Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
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By gertie Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:06 pm
hey mike,

good to have you round!

i know its a long shot...but you wouldnt have a copy of the schematics for the mpx820 by any chance? :mrgreen:
i think the psu in mine is fried but cant the schematics for it online....
By mike_mcroberts Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:00 am
gertie wrote:hey mike,

good to have you round!

i know its a long shot...but you wouldnt have a copy of the schematics for the mpx820 by any chance? :mrgreen:
i think the psu in mine is fried but cant the schematics for it online....


Unfortunately, no. But, you could try VST and Dave Segimoto. He was the official non-factory repair site. His URL is : http://www.vstservice.com/t-about.aspx

Mike
PS-- I'm surprised anyone even remembers the MPC820. Do you have the official training video for it? I was the "talent" on-screen. It's humorous to watch me transform from a fresh happy guy, to sweat soaked tired person.
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By mr_debauch Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:02 am
^ I have a question.. back then when you guys were designing the akai samplers, making the vids, talking about the machines, etc... did you guys think anyone would wind up using things like the mpc60 to sample the way people finally did to make full projects (sample based hip hop and other genres) or did you guys just expect the mpc 60 to be used as a drum sampler machine?
By szr Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:49 pm
Good question above, I'm curious what the atmosphere/team spirit etc. was like at akai at the time.. Assume it was like the video game industry in those days..in terms of suits not having yet come along to kill all fun/peoples spirit?..
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By Dj Khayos Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:21 pm
@mike_mcroberts

Thank you for the insider information you shared here, it may not mean much to you but I(we) love the info!
By daftmunk Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:40 am
this is so epic... this man basically came up with the name M(idi) P(roduction) C(enter) !!! :shock:

I'm a recent converter to the 60, i basically "de-evolved" from all the later models back to the original and guess what, it's my favorite all-time MPC and currently at the center of my studio! i'm also using the Tempest which is my favorite new drum machine.. Roger definitely still has it..

..but getting back to these old stories, i'm curious about the relationship in between Akai Japan and the US team? obviously the MPC60 & 3000 were joint efforts, was it the same with the rack samplers?
By master-ceo Fri Sep 21, 2012 2:49 pm
daftmunk wrote:this is so epic... this man basically came up with the name M(idi) P(roduction) C(enter) !!! :shock:

I'm a recent converter to the 60, i basically "de-evolved" from all the later models back to the original and guess what, it's my favorite all-time MPC and currently at the center of my studio! i'm also using the Tempest which is my favorite new drum machine.. Roger definitely still has it..

..but getting back to these old stories, i'm curious about the relationship in between Akai Japan and the US team? obviously the MPC60 & 3000 were joint efforts, was it the same with the rack samplers?


+1

Although I had my 60’s for a few years now, I've been using my 2500 the Most but This year I've been Strictly 60II, s950 and ASR10. Love this setup.

The MPC name brand is iconic with many meanings but the Original meaning is what made it what it is today.
By daftmunk Fri Sep 21, 2012 3:19 pm
yea plus i always wondered what "60" meant, makes perfect sense... come to think of it the 3000 should have really been named MPC 75 (it held 75,000 notes) and the 2000 should have been 100 (it holds 100,000 notes) the 2000XL=300 etc etc :wink:
By smellypants Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:59 pm
Wow, this guy is a legend, thanks for the info and thank you for putting work into something I think many of us here love and cherish, you da man!
By m56p87 Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:16 pm
mr_debauch wrote:^ I have a question.. back then when you guys were designing the akai samplers, making the vids, talking about the machines, etc... did you guys think anyone would wind up using things like the mpc60 to sample the way people finally did to make full projects (sample based hip hop and other genres) or did you guys just expect the mpc 60 to be used as a drum sampler machine?


Duuuudee, Ive though of making a thread about this a lot. What the original intentions were for the MPC series and what they think of the direction it went in.
By m56p87 Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:17 pm
daftmunk wrote: and the 2000 should have been 100 (it holds 100,000 notes) the 2000XL=300 etc etc :wink:


The mpc2000 and 2000xl both hold 300,000 I think?

Edit: my bad on the double post
By daftmunk Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:57 pm
m56p87 wrote:
mr_debauch wrote:^ I have a question.. back then when you guys were designing the akai samplers, making the vids, talking about the machines, etc... did you guys think anyone would wind up using things like the mpc60 to sample the way people finally did to make full projects (sample based hip hop and other genres) or did you guys just expect the mpc 60 to be used as a drum sampler machine?


Duuuudee, Ive though of making a thread about this a lot. What the original intentions were for the MPC series and what they think of the direction it went in.


... pretty sure the MPC's intention was what is was a Midi Production Center with added drum machine sampling. back in the early days samplers had basically 2 functions: emulating drum sounds (digital drum machines) & emulating instruments (rack samplers). obviously hip-hop took it to the next level... i know roger linn is pretty proud of that, here is what he had to say in the 3.11 upgrade manual:

Since its release in 1988, the Akai MPC60 MIDI Production Center has earned a reputation not only as the world’s greatest drum machine but also as a powerful sequencer for those who desire an alternative to the complexity and confusion of computer sequencers.

In developing the successor to the MPC60 — the new MPC3000 — we expanded the MPC60’s popular features, added many new ones, and reworked some concepts to make them more powerful, efficient, and intuitive. While the MPC3000 also offers significant hardware improvements, the good news is that we were able to port much of its advanced software back into the MPC60. We think you’ll find that the Version 3.1 software will greatly enhance your music making.

Since the advent of sequencers I have tracked their evolution with great interest, and in my view, sequencers have evolved to a point where they are now a legitimate instrument on their own. Many of today’s musicians could be better described as sequencer players than as keyboardists or guitarists. Album credits often read “programming by...” to denote a musician who has used a sequencer to create the backing track for a recording. These new musicians think and compose in terms of total arrangement as opposed to single instruments. In many ways, the sequencer’s panel and display screens are their strings and keys, allowing them to reach heights of creativity never before possible.

In this light, I like to think of the MPC60 as the piano or violin of our time, and of you as an MPC60ist. In the same way a violinist’s style is identified by his or her vibrato and phrasing, your MPC60 virtuosity may be identified by your particular swing settings, your creative use of Note Repeat, or your real-time use of the Note Variation feature. As an MPC60ist, if you find the instrument useful in your creative process, please let the world know. Next time you perform on a recording, ask to be credited not with, “Keyboards played by...” or “Programming by...” but rather with, “MPC60 played by....”

Thanks for your continued support of the MPC60. I hope you enjoy playing it as much as we have enjoyed developing it.

Roger Linn
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By mr_debauch Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:07 pm
^ that is pretty interesting. I always was tempted to grab that upgrade.
By mike_mcroberts Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:25 am
m56p87 wrote:
mr_debauch wrote:^ I have a question.. back then when you guys were designing the akai samplers, making the vids, talking about the machines, etc... did you guys think anyone would wind up using things like the mpc60 to sample the way people finally did to make full projects (sample based hip hop and other genres) or did you guys just expect the mpc 60 to be used as a drum sampler machine?


Duuuudee, Ive though of making a thread about this a lot. What the original intentions were for the MPC series and what they think of the direction it went in.

Forthcoming. I'm dealing with home infrastructure issues right now.
Peace,
Mike
By mike_mcroberts Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:26 am
szr wrote:Good question above, I'm curious what the atmosphere/team spirit etc. was like at akai at the time.. Assume it was like the video game industry in those days..in terms of suits not having yet come along to kill all fun/peoples spirit?..

Forthcoming, after I deal with some house problems.