By textyle
Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:40 pm
I think a lot of the argument comes about because, for some, there's no substitute to physically tapping out your music, and others don't see what the big deal is when you can have every plug-in and super programme on a wafer-thin laptop.
I just got one cuz, for me, making a beat on a train with the MPC500 is way way way more fun and practical than juggling wavelab, reason and cubase (or whatever) on a 12" LCD screen with a tiny finger mouse pad, you either need hawk eyes, a very durable neck to lean forwards all the time or a good seat with a table. I used to use my laptop on the train.
Now, once I load a programme from the flash I don't need the screen - just listen for the count, sit back and strike pad.
As a classical musician who also makes beats, I'd say the mpc brings out more musicality in people, I act on impulse in realtime...instead of filling in a grid until it sounds like the pattern I was thinking of before I forgot it. Wonder what Beethoven would've come up with on one?
I know midi controllers get round the sequencer grid headache, but I don't think it's as nice to have to get out a laptop, a cable and a keyboard ...might as well live on the train.
Ironically, I have my MPC in my leather(-ish) DELL wallet -recommend it- (my laptop is tiny)...it's perfect size for the 500. It has a strap to hold it tight and zips round 3 sides so you can flip it open and work on it still in its case...theres space to leave ear-bud headphones plugged in and it boots up in 3 seconds.
I do have some issues about it (500) though (please correct me if I'm wrong):
1) You have to resample your stuff in real time to get a WAV of your beat Uuugh? That's ridiculous. The whole point of USB is that I don't have to record through an interface, I just export WAVs. I can't find a way to export a sequence as WAV.
2) You can't record a live sequence (I don't think) using track mute, you have to copy everything and use next sequence feature. Is there no realtime live sequencing where you can just mute different tracks out while mapping out a song...and then export that as WAV
3) You can't record everything in 1 performance and then mute 1 sound - you have to record seperately on diff trax -. Uuugh? That's blimmin awful that is - what if you play drums and you're sik with pads - you can't seperate your intricate pad performance to create drops - WAK...I could do that in '97 on my 202.
These things are tripppleWAK, they limit how musical you can get with it, well no.3 does loads.
Sorry, had to get that off my chest, WOOUOAAUUUUOOOO
It must sound like I hate it after that but on the contrary, I spent 5 hours on the 500 last night and really enjoyed every second of it...glad I'm using pads more and a mouse less.
Maybe it's me just fussy about the functions, or missing the point or somet? Or does anyone else share these views about ma points 1,2&3?
Pc OOt, zero tenshun
Tex
I just got one cuz, for me, making a beat on a train with the MPC500 is way way way more fun and practical than juggling wavelab, reason and cubase (or whatever) on a 12" LCD screen with a tiny finger mouse pad, you either need hawk eyes, a very durable neck to lean forwards all the time or a good seat with a table. I used to use my laptop on the train.
Now, once I load a programme from the flash I don't need the screen - just listen for the count, sit back and strike pad.
As a classical musician who also makes beats, I'd say the mpc brings out more musicality in people, I act on impulse in realtime...instead of filling in a grid until it sounds like the pattern I was thinking of before I forgot it. Wonder what Beethoven would've come up with on one?
I know midi controllers get round the sequencer grid headache, but I don't think it's as nice to have to get out a laptop, a cable and a keyboard ...might as well live on the train.
Ironically, I have my MPC in my leather(-ish) DELL wallet -recommend it- (my laptop is tiny)...it's perfect size for the 500. It has a strap to hold it tight and zips round 3 sides so you can flip it open and work on it still in its case...theres space to leave ear-bud headphones plugged in and it boots up in 3 seconds.
I do have some issues about it (500) though (please correct me if I'm wrong):
1) You have to resample your stuff in real time to get a WAV of your beat Uuugh? That's ridiculous. The whole point of USB is that I don't have to record through an interface, I just export WAVs. I can't find a way to export a sequence as WAV.
2) You can't record a live sequence (I don't think) using track mute, you have to copy everything and use next sequence feature. Is there no realtime live sequencing where you can just mute different tracks out while mapping out a song...and then export that as WAV
3) You can't record everything in 1 performance and then mute 1 sound - you have to record seperately on diff trax -. Uuugh? That's blimmin awful that is - what if you play drums and you're sik with pads - you can't seperate your intricate pad performance to create drops - WAK...I could do that in '97 on my 202.
These things are tripppleWAK, they limit how musical you can get with it, well no.3 does loads.
Sorry, had to get that off my chest, WOOUOAAUUUUOOOO
It must sound like I hate it after that but on the contrary, I spent 5 hours on the 500 last night and really enjoyed every second of it...glad I'm using pads more and a mouse less.
Maybe it's me just fussy about the functions, or missing the point or somet? Or does anyone else share these views about ma points 1,2&3?
Pc OOt, zero tenshun
Tex