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By Slope Creations Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:32 am
Dear collegues

In 1997 I started making music with ScreamTracker, later Impulse Tracker. In 2000 I switched to the Cubase environment. Currently working with SX2 and Reason (linked with Rewire).

Got some hardware (synths, effects, compression etc) and got a bunch of software.

After years of mastering the (virtual) world of software, I know the basics of producing up to a satisfying point (for me that is).

BUT, I am a drummer .. and I refuse to program my drums with a mouse, so I use the keys of my Roland XP30 (which functions as the master keyboard). This is a frustrating and unsatisfying way to go, but better then drawing it with a mouse!

A sparring partner of mine uses MPC for his fine beats, and I'm gonna be having it stay over at my place for some serious testing. See if it's my kind of thing. It might just be, cause I came to a point that I (still always) feel like making music, but can't move myself upstairs to the environment of mouse and PC. I just got to hate it, it's not my thing...it's an inspiration killer.

So much for the intro... the MPC will be mostly for the drums and the usual sample-handling. Other sounds will be hardware synths and software synths, live guitars, vocals etc

Let's suppose the MPC turns out to be the turnaround I need. I will then purchase one (second hand). BUT, there are all these options like FX, external drive, extra outputs etc. Can y'all give me your opinion on what I figured out (in terms of what I need and what I don't need):

No extra outputs. With a L and R from the MPC, my mixer (16 track mono) is gonna be full. Figured I'll be recording channel by channel, once I'm done creating in the MPC. I use Cubase SX to mix (EQ and FX) the entire song. This is no problem

No extra memory (I figure I can use my PC for that, just hook up a SCSI or something like that).

No FX, I'm perfectly satisfied with my hardware FX and some software.

I have a MidiSport 4x4 to slave the MPC to Cubase SX, although I might find out that the MPC should be master, but that's something I'll find out along the way, unless there's somebody here that can give me a clear and solid motivation in favour of the MPC as a master. Please keep in mind that Cubase is already the master in my standard ReWire setup.

Sorry for the long story, but I like things clear. Hope you don't mind I seem to be breaking up a tradition of excusing myself to be a 'newbee' :)

Any questions you have, pls post them. Here's a link to my soundclick page. This has got material from my ST3 and IT3 days and from my very first Cubase period. Shit from the start, so to say. Definetely not representing the recent sound and 'skills'

www.soundclick.com/slopetime

Greetings from Holland

By mwalker Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:26 pm
get trigger finger by m-audio and battery 2 and you will be set.
User avatar

By DFENS Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:38 pm
^^ yep that should do it ^^ i'd probably go for guru over battery cos it has a few more features, fx and sequencing thrown in. but have a look at them both and decide what will suit you better. battery may well be all you need.

By tusk Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:55 pm
id agree, on all except memory

if you get a secondhand extra memory is **** all and hand say - if you take your mpc out and are sampling straight into it

the mpc only has 10secs of stereo sample time so for the small extra cost max it out

peace

By tusk Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:56 pm
id agree, on all except memory

if you get a secondhand extra memory costs little and would be handy, say - if you take your mpc out and are sampling straight into it

the mpc only has 10secs of stereo sample time so for the small extra cost max it out

peace

By mwalker Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:12 pm
DFENS wrote:^^ yep that should do it ^^ i'd probably go for guru over battery cos it has a few more features, fx and sequencing thrown in. but have a look at them both and decide what will suit you better. battery may well be all you need.


guru will work also.

By Slope Creations Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:14 pm
mwalker wrote:get trigger finger by m-audio and battery 2 and you will be set.


Thanks for taking my point into another perspective (this is not meant synical!). The triggerfinger has crossed my mind (I still own a dusty S2000), but doesnt triggerfinger have small drumpads? Or maybe Im confused with the MicroKontrol (Korg), hm...

@Tusk: Your memory comment is worth considering, specially cause I might put it next to my drumkit on stage

@Dfens: Never heard of Guru. Gonna work my way through Gangstarr and tibetan monks on Google, to find out what it is. Any option is open for me, at this point.

Thanks y'all, for the no-nonsense replies so far. Different perspectives never hurt anyone.

Anyone else's opinion is of course very welcome!

Slope
User avatar

By DFENS Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:04 pm
Slope Creations wrote:@Dfens: Never heard of Guru. Gonna work my way through Gangstarr and tibetan monks on Google, to find out what it is. Any option is open for me, at this point.


http://www.fxpansion.com/product-guru-main.php

check the demo and video tutorials :wink:

By Slope Creations Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:31 am
Thanks bro, will check cuz you never know. I need a studio makeover, so all options are open

Guess what...I WAS confused with the MicroKontrol from Korg. Just checked out the Triggerfinger and took it straight home with me. Hook it up to my S2000 via midi, to the pc through USB and voila!

Was banging realtime arpeggio's on a Korg MS2000 in the store...it was very sexy if I might say so.

So, no more internet ... straight to the lab for this guy

Thanks y'all