Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By BeBop Sat Jul 17, 2004 2:04 am
I own a 2480 and Akai MPC 4000 (sampler / sequencer)

The AKAI is a wonderful sampler...but editing on it can be laborious for things I'm hearing.

I'm wanting to buy a laptop to run sampling software to do all of my sample editing...and nothing more (ie tracking, mastering)...and then bring it back into the 4K.

I'm not friendly with computers, and want a set-up that is simple but effective.

Any suggestions on:

Computer (pc or Mac)
Souncards
Sample Software (I hear Recycle get talked about a lot)

Thanks -

S
By ecsmix Sat Jul 17, 2004 5:04 am
You could use as soundcard MBOX from Digidesign and Pro Tools for free, Live and some others softwares for free.
Editing:Sound Forge, WaveLab,Cool Edit.
If you're goping to buy a laptop go to digidesign web site and take a look for specifications.

www.digidesign.com
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By scizz Sat Jul 17, 2004 5:21 am
yo bebop i got the 2400/mpc4k combo.
ur right about the editting on the 4k, i use sound forge on my pc for editting
but a sampler that i run on the pc next to the mpc is Halion .
but yo editting on the vs is a pain in the ass how do u deal with that i got used to it but it takes so much time, automix then editting the automix etc.., u know.
anyway all u need is sound forge (or recycle) and plug-ins, u dont need expensive sound cards, just a 24 bit one cos thru ak.sys ull transfer the files "digitally" between the computer and the mpc.
hope this helps
peace
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By descry Sat Jul 17, 2004 7:18 am
scizz wrote:but a sampler that i run on the pc next to the mpc is Halion .


why halion...haha. a soft sampler w/ a hard sampler...makes no sense to me.


anyhow, i use a pc cause it's a cheaper solution to a mac (at least when i got my 2.4 p4), and i recommend getting an audiophile 2496 if you only need to hook up the rca's from your djmixer. as far as sampling software goes, i like to use soundforge to edit and recycle to chop (like many others do) cause it makes life simple.
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By Iceberg-Slim Sat Jul 17, 2004 7:40 am
cant help but agree, I used to protest, bout how all I needed was the 4k, but with Recycle + Sound Forge, I can get my chopping done a WHOLE lot faster which is important when time is money

I still need to fully learn Recycle, which the major reason, Im somewhat reliant on Sound Forge only because I've used it for a year or so
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By Iceberg-Slim Sat Jul 17, 2004 7:45 am
Any other programs/plugs that just make your mpc life easier?

I've recently was looking for a faster/better sounding way to do my pitchshifting/time compression, and bumped into Prosoniqs TimeFactory which is one of the best I've heard, but I havent tested alot, and I havent used the one inside of Recycle, so hey

Sonalksis makes a Compression and EQ that are extremely good imo as well

Anyone willing to add feel free, we might as well help each other save time
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By scizz Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:51 am
descry wrote:
scizz wrote:but a sampler that i run on the pc next to the mpc is Halion .


why halion...haha. a soft sampler w/ a hard sampler...makes no sense to me.
.

BECAUSE, homey, Halion, unlike the mpc, got the sample start covering a huge range so i trigger samples with da mpc and use midi to automate the sample start on halion. this way u dont need to chop samples u do it LIVE.
i dont use this combination all the time and on all type of samples but yeah its a super duper sampling technique u didnt think was possible so yeah HA HA back to u and try it to see for urself.
peace
By djredhead Sat Jul 17, 2004 9:22 am
Recycle is a cool and easy way to graphically chop up samples and add some of it's built in filter fx to your samples... but, the akai prgm export exports as 16 bit samples and the sound quality 'to my ears' suffers from the Propellerhead 'loss-less' compression scheme. You can use aksys to transfer the wave files to the mpc and convert all of the files to 24bit, but it is not the same.

Recycle was a great way for me to get stuff into the mpc when I first got my mpc4000, but now that I understand grid edit mode I hardly use it anymore. Same thing for Reason. That's just me.

Here is some more info in another tread...

http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php ... c&start=15
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By ikke Sat Jul 17, 2004 12:52 pm
Yeah.. soft - and hardware samplers can work pretty well together! :wink:


-> topic starter:

laptop: Powerbook G4, any Centrino, AMD Athlon 64.

You cant go wrong with these!

Soundcard: for mixing/editing and recording I wont go for an mBox!! They are kind of shit! (only USB 1.1, old, only 2 channels) I would buy a 002rack or a RME multi/digiface + PCMCIA card


What do you mean with 'sample software'? Ya mean a softsampler (like Kontakt)? Or do you want to edit samples?

softsampler: Kontakt, Halion, Sampletank 2XL, Xphraze
sample editor: Cool edit Pro 2 (dx), Wavelab (dx, vst), Recycle for chopping and making Akai programs.

By lacasanostrarecords.com Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:42 pm
MOTU Digital Performer, Mac G4 Dual 1 Gig (getting my G5 in Dec) 3 UAD-1 Cards, Reason 2.5, Recycle and Toast/Jam for CD Burning and Archiving. I used Bias Peak often in the past but really like Recycle better...Very simple and Crashes less. You dont need much to get going just good stuff. I also use MOTU 2408mkIII, MTP Av. My Motif is my controller and Main sound module along with Reason 2.5 and I sometimes use a Proteus 2000, Audity 2000, Novation A Station, Triton Rack and Alesis QSR I am looking at getting a Roland Fantom X rack soon too just to add in some Roland flavor. My Main thing now is focusing on getting a Really Great MIC like Neumann and a Great Pre Amp like a Manley.
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By BeBop Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:09 pm
hey all, thanks for some of these tips -

Slim, Yeah I remember your posts a while back instructing on how to best use the MPC sampler...but it looks like you've gone the Recycle way -


Scizz - the Roland you have is different from the 2480 in that they made the thing so small and combined a lot of features that make you go through multiple menus to get to where you need to be...the 2480 is more open in front...which is why I went with it. Both are killin' though.

Well so far I'm sure that Recycle/Soundforge are gonna be the choice. I just need to figure out the computer part..and you suggestions are helpful and welcome -

I'm wanting to stay with the sequencer the MPC has as I said before, I like the feel of the pads for doing beats. Hopefully the new OS upgrade will be taking care of some of the little annoying problems the MPC sequencer currently has -

You guys that are sampling and editing on the outside, and bringing that into the MPC....is the file swapping between the two formats working..?? I mean can you create folders on the PC and bring them into the MPC and Vice-versa?

Thanks again all -

Bop
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By Iceberg-Slim Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:19 pm
ya just toss them over via aksys in wav format u can even program the sounds in aksys

more time efficent but i also have the best of both worlds considering without a pc I can still get the job done, and I also appreciate it more :)
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By Kalei Sat Jul 17, 2004 10:37 pm
scizz wrote:this way u dont need to chop samples u do it LIVE.


Sounds interesting... I have Halion and want to test this, could you please explain it abit further?

Thanks!

Kalei
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By The-Shadow Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:13 pm
lacasanostrarecords.com wrote:MOTU Digital Performer, Mac G4 Dual 1 Gig (getting my G5 in Dec) 3 UAD-1 Cards, Reason 2.5, Recycle and Toast/Jam for CD Burning and Archiving. I used Bias Peak often in the past but really like Recycle better...Very simple and Crashes less. You dont need much to get going just good stuff. I also use MOTU 2408mkIII, MTP Av. My Motif is my controller and Main sound module along with Reason 2.5 and I sometimes use a Proteus 2000, Audity 2000, Novation A Station, Triton Rack and Alesis QSR I am looking at getting a Roland Fantom X rack soon too just to add in some Roland flavor. My Main thing now is focusing on getting a Really Great MIC like Neumann and a Great Pre Amp like a Manley.


I download a trial version of Recycle from Propellerhead after my man here said he was using it. It's pretty good, works just like the auto chop function on my Fantom-S. I'm kind of worried. It chops better and more efficiently than the 4K sampler itself. Multiple file export of chops than drag and drop back into the 4K. I can use peak to amp up and filter the original file then chop it with Recycle. Akai better get down with this sh!t and that function to its sampler options. Some good sh!t man.
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By Dr. Lecter Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:26 pm
I'm not using any software proggie next to my MP except SoundForge for mastering my tracks.I'm doin' all the sampling,sequencing & mixing in the 4k.