Creating finished products?

I know I've asked a similar question to this before but this i'm going to go into more detail.

I'm a windows user so what DAW's do you recommend to make songs and how do you go about doing it?

do you have to record a every sequence to export it, is there a way around it so you can just get a pure sequence cut?

should you do your drum and sample sequences separately and then match them up in your DAW?

I'm an mpc 2500 user btw and i also use the free jjos.

and also what are some real difference making advantages in purchasing JJ OS than using the free one?

you mean to record mpc beats into the computer and turn that into a fully polished piece of music?

well, you can get something like reaper... cubase, fl studio, etc.. those will do the job too... but if you don't have one at the moment, look into reaper because it's cheap and I believe you can use the full featured demo for free which doesn't actually have anything less than the full version has as some guys here have said.

anyhow, you can do what you like, you can record the two track from the main stereo outputs of the mpc (makes you a stereo file that you can't alter individual sounds later.. so only do if you are comfortable with your mix) or you can record the 8 outs into that program and add unique pluggin fx for each track you record into the daw... which is great but takes longer..

You need an audio interface for that though... a 2 channel in if you are good recording only 2 tracks in at once... you need 8 inputs to record all 8 at once. the other option is to record 2 tracks at a time with a cheap 2 track interface by muting all other tracks and doing 2 at a time.

I have fl, reason and live 8.2.2. but i dont really know how to utilize them to full effect with the mpc and i dont have an interface and probably wont have one for a while so what's the best option?

yeah i understand that, but its just that when i make something really nice and have a concept for a song i have to hold off on it because i don't know the best way to create a song, and i'm tired of having incomplete projects when theres so much potential in them.

and i'd also love to know about techniques to adding sub basses as an extra question, being if you should record them in your mpc sequence or add them through your daw?

in short nothing else really confuses me about the mpc (despite having much much more to learn) other than creating full songs.

You can perfectly finish songs inside the MPC!

Resampling is a great technique to use when you can not hook up your MPC to a DAW.
You can resample the whole beat, save it as a sample and export it through USB, export to any DAW and master it there.

Use the built in effects. You can also put an effect on snare sound for example and resample that. That way you can use an infinite number of FX in your song.

Import a sub bass sample or any kind of sample and make a multi sample program. Back in the day when I didn't have a DAW or sound module/ keyboard I once bought the multi samples kit off the MPC-samples site (see link above) and worked with that.

If you have JJOS you can also record a bass line directly into your sequencer by using the audio tracks.

PillsInfinity wrote:and i'd also love to know about techniques to adding sub basses

. If you like sequencing in the mpc, then just sample fl and reason back into the mpc.. Essentially using reason and fl instruments as sound modules/samples .. Just take the headphone out of your laptop with a stereo 3.5 mm jack to dual 1/4inch/6.35mm jacks

into the mpc record in.. Then sample the sub bass patch from either fl or reason.. Then just sequence it in the mpc...

I often bounce between different ways of working..
Sometimes i use the mpc just as a sampler and record live loops(so hit pads live) into reaper as audio loops.. And then just arrange in there.. Beauty of that is fx processing and mixing...


The paid versions give you much better options with sequence editing and sample editing.. I'd highly reccomend it.. It also gives you really good midi control( in and out.. You can control things in external plus let external gear control the mpc)

osxl gives you instrument keygroup pgms. Which means you can create synth type patches.. ie your sub bass patch......

Menco wrote:You can perfectly finish songs inside the MPC!

ok cool, but i've been told on this forum otherwise with my concern to the effect its hard to add little changes like a snare and hat hit before the beat drops if you know what i mean or does that fall into the category of mastering (which it reallly shouldnt)?

dazastah wrote:

PillsInfinity wrote:and i'd also love to know about techniques to adding sub basses

. If you like sequencing in the mpc, then just sample fl and reason back into the mpc.. Essentially using reason and fl instruments as sound modules/samples .. Just take the headphone out of your laptop with a stereo 3.5 mm jack to dual 1/4inch/6.35mm jacks

into the mpc record in.. Then sample the sub bass patch from either fl or reason.. Then just sequence it in the mpc...

I often bounce between different ways of working..
Sometimes i use the mpc just as a sampler and record live loops(so hit pads live) into reaper as audio loops.. And then just arrange in there.. Beauty of that is fx processing and mixing...


The paid versions give you much better options with sequence editing and sample editing.. I'd highly reccomend it.. It also gives you really good midi control( in and out.. You can control things in external plus let external gear control the mpc)

osxl gives you instrument keygroup pgms. Which means you can create synth type patches.. ie your sub bass patch......

alright thanks dude i appreciate this a lot but it wouldn't differ that much with the free jjos right?

and to hit pads live into reaper would you need an interface and what not?

has anyone ever used pro tools 10 or even express with the mpc 2500 or any mpc in general because in the main scheme of things im trying to get an mbox, i'd just like to know for future reference at this point.

also for the dude that answered my question about sub basses can you just purely export sequences without recording them first?

would it be a better idea to export sample and drum patterns separately?

wow, so many questions being asked...

here is what you do.. you don't have an interface, so get one or get that cable you see in the pic. plug the main outs to the red and white ends and the headphone end can plug into the input of your computer..

make your beat on the mpc as normal and record it into the computer... end of story. You want a snare before the beat drops then make a pattern on the mpc that does that and play that pattern first.

learn the mpc, how it works... what it can do... then you will know what you need protools for...


don't worry about mastering beats. Once a rapper goes on the beat (supposing you are doing a rap beat) then you can think about mixing it, mastering it... or what ever else.

you should start with tutorial

the mpc -tutor has greate tutorials also groove3

www.groove3.com/str/from-drop-to-top.html

youtube is also your friend

use a sine sample for subbass also

learn and know what you are doing...

mr_debauch wrote:the other option is to record 2 tracks at a time with a cheap 2 track interface by muting all other tracks and doing 2 at a time.

This is what i do, takes ages.
Need to get an 8 input interface