Coming from 100% ITB Moving to MPC - Sequencer Shock?

Hi all - I am trying to create an alternative to my 100% in the box DAW environment and I would love to run a hardware sequencer driving my synths. I have never used an MPC style sequencer - my experience up to this point has been piano roll style sequencers found in Logic and Cubase.

What can I expect using the MPC sequencer versus a software piano roll style sequencer? I assume it will capture all of my note data just fine, but what about CC changes (for instance if I tweak a filter or LFO in real time on a hardware VA synth like a Nord Lead) and other performance data? And how difficult is that data to edit if it can, in fact, be captured?

Many thanks for your help!

Cheers,

BBJ

the original mpc acronym stood for 'midi production machine'. they are the best hardware midi sequencers around.

the JJ OS (on the 1000 and 2500) gives you piano roll style programming. not sure about the other models.

yes, you can record and edit CC and performance data and you can programme synth patches from the mpc.

if you want to move to harware sequencing, this is your best option. plus, you get a sampler with it. i suggest you buy one now. mpc are brilliant. best peice of gear i've bought in 28 years of producing.

Thanks! That's really great to hear actually. Is the JJ OS a 3rd party OS or something AKAI officially supports?

Is this where I would download it? http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/

Any other good links to read up on it? I would love to see some screen shots of the editor.

Thanks again... looking forward to a break from looking @ Cubase 5.x for sequencing.

Blackbelt Jones wrote:Thanks! That's really great to hear actually. Is the JJ OS a 3rd party OS or something AKAI officially supports?

Is this where I would download it? http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/

Any other good links to read up on it? I would love to see some screen shots of the editor.

Thanks again... looking forward to a break from looking @ Cubase 5.x for sequencing.

JJOS is a 3rd party software, and you have to pay for it, there is no way around it..
and yes that link is where you would get it for the 1000, the 2500 dl is here http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/mpc2500/
search jjos on youtube for videos of the sequencer and other features..

For what the JJOS does, I have no problem paying for it... very impressive. Looks like there is an MPC1000 in my future.

Many thanks all!

there's a whole sub-forum for JJOS: viewforum.php?f=25
there you'll find a FAQ, user-contributed manual and lots more

Blackbelt Jones wrote:And how difficult is that data to edit if it can, in fact, be captured?

not as easy to edit as on a modern software sequencer, though it can be done. i think jjos2 is the best one for this task (not os2xl)

What can I expect using the MPC sequencer versus a software piano roll style sequencer?

We can't predict what will happen to you, but to me, it ends with totally different music than what i do in the box.

I sequence Emax, S950, S760, modular synth with a 3000 and mix them all on analog desk with outboard fx.
Of course this add a lot to the overall process. It is not only the MPC but even with MPC alone the musical vibe is different, playing/writing wise.
It is always good to open your mind, learn different instruments/sequencers, whatever.
It adds to your skills and can open other territories.

MPC are instruments, not only sequencers.
I is not about MPC's editing possibilty VS a full blown software sequencer, they are about to learn to play and record it well.
This is what MPC added mostly vs Sonar or Logic to me.

I try to not edit bad notes or controllers on MPC, i erase and rerecord it since it is easy to use.

I'm only a one year old MPC3000ist and i fall in love with it. I used to use SP, ASRX Pro...MPC is doing it better!

I like to illustrate talkings so...this is what MPC added since i can't make my computer playing and sounding like that, it will never happened ITB:

http://www.box.net/shared/4idhil0b4m

beach_break wrote:the original mpc acronym stood for 'midi production machine'.

sorry, but this is not right:
MPC = Midi Production Center (now Music Production Center)
peace

Nuts: your track is dope!

Thanks thx, not Really a track yet . It is more some live desk mixing of a loop.

i'm an sp user too

That said MV8000 or 8800 can certainly do the trick too.

Wether you work Computer/DAW only, hardware only or somewhere in between you can certainly make exactly the same kind of music if you want to... but you'll probably find that an alternate working environment will give you options you never expected as well as limit things that you wanted to do. It's all part of the creative process and just depends on what you options you want to give yourself, what you're willing to live with for limitations and how much time you're willing to invest.

Personally I find that the computer side tends to limit my personally creativity for actually playing synths, automating parameters and laying down new thoughts. I've found I tend to bury myself in the myriad amount of options when I should really be focussing on things that are more important. On the MPC (I've got the 1k with JJOS and the 500) I tend to focus more on the laying down of tracks, playing things by hand and recording new stuff. So for me... while I love the freedom that the computer software affords, I find I don't tend to dig down into the heart and soul of it so much as there is always the next preset to roll over. The MPC is much more of a blank canvas and if you want to use it you really need to make your own samples, come up with a workflow and just make it yours. I can certainly bet that you can find somebody who only has one piece of audio software on their computer and a stack of synths saying the exact opposite of what I'm saying... so who knows , to each their own.

Whichever way you chose to go, I'd say give it a try at least and don't be afraid to stick with it even if you bang your head against the wall for a few days to get used to it. I picked up my 1k quite a while ago and it really just sat for the longest time because I never gave it the chance it really deserved. A lot of people like the MPCs for a reason, so if I had any advice it would be to dig into it and get out of it what you can... don't be afraid to consult the forums for details, processes and workflows.

One last piece of advice before I go... I know plenty of people have already said you can capture your VA (or whatever) performance data. If you're going to use an MPC don't be so anal about editing it and making it correct. If you don't like how something sounds, undo your last take and just redo it. A lot of that "MPC" sound just comes from the human interaction, the artistic placement of mistakes... the all around 'imperfections' can make it sound that much more human and different from the often 'programmed' feel on the computer.

Best of luck!

Thank you all for your answers! This thread really helped me in making a decision on this - I am just so sick of firing up a computer and staring at a program in order to make music. I am in the process of "re-discovering" hardware, and I think the MPC1000 would be a great centerpiece.

Again, thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts on this thread!