New to the MPC production world? Got a music production question that's not really specific to any particular MPC? Try your luck here and get help from our experienced members.
By noob21 Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:08 pm
hi everyone,

i am a 20 year old guy from Berlin and have been listening to hip hop since the of 6.
it all started through my stepfather who introduced me to artists like pac or biggie.
by the time i started to discover all the other different artists/producers(mostly those from the 90s/golden age)by myself.
so know i am really thinking of getting a mpc,but as soon as i watch videos of other people on youtube with their ones i become somehow scared or smth like that.i think a am not sure if i would get along if i buy one.what means i dont wanna waste money.so my worries are those: never played a traditional instrument and never could read notes so i dont want to let the mpc to collect dust.but while i listen to guys like mf doom or premo i get the lust again.hmm.hmm.
what first steps would you recommend me to be sure to invest money.
you have to know i am a sort of creative guy and already got ideas of using samples and so on.
i hope u will understand my problem.


PS.

i would enjoy to express emotions through such a mpc.
User avatar
By ArKyve-31 Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:24 pm
you dont need knowledge of musical notes to sample and play a mpc, it helps buy u can get by,if u have passion for hip hop and are willing to put in work than go for it
By beach_break Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:53 pm
to quote a sample:
"the funny thng about regret is it's better to regret doing something, rather than not doing somethng."
User avatar
By Pastor-of-Muppets Thu Aug 26, 2010 8:07 am
Butthole Surfers wrote:Well son, the funny thing about regret is, it's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done.

Oh and by the way, if you see your mom this weekend be sure and tell her SATAN!
User avatar
By Jungleman Thu Aug 26, 2010 11:28 am
... great song, great album!

To the OP: just do it. Get a used one in nice condition. Then, if it isn't for you, you can sell it for little or no loss.
I got my MPC2500 w/JJ OS1 this spring, for a very good price. Never touched one, never even seen one before. After countless hours of work during the summer (and after reading the Akai manual, most of the Beat-making on the MPC e-book, JJ OS1 manual and half of the discussions in MPC-forums) I'm still learning - and having fun - all the time :D

If you can't play any instrument, the MPC is a good start...
User avatar
By dabmeister Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:09 pm
Go for it son! You don't have anything to be afraid of. 8)
User avatar
By Jaytim3 Thu Aug 26, 2010 4:16 pm
If u dont have any Beat making knowledge i suggest u go buy or even download Fruity Loops for starters, use samples there if thats what u want. The whole idea of it is that u can get a better view and more knowledge on how to make music. IMO your gonna be confused if u go str8 to MPC. Fruity Loops is way easier to make beats, U can even make as good beats on FL like in the MPC. MPC is just a diffrent workflow, and alittle more difficult in your position.
By N-Roc Thu Aug 26, 2010 6:35 pm
genauso hab ich mit 21 Jahren damals mit software angefangen.
Frag mich einfachund ich hlef dir weiter.
Das besondere ist dass das einfach kreatives basteln ist.
Hast du als Kind Lego geliebt liebst du auch das Beats bauen.
Die alten MPCs sind sehr beschränkt aber in meinen Augen das Beste um ein Verstädnis zu entwickeln.
Die neuerrn Modelle nehmen dir meiner Meinung nach z viel Denkarbeit ab.
Bei Fragen achick ne PM.

Gruss
N.
User avatar
By Coz Thu Aug 26, 2010 6:45 pm
Pastor-of-Muppets wrote:
Butthole Surfers wrote:Well son, the funny thing about regret is, it's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done.

Oh and by the way, if you see your mom this weekend be sure and tell her SATAN!



TUNE! :D
By creal Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:21 pm
Jaytim3 wrote:If u dont have any Beat making knowledge i suggest u go buy or even download Fruity Loops for starters, use samples there if thats what u want. The whole idea of it is that u can get a better view and more knowledge on how to make music. IMO your gonna be confused if u go str8 to MPC. Fruity Loops is way easier to make beats, U can even make as good beats on FL like in the MPC. MPC is just a diffrent workflow, and alittle more difficult in your position.



Gotta disagree, don't waste your time learning something trying to learn something else. I've worked software based for forever until my mpc1000 purchase recently, and I'm telling you it's not necessary. Buy one in really good condition new, read, practice, and practice and read.
User avatar
By ArKyve-31 Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:55 pm
^^^^+1 fl will teach you nothing about using a mp, just dig into it
User avatar
By MegaTON Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:02 pm
when i first got my mpc - i didnt know what the hell was goin on
i was like "ITS NOT QUANTIZIN MY SHIT RIGHT"
beats weren't comin out right at all
now i love that **** and never wanna go back to flstudio
By N-Roc Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:46 am
software is good to learn about making beats if youre not sure.
I started with reason and I learned a lot about beats.
And it helped me to learn my Mpc 2000 classic real fast.
But software takes a lot of work. You can slice and tune automaticly. Can load EQ and can go back to every step. With a MPC classic you have to think about your steps. For example wjich pad mutes which others. And you need some time to find and load sounds that fits. With software you dont take much desicions like which drumsound do I put on my floppy disc.
Learning with software is easier but IMO the MPC helps you find your own way easier.
User avatar
By mr_debauch Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:18 am
FrankieMonroe wrote:^^^^+1 fl will teach you nothing about using a mp, just dig into it



well not really specifically about using an mpc..... but making music gives you more experience at making music.

If you been making songs on fl studio for 10 years and tomorrow you got an mpc, you would be further along then the guy who never made music ever and that would be his first time tomorrow.




but you know what... when you get used to seeing music production lingo and you know by seeing terminology and features what they do.... you get the ball rolling faster. For example ADSR, you know what that means and what each of those letters means and does then that type of experience does teach you stuff about using new gear like an MPC... cause every music gear has ADSR pretty much. that was just an example of one thing but you know what i mean.


use what you have in reach.... take advantage of each tool. You use an mpc, you may come up with a completely random but dope sounding drum pattern on accident simply cause you were tapping pads. You use a mouse and piano roll and you may come up with a random but hot synth note combination too just cause you randomly clicked in a bunch of midi notes.... mix both those together and you might have something only possible cause you just used the best of both worlds.
By creal Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:41 am
mr_debauch wrote:
FrankieMonroe wrote:^^^^+1 fl will teach you nothing about using a mp, just dig into it



well not really specifically about using an mpc..... but making music gives you more experience at making music.

If you been making songs on fl studio for 10 years and tomorrow you got an mpc, you would be further along then the guy who never made music ever and that would be his first time tomorrow.




but you know what... when you get used to seeing music production lingo and you know by seeing terminology and features what they do.... you get the ball rolling faster. For example ADSR, you know what that means and what each of those letters means and does then that type of experience does teach you stuff about using new gear like an MPC... cause every music gear has ADSR pretty much. that was just an example of one thing but you know what i mean.


use what you have in reach.... take advantage of each tool. You use an mpc, you may come up with a completely random but dope sounding drum pattern on accident simply cause you were tapping pads. You use a mouse and piano roll and you may come up with a random but hot synth note combination too just cause you randomly clicked in a bunch of midi notes.... mix both those together and you might have something only possible cause you just used the best of both worlds.



You'd be better off just reading stuff specifically geared towards and about the mpc. All software sequencers use similar terminology but also alot of different terms as well. What's the point of using something in hopes that it's workflow and terms apply to the piece of gear you want to end up using?