KORG microSAMPLER

so what your experiences and thoughts about the machine???was it everything you expected??

So I picked a Korg microSampler to go along with the MPC500, as they are both portable and battery powered. I was hoping that some of the enhancements/features of the microSampler would be an excellent addition to what the MPC 500 already offers.

The two big features I were looking for was the sample being mapped across the entire keyboard and the ability to auto chop samples into separate beats. For me, these two things are pieces that are missing on the MPC500. Yes I know you can use 12 levels to play a single sample, but it can be far too fiddly at times, and not having a proper keyboard to play notes on can sometimes be annoying. While the microSampler allows you to map a sample across the keyboard it has the same issue as the MPC500 in that you cannot apparently sequence this from another sequencer. While I understand this limitation, it is annoying on either platform. As for the Auto Next feature, well this was far more finicky than what I had wanted and tended to produce results that weren't any better than just using math/extract to get at sampled beats on the MPC500. When it worked it was definitely faster, but I couldn't get it to work great all the time.

Further confounding me was that it seems keyboard mode only allows you to record one performance per pattern (think sequence) with a sample stretched across the keyboard. This was infuriating for me since this is something quite easy and a no brainer for me on the MPC 500.

Barring those issues, one shot sampling on the microSampler is as fast, if not faster on the microSampler. I was able to create kits very fast and some of the features of the microSampler do help to accelerate sampling. If you are getting usable samples out of the gate and don't need to tweak them it is a dream. Unfortunately, once you need to use the interface to adjust sample start/end times, normalize etc... I actually think that the MPC 500 has more control, predictability and is overall quicker at editing samples. Plus the MPC 500 has the concept of programs which the microSampler lacks.

Loop mode is a blast, and it didn't seem to be super picky about getting exactly the right BPM for it to be useful. I'm not sure if there was something fancy going on under the hood to 'correct' bad tempo settings, but this felt pretty good to me. You can 12 levels as much as you'd like on the MPC 500 without any problems.

The FX on the microSampler were for the most part quite good. I actually had fun playing with the bit crusher, and plenty of the other effects were well done as well. While it is in no way going to sound like an 8 bit/12 bit sampler from the past, it definitely produced quite useful results, I just wouldn't classify them as old school. With a fairly good compliment of other FX this box hands down has better FX than the MPC 500. We can only dream about having this kind of stuff on the MPC. The only issue I have with them is that the microSampler requires you to use only two knobs to set all of your parameters for the FX, and believe me when I tell you this is tedious.

Coming from the MPC 500, I will say that the Korg patterns (the equivalent of sequences) is complete garbage. There isn't any really good way to work with Patterns on the Korg and even though it can be annoying on the MPC 500, I now have much more respect for what they pulled off over what Korg has done.

So what should Akai learn from the Korg microSampler?

1) Get a looping mode in there, even if it kills polyphony like it does on the microSampler it is very useful and you can always resample later.
2) Look at some of the modes on the microSampler for sampling, they really do improve the sampling process and would be a godsend to the MPC 500 or similar device. While I never mastered auto next on the microSampler, I think I'd really work with it on the 500.
3) The keyboard sample mode on the microSampler was actually useful to have it put the note on a C4 always and then let you play the range over the keyboard. We have banks ABCD... let us use those in a "Tune" mode, and from what I've seen defaulting isn't so bad. I think that having the Tune +/- instead is perhaps more trouble than it is worth.
4) I wouldn't have thought this before... but lets get some higher quality FX... please.
5) Get a better mic pre. It is rather embarrassing that the microSampler comes with a mic that isn't even that great and can sample from that source much cleaner than the MPC 500 with even a high end mic.
6) The microSampler has a much better audio input thru mode. Plus you can use it as an effect. Something like this on the MPC 500 would be killer.
7) Wake up Akai... Korg includes librarians/editors for almost all of their new hardware... get with the program.

Having played with the microSampler for two weeks now I have to say it made me appreciate the MPC 500 a lot more. Sure the MPC 500 has it's rough edges, but I ultimately had to exchange the microSampler as there was no way I was going to use it effectively (ie put up with it's eccentricities and those of the MPC 500). Instead I picked up the microKorg XL, and while it has it's own share of problems there isn't any duplication of effort between the two, and it's a pretty solid digital synth.

At any rate... I'd say that the microSampler demos very well compared to the MPC 500, but honestly I cannot suggest anybody with an MPC 500 to pick one up.

Awesome review man. I was just lookin into those too. Im lookin to upgrade from the 500 soon.

Just out of curiousity... what're you looking to get out of an upgrade?

Silly me downgrading from my DAW/Synths n' stuff. Course needing to chase a 2 year old around the house while working on stuff does give you a different perspective on what your needs are.

I love my 1k with JJOS XL... the 2 make a really good pair... although you cannot migrate between the 500 and the 1k w/ JJOS very well. Still with the two you get 256mb of sampling memory and 64 notes of polyphony. Personally, with them both hooked up I usually use the 500 as a one shot bank and do all the tricky stuff and instrument programs on the 1k.

Honestly, if you like the 500 and haven't tried out a 1k with JJOS I'd highly suggest trying one out, though I doubt that the local music store would appreciate somebody coming by and loading up the free/OS1/OS2/OS2XL JJ on their system .

I'm also really digging the sounds of the microKorg XL. I know some people say it's a bit tinny at times, but with an LPF on the MPC or Kaoss Pad mini or whatever you can tweak the sounds just enough to smooth them out.

I'm really liking the microkorg (I know you have the XL) and the mpc500 together. Try running the headphone out of the mpc into the two inputs on the microkorg and then routing them through the filters etc and mixing over the dry mpc main outputs.

Everything on the microkorg is quite usable in a portable setup except the resonance on the filters which are terrible dsp style yuck. It's just a fun little rig. I just keep the headphone out of the microkorg hooked up to the mpc inputs. Come up with a synth line...sample...loop...and keep layering...no more mapping pads chromatically...what a pain.

In a previous life I was a huge Korg fanboy... I still have a few pieces of Korg gear, but sold off most of it. I still have my nearly maxed out Triton Studio which is one of my ever faithful go to's to sample off of, regardless if it has been sampled like crazy already, and my Kaoss Pad 2. I was totally in love with the Korg MS 2000B that I had, but for various reasons I sold it off a long time ago. I still kind of miss it, but I have to say that the microKorg XL (yeah I know it's Radius Tech and not pure MS 2000 goodness) is a pretty good recreation. So far I'm not 100% happy with how I have to hook the MPC 500 and the microKorg XL up to sequence on the 500 and play sounds on the XL. I wish that the MPC 500 had a proper audio thru instead of only being available during record mode, and the XL seems to have only a mono audio input, which while perfectly usable is kind of a concession.

I've been considering how to get a mixer or some other device into the mix, but I really don't want to add another piece of gear... I suppose I can do a criss cross of audio outs to audio ins on both devices, and switch between the headphone jack as necessary, but that's probably more to keep track of than I'd really like. Plus I've got a Kaoss Pad Mini to squeeze in there some place. One of these nights I'll probably have a eureka moment, but until then I'll just have to keep dreaming of how to hook it up properly . I'm kind of thinking there may be something to do by merging the signals and have the record mode not setup to monitor.

Just run the stereo outs of the mpc into the two inputs on the korg set the oscillators to audio in. I'm usually working in mono on the mpc and hard pan the pads to get separate outs.

You can use a vocoder patch and hard pan the modulator and the carrier to get stereo thru.

If you work in mono you can use the mod wheel like a cross fader for the two mpc channels.

Pretty fun.

Once the mpc is playing a song you can leave it in record mode to get the audio thru. I tried it a few weeks ago and I'm pretty sure it worked correctly. I was a bit annoyed and decided not to use it as a workflow while I'm still learning the mpc. I might go back to it if I have to, but I think I might just make a little summing bus with a tilt eq on it with four inputs. Two for the microkorg and two for mpc. I wanted the audio thru on the mpc to run the loop output of my soundbite micro.

If you want to get a great companion to the mpc500 get a soundbite micro so you can sync your sequences to records in realtime. It is so fun to mix with. Doubt you need another sampler...this thing is pretty great for one shots and drums. Seems like anymore lp sampling than that and it's a struggle to really get your own sound...better to sample yourself. Everyone is still hung up on chopping breaks...it's sounding pretty tired twenty years on.

Oh, in terms of hooking the stuff up...always draw a little diagram with all the gear as little boxes with all the ins/outs on paper and sit there and draw the cables for a while. Makes it easier for me to have a map in case things don't work out right off the bat.

It helps a lot.

greta wrote:Oh, in terms of hooking the stuff up...always draw a little diagram with all the gear as little boxes with all the ins/outs on paper and sit there and draw the cables for a while. Makes it easier for me to have a map in case things don't work out right off the bat.

It helps a lot.

This I do from time to time when I want to experiment with different settings in my set-up. Also helps when you disconnect everything to clean or organize and you forget what goes where.

Very good review, I was also thinking of purchasing the MicroSampler. Based on your information, It might not be for me.

séance wrote:Very good review, I was also thinking of purchasing the MicroSampler. Based on your information, It might not be for me.

I will say the MicroSampler is definitely a powerful board all by itself, and I can easily imagine it paired with a microkorg being an awesome combination... unfortunately you can say the same thing about the MPC 500

Trading the MicroSampler in for the MicroKorg XL though was the best option I think I could have made. MPC 500, MicroKorg XL and a KaossPad Mini is great for me, and other than needing to fiddle with cabling to do different tasks it really isn't any worse than needing to patch things in at the studio.

A battery powered porta-studio has been fun for me so far too. It's nice to be able to just pack a few things up and setup where ever. I've done the laptop thing a lot, but between the number of usb controllers you *can* bring and wanting to have a full studio experience at a friend's house... it's just too many options in my mind. It's the kind of thing that really slows down progress for getting started making a track. I'm starting to become of the mind of keeping the studio out of the initial seeding/pollination process of music making.

The only thing I feel like I am missing at this point is a portable multi-track recorder. I've been keeping an eye on the Tascam DP-008, which isn't quite what I think I want, or perhaps the Korg Sound on Sound which if it does everything I think it does may turn out to be perfect for me. I'd love to see a midi enabled portable multi-tracker... but I doubt we'll ever see that.

NearTao wrote:Trading the MicroSampler in for the MicroKorg XL though was the best option I think I could have made. MPC 500, MicroKorg XL and a KaossPad Mini is great for me, and other than needing to fiddle with cabling to do different tasks it really isn't any worse than needing to patch things in at the studio.

I'd also like to attain a Microkorg XL, They have always impressed me when I tested them. The Mini Kaosspad is interesting. I own a Korg KP3 which I bought used for very cheap. I've been a DJ for some time and I thought I might enjoy using the loop features on it while mixing. Recently I've come to find that I prefer using the KP3 with my MPC. I'd never made much use of it as a DJ, but the effects are generally impressive, excluding a few.

NearTao wrote:The only thing I feel like I am missing at this point is a portable multi-track recorder. I've been keeping an eye on the Tascam DP-008, which isn't quite what I think I want, or perhaps the Korg Sound on Sound which if it does everything I think it does may turn out to be perfect for me. I'd love to see a midi enabled portable multi-tracker... but I doubt we'll ever see that.

I used to record with a Korg D888. Again, used gear I acquired for very little cost. I enjoyed using it and I couldn't recommend it enough. I regrettably sold it as I started recording more in my friends studio, I still wish I had it for home mixes. The Korg D3200 is also a force to be reckoned with. I've no experience with the Tascam mixers, but I've never had any trouble with Korg or Roland mixers.

I have merged NearTao's MicroSampler review thread from the 500 forum with this thread.

The merged thread begins with NearTao's first post on this page.

viewtopic.php?p=1167001#p1167001

In Korg Forums some people say that it needs a major firmware update soon.

Dope review Tao! I thought the MicroSampler was a dope piece of gear until I checked it out.. I didn't really see much of a difference over it vs a midi keyboard with any MPC. Sure, the MicroSampler has some nice tricks that MPC's can't do, but they simply weren't enough that would make me spend $500 on it.