My setup. - Not quite a studio yet.

I'm a beginning beatjunkie on a budget.  Taking one step at a time.
All I have is:

MPC2000xl with EB-16, full memory, and ZIP100.  No 8 outs yet
Korg Triton Le 61 key.(I don't even know how to play)  No sampler yet.
One Technics 1200.  Vestax PMC05 Mixer.  Trackmaster Needles.  Mad vinyl from the 2 for $1 section at the used record store.  
I'll be getting my 12 channel mixer next.  Then monitors.  And software for my P4 1.8 pc to record.  Also, 8 outs and maybe a sampler.
I happy with what I got.  Happier when I get more.  I don't care though.  I just have love for beats and Hip-Hop.  I ain't trying to be no well-known producer.  Peace.[/color]

I really agree with CriTiKaL on this one. In actuality, you have the "lo budget" Hip Hop production neccessities. You have a sampler (MPC), material to sample from (Mad Vinyl), a turntable to play your vinyl, a sequencer to arrange your sampled sounds (MPC) & a nice scratch mixer if you wanna get your scratch on. Having a keyboard with internal sounds is a cool plus.

What I recommend to get first:
1. a multitrack recording program for your PC (get a good one)
2. a midi interface to sync the PC and the MPC
3. monitors

STOP, from this point here you have enough to sync the PC & the MPC, record one track at a time and mixdown all your tracks and send your $#!+ out to get pressed to vinyl. Alright let me calm down. On a more serious note, these are the bare essentials.

Now I feel you can get by for a little without these things although their great to have from the gate:
4. a sound card with enough inputs to hold the that 8-Out expansion you will soon get for your MPC. Note: they make some that have midi I/O.
5. 8-Outs
6. an 8-channel 1/4 inch cable snake
7. a mixing board

Now some may disagree with this order or what I recommended. I just wanted to help you spend your hard earned money more wisely. That's ill that you just want to make beats and fly under the radar...peace[/color]

Thanks guys for your replies.  It's good to know there are peeps on the same level as me.[/color]

I really agree with CriTiKaL on this one.

I meant to say that I agree with mpc_DV8's post of your equipment setup and how CriTiKaL's was on the right track to completing a moderate studio setup. I feel that me & mpc_DV8 both look at the MPC as a very capable sampler and wanted to reassure you of your production setup...[/color]

I meant that I didn't have the sampling option for my Triton LE.  It would be nice to have, but it's not a priority.  What multitrack software is good to record?  Right now, I have Soundforge to edit my samples, and I have cool edit to mulitrack.  I don't really dig Cool Edit.  I'm getting my M-Audio Delta soundcard soon, so I'm ready to record my beats.
Thanks.[/color]

Yeeeah, another dude chillin in Japan, you gotta love it.
I JUST moved from there after being out there for 5 years.
Yokohama has a real good music store called Ishibashi,
you can get everything used and in Japan used means
"NEW and CHEAP". And in Akihabara, they got a few good stores too.
Holla back, I know Japan really well, so if you need those directions
let me know!

Damn. I posted that a year ago. Well my setup has changed. I got rid of the EB-16 and the Triton Le. They've been replaced with the 8 outs, EMU MP-7 (got better bass than the Le), and Digi 001 w/ Pro Tools Le. All I need are monitors and I think I'll be set for awhile. I'm not on mainland Japan. I'm on Okinawa. They got a few music stores around.

Isn't it nice to see these threads re-visited and to hear tales of MPC success stories...

It makes me feel all warm inside...

man, i seen y'all rappin in here, and thought i would throw my hat in the ring. my studio:

2 1200's
vestax 05
mpc 2000xl
akai dps 12
4 crates of vinyl
got a midi/usb connection, but no software yet.
i'm looking for a reasonable midi controller/synthesizer, cuz playing keys and horns on the mpc is not so user friendly. i'm looking for a decent keyboard, and an effect processor.

any suggestions on the keys or software? realize my mpc is not mine yet. loan from the bank got that for me, so i'm on a pretty tight budget. and although i wish i could, i can't buy a triton...yet.

i'm right wit CriTikaL making beats for the love. indy all the way. i am a dj if you didn't guess, mostly old school hip hop(early 90's, the golden age), old/some neo soul, and breaks.

and critikal, what burb you from? i'm from bolingbrook, born & bred. bron in edwards hospital in naperville.

I lived way north of Chicago. I lived in the Gurnee area. Spent most of my weekends and some weekdays in Chicago. Some nice Hip-Hop spots. Will be back for Christmas in December.

aight, so up by the wonderful great america. ahh i have fond memories of that place, and IL Beach State Park in Zion. haven't ben up ther since i started DJing. usually digging for records on the north side of the city. i go to grammaphone on clark everytime i'm there .

yes i will be back in DEC as well. for new years anyway. i've lived in IOWA for 8 years, but have never been here for the new year, ain't startin now.

CriTiKaL wrote:MPC2000xl with EB-16, full memory, and ZIP100.  No 8 outs yet Korg Triton Le 61 key.(I don't even know how to play)  No sampler yet.

mpc_DV8 wrote:As for not having a sampler-- errr ---What about the Mpc?

You got 2 samplers, MPC and Triton LE.