 not like the 1000 bad

rikhyray · Post by **rikhyray** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:49 pm

theque wrote:batteries good, the pads on the 500 not like the 1000 bad

???
The pads are better then on MPC 1000, same system as other MPCs ( some guys on MPC forum opened and checked it out)
. Main reason why I considered switching to 500, also better for playing melodies ( switching octaves) since most music systems on this planet are 12 tone not 16.

theque · Post by **theque** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:26 am

sorry rickyray, i thought thet are smaller.

Contra · Post by **Contra** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:25 am

rikhyray wrote:
theque wrote:batteries good, the pads on the 500 not like the 1000 bad
???
The pads are better then on MPC 1000, same system as other MPCs ( some guys on MPC forum opened and checked it out)
. Main reason why I considered switching to 500, also better for playing melodies ( switching octaves) since most music systems on this planet are 12 tone not 16.

o shit u switched to the 500?
welcome to the club

Contra · Post by **Contra** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:26 am

rikhyray wrote:It is nice but I don't like the digging into submenues. The small display is the reason ( and fabulous JJ OS too) I stick to MPC 1000.

my mistake.

Contra · Post by **Contra** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:29 am

Bong Sau wrote: The portablility is very appealing and the battery life can apparently be up to 4 hours with the backlight off which is more than enough for my journey to and from work

Please keep us posted as to how you get on with it.

i get 6 hrs withbacklight on.

usin duracell lithium