Akai MPC 5000 : The 15 month verdict.

Some one should set up a tricks and tips tread here.

Would like to see how everybody work on their 5000 since we all have
diffrent work flow.

Just any work arrounds that someone came up with for the 5000 that may be
lacking in.

Like the group mute on the 5000 that write there for building your beat and finding
what direction you trying to go with the song man its a good day today.

Askia Shaheed wrote:

diegoeskryptic wrote:

mpc3500 wrote:I can go as far as saying i would even be happy if no more updated where made(its really powerful enough),and akai just gives us more synths.

I disagree.

The function we need the most is auto-load of samples into a program. For example, the mpc has 4 pad banks x 16 pads = 64 sounds.

Wouldnt it be nice if you can select 64 sounds, hit auto load, and all 64 sounds are mapped out to your pads.

Would make the workflow so much easier!

OS 2.0 added the ability to auto-load a folder full of samples and automatically map the sounds to a new program. In other words, if you have 64 sounds in a folder, the 5K will create a program with sounds on all pads in all banks. If you have 128 sounds in a folder, then two programs will be created. The sounds will be assign in alphabetical order to each pad.

This was a heavily requested feature which I love. But I do wish the 5K had the ability to actually select/de-select sounds to load and or delete to/from memory.

On page 174 of the OS 2 manual for all those who like to read...

I would have to check one out. I'm happy with my 4K & 3K. I see DJ Quik is trying out one, and he's a big 3K producer.

Wow, I just spent my first session with it. I gotta say I'm impressed. The features, the synth, the sequencer, the sound, the effects are better than I thought. There is only one bad thing, the sluggishness or unresponsiveness of it. The wheel takes a minute to recognize your spinning. Sometimes the pads would feel off. The quantize seemed sluggish too. Overall I'm glad I bought this. Just waiting for an OS update...

golfzerosafari wrote:...There is only one bad thing, the sluggishness or unresponsiveness of it. The wheel takes a minute to recognize your spinning. Sometimes the pads would feel off. The quantize seemed sluggish too. ...

seems all very minor issues for a +2000 euro sequencer/sampler...
I guess this must be the first sequencer in your life then...all my other samplers are 'responsive', the knobs and wheels do what they are supposed to do, pads are 'on', quantize is right etc etc

seems all very minor issues for a +2000 euro sequencer/sampler...
I guess this must be the first sequencer in your life then...all my other samplers are 'responsive', the knobs and wheels do what they are supposed to do, pads are 'on', quantize is right etc etc

Right on! I think it's a really bad thing when you seriously don't feel comfortable with the responsiveness or quantize, knobs or wheels. The quantize probably has to do with your own timing though, I've never seen or used a sampler that had a 'bad quantize'. It would be crazy anyways, as these machines are designed around quantize. Same goes for the Roland MV, there are no quantize issues.

The quantize on the 5k is tight. I can get a nice feel pretty easy with the swing and strength. I did have an issue with it not behaving right but that was only one session. I think it was just a glitch like how occasionally it will slow down after adjusting something. Really though, the timing should not ever slow or glitch no matter what. They need to tighten the OS up and optimize it so these things NEVER happen.

well, i've had mv8000, cubase for on a core2duo 2.1ghz cpu, with 2 gigs ram, ..also mpc 5000, 1000, and 2000xl.

i've never experienced any midi quantize timing as tight as i have on the 5000, in any of these other situations.

i've never hit the pad and it recorded wrong or off from where i hit it.

i've never had the timing slow up, and i have 192 mb ram and i've had projects that use up to about 185 megs.

they did not slow up.

why am i not having the same problem as all of you? ..and yes, i have external synth(s) that i use through midi out and still no missing the tightest timing i've ever known.

is my mpc 5000 just different than yours or something? ...because so far, mine has been absolutely perfect as far as quantizing and midi sequencing is concerned.

Who knows? Like I said, it's usually tight. It always records my playing just as I played it and the quantize swing is nice. Can't explain the glitchy behavior other than thinking it may be related to the overall sluggish response of OS2 Could only happen under certain conditions or settings etc. One person claimed the ram upgrade helped the responsiveness some.

seiko wrote:

golfzerosafari wrote:...There is only one bad thing, the sluggishness or unresponsiveness of it. The wheel takes a minute to recognize your spinning. Sometimes the pads would feel off. The quantize seemed sluggish too. ...

seems all very minor issues for a +2000 euro sequencer/sampler...
I guess this must be the first sequencer in your life then...all my other samplers are 'responsive', the knobs and wheels do what they are supposed to do, pads are 'on', quantize is right etc etc

Actually I started out on the very first Cakewalk program, which is called Sonar now. Since then I ran thru every MPC except the 500. Cookies to you for all your samplers being responsive. Pffff... I don't get what your trying to say about price and minor issues. How much did you pay for it? Did you buy it last year or something. Wait, were you one of the ones that got tricked by the guitar center rebate?

The GUI is slow and needs an optimization.

golfzerosafari wrote:

seiko wrote:

golfzerosafari wrote:...There is only one bad thing, the sluggishness or unresponsiveness of it. The wheel takes a minute to recognize your spinning. Sometimes the pads would feel off. The quantize seemed sluggish too. ...

seems all very minor issues for a +2000 euro sequencer/sampler...
I guess this must be the first sequencer in your life then...all my other samplers are 'responsive', the knobs and wheels do what they are supposed to do, pads are 'on', quantize is right etc etc

Actually I started out on the very first Cakewalk program, which is called Sonar now. Since then I ran thru every MPC except the 500. Cookies to you for all your samplers being responsive. Pffff... I don't get what your trying to say about price and minor issues. How much did you pay for it? Did you buy it last year or something. Wait, were you one of the ones that got tricked by the guitar center rebate?

The GUI is slow and needs an optimization.

I guess you did not get my sarcasm...I mean : MPC is the most expensive gear in my studio. But it's the only sequencer (I have 4 other's) that slows down while doing something (let's say copy a bar, go from 1 program to another etc) while it's running.
Or rephrased : for a unit of this price, the issues you (and I) mention are really major issues and should not exist !!
(BTW, I bought mine here in Europe dude, not in Guitar center whatever that might be...)

I misunderstood you. As you know MPC's are outdated, feature wise. I didnt buy it for an all-n-one workstation. It's worth the price to me because of the FUN you have with almost realtime playing and editing. I try to use the strength of the MPC line and leave the features its lacking on to what ever else is better or best.



Yo...on a other note, what radio stations are out there? I would really like to listen to Euro radio, the pop stations, the underground radio, college radio and whatever else is being pumped on the airwaves out there. Got any recommendations? It doesn't even have to be your liking.