mpc 4000 as drum machine

Hi, bought 4K off e ba y. Really not because I needed all the sampling/etc -- but just wanted nice pads, to learn and grow with.

Most of the info I read in tutorials is how to use it to sample -- but I just want to have nice loops and drum over them.

THe unit I got has some stuff on the HD (including the MPC4000) directory but I can not find any loops/programs to play. So not sure if the original owner deleted stuff, or if I am looking in the wrong place.

(it has 80 GB hd with most of it free, but I get seek errors on some of the files when do 'Load')

Any help is greately appreciated

Congrats on the purchase! It's a monster of a machine.

Don't quite understand if you are asking a question or making a statement. What exactly are you looking for help with?

Be specific.....

If you want loops why did you buy an MPC?

You only need an MPD to get some akai pads and maybe a program like Ableton Live.

Most of us do use 'loops' of some kind, but not staight up purchased drum loops.

We call our instrument loops 'samples' and drum loops 'breaks' or 'sequences' of programmed drums.

If you want to play around with some loops, download some and note the original tempo.

Set your MPC sequence to the correct number of bars and tempo as your loop, and take it from there.

hi,
yes, understood that MPC is foremost a sampler.

I bought because in the future that's what I would like to do with it. but in the mean time I want to simply use as a drum machine.
Just basically get beats/loops (which I thought would come with it) , play over those (using the pads) -- and then save the results as my own loops.

So when I got it -- I could not find 'loops'. What I wanted to ask is
does the MPC 4000 originally come with pre-built loops/fx and other sounds -- if yes -- where are they stored ?

If not is there a free library of significant number of those loops and sounds that I can import into MPC

Finally, are there any features in typical drum machines that are not in 4k that I would be missing.

thank you in advance, and sorry that my questions are naive.

worker wrote:hi,
yes, understood that MPC is foremost a sampler.

I bought because in the future that's what I would like to do with it. but in the mean time I want to simply use as a drum machine.
Just basically get beats/loops (which I thought would come with it) , play over those (using the pads) -- and then save the results as my own loops.

So when I got it -- I could not find 'loops'. What I wanted to ask is
does the MPC 4000 originally come with pre-built loops/fx and other sounds -- if yes -- where are they stored ?

If not is there a free library of significant number of those loops and sounds that I can import into MPC

Finally, are there any features in typical drum machines that are not in 4k that I would be missing.

thank you in advance, and sorry that my questions are naive.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11725


Try this link to learn about the 4k first.

The 4k and all Mpcs are sampling drum machines, not analog drum machines like esx, roland 909 and etc, so there are no premade patterns or loops install. Some of the first 4k`s came with Akai sounds like piano, keys, brass, and a acoustic drum kit as the 4k is a full fledged sampler like a S5000 or Konkact if you come from software background.

Most users sampled, bought or founded their own loops cuz that is the beauty of a sampler you can put whatever you want in it. Once you have the sounds you want then you can do as stated about and sequence it in the mpc.

To be plain don`t expect any loops to come with your 4k when you receive it, in fact you shouldn`t a large part of mpc user build up their own libraries by sampling, scouring stores, the internet, recording old synths and new and buying great sounds on this very site MPC Tutor.com.

And yes whatever sounds you use have to be in the WAV format.

Good luck.

I believe you should have bought some sort of Groove Box or an MPD as Clint said.
So, if i just give you my address you can send me the MPC

The 4000 does not come with any loops on the hard drive, unless a previous owner had loaded them.

Like Blue Haze pointed out, most 4000's came with some Akai sample library pre-installed but some users remove these.

I just bumped an older thread for you, some guys here have the original sounds that did come with the 4000.

NO LOOPS!!

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=111217

thank you for all the responses.
I understand now.

I will work through collectiving the wav files/samples. And then will figure out how to use them to build up patterns

thanks again

Not sure we understood you, but do come back if you can't make it happen.

Maybe we could point you to a video that will help you out.

Peace.

I recommend getting a copy of Recycle and cutting up some samples and loading them into your MPC.