BPM on Dr. sample and MPC

I have been making beats for a few years only using my dr sample with vinyl. I have never used any computer programs or an mpc but plan on getting one. I was wondering when you sample onto a mpc does it show the BPM? If not how would I match my sample to my drum loop? When using the Dr. if you change the BPM of your sample is sounds like poo. I hear the Mpc2xl has something called timestrech is that like changing the BPM without screwing up your sample??

one more question

When you sample from vinyl onto the mpc does it automatically show up as a wave ??

Thanks for your time

The MPC is a VERY easy peice of gear to learn to use, when compared to most other gear.

But if the barometer is Dr. Sample, you're in a different world kid. My friend has that Dr. Sample and it's fun to play with but I'm just telling you (in case you don't know), you're entering a different type of world.

Anyway, yeah timestretch will change the length of a sample without effecting the tuning. And to question two, on the MPC2000xl you can create .SND (native to Akai) or WAV files when sampling.

As for "matching the sample to the drum loop", or knowing the BPM, well everyone's got their methods. There's the good ole tap tempo to get you started but usually you just feel it out and play around til you got tings da way ya want dem mon.


Anyway, to clarify, the 2000xl aint rocket science, but it aint no Dr. Sample either.

Chapped wrote:I was wondering when you sample onto a mpc does it show the BPM?

After sampling you go to an edit screen where you set the loop points - only then will you be given the BPM.

I hear the Mpc2xl has something called timestrech is that like changing the BPM without screwing up your sample??

Yes, but you can only timestretch so far before things start sounding weird - the Dr Sample uses timestretching also. You can also tune your sample to a new BPM, although this will change the pitch.

When you sample from vinyl onto the mpc does it automatically show up as a wave ??

All sounds sampled into the MPC will be added to memory and accessible in the edit screen as a waveform for editing.

Ohh, that type of wave...

Thanks allot guys I've been wondering that for some time now, This is a great forum

JusDaFied is right I'm totally stuck in my Dr. Sample world, so here is another dumb question.. with the Dr, sample I have 2 min of sampling time with the smart media card. Why the hell is the mpc only 27 seconds or whatever? Are the zip disks for saving your beats on or are they for importing samples? Each time you put in a fresh zip disk do you get another 27 sec sampling time? I'm confused

You are confusing storage with memory.

When you load a sample into your MPC, it gets held in the internal memory. Hence, you can only load as much as your memory can handle.

When you shut down your MPC, the samples held in memory will be lost forever - hence, you need to save these samples to a storage device like a zip.

By default, internal memory is 2MB for an XL, but you can upgrade this to 32MB which gives you around 3 minutes stereo sampling time.

The size of your storage disk is irrelevant - it can be 100MB or 100000MB - but you'll only be able to load in as much as your internal memory will allow

You can expand the memory capabilities of the 2000xl to 32 megs which is something like 120 seconds of sampling time. More than the 2 megs it comes with but still not a lot none-the-less. A lot of great music was made in the 80's on sp-1200s and MPC60s with only 2 megs.

Anyway, when you sample, you sample to RAM. You backup these samples to external storage devices such as Zip disks to recall later. As I am sure you know, when the power is turned off, everything in RAM goes bye bye.

Damn MPC, every time I answer somebody, by the time I submit, you've beat me to it.

Can you buy a new 2xl with the extra memory already installed? if not is it safe to put in yourself or do you have to pay somebody to do it?

Thanks allot guys you have been very helpful and I won't bug you anymore

You can buy them from some stores fully installed - if not, any half decent shop will install it for free as long as you buy the MPC and memory from them at the same time - if they try charging you for install, go elsewhere, as it's a 3 minute job.

Memory can be damaged by static electricity, so it's best you leave it to someone else if you don't know what you are doing - but it's actually quite an easy job as long as you earth yourself first and avoid touching anything but the plastic edges of the chip.

It basicly breaks down like this; If you are not afraid to install parts in a computer, then you can easily install memory, the fx board, and the 8 outs with no trouble at all. If you are not comfortable with assembling computers, then just find a friend that is. It's an easy task.

MPC2kxl w/internal zip, 32mbRAM, FX board, good investment and a great start.

wassup people just a follow up question on the time stretching.. everytime i do this it sounds like the pitch changes regardless, am i doing it wrong?? i tried the bpm match but i know that aint it and the time stretch doesnt really make much difference to me than the beat tempo..any tips??? i got mad samples that i got saved but i cant use them yet because when i try to build a beat with them everything doesnt sync up, i know if i time stretched them things would be on point but i still cant get it down 100 percent. thanks for your responses.

the DR sample kills the MPC in sample time and real time effects, resampling, etc.

THe mPC sequencer kills it tho.

jorge guzman wrote:wassup people just a follow up question on the time stretching.. everytime i do this it sounds like the pitch changes regardless, am i doing it wrong?? i tried the bpm match but i know that aint it and the time stretch doesnt really make much difference to me than the beat tempo..any tips??? i got mad samples that i got saved but i cant use them yet because when i try to build a beat with them everything doesnt sync up, i know if i time stretched them things would be on point but i still cant get it down 100 percent. thanks for your responses.

Try not to stretch more than 10-15 percent or it will sound not as natural as the original.

http://www.deepsound.net/calculs.html