Getting the MPC 500

Really looking forward to getting the MPC 500 for live use mainly but also for making beats on the move. Seems to be a bit of a price drop happening too.

399 euros for MPC 500 & 128 MB Ram and free delivery.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/akai_mpc_500_mit_128_mb.htm

Also getting this for 25 euros for extra storage

It's funny to see how ppl's views have changed on the 500 from back in 06 (ish) till now. It's gone from despised to pity to appreciated to considered a modern classic. It's been described by more than one as a portable mpc 3000.

Now that sounds like a classic to me!

I remember when I joined this forum a few years back after picking up a 500 as my first mpc. Everyone talked about them as toys. I didn't really know enough to argue otherwise at the time. But the people who own them know they become almost like an instrument at some point. You can operate them in the dark because your hands literally know where every button is. It's pretty cool. I'll probably never get rid of my 500s. I take one with me when I travel and try to do a little beat making on the road.

Welcome to the family, I love my 500. I've owned the 2500 and 1000 and it is still my MPC of choice. My favorite feature which the others lack is its ability to play the program assigned samples on the pads while auditioning samples in the load screen by pressing play. Great way to mix and match samples and create kits.

Nubian Mindz wrote:Really looking forward to getting the MPC 500 for live use mainly but also for making beats on the move. Seems to be a bit of a price drop happening too.

399 euros for MPC 500 & 128 MB Ram and free delivery.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/akai_mpc_500_mit_128_mb.htm

Also getting this for 25 euros for extra storage

It's funny to see how ppl's views have changed on the 500 from back in 06 (ish) till now. It's gone from despised to pity to appreciated to considered a modern classic. It's been described by more than one as a portable mpc 3000.

Now that sounds like a classic to me!

Interesting that you brought this up. Yes, the 500 was the stepchild of the MPC family. I myself was ridiculed for owning a 500. But I couldn't understand the hate because these are the same brats that idolize the SP1200 and the MPC3000 and they had small screens and limitations as well.

I always knew the 500 will have its shine in another time. People also used to say it was an excuse to a cheap 1000. I messed with plenty small samplers of this size and none has this much strength, and I knew right away it was special not to sell it.

In the future, the 500 will be like the SP303, and I remember when that was called a toy

It's finally been shipped and should be in my studio beginning of next week. Can't wait to get it fired up and running alongside my Renaissance.

Got a few FX pedals too for the live shows.

Nubian Mindz wrote:It's finally been shipped and should be in my studio beginning of next week. Can't wait to get it fired up and running alongside my Renaissance.

Got a few FX pedals too for the live shows.

Good stuff man. Post some vids when you get your routine down. Man I miss my 500.

Only thing I would add is a metallic faceplate and a larger LED 3x5 screen that could be connected via USB as an upgrade.There`s money to be made if that was possible.

Maybe I can hire sciguy.

PS I`m gonna dress my 500 in all black everything one day except the record/overdub button.

Well those of us who had the earlier 500s had to deal with some funky little issues that didn't help it get off to a good start.
Dealing with that polyphony bug was pretty annoying.

Finally getting a chance to sit down with the MPC 500 this weekend and the learning curve it steeper than I thought it would be. I thought using the Ren would have put me in good stead for the 500 but the small 2 line text and scrolling for options/naming sort of threw me for a loop (no pun intended)

I'm getting there slowly but surely though.

One thing I noticed when putting together a test drum beat last night is the swing was immediately tight with an undeniable something that your average DAW just can't do.

I knew then I was going to have fun with this little beauty

Today I'm learning how to chop breaks and samples within the 500 and looking forward to mastering whatever quirks it presents along the way.

Has anyone tried syncing the MPC 500 alongside the Renaissance???

That's what I have planned for my live shows if I can get the two to play nicely

As you can see, the Renaissance is shallow streams compared to the deep oceanic labyrinth of the 500. Down here is where you get a nickel for a dollar and I'm Prince Namor.

Then I expect sampled conch shell percussion on a joint soon Ill.

I should go back to being called Prince J-More like I used to

For the relatively small amount of money you pay for the 500 it really punches way above its weight class.

Was able to sequence a whole song with ease with just the 500 and a Nord Lead (via Midi) and keep everything super tight, drums sounding particularly phat coming from the mpc500, converted sequence without issue and you can colour me impressed.

Later this week I'll try to get it to control multiple midi devices (if possible)

Also try to bounce a track out to mix down in a DAW and how best to do that.

Question: I recorded midi controller data from my Nord into the MPC which I wanted to erase in a small section (4 bars of intro)
Is it possible to erase midi cc data from a midi track in the MPC 500?

Nubian Mindz wrote:Later this week I'll try to get it to control multiple midi devices (if possible)

You have 16 MIDI channels available to be transmitted through the MIDI cable, and you can set the MPC500 tracks to output on any of those 16 MIDI channels, so yes you can.

You just have to deal with chaining the single MIDI cable from device to device, using MIDI Thru ports on the devices or the MIDI Out port set to soft thru, or use a MIDI splitter to send the single output to multiple devices, then set each device to it's own MIDI channel, or range of MIDI channels if multi-timbral.

Nubian Mindz wrote:Question: I recorded midi controller data from my Nord into the MPC which I wanted to erase in a small section (4 bars of intro)
Is it possible to erase midi cc data from a midi track in the MPC 500?

In the Note Erase screen, change the parameter to be erased from Pads: to Type:, then choose CC...

MPC Operator's Manual, Page 17 wrote:Choosing Specific Events

1. Select the 'Parameter' field again, and scroll with the [DATA] wheel. The Type selection will be displayed. This selection lets you specify which types of events are deleted.

The following selections are available:

ALL All events are erased.
Note Only note/pad events are erased. Other events are not erased.
PB Only Pitch Bend events are erased.
CC Only Control Change events are erased. All control change events or individual controller numbers can be selected.
PC Only Program Change events are erased.
CP Only Channel Pressure is erased.
PP Only poly pressure evens are deleted. A note range for poly pressure events can also be displayed.
EX Only system exclusive data is erased.

MPC Operator's Manual, Page 17 wrote:Selecting a Specific Time Range

3. Select the 'Parameter' field and turn the [DATA] wheel until the 'In' parameter is displayed:You can select a start point for erasing in the 'Time' field. This field will default to the start of the current sequence, but you can change this field with the [DATA] wheel.

4. Next, select the 'Parameter' field again. Turn the [DATA] wheel to change this to OUT. This selects the endpoint for erasing. This will default to the end of the current sequence, but you can change this field with the [DATA] wheel.

5. Once you have selected the time range of events to delete, press the [DO IT] button.

Woah. Thanks for that info Simon. Much appreciated!!

Another question:

Why doesn't the MPC500 record track mutes and solos???

I tried recording my live track mutes in sequencer mode (had converted a full song) but after busting a gut for 6 mins thinking I was Pete Rock I played it back only to realize none of my track mutes had recorded.