Just got MPC ren? What else might I need?

Hi!

OK, I'm new to beatmaking on the MPC, just about to get an MPC Renaissance and was wondering if much more kit was needed??

I'm in to making funky soulful hip-hop. I'll have the MPC Ren, decent studio monitors and turntables and that's me at the moment.

I was thinking of getting a microkorg or a synth but didn't know if it was worth it? Also is it worth getting a usb keyboard to be able to play the loaded keys and bass?

What else would people use that is not too expensive to go with the Ren or is it just doing its thing out of the box?

Thanks,
billy

In my personal opinion your be better off learning and mastering one bit of gear at a time, then adding additional gear to your setup as you go if needed.

You need a computer to do anything, unlike the classic MPC's of the past. Didn't see a computer on your list of gear. And don't forget your mouse, you'll be needing one.

Clint wrote:And don't forget your mouse, you'll be needing one.

That's a low blow Clint, but it's funny!

Ha!

I kind of took that as a given, sorry!

Although I'm looking at getting a new laptop, any recommendations - I'm more of a Windows PC user than Mac user.

Also any thoughts on additional gear?

cheers

Billy_Meathead wrote:Ha!

I kind of took that as a given, sorry!

Although I'm looking at getting a new laptop, any recommendations - I'm more of a Windows PC user than Mac user.

Also any thoughts on additional gear?

cheers

I know computers pretty well so if you can mention a ballpark budget I could easily help you find the most bang for your PC dollar.

For additional gear a piano style MIDI keyboard is always a nice addition, although you can still find scales and chords using the pads, it's just obviously not as intuitive as having white and black keys in front of you. A controller with minimal or no knobs and faders can be had for $100-$150. Spend a bit more and you'll get higher quality keys and more tactile controls.

Being that the Ren set you back a fair amount and you are about to buy a new computer maybe some freeware plugins might be a good thing. There's some very useable stuff out there.

Here's a few links to some vendor's freebies I posted in another thread.

Kontakt Player Free - http://www.native-instruments.com/en/pr ... -download/

u-he Software's Tyrell N6. (Page is in German, scroll to end of article, Windows/OS X hotlinks are there) http://www.amazona.de/amazona-de-freewa ... l-n6-v3/3/

u-he Zebralette - http://www.u-he.com/cms/zebralette

u-he Podolski - http://www.u-he.com/cms/podolski

TAL Audio has a full range of free FX and a few instruments, all freeware - http://kunz.corrupt.ch/Products

Here's the VST thread - viewtopic.php?f=36&t=165520

And Louie Lou in that thread mentioned KVR which is a great database of free as well as paid VST's and a decent forum as well. http://www.kvraudio.com/?t%5b%5d=free

The Ren has the built in interface so that's one less thing you need, you didn't mention how you monitor your stuff, a decent set of studio reference monitors is one of the most important if not the most important thing in making a studio set up.

Hey man,

thanks for the info and links.

Studio monitors I'm sorted for - I've got some pretty decent ones, Event TR8s. Budget wise they're not bad.

In terms of a new laptop I was maybe looking at a Sony Vaio but if I can keep the cost down I was thinking of spending in the £300-£400 ballpark (so I suppose roughly $450-600) - but if I can find something on ebay and get it cheaper I will - think its usually best to buy New when it comes to laptops, PCs etc.

Any recommendations on the MIDI keyboards? Also is the Microkorg any good?

cheers again,
B

Billy_Meathead wrote:Hey man,

thanks for the info and links.

Studio monitors I'm sorted for - I've got some pretty decent ones, Event TR8s. Budget wise they're not bad.

In terms of a new laptop I was maybe looking at a Sony Vaio but if I can keep the cost down I was thinking of spending in the £300-£400 ballpark (so I suppose roughly $450-600) - but if I can find something on ebay and get it cheaper I will - think its usually best to buy New when it comes to laptops, PCs etc.

Any recommendations on the MIDI keyboards? Also is the Microkorg any good?

cheers again,
B

I've only toyed with the microkorg in shops, but it's a capable board for how cheap it is. Although most VST synths can do everything it can do save for the vocoder. The tiny keys (half size) are the sticking point on that one, even a Hobbit would find them too small.

MIDI keyboards, maybe look at Novation, M-Audio, the Akai MPK's are nice although some have had issues with one of the top octave keys breaking off. It wasn't like a rampant issue but to even see it more than once on the same key with different users was eyebrow raising.

Novation just dropped this one at $200USD, I think that's like a little less than 130GBP before VAT. It's 49 keys, 25 can be too limiting, and rather than drum pads it has assignable buttons that are the same as the clip launch buttons on the Launchpad their Ableton controller. (APC 20/40 Live controllers by Akai have essentially the same type of buttons)



http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ ... 4AodqE8AGQ

I had a quick glance over at Newegg.com and this Toshiba jumped off the page when I noticed it. Not surprisingly it had a few 5 star reviews.

TOSHIBA Satellite L875-S7153 Notebook Intel Core i5 3230M(2.60GHz) 17.3" 4GB Memory DDR3 1600 640GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi AMD Radeon HD 7670M.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6834216457

But it's about $50USD over your budget ceiling. The 5400 RPM HD is mostly what laptops give (I have an HP laptop with a 7200RPM drive and room for a second HD, but that's ultra rare.) I was impressed with the CPU and the tri-channel RAM clocked at 1600mhz. The video card would stand up up to some modern gaming as well. Always an afterthought on a DAW box but still nice to have. (I get OK gaming results on even a ATI/AMD 5700 series card). It's also a 17.3" screen, my HP is 17.3" and it's great.

There's a VAIO for $650 also but the Toshiba seems to have a better spec.

SONY VAIO E Series SVE14135CXP Notebook Intel Core i5 3230M(2.60GHz) 14" 6GB Memory DDR3 1600 1TB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW Intel HD Graphics 4000

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6834127925

Bigger HD, more stock RAM (but upping to 8GB is so cheap I wouldn't even factor that in much), but it has a much smaller screen and Intel motherboard graphics. As I mentioned a secondary concern on DAW computers but keep in mind the Intel mobo graphics use shared system RAM to render with, so even simple things like Windows 7/8 transparent GUI elements will tax your main RAM. And gaming is largely a no go.

For the median point of your budget it seems all i3's and a lot of sub $500USD laptops have AMD CPU's which have been trailing Intels for years now.

I got the listings from Newegg which I feel is the easiest site to comparison shop for anything computer related.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... -%20%24750

Hopefully even though the 2 I mentioned are over budget, they will still help you to see just how much $600-$650 can net you if you find the right model/config.

Learn the ins and outs of the Ren, very important, then think about what you want. A midi keyboard is nice if you want to add synths and basslines, Akai LPK 25 is nice for a small table, but sucks if you´re good at playing keys, cus the small keys is cumbersome.

Hi all,

thanks for all the info on laptops and the Ren, I'm gonna save up, get a new laptop and start to master the Ren and then move on from there.

I've spoke to the guys at my local DJ/Equip shop and they seem to think that getting a Mac is the only way to go and leaving off of the Windows based PC - would you guys agree??

Thanks again for your time,

B

Billy_Meathead wrote:hey seem to think that getting a Mac is the only way to go

don't believe anyone that ever says that... nor the opposite. a computer is a computer nowadays... mac's ain't bulletproof either.

Billy_Meathead wrote:Hi all,

thanks for all the info on laptops and the Ren, I'm gonna save up, get a new laptop and start to master the Ren and then move on from there.

I've spoke to the guys at my local DJ/Equip shop and they seem to think that getting a Mac is the only way to go and leaving off of the Windows based PC - would you guys agree??

Thanks again for your time,

B

No I wouldn't agree on a Mac being the only way and I wish people stopped giving out that "advice". Macs have sturdier casings and run Logic, Garageband, Metasynth, Numerology and some other exclusives you could count on two hands. The amount of music software exclusive to PC over Mac would number in the 100's if not 1000's looking at the VST landscape.

I have an HP i7 quad that cost $1100, at the time of purchase it went toe to toe with my friends new MacBook which cost him $2200. Although the price gap can be closer to 25-50% usually rather than a 100% difference in price in that case.

My desktop is a Mac Pro, but I have Windows installed in it's own partition, no virtual machines. So on a daily basis I can run any dual format apps, (Ableton, Maschine, 75% of my plugins and so on) and see performance is the same with the same apps/plugins. If anything ASIO comes out a little ahead of Core Audio as far as stability at ultra low latency operation.

A negligible difference but clearly the idea that OS X outperforms Windows is based on no facts. Some have a preference for OS X's presentation. But this idea that OS X is more stable or more efficient than Windows is just not true. Certainly not for the last decade since Windows XP has been out.

So if you want a Mac and can afford one, sure why not? But I think people are crazy to not buy a copy Windows 7 or 8 and basically have two full computers in one box and access to all available software. But be weary of anyone saying the same app (Ableton, Serato, Pro Tools, Cubase or any dual format app) will perform better on OS X, they basing this on nothing other than perception of a premium product line, not actual operational data and facts.

So personally I tire of "Mac or go home", but "no I'm sorry performance is equal using the same CPU/RAM configs on either OS since Apple went to Intel CPU's", is somehow total controversy to Mac zealots.

Cool,

thanks for the advice.

I think you're right - everything is a buzzword or a buzzword - it is cool to say buy Mac cos everyone says that!

I'm gonna get saving and contact you guys nearer the time to see what laptops you might recommend for a specific budget!

Thanks again,

B

Hey Meathead!

Where in England are you?

Hey,

I'm based in London and Bournemouth, how come?