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By shinobi Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:51 am
How does MPC compare with any DAW, say Ableton, in the sequencing department. And I mean sequencing external synths not the beats!!
(for electronic music)

Thanks a lot!
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By scoobylol Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:57 am
I'm yet to find anything with superior MIDI sequencing than my MPC. So if you have a lot of outboard gear then it's something to consider.

However I'm an Ableton user and for my own needs I'm yet to find anything more efficient at sequencing audio.

So perhaps the two together would be of some benefit?
By shinobi Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:31 am
scoobylol wrote:I'm yet to find anything with superior MIDI sequencing than my MPC. So if you have a lot of outboard gear then it's something to consider.

However I'm an Ableton user and for my own needs I'm yet to find anything more efficient at sequencing audio.

So perhaps the two together would be of some benefit?

But isn't it hard to sequence/make a song without the screen interface like in Ableton let's say?
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By scoobylol Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:43 am
It's different, but there are advantages and disadvantages of being in front of a big screen for hours on end.

You do get the immediacy of being able to see/edit things in a more convenient way. Obviously you can just draw MIDI data in if you choose too. But personally sometimes I get too caught up with the screen, I like to get away and actually listen to what I'm doing as opposed to seeing it.

If I was you dude I'd download the Ableton demo, or any other demo and see how you fair.
By shinobi Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:13 pm
scoobylol wrote:It's different, but there are advantages and disadvantages of being in front of a big screen for hours on end.

You do get the immediacy of being able to see/edit things in a more convenient way. Obviously you can just draw MIDI data in if you choose too. But personally sometimes I get too caught up with the screen, I like to get away and actually listen to what I'm doing as opposed to seeing it.

If I was you dude I'd download the Ableton demo, or any other demo and see how you fair.

Actually I come from Ableton :) Thing is I don't like a lot of things about using the computer , so I thought of going the MPC 5000 route, but I think it would be kind of hard especially when making the arrangement... also I don't know if the audio tracks on the MPC can be played directly from the Hd, cause I wanted to sequence my external synths with the MPC and then record them in the MPC on the HD audio tracks , later being able to recall them and use them in the project I started...
So... ???
Thanks for trying to help man:)
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By damien907 Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:05 am
i would say if your used to the computer arranging on a more linear overview type see everything style, its gonna be hard to switch to the mpc, but it is doable, and actually now im having quite a blast with it; but it took me awhile to adapt and im still not fully sold on editing midi notes (copying, pasting ect. )

all in all, i can work out a sketch for a beat way faster on the computer, but the mpc is just kinda fun to have a full hands on experience without just having to click buttons on a screen.

for your other question (about the audio files), im not exactly sure what your trying to say, but ill answer as best i can.

the audio tracks on an mpc (im using mpc 2500 with jjos 2xl v 2.22)
are imported from the harddrive, so you have to actually load them as a sample in your new program, then you go to the "audio file" menu, and you physically load it up to your sequence that way.

i cant remember exactly how its done, or every button push because i have only done it for 1 beat, but i do know the audio files have to be on your MPC harddrive, and then loaded up into a program or whatever; you cant stream them from a computer or something like that (if thats what you were asking)

hope some of that helps 8)
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By MeSoHordey Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:22 pm
shinobi wrote:Would be better to get an MPC 500 and work together with my SP555 that I already own, or get the MPC 5000?


I'm curious why it is a choice between those two? Why not a 1000 or 2500?
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By damien907 Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:43 pm
yeah, i was also wondering that.

i think the 500 with your sp 555 would be limiting screen wise(although you may be used to it because of the sp 555's lack of much on the screen)

i think you'd be much happier with a 1000 or a 2500 with jjos xl than the 5k.

there is still alot of updates coming out for jjos and not so many with the 5000.

i switched from the sp 404 to the mpc 500, and when i finally tried out the 1k and 2500 i was very relived i didnt have to go through so many menus as i did before with the mpc 500.
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By KkonEl Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:08 pm
if there's a better sequencer PERIOD than can be found in the MPC, I've never seen it
and I've tried just about everything
but Ableton, all the way around, is just an incredible program