What do I need?

I am a Native Instruments Maschine user and I have recently decided to venture to a more professional and original hardware. I went out and bought the MPC 5000. I am trying to create my new MPC Studio but I am not sure on what I need to get to enable me to have a smooth workflow within the MPC. Can anyone help me with some ideas on how to bring this studio to life?... As of right now it is a blank slate with just an mpc and krk monitors. Thanks.

TheDaViTribe wrote: Can anyone help me with some ideas on how to bring this studio to life

uhmmmm I think if you started using your mpc and bang out beats on the 5k it would defntly bring the studio to life

Well if you're a Maschine user/ convert you already have a computer and a DAW right?

So an audio interface with enough inputs will help and something else to sample from, a turntable or CDJ perhaps.

Also you might want some virtual instruments for your DAW.

Are you on Mac or Windows PC and what software do you already have?

Are you more into sample-based music or triggering external sounds via midi?

A blank slate with a computer, Maschine, monitors and the most expensive MPC going. Jesus, I'd love to see what you consider a blank slate in the garage. 2 Ferraris and a Porsche?

Switch everything on and have some fun you have more than enough to be learning there.

@clint I already have a Mac comp, reason 4 and logic pro as my daw. It's a studio with a vocal room. The problem I am having is that I started with everything but an MPC and now I am trying to make my mpc the foundation of it all. I don't know one thing about the mpc, and what I would need to maximize the creativity and the workflow of my instrumental music...

@Scooby haha I meant that it is kind of a blank slate in the aspect of a turntable, midi controller, good sound kits, the maximum size of flash card and how to organize the card so it is an easy work flow. The garage line made me laugh.

Get acquainted with your mpc. Read the manual & play around, it really pays off. I'd use Reason and/or Logic as a sound module and let the mpc be your main sequencer & sampler. You can get 16 channels out of each daw and trigger sounds (synths, plugins) via midi.

Once you've done your thing on mpc, record everything as separate tracks to logic and do final mixdown and editing.

TheDaViTribe wrote:@Scooby haha I meant that it is kind of a blank slate in the aspect of a turntable, midi controller, good sound kits, the maximum size of flash card and how to organize the card so it is an easy work flow. The garage line made me laugh.

Well there's nothing to stop you sampling off the computer, as long as you get some sounds on the MPC and learn it's functions it's all good.

MIDI controllers are cheap enough, you can use the pads on the MPC to control anything in a DAW, but I'd suggest getting something with traditional keys to make playing musical samples a bit more fluid.

Good sound kits, well you can make them or this website sells great sample packs to get you going. Click on MPC Resources at the top of this page, and then onto MPC Samples, and you will find helpful things there.

I use an 8GB card in my 1000 when I do use it. They're so cheap these days that I wouldn't worry too much about that for now. Luckily because youre on one of the newer models it's very easy to organise everything into folders. Get stuck into that manual for the details on how the filing system works. I personally just save everything in one folder per project.

Happy pad-bashing.

TheDaViTribe wrote:@clint I already have a Mac comp, reason 4 and logic pro as my daw. It's a studio with a vocal room. The problem I am having is that I started with everything but an MPC and now I am trying to make my mpc the foundation of it all.

First of all you have enough gear/ software to keep you busy for a long while.

Take the advice given by M.T.C. and spend some time getting up to speed with the MPC, particularly use of the sequencer section and sampling. Also familiarise yourself with the MPC workflow, saving and creating programs etc.

In these forums you can find out how to use Logic and Reason as a sound module which is the next logical step. In fact you have the same computer and software as myself, only difference is I dont have a 5000 but other MPC's.

It may seem like an uphill struggle at first trying to pull it all together, but if you concentrate solely on the MPC for a few weeks and then introduce the other elements (logic and reason) one at a time you'll get there quicker and actually understand your studio a lot better than if you just rush in.

Enjoy!!

TheDaViTribe wrote:@clint I already have a Mac comp, reason 4 and logic pro as my daw. It's a studio with a vocal room. The problem I am having is that I started with everything but an MPC and now I am trying to make my mpc the foundation of it all. I don't know one thing about the mpc, and what I would need to maximize the creativity and the workflow of my instrumental music...

@Scooby haha I meant that it is kind of a blank slate in the aspect of a turntable, midi controller, good sound kits, the maximum size of flash card and how to organize the card so it is an easy work flow. The garage line made me laugh.

Co-sign with what everyone else said. You can also buy tutorials on this site to help you get started using your MPC 5000 with Logic or Reason...or search the forum as there are also several good threads that will help you out.

Askia Shaheed wrote:there are also several good threads that will help you out.

Using Logic Pro with your MPC

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=97274

MPC-Tutor's MPC and Logic e-book

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=147624

Best places to search will be MPC Studio Environments, Production Techniques or the DAW's forum.

TheDaViTribe wrote:I am a Native Instruments Maschine user and I have recently decided to venture to a more professional and original hardware. I went out and bought the MPC 5000. I am trying to create my new MPC Studio but I am not sure on what I need to get to enable me to have a smooth workflow within the MPC. Can anyone help me with some ideas on how to bring this studio to life?... As of right now it is a blank slate with just an mpc and krk monitors. Thanks.

... (I'm a bit sour) I really wish that I had that much of money to spend... Kev Brown's "studio" can be recreated with fractions of money you've spent on all the music gear.

I am sorry I had to say it.

Thanks to everybody helping me out on this post, I appreciate it. I know now that I can use logic and reason with my MPC. I know that I can get an 8 gb card for it. Is the Akai MPK controller a good way to go? I have been looking at it, and it seems like a safe decision. Also any good turntables to make note of?

Thanks

TheDaViTribe wrote:Is the Akai MPK controller a good way to go?

Hell no.

It does nothing your MPC can't do except give you physical keys.

There are many midi controller keyboards that are better and more useful, no need to buy new either so check eBay for what's available and used prices.

Names to look for include M-Audio, Edirol/Roland, Novation, Yamaha, CME and Korg.

Don't get 25 or 37 key versions unless you need portability, for a fixed studio 61 keys is the ideal size and make sure it has at least one midi out port not just a USB connection.

Instead of a midi controller keyboard you could buy a synth with onboard sounds and use that to increase your palette of sounds.

What sort of things do you more experienced guys have in your Programs? I've made a couple of drum kit programs, and one or two with some random synth noises, but I feel like I'm working in the dark here. It'd be a big help to me, and probably the OP, if some more experienced users would list the kinds of Programs they have, and what they contain, as well as some tips for sample organization in programs.

For instance, do you have a single program for your song, into which you load the different samples (drum hits, a vocal sample, a bassline) or do you have one drumkit per program, and a few vocal samples in another program, and different bass tones in a third program..

Clint: There are many midi controller keyboards that are better and more useful, no need to buy new either so check eBay for what's available and used prices.

I have a micro korg synth and can't seem to set the midi to connect with the 5K... Is there a particular controller or synth that makes the connect from the 5k to the keyboard easy?