Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
By thevalley Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:38 am
I downloaded the free trial of WavePad editor and was thoroughly satisfied with it, until the trial expired. Are there any programs I can download that I can use to chop my samples and make sure they are in the proper .wav format for the mpc 500 that are free?
By RPD Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:57 am
Audacity.
Why buy an mpc if you aren't going to use it for it's full potential?
User avatar
By Metatron72 Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:59 am
RPD wrote:Audacity.
Why buy an mpc if you aren't going to use it for it's full potential?


It's not like he's chopping with a buttery scroll cursor like an XL. I wouldn't hold it against anybody that doesn't want to chop on a 500. At the same time I get that some people like to chop in the machine even when it's straight old school by ear with only numbers/frames to guide you. Also the upside to letting your ears guide you rather than a graphic. But many times you want to chop on a dime and do it quick so I feel where the OP is coming from.

Audacity is definitely a good call but here's an even more specific tool.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpcmaid/files/

It lets you drag and drop samples to make 500 and 1000 PGM's. It also will let you load a loop/break and chop it and auto assign it to the pads. You have to toggle a switch so it knows you want a 12 pad 500 PGM. It's free, on Windows you need Java Runtime Environment on your system (likely already there), not necessary on OS X.
User avatar
By Lampdog Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:25 pm
pc - also wavosaur and goldwave = freeware

RPD wrote:Why buy an mpc if you aren't going to use it for it's full potential?


Because some people like to chop on computer sometimes.
It's just easier, period.
By thevalley Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:15 pm
Thanks, everyone. And I'm definitely planning to learn how to chop samples on the mpc, it's just I want to make beats on it while I learn. I've been working with DAW's for the past six years and am just used to doing everything on the computer. With work and school, time spent learning how to use the MPC is very tight so I do what I can when I can.
By mastasteez Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:43 pm
Drum loops are a lot quicker on a wave form editor for me and actual samplin I prefer using ear/numbers on my 500.

I have the WavePad editor too and have had it for over 2 years, never paid for it. Not sure how it's still working.
User avatar
By MPC-Tutor Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:58 pm
thevalley wrote:I downloaded the free trial of WavePad editor and was thoroughly satisfied with it, until the trial expired.


Seeing as you liked it, why not just buy Wavepad? It's even on 50% sale ATM (til 15th june). $35 isn't much considering it fits the bill, you like it and it will save you the hassle of trying out a bunch of other apps.
By thevalley Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:30 am
@MPC-Tutor .... because I'm saving up for a turntable and other accessories!