By Soultruth1
Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:23 pm
First of all I'd like to say hello to everyone here at mpc-forums.com 
I've been scanning through this section quite often recently, and am glad to be apart of what's going on here finally. With that being said, here are my thoughts on the MPC 500.
I'd like to start off by asking the question why is the MPC 500 referred to as the "entry level" MPC around here? Anyone who has become familiar with the little thing knows it is only limited in areas that deny portability. Anyways....
FIRST THOUGHTS: A good friend of mine is a proud owner of the MPC 5000, but before he grabbed his monster he played with the 500 a bit. I didn't get so much as a glimpse of it, but he did fill me in on what his experience with it was like. Long story short, he ended up getting rid of it a couple weeks after purchasing it because he believed it was too complicated to get a desired work flow, issues with the small screen, and a few various other minor "personal taste" arguments.
Even with this being the first time I've heard of the thing, I was a bit turned away from the idea of purchasing one yet still interested in it's portability.
HANDS ON EXPERIENCE REVIEW: I've owned my 500 for a little over a month now (roughly) and couldn't enjoy it more. At first I planned on getting a used 1000 or 2500, but ended up buying the 500 brand new for $580 due to availability, and because it was a 20th birthday gift to myself
I've always wanted to make instrumentals on an MPC since I started getting into J Dilla and Madlib, and I figured what better time then now to purchase one and up my game a little, using a new machine.
Prior to buying the 500, I did most if not all of my instrumentals on DAWs and MIDI controllers. I used a conjuction of Magix Music Maker 16, FL Studio 9, Virtual DJ 6, and hundreds of self made and professional sound kits to make my jams. Midi controllers I've previously owned include the Akai LPD 8, Korg Nano Pad, Akai LPK 25, M-Audio KeyStudio 49 key midi keyboard(which I still own and use on occasion), and a pair of Numark Turntables I used to sample vinyl.
Now, I've been using Recycle to chop my samples, and the 500 to make my instrumentals. Sequencing on any of the MPC's is a dream for any hip hop producer or beat maker. Being able to load my samples to a program and begin recording and overdubbing to create a sequence is really the most fun I've had making instrumentals to date. The 500 is limited in a few ways yes, but having limitless possibilities in a DAW doesn't always mean the music will be better. The simplicity of this machine is what makes it shine in my opinion. The work flow can be sluggish at first due to the small screen, but it's easily learned and shouldn't be a problem for anyone who's serious about making music after a couple weeks.
FINAL THOUGHTS/RECOMMENDATION: If you're a hip hop artist who's either new in the game or has been around and just wanting a new toy to mess with, I highly recommend the MPC 500. The portability is a great plus, being able to create sequences on the bus or during a road trip is just amazing at the quality given in this machine. Just load it with some batteries and you're good to go. Sure it has 4 pads less than the other models, but the absence of this extra row of pads isn't going to make a difference in the quality of your music. Equipment like this is really just an empty canvas, and really shines when an artist uses it to its capabilities to create something beautiful. Don't let the fact that this MPC is the cheapest in the line fool you into thinking it's the worst one out there. Its portability is it's selling point, and that MPC feel is just as apparent in this model as it is any other model.
Regardless of anyone's opinion on the machine and it's capabilities, it's all about the music anyways. Even if you're working on free software, if the beats are dope and the samples are original, that's all that matters. I would suggest any MPC on the line to individuals making music off of strictly software.
P.S. - I've upgraded the RAM to 128mb, and the CF memory card to 2gb. I highly recommend upgrading if you plan on making music with this thing often.
I've been scanning through this section quite often recently, and am glad to be apart of what's going on here finally. With that being said, here are my thoughts on the MPC 500.I'd like to start off by asking the question why is the MPC 500 referred to as the "entry level" MPC around here? Anyone who has become familiar with the little thing knows it is only limited in areas that deny portability. Anyways....
FIRST THOUGHTS: A good friend of mine is a proud owner of the MPC 5000, but before he grabbed his monster he played with the 500 a bit. I didn't get so much as a glimpse of it, but he did fill me in on what his experience with it was like. Long story short, he ended up getting rid of it a couple weeks after purchasing it because he believed it was too complicated to get a desired work flow, issues with the small screen, and a few various other minor "personal taste" arguments.
Even with this being the first time I've heard of the thing, I was a bit turned away from the idea of purchasing one yet still interested in it's portability.
HANDS ON EXPERIENCE REVIEW: I've owned my 500 for a little over a month now (roughly) and couldn't enjoy it more. At first I planned on getting a used 1000 or 2500, but ended up buying the 500 brand new for $580 due to availability, and because it was a 20th birthday gift to myself
I've always wanted to make instrumentals on an MPC since I started getting into J Dilla and Madlib, and I figured what better time then now to purchase one and up my game a little, using a new machine. Prior to buying the 500, I did most if not all of my instrumentals on DAWs and MIDI controllers. I used a conjuction of Magix Music Maker 16, FL Studio 9, Virtual DJ 6, and hundreds of self made and professional sound kits to make my jams. Midi controllers I've previously owned include the Akai LPD 8, Korg Nano Pad, Akai LPK 25, M-Audio KeyStudio 49 key midi keyboard(which I still own and use on occasion), and a pair of Numark Turntables I used to sample vinyl.
Now, I've been using Recycle to chop my samples, and the 500 to make my instrumentals. Sequencing on any of the MPC's is a dream for any hip hop producer or beat maker. Being able to load my samples to a program and begin recording and overdubbing to create a sequence is really the most fun I've had making instrumentals to date. The 500 is limited in a few ways yes, but having limitless possibilities in a DAW doesn't always mean the music will be better. The simplicity of this machine is what makes it shine in my opinion. The work flow can be sluggish at first due to the small screen, but it's easily learned and shouldn't be a problem for anyone who's serious about making music after a couple weeks.
FINAL THOUGHTS/RECOMMENDATION: If you're a hip hop artist who's either new in the game or has been around and just wanting a new toy to mess with, I highly recommend the MPC 500. The portability is a great plus, being able to create sequences on the bus or during a road trip is just amazing at the quality given in this machine. Just load it with some batteries and you're good to go. Sure it has 4 pads less than the other models, but the absence of this extra row of pads isn't going to make a difference in the quality of your music. Equipment like this is really just an empty canvas, and really shines when an artist uses it to its capabilities to create something beautiful. Don't let the fact that this MPC is the cheapest in the line fool you into thinking it's the worst one out there. Its portability is it's selling point, and that MPC feel is just as apparent in this model as it is any other model.
Regardless of anyone's opinion on the machine and it's capabilities, it's all about the music anyways. Even if you're working on free software, if the beats are dope and the samples are original, that's all that matters. I would suggest any MPC on the line to individuals making music off of strictly software.
P.S. - I've upgraded the RAM to 128mb, and the CF memory card to 2gb. I highly recommend upgrading if you plan on making music with this thing often.
