Any Guitarists out there getting decent sounds direct to MPC

Hey all,

I plug in direct to the MPC one often to practice with beats and backing tracks. I've created some plugin chains that sound decent for electric guitar, but was hoping others might have input as well.

A decent sound so far is to use a Channel Strip plugin and reduce the highs above 5k, add a subtle noise gate and compression with a low threshold and low (1.3) ratio. Then I follow it up by an Air Distortion with light distortion, then a Parametric EQ with some low and high cuts with various boosts in center regions to replicate some of the mid-range tonality of guitar amps, then a Reverb Small just to give a bit of air/ room tone like an amp in a room.

I've also gotten some fun MXR Blue Box style effects with fuzz and -2 octave pitch shift mixed in.

It's a shame that Akai doesn't include some of the headrest FX in the unit (even as a paid in-app purchase).

Anyone else having good luck with guitar tones straight from the MPC?

Here are some Plugin Chains for anyone out there to try:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/urtorlikmig8fwp/AABuk2FpdoyQ-kjr_rcMZSmaa?dl=0

I don’t play guitar but thanks for sharing.

I use an Ox Box. Run a 100w Marshall (all tube) head with pedals into an interface via optical cable. I would definitely recommend an ox box if you have the cash and a guitar amp. You’ll never get close going directly into the MPC even with a line out from a solid state amp.

That said, the guitar is my first instrument so take it with a grain of salt. Going directly into the MPC even with no amp definitely works just to lay down your track and get things grooving. I would also recommend using Logic Pro X over MPC plugins to emulate an amp.

I’ve had good results but always with outboard effects or pedals in the chain. If you have any guitar-specific effects surf a preamp on board use them on the way in to the MPC. Using a real tape delay or spring reverb for example can help a lot to give the signal conviction, and because those units often have built-in preamps voiced for guitar that helps further.

Thanks all.

I’m hoping to keep it all in the MPC so I just record the direct signal. When I mix it (on a computer) I’ll use proper guitar amp sims. I just want to be able to practice without needing extra equipment, power supplies, ground loop hum, etc. Just plug into the MPC and go!

Been dialing in some more tones. Will share soon.

I would love to figure out guitar into MPC. Right now I've pretty much given up and adding guitar after I pull stuff into Ableton. I've tried running the out on my Boss Katana mk1 and it sounds like crap. I've even tried the amp simulator / cab simulator in Roland Fantom. It's a little better but not great.

Guitar/Bass - Apogee JAM - iPhone - MPC line input = best portable solution.
Lot of good amp sim apps available. Apogee Jam can be picked up used very cheap. Jam also works extremely well for a dynamic XLR mic with a simple low z to high z adaptor.

T-Monk wrote:Any Guitarists out there getting decent sounds direct to MPC

I always DI my Ibanez bass right into my Live II - sounds fantastic IMHO (and this is a relatively cheap Ibanez). I also DI into my Live II with my Epiphone Swingster hollow body electric. I always hoped a community of effects chains would have appeared once the Effects Rack feature came about in 2.10, but it never materialized.

I started using a EHX Superego before MpC because Superego turns high impedance into line level.
It worked fine.
Now I upgraded to a Boss GT1000 core, a great modeler/multifx in small format. Perfect to use GT for fx and MPC for recording