How do you not get frustrated?

When this is your only piece of equipment, how do you not get frustrated using it?

I have no keyboard or anything else but the Ren and I get so frustrated everytime I sit down to make a beat. Where do you guys get your samples?

I see something like Kanye on the 2000XL tapping out that song POWER and I'm like, woah thats cool, but I cant even make really anything when I sit down and try.

you gotta find your lane, and keep at it... if inspiration is dry... or things aren't coming together... then you do other tasks like digging for samples or researching synths or what ever... organizing your sample libraries... experimenting with sounds and saving them as samples to use later... revisiting old projects to see if new ideas come to mind...

you don't need all the sounds for your song given to you... make your own or find your own breaks and make your own sampled drum kits.

once u can think of sumthing in ur head and r able to pull it out nd get it to sound exactly how u imagined u'll start feelin good.

once u master ur equipment and learn how to use musical tools u will hear what u heard in ur head coming out of ur speakers

u need to know what u want in order to make it happen

u can get samples anywhere, record store, youtube, radio, etc; sampling is limitless imho

that help?

try just looping a sample at first, dont get caught up in trying to make it too technical.

find a track that you like that has a good loop, and loop it up and add drums under that shit.

try messing with this song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BP1_1DpeBE

Bandwidth wrote:When this is your only piece of equipment, how do you not get frustrated using it?

I have no keyboard or anything else but the Ren and I get so frustrated everytime I sit down to make a beat. Where do you guys get your samples?

I remember I was like that when I got my ASR X Pro..I was like this sampling shit is for the birds. Bought a sound module and developed my sound on that. Once I developed my sound I copped a MPC and went back to sampling and it was on! Started digging in the crates looking for my sound.. Once I heard my sound on a record I just Chopped it and made bangers.

Sampling is deep though..there's a lot to learn. Its more than just looping and chopping.just keep making beats and studying the art of sampling. Once it all comes together its a beautiful thing.

How do you not get frustrated?

I research heavily before buying into new gear. I would love to be the first on the block but when spending over a thousand bucks, I need reviews and other user experiences. Not trying to step on your toes here, just tossing one to grow on.

I was actually saving up for one but after a while that enthusiasm kinda faded, due to the bugs and too many workarounds for basic features found on any sampler. I spent that loot on a Roland P-10

Yeah, you have to do research. As for right now, if the Renaissance is your only means of production, I can understand the frustration. The Software is still buggy but the current version is a big improvement. Hopefully 1.4 will get this thing working better. I still own a MPC 2000XL and tons of other gear so I don't depend on my Ren but lately I find myself using it more. Hang in there.

frustration you need to go back to in time before the internet and you had to read a manual and sit there for days trying to figure things out and it would take an hour to render a wav on a computer, those were the days !!!!

"where do you find your samples"


this is definitely 2013.

IMAKEMADBEATS wrote:"where do you find your samples"


this is definitely 2013.

why do people even get samplers if they have no inention of sampling? shit is wack and makes no sense to me at all... the ren still blows though.

Ill-Green wrote:I was actually saving up for one but after a while that enthusiasm kinda faded, due to the bugs and too many workarounds for basic features found on any sampler.

I was ready to dive in but even for Nukai standards the Ren got off to a limp. "Paid updates" will probably be the next bone of contention.

@Bandwidth

The Ren's OS1.0 is the best initial release of any MPC. The same can be said for subsequent releases 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. 1.4 is just more icing on the cake.

I say that knowing your issue is probably more about being creative and knowing how to use it versus bugs or lack of having certain features.

The manual isn't very good for those that have no experience with MPCs. But it should be read for first time users. Also watch every single MPC Ren/Studio video you can find on Akai's website as well as You Tube to see how other users 'get down on it'. Perhaps you will find something that inspires you. As far as samples, it ships with several gigabytes of sounds to get you started.

JAH wrote:The same can be said for subsequent releases 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. 1.4 is just more icing on the cake.

More like a candle in a dog turd, but yeah, it's slowly hitting second gear.

nobledru wrote:Yeah, you have to do research. As for right now, if the Renaissance is your only means of production, I can understand the frustration. The Software is still buggy but the current version is a big improvement. Hopefully 1.4 will get this thing working better. I still own a MPC 2000XL and tons of other gear so I don't depend on my Ren but lately I find myself using it more. Hang in there.

It doesn't sound like the gear is his problem. It sounds like he's trying to create beats without a theory. It seems to me his lack of a music or sampling theory is the root of his frustration.