is the 500 good to start with

I wanna thank all of you for your opinions and responses to my post. I think I am just gonna give the 500 a shot. I'm gonna look in craigslist and see if I can find a good deal on one. I have been using software for a long time but I want to stray away from that for a bit and focus on becoming more adept with hardware. I have an old korg 01w pro that I know how to use fairly well and want to add an mpc to my mix. I'm sure it will be a **** and difficult at first but I'm sure that as soon as I learn to get my samples off my pc and into the mpc and learn to sequence them I won't want to put it down til I know how to use every little thing in it. So hopefully I can find one soon. Thanks again

I'll say this:

on the getting started tip, not really sure. I dont think the mpc500 is a starter mpc, or anything like that, it's just an MPC.

In fact the 1000 and the 2500 are probably a lot easier for you to learn on. the 2kxl as well ( they can be ahd about the same price as a used mpc500) .

the 500 has a lot more hidden features. I learned the 500 real easy because i know most of the other machines, so I knew what i was looking for.

It has a bunch of subterranean features I dont know that'd be easy to get for a first timer.

I really dont think the mpc500 makes a good start up mpc. My boy got one as his first mpc, he didn't know what he was doing, and it was too difficult to learn, so now he lent me his. u can see a lot of people selling them for not learning them.


if you know software good stick with it it's the truth. Why go MPC? the interfaces are pretty old and antiquated. just get a korg nanopad and use your software you like. Me personally I'm old fashioned, have been **** with hardware for too long, making my software skills pretty f'n weak. I wish they were better because software gives you higher quality of sound(unless you can afford a banging hardware setup). And pretty much most major producers are using solely software, so that's where the sound's heading...maybe not hip hop, but i think a lot of hip hop proudcers are stuck in the past. With the new tech advances, new styles come out that can only be made on the new technology, and people start liking that digital sound that b4 was hated on.


Just my view.

mpc500 isn't that fun, and wont give you the true mpc enjoyment you should have the first mpc u use. I like the mpc500 now because it does what i need it to do.

I remember the first time i used an mpc, mpc2k i think from going from an rm1x. All I thought was "that's all it does?" i learned from that, now mpc500 is really all i need.

i'm babblin though.

The MPC is mad good at studio use I won't lie. What's even more for me is, I first bought the Akai XR20 off of Ebay so that I could get into production. Yes, at a time in the past, I was strictly MC swearing up and down by it. But now, I've realized that production has its' own places in music and is quite important. After getting the XR20, the pads just felt so perfect. Being able to hit the pad at a certain velocity making it produce a quieter or louder sound was just unparalleled IMO. If you can use a drumset, than you're already ahead of the game. But depending on what you want to do, is what you're really looking at.

The MPC 500 can chop samples, sequence, make songs, and add effects. I can't speak on the 1000 or any other MPC, but getting used to the MPC 500 takes a little bit of time. If you're quite new to production, then you will be seeking something alike the XR20. If you're intermediate, then the MPC 500 will fit your expertise. Last but not least, if you are advanced, then you will be seeking something a little more than the MPC 500. Just take my advice, and you can't go wrong!