The MC 707 might replace my MPC Live

I use an Octatrack for detailed beat making, but bought the MPC Live to cut up my songs for performing. I wanted to have longer loops that would sync to whatever tempo on the fly. I also wanted to have velocity layered samples for acoustic drum sounds. The OT isn't geared for those things. I also wanted a clip mode, but haven't had luck with using that on the MPC.

Recently I bought a Roland MC 707, and it does all these things with a much faster and easier workflow than the MPC Live. The 707 doesn't have as many features as the MPC Live, but it has the ones I need, and it's so much easier to use - the workflow is perfect for me.

The number one downside of the 707 is that it doesn't have enough internal memory for me to have a whole set loaded at once. The MPC has way more memory. Boo!

A bonus for me is that the 707 has factory sounds that are way better than I remember any of the old JV/XV romplers. There are also tons of usable drum sounds, and you can add samples where needed. There are bass and synth sounds I will definitely use, which I still find hard to believe. I had been sampling up my hardware synths on the MPC for live.

The 707 uses an Ableton clip mode at it's core, which nicely compliments the OT, and it has proper midi clips for external gear, although I may need less of that with the number of usable internal sounds it has.

The looper works exactly as I want, you load any weird clip and it just stretches it to match the number of bars you indicate. Something I found annoying to sort out on the MPC. It's made for importing loops you cut in your DAW, it's not a sampler, and doesn't sample. It does live sampling into the looper, but those can't be extracted and taken into your DAW, but they can be saved with your project.

As soon as I saw that it had 16 step pads for sequencing as well as 16 pads for playing drum sounds, I knew I was going to like it. I've always wanted that.

It has both elements of Elektron and MPC gear. It sort of has p-locks even. It's certainly not like any other Roland groovebox I've ever used.

I'm going to keep the MPC for a bit, and see if they add disk streaming. But for now, it's just leering at me from the corner of the room.

Scott Righteous wrote:The number one downside of the 707 is that it doesn't have enough internal memory for me to have a whole set loaded at once. The MPC has way more memory. Boo!

The Live also has a battery so you can take it with you on-the-go when needed. That's literally the only thing holding me back from picking up a MC 707.

Why not sell the live and the 707 and get a force... the romper sounds seem to be the only difference

The Live also has a battery so you can take it with you on-the-go when needed. That's literally the only thing holding me back from picking up a MC 707.

Yeah, that battery is great. I know it sounds stupid, but part of my creativity involves sitting on the couch with just a drum machine, and the MPC is great for that. Even though, my studio room is only about 10 feet away from that couch. It's just the idea of making beats away from a computer and focussed on one piece of gear (while drinking beer and watching TV. . . ).

The memory limit is infuriating. In this day and age when memory is relatively cheap, I can't believe they skimped on that.

a 707 over the DJS-1000? Your problem could've been solved like last year.

I was thinking to get a MC101 as a companion of Live.
All those Roland synths and romplers on a such small box!!! With looper and Roland fx!!!
Very appealing.
MC707 is too big!!!

Ill-Green wrote::hmmm: a 707 over the DJS-1000? Your problem could've been solved like last year.

To this day I go back and fourth on that unit. Maybe when I get hot and heavy into producing Live Looping content, I'll convince myself to step over there and finally get it.

As for the MC-707, I was super excited upon reveal, I knew it was in the works (back of the brain knew), it would be the missing link to a true ARIA setup since the SP-404SX doesn't live loop, but I've calmed my gear interest down enough to be objective about my need - or lack there of - for the 707. It's workflow wil lbe way better than the MPC for live looping, but I already have the Force, and while that doesn't have ARIA link, it can do way more than the 707.

I know me though, I'll get the 707 "one day", but I'm hoping to push the Force to it's limits first.
- Unreall

Ill-Green wrote: a 707 over the DJS-1000? Your problem could've been solved like last year.

I haven't seen one in a store, to touch and test. But it certainly intrigues me. I've read a few reviews online and can't find any info on how much memory it has? Do you know?

I'm also curious if the SP-16 would be a better choice for me because I like those extra outputs. But possibly the software is different enough that it doesn't have the same flow as the DJS-1000

This might be something that applies here...
saw this the other day...

mpc live with mc101

https://www.reddit.com/r/mpcusers/comme ... r=26921c15

TheEastSideStory wrote:This might be something that applies here...
saw this the other day...

mpc live with mc101

https://www.reddit.com/r/mpcusers/comme ... r=26921c15

That's whats up! Using Other instruments in conjunction with the Live/X is the Key! Nothin out there can replace the Live/X....(in my eyes lol)

I felt compelled to necro this old thread I started.

As time has marched on - the MPC has become better and easier to use. The 707 has added (some) features, with extra shift+hold button combos I can never remember. I feel like manufacturers should add some unused buttons on a device for when they add features later. The MPC is more screen reliant, and that's where they can add buttons, organize modes, etc. I put a sticker under the 16 Levels button as soon as that became a shift+ combo for pad performance mode. . .

My pros and cons list has shifted.

Browsing patches in the 707 is a major pain. When I buy a new synth I usually delete most of the patches and only keep the ones I will immediately use. The 707 needs some kind of 'ignore' or 'favorite' setting for patches. It's cool to have a huge volume of options, if you can trim that down to speed up getting shit done.

If you sync the 707 to your daw, and have the remote transport initiate recording, it just doesn't 'kick in' fast enough to get that first note/chord/whatever. You can set a delay in the daw and try to correct that later in the 707, but ugh. The MPC doesn't have this issue (for me).

In the end, still using the MPC, and although I still get confused at some points I(where is that sample saved?) - it's a workhorse. I apologize MPC Live. . . . you are a good horse.

MPC says... "You are forgiven"

It's good to look back at how we used to perceive things and consider how our thoughts have changed or where we may have had flawed thinking.

The last year I've been flushing my pile of unused gear because at some point it no longer serves a purpose and just becomes stuff that needs to be maintained or it looses its value.

Take care and keep making music!

One of the things I really like about the MC707 is the dedicated mixer controls. I kinda hate the Qlinks.

But now I just plug an LPD8 into the MPC Live, and it works - I'm going to use a Korg controller as well, and set that up to always do the same mixing - not mode based. Easy peasy lemon squeesy.