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By pull-over Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:29 pm
take both!!the mpc for sampling and the sp as fx unit...
i had the old sp404 it had nice dj style effects... if my memory is right the newer ones sp404sx didn t had the vinyl sim effect...this effect rocks!!! it is a kind of compression/vinyl emulator and in combination with the sp converters it sounded great. the sp has a character sound it is not a neutral sounding unit like the mpc1000...

you might get a sp404 for cheap i m sure roland sold tons of them an they are build like tanks...

get both they are a great combo
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By Ill-Green Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:47 pm
Damn, I used the 303 for this beat tape last week and I noticed the lights are getting dim. Made me feel sad to see it age.

If you wanna get both, I suggest the OG 404 and 1000 combo, due to the fact that you can sample and add effects on the 404, then hot swap the CF card to the 1000 to be sequenced and composed. Or vice-versa, chop up samples in the 1000, then hot swap to the 404, it a win-win.
By cubilas Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:18 pm
Love this forum :!: So many good people and knowledgeable answers.

I'm looking to get a MPC 1000 to add to my setup (SP-555, SP-404sx, MicroKORG XL+, MicroSampler, EHX 45000, Boss BR-800).

The SP-404sx is a great effects and sampling tool, perfect for making and resampling interesting sounds on the fly. I have used its limited Resample mode to make simple beats/songs entirely on this unit.

One big issue: There is a max poly when resampling on the 404, limiting you to about 3 or 4 samples playing simultaneously. :fku: With patience, I do one 'instrument' at a time, usually doing a sample first, resampling kick/snare on top, then more percussion on top (hats/shakers).

My key reason for buying a MPC 1000 : The 1k has mute groups. :nod: (sustaining one pad until another is pressed)
None of the other toys on my list allow that. (I have used a MIDI keytar hooked to the MS-1 to get a similar but much different result, and have maxed out the poly on the SPs in an attempt to do the same thing...)

I like to cut up my own songs and use the mute groups to remix them.

Does anyone know if I can use the mute group via MIDI OUT? Lets say, all pads on mute group #1; MIDI Out from 1k into MIDI In on MicroSampler...
will the 1k send note on / note off via MIDI the same way mute groups would work on the 1k itself? :hmmm:

Thanks yous guys & happy sampling !
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By mr_debauch Sat Jul 20, 2013 5:14 pm
cubilas wrote:Love this forum :!:

One big issue: There is a max poly when resampling on the 404, limiting you to about 3 or 4 samples playing simultaneously. :fku: With patience, I do one 'instrument' at a time, usually doing a sample first, resampling kick/snare on top, then more percussion on top (hats/shakers).


I thought the sp404(sx) had max polyphony of 12 (the 303 is 8 I believe) ... you are telling me something causes that number to go down once you have used the resample feature? that does not sound right...


and how do you like the 555? I heard people weren't too thrilled with that model. The high price tag left me :hmmm: ..
By cubilas Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:10 pm
The polyphony drops to 3 or 4 when you use the resample feature. I originally got the 404sx to accompany my 555 so I could sample back & forth and skip this limitation, but it just didn't work out so well. Sometimes when resampling, the 404 and 404sx will 'burp', loosing audio data or skipping ahead while sampling. You don't hear it until you play back. :?

I really like the 555, for what it is. The only downside was no built in battery (I use a 9V battery pack from eBay and it works for many hours on a charge, even with phantom power on the mic preamp). Also the 15-second limit on Loop Capture / no loop undo feature :Sigh: . If you could use the Loop Capture for longer than 15-seconds, this thing would win my heart. Would like the option to load samples into Loop Capture, but this cannot be done either. Instead I use the 555 for quick ideas, Jamman looper for longer loops, or for more complex loops, the Electro Harmonix 45000. If you could set the D beam to control additional effect parameters (or maybe send as MIDI data 8) ) I would be overjoyed.

:idea: You can, however, make your short loop in Loop Capture, assign a pad for Sampling mode, play your loop & enter Sampling mode. This will play the loop continuously and allow you to 'overdub' to a much longer sample. This can only be done once per loop. (Still a bummer no Resample + Sampling mode.) Was also interesting this was not explained in the manual, I just happened to try it one day :-D

When saving the captured loop, the 555 will 'auto mark' where it thinks the end is. Usually you want to unmark your new saved loop before playback, as the 555 usually cuts it short. Also, when saving the loop to a pad, sometimes there is a high-pass degradation of sorts, muffling the sound slightly. The effects on the 555 are slightly different than on the 404sx (including Reverse which is cool). I like using both the vinyl sim and the djfx looper at the same time.

The price tag was generally only $100 more than the 404sx for used ones on eBay, so it's worth it in my opinion if you like looping or sampling with a trigger pedal / D beams / the cool but very basic Synth mode.

BUT--- There's no option to have mute groups or even have monophonic playback with the 404, 555 or MS-1, unless you run a bunch of empty samples in a pattern & try to overload the poly. Doesn't work right. This was my main question to you guys.
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By mr_debauch Sat Jul 20, 2013 9:30 pm
nice, thanks for the insight on the 555... never really saw one of those in person except when they first came out in the store... then again I didn't really mess with it.


Yeah that is damn odd on the 404. I have the 303 and never saw that happen, though I have not had mine for long enough to really dive into it.. basically I have not sequenced internally on the 303 yet to know if placed notes get cut off... however all pads are monophonic... and I just tried pushing 6 resampled pads at once and they all play.. didn't test that on a recorded sequence though.

too bad about the 404sx having that... I was really thinking of getting one of those, because I like this 303 so much... and the built in mic plus battery power really had me thinking of getting one. That makes it sound like you have to do a bunch of workarounds to get anything to function properly on it... for playback at least.

hmm.. as for your note off message question.. I don't know. I think if the pad was set to mono, it would probably send that message... but you would have to ask someone who knows that specific mpc and OS.. someone here is bound to know the answer and reply soon.
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By SimonInAustralia Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:05 am
cubilas wrote:If you could set the D beam to control additional effect parameters (or maybe send as MIDI data 8) ) I would be overjoyed.

Reminds me of an OT little bit of D Beam history, that some may, or may not, be interested in...I have a standalone Dimension Beam unit here somewhere, just the D Beam in a standalone box that sends out MIDI, probably has never been used beyond an initial power up.

Review of it here:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_ar ... nbeam.html

Roland bought the Dimension Beam tech from Interactive Light (or bought the company itself) and incorporated it into their products as the D Beam controller.


This was their later/newer, more slimline style case, that they switched to before Roland bought them out, mine is a bigger and uglier, more square, rackmount size/type unit...

Image

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By cubilas Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:35 pm
mr_debauch wrote:... and I just tried pushing 6 resampled pads at once and they all play.. didn't test that on a recorded sequence though.... I was really thinking of getting one of those, because I like this 303 so much...


Its the issue of how many simultaneous pads are being pressed during resample mode. the 404s drop to less than half during resample recording. I would still suggest getting one ! They are a great compliment to any setup. Great with a Roland SPD-20 for triggering.

SimonInAustralia wrote:Roland bought the Dimension Beam tech from Interactive Light (or bought the company itself) and incorporated it into their products as the D Beam controller.


I had no idea the D beam was originally the Dimension Beam, and that is one awesome box you have. Very cool!

ArKyve-31 wrote:for the record, both the 303 & 404 respond to velocity via midi.


So do both the 555 (which has the option) and the 404sx (which does not have the option). Never used the 303, but was interested in it before I bought my OG 404 back in the day.

Thanks for the replies (and pictures, SimonInAustralia!)
By cubilas Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:18 am
Well, I just picked up a used MPC1000 for $360 on eBay...

I will be updating the forum with results to my question.
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By mr_debauch Mon Jul 22, 2013 1:38 am
nice! and I see your point now.. I completely didn't understand what you meant exactly.. I thought the machine's entire polyphony was crippled from the time you use the resample feature onward.... which completely doesn't sound right.. hahaha.


well hey, isn't it possible to resample one or two things... then resample again with one or two more different things and so on? Im guessing that is kind of what you do... right?
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By Ian Canefire Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:20 am
Yeah i know this was an old thread but wanted to share.
There is an emcee named Sir Kn8 who does a live show with just the sp404sx and a microphone. I saw him while he was on tour.
The sp404sx is a wonderful item. A creative mind can work wonders with this unit. The beauty is the lack of complication and great efx.
Cheers
Ian