MPC for Rock

First off hello everybody I am new to the forum and im contemplating on purchasing an MPC to experiment with. I play mostly rock/blues influenced music with several instruments (guitar,drums,keys). I am looking for something to use mostly as a drum machine to play percussion. I want it to be able to play the classic techno style rhythms but also acoustic drum samples. Im not looking for it to play like a drummer. One of my favorite bands is The Kills. Jamie Hince uses samples that I like particularly like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8FftvnTLkU
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQju69zcIA

I admit my ignorance as far as MPCs or how sampling even works.

Im looking to buy the MPC 500 or maybe the MPC 1000

My question is how would I get those harsh live acoustic sounding samples? Is samples just downloaded from the internet or are they recorded with a mic straight into the MPC? I have an acoustic drum set I could maybe use.

TheMadHatter wrote:First off hello everybody I am new to the forum and im contemplating on purchasing an MPC to experiment with. I play mostly rock/blues influenced music with several instruments (guitar,drums,keys). I am looking for something to use mostly as a drum machine to play percussion. I want it to be able to play the classic techno style rhythms but also acoustic drum samples. Im not looking for it to play like a drummer. One of my favorite bands is The Kills. Jamie Hince uses samples that I like particularly like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8FftvnTLkU
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQju69zcIA

I admit my ignorance as far as MPCs or how sampling even works.

Im looking to buy the MPC 500 or maybe the MPC 1000

My question is how would I get those harsh live acoustic sounding samples? Is samples just downloaded from the internet or are they recorded with a mic straight into the MPC? I have an acoustic drum set I could maybe use.

Sample you own stuff. Find samples. Get creative and take dry samples and process them with effects like reverb. Lots you can do with any of the MPCs.

How does sampling work exactly? With a mic can I take any live sample I want?

Again I claim my ignorance, so basically I could record the samples with a mic with a xlr input? Maybe a mic preamp?

Would a MPC 500 suffice? I will mostly be using it for percussion/rhythm

TheMadHatter wrote:How does sampling work exactly? With a mic can I take any live sample I want?

Yep

TheMadHatter wrote:Again I claim my ignorance, so basically I could record the samples with a mic with a midi input? Maybe a mic preamp?

Would a MPC 500 suffice? I will mostly be using it for percussion/rhythm

Claiming ignorance only gets you so far around here. You've got to be willing to read up. I don't know what a "Mic with a midi input" is.

I meant a mic with xlr input, will I need a converter or a mic preamp to record my acoustic set into the MPC?

yes you will generally need a preamp with any mic.

mics are very low level, and the mpc expects line-level.

many things will work as a preamp - dedicated pres, cassette recorders, mixer with mic input, etc - almost anything with a mic input.

Alright thanks for all the help so far, all I want to do is use it as a drum machine and have some rougher acoustic drum samples that would sound good live. I can't find a guide on recording samples with a mic and loading them into the mpc.

TheMadHatter wrote: I can't find a guide on recording samples with a mic and loading them into the mpc.

1) set up drums
2) set mic in room
3) plug mic into preamp (cassette deck or mixer or full on pre)
4) take output of preamp and plug into mpc record in
5) go into sample mode
6) hit sample
7) play drums
end sampling

thats the basics. theres not a guide because it all becomes obvious when you start doing it vs theorising about it over the internet.

you will be able to do it and you will make some cool stuff sampling yer own drums.

have fun.

ps. that is way over simplified but it is the basics and you should figure anything else out on yer own by actually trying it.
pps. you can replace steps 1-4 with any device that outputs live-level signal (vinyl record + preamp, cassette tape, cd player, ipod), and get drums from there.
starting to make sense?

Micing your own drums to get a good result is rather tough and a lot of work. Are your drums tuned? What kind of mic is it? What sort of room is the kit in, etc?

The easest thing to do is get ahold of some sample CDs, these are filled with sounds which you can use (drag an drop the wav files to your mpc via usb).

You can also try sampling drums from somewhere else, like rock tracks where there is a clean piece of drumming without any other sounds going on. Finding these breaks, and chopping them up is its own artform.

I have a Tascam MKIII 4 track cassette recorder that I have been recording drums with and using it like a drum machine for experimentation. Im only using a single sm58 mic. Its a pretty trashy sound with a lot of attack. I listen to alot of garage rock/blues such as The Black Keys.

I will definitely try all of those methods and study the manual first.

Which MPC would everyone prefer? Keep in mind its not going to be my main focus as most of what I do will come from instruments.

I am kindve on a budget right now and wouldn't want to pay over 600 or so.

Should I try ebay for an MPC60 or buy a new MPC500?

MPC 2000 xl with card reader.Dont ask me how i know lol

TheMadHatter wrote:I have a Tascam MKIII 4 track cassette recorder that I have been recording drums with and using it like a drum machine for experimentation. Im only using a single sm58 mic. Its a pretty trashy sound with a lot of attack.

i think that is a great way to record drums. very signature sound. so what i would suggest is recording single hits, then going back in and recording a couple phrases, then playing the tape back into the mpc and sampling that.

take note, thats not going to sound like crisp, 'real' drums, but it will sound awesome and lo-fi.

im going to just go ahead and make a ton of assumptions and say that an mpc1000 would be best. it fits yer budget, its modern, it has lots of features, and you will be able to move to any other mpc after using it.

the old ones are nice for their particular limitations, and even unique sound. but youve already got sound covered so i think youd be best to just get a modern mpc and have fun with it instead of fighting to 'modernise' a vintage mpc.

TheMadHatter wrote:Should I try ebay for an MPC60 or buy a new MPC500?

that is hilarious....those two models are about as far apart as you can get.

go with a 1000, a 2000xl with card reader, or a 500.

also i would avoid ebay. craigslist - locally.

Im going to go for a used MPC1000 as a 1k is a little more than I can spend right now.

What does a used MPC1000 generally go for?(In decent condition) Looking online I see anywhere from 350-600.
The blue ones always seem to be cheaper, are they an older model?

I am generally against used but the Tascam I bought at a pawn shop for 79 was in perfect condition. Sometimes I will record a guitar track, play it through my PA, and jam on drums along with it. Its a great tool for writing/messing around. I love the warmth of tape and vinyl.

and yea my intentions are to use it as a drum machine/tool. Like the links I posted above, I like the trashy acoustic samples arranged in a way that somebody normally wouldn't play drums.