Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
By Mikey Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:36 am
Hi All,

First time posting. New to producing.

I have just purchased a 2000XL w/ 8-out card, EB16 board, 32mb ram, 250mb zip drive, 4 gb hard drive.

As I am starting out I am going to purchase the 2000xl tutorial from this website which should give me some good direction (Currently reading the XL manuel).

I want to start sampling vinyl. Can somebody please advise what I should be looking at for:

1. A turntable (won't be scratching)
2. My research tells me I will need a mixer to connect the turntable?
3. Speakers (Monitors)
4. Anything other recommendations?

(I don't need the best of the best but I do want Quality - nothing budget)

Right now I know nothing, just got the passion and urge. I want to stay away from a DAW until I learn the MPC inside out.

Any helps appreciated.

Thanks heaps :)
User avatar
By LOKI77 Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:53 pm
just get a powered turntable( that portable $100 numark joint) than u dont need a mixer. good pair of headphones ad tons of vinyl!!!!!!!!!!!!
User avatar
By ninebynine Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:14 pm
Hi Mikey,

I'll help you out because I'm originally from NZ and spent 8 years working in Aucks.

You have made the right choice going for an MPC, they can be a hell of a lot of fun to use!

First thing to remember is that an MPC is 2 things: A sampler (designed for loops and one shots) and a Sequencer.
Once you get that nailed in your head you are ready to roll.

The sampler side to the MPC takes care of the Sound and the Sequencer handles PLAYING the sound.

What do you want to sample?

I'll take you through the basics..... Once you let me know what you want to do.

Chur,

Nine
By Mikey Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:44 am
ninebynine wrote:Hi Mikey,

I'll help you out because I'm originally from NZ and spent 8 years working in Aucks.

You have made the right choice going for an MPC, they can be a hell of a lot of fun to use!

First thing to remember is that an MPC is 2 things: A sampler (designed for loops and one shots) and a Sequencer.
Once you get that nailed in your head you are ready to roll.

The sampler side to the MPC takes care of the Sound and the Sequencer handles PLAYING the sound.

What do you want to sample?

I'll take you through the basics..... Once you let me know what you want to do.

Chur,

Nine



Thanks nine - You can always count on a fellow Kiwi!

I actually just moved back from the UK a few weeks ago.

Right. What do I want to sample?

I am not sure if all the following can all be sampled from vinyl or not. But, what I want to use in my music is the following; Drums. Base. Effects. Instruments. Hooks & melodies. Over the past few months I have made a list of songs where I have heard something I like. Like maybe an effect, a few words, a hook or some form of sound.

What I intended doing was buying a bunch of vinyl and start sampling creating a library of different sounds and using them. I would also like to sample from CD as well.

Or should the MPC only really be used for sampling drums and hooks. Then perhaps a DAW for base and effects (read that somewhere). Ideally I would like to stick with just using an MPC and doing everything I can on there for now. But, if I need other hardware / software then thats fine.

However, all I have at the moment is an MPC. I can buy some monitors. I can buy a turntable. I know the needles important and I have an idea there. As for the DJ mixer I am a little unsure. There seems to be a variety of options and prices so what should I be looking out for?

Sorry if this all sounds basic but it's like learning a new language.

I appreciate the help.

Cheers
Mikey
User avatar
By deck daddy Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:15 am
Try to get a used technics 1200/1210 turntable, even if you don't plan to DJ. These are really high quality turntables, and when you sample you often drag the record back a couple of times to set the rec volume. They are easy to sell on too!

Then get a good DJ mixer, used or new, it's a bonus if it has three band EQ and a send button, then you can send just the channel directly into your MPC input, and don't get all the fuss from all the other stuff going on inside the mixer.

Or get a Akai MFC42 or Electrix filter factory or Electrix Filter Queen. These are analog filters, and has built in phono preamps, so you would not need a DJ mixer then. I'm looking for a Filter Queen myself, as I got used to filtering out bass from samples like hi hats and stuff when I used the MFC, which I recommend (but it takes up more space then the Filter Queen and are more expensive, so I got good money on selling it on). Vinyl samples can get a lot of rumbling if you boost the volume to sample a pretty quiet part of the record, and then it's good to have hi-pass.
By Mikey Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:54 am
deck daddy wrote:Try to get a used technics 1200/1210 turntable, even if you don't plan to DJ. These are really high quality turntables, and when you sample you often drag the record back a couple of times to set the rec volume. They are easy to sell on too!

Then get a good DJ mixer, used or new, it's a bonus if it has three band EQ and a send button, then you can send just the channel directly into your MPC input, and don't get all the fuss from all the other stuff going on inside the mixer.

Or get a Akai MFC42 or Electrix filter factory or Electrix Filter Queen. These are analog filters, and has built in phono preamps, so you would not need a DJ mixer then. I'm looking for a Filter Queen myself, as I got used to filtering out bass from samples like hi hats and stuff when I used the MFC, which I recommend (but it takes up more space then the Filter Queen and are more expensive, so I got good money on selling it on). Vinyl samples can get a lot of rumbling if you boost the volume to sample a pretty quiet part of the record, and then it's good to have hi-pass.



Wicked. Thank you very much for the advice dd. Thats helped out alot!