Do i really need a mpc?

Hi everyone! I'm totally new to the world of electronic music production, so this is probably quite a simple, dumb question, but i'm just starting to look around.
I noticed the mpc 500, read a few reviews, watched a few videos, and i really liked it. But i'd like to do acid/deep house, techno and minimal (i'm not really into hip hop etc), and many people say that, for that kind of music, the korg electribe emx1 is way better. What i would like to do is to play with the pad, come up with a drum beat, add a bassline and maybe a few melodic synth phrases. (i'm talking about something simple here, since i'm a complete newbie!) The fact is, i don't like the korg's layout, it seems more confusing and complex than the akai, plus, i really love the portability of the 500. I understood that the emx1 is better than the mpc 500 (in this specific case) 'cause it has a built in synth, while the akai doesn't, am i right? On the akai i would have to use either a synth connected to it, either a software synth, sample it and then assign it to a pad, right? would it be possible to assign a single synth note to each single pad (so, as the pads are 12, i would have an octave), and then use it as a keyboard (and would it be quite the same thing as having the korg, in this case? or would it still be quite different?)? I'm sorry if i misunderstood something or if it's really a basic question! anyway, thanks for your help!

The 500 is great for portability but I don't see MPCs alone as particularly great for Techno and minimal stuff. You would ideally need to pair it with a decent synth to get good results.

If price isn't an issue I would personally look at the DSI Tempest. Yeah, the price is off the scale but it's the best analogue synth/drum machine/groovebox around at the minute.

Well, price is quite an issue acually, i'm looking for something in the mpc500/emx1 price range!

Hi, I make similar music. if you are just triggering samples then the 500 is fine and any mpc is fine for that matter. There are lots of videos on youtube of people making music with various machines combined using midi.
For me the easiest combination is Roland MC909 and MPC4000. All of the other sample boxes and synths I own I use for sounds. Sequencing is done with the two mentioned.
Just figure out which set of features you need.
cheers,
Ian

Tobando wrote:Well, price is quite an issue acually, i'm looking for something in the mpc500/emx1 price range!

If you can save up a bit more you start to enter MPC 1000 territory, which is way more feature packed if you get the JJOS.

Coz wrote:

Tobando wrote:Well, price is quite an issue acually, i'm looking for something in the mpc500/emx1 price range!

If you can save up a bit more you start to enter MPC 1000 territory, which is way more feature packed if you get the JJOS.

i know many people recommend the mpc1000 (especially with JJOS), but what i really like about the 500 is its portability. could you tell me what are the key features that made you choose the 1000? anyway, since i'm a beginner, i'd like to start doing my first things using as less equipment as possible (i'm thinking about only one piece of hardware, if it's possible), and then to upgrade my equipment later on, as i learn things and need more features

Tobando wrote:i know many people recommend the mpc1000 (especially with JJOS), but what i really like about the 500 is its portability.

The 1000 is very portable, but you will need to sacrifice making beats on the beach, trains and the bus ride etc.

Tobando wrote:could you tell me what are the key features that made you choose the 1000?

I've used a 1000 but personally I've gone from a 2000XL to a 2500 and now onto the 4000. I like full-size pads and tilt screens, so the 1000 was never on the table really.

The 1000/2500 with JJOS gives you a shed load of additional features and workflow enhancements, but in really basic terms it has the best chopping and program refinements of any MPC. It also has constant support and is moving in very interesting new directions with aftermarket big screens etc.

Tobando wrote:i'd like to start doing my first things using as less equipment as possible (i'm thinking about only one piece of hardware, if it's possible), and then to upgrade my equipment later on, as i learn things and need more features

Nothing wrong with that, but you need to seriously consider where you are going to get your sounds from? Some people have this fantasy idea that Techno, Minimal, Deep House stuff is easy to produce but it's not. You will ideally need a synth to pair up with your MPC, plus a shit load of high quality drum hits.

Throw Reason or Logic Pro onto a laptop with an MPK/ MPD/ other pad controller and call it a day, ticks all the boxes for an absolute beginner and allows you to learn the fundamentals of music production before diving into the hardware world. Maybe throw in an MPC500/ MPC1000 when you're ready to progress and build a studio based on hardware.

Nothing wrong with that, but you need to seriously consider where you are going to get your sounds from? Some people have this fantasy idea that Techno, Minimal, Deep House stuff is easy to produce but it's not. You will ideally need a synth to pair up with your MPC, plus a **** load of high quality drum hits.

I actually find every aspect of production really confusing and quite hard to understand Ok, so, the main problem related to using the mpc alone is that you must get the sounds from somewhere, and the easiest way to do it is to connect it to another synth, right? While the korg emx1 should have its own built-in synth, so it should be possible to use it without connecting it to other synths, shouldn't it?

Throw Reason or Logic Pro onto a laptop with an MPK/ MPD/ other pad controller and call it a day, ticks all the boxes for an absolute beginner and allows you to learn the fundamentals of music production before diving into the hardware world. Maybe throw in an MPC500/ MPC1000 when you're ready to progress and build a studio based on hardware.

Well, i had a look at ableton live, and software seems far more confusing than hardware to me, that's why i'd like to start with just a piece of hardware and then, eventually, expand my equipment and incorporate softwares such as Reason etc.. Do you think it's easier the other way 'round, starting with software and then switching to hardware?

Tobando wrote:Do you think it's easier the other way 'round, starting with software and then switching to hardware?

Personally, I do think its easier to start with software, but other opinions may differ.

With a package such as Reason or Logic, you'll learn about monosynths, polysynths, drum machines, samplers, sequencing, filters, mixing, mastering and so on. Essentially, it will teach you the fundamentals of music production and how different pieces of hardware interact. Reason goes a little further by showing how to connect virtual hardware.

One piece of hardware will typically perform a specific task, or sometimes a few tasks (MPC= sampler, sequencer) very well, but you'll often find you will need other hardware or software to compliment it. A combination of software and hardware is ideal at providing the most flexible set of tools, but for portability software takes the lead with a laptop, suitable controller (keys/ pads/ or both) and some headphones.

Tobando wrote:Ok, so, the main problem related to using the mpc alone is that you must get the sounds from somewhere, and the easiest way to do it is to connect it to another synth, right?

Or a turntable, cd player, tv, radio or computer. What Clint has suggested is probably the most logical way to go to be honest. I love MPCs but I know their limitations.

If I was just starting out (knowing what I know now) I would build everything around a decent computer and use something like Reason, FL Studio or Ableton.

Do you currently have a laptop?

Coz wrote:

Tobando wrote:Ok, so, the main problem related to using the mpc alone is that you must get the sounds from somewhere, and the easiest way to do it is to connect it to another synth, right?

Or a turntable, cd player, tv, radio or computer. What Clint has suggested is probably the most logical way to go to be honest. If I was just starting out (knowing what I know now) I would build everything around a decent computer and use something like Reason, FL Studio or Ableton.

Do you currently have a laptop?

Yeah, ok, so everything that you can sample.
i currently have a netbook, not exactly the best for a music production software i think (small screen, just 1gb ram etc..) that's one of the reasons i was thinking about going completely hardware

In that case, if you're dead set on an MPC I would advise you save a bit extra and get the 1000.

You just need to make sure you get the black model with upgraded pads. I can't comment on the Korg as I've never used one.

Coz wrote:In that case, if you're dead set on an MPC I would advise you save a bit extra and get the 1000.

You just need to make sure you get the black model with upgraded pads. I can't comment on the Korg as I've never used one.

Thanks for the advice! anyway, i'm not dead set on hardware nor on an MPC, since you guys say software is probably better. do you think that 2 gb ram and 1.66 ghz intel processor would be enough to run Reason smoothly? and what do you think of a Reason + Mpk25 combination? i'm sorry for the many questions, but it's quite hard to figure out the best choice possible!

Tobando wrote:what do you think of a Reason + Mpk25 combination?

Not bad to start off with, but you might find after a while 25 keys are not enough for anything other than basslines and one-handed melodies.

Not too sure about the Reason system requirements, but you should be able to try the demo and get all the details from the Propellerhead website.

http://www.propellerheads.se/download/