Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000

By object88 Wed Dec 29, 2004 6:29 pm
SuunAq wrote:still, I know the 4k has a tube pre-amp,( ENVY )


Nope.
By SuunAq Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:57 pm
well regardless, like I told Bliss... If yer happy where you are theres no need to argue the fine points. there is NO machine out there that is actually garbage being passed off as the hotshit... and if there were, I'm sure we would all band together as beatmakers and warn others ...
but damn, I thought it had tubes... so the korg joint is the only tubed sampler/seq out there?

By aprim Fri Jan 14, 2005 2:23 am
I sold my MPC 4k to get a MV, worst mistake ever..Miss my MPC, sold the MV and now Im waiting to buy a 4k again!!
User avatar

By erkl Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:03 am
just played with the MV for the first time, damn controlling everything on a monitor is pretty tight, its like fruity loops with a hardware controller/pads..

pretty cool, but i dont like the feel of the mv itself, compared to any of the mpc's

the pads, knobs, everything.. not that it matters

fancy toys..

By glide Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:42 pm
Well I read somewhere Roland is bringing OS3.0 to their MW and 2.0 for their Vsynths (+a rack version of the V-synth, tempting), if they ad a pattern mode and EQ to their hard disk recorder in the MW it can be considerd respectable (I still can't believe they left out EQ),
but from what I've sean I don't like the workflow it still has some akward ways of doing things,
any feedback Aprim, I think may would apreciate to hear the pros/cons MWvsMP depate from somone with exsperiance on both units..
User avatar

By JusDaFied Sun Jan 16, 2005 8:11 am
I sold my MPC and got an MV and at the risk of being ousted by the 4000 community here, I can tell you that my opinion of the MV and the Roland update and support is OUTSTANDING....ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE MV.


And yes, the MV V3 will have pattern mode, although it's not really needed because you can emulate pattern mode with quickset loops and locators but they want to make the MPC jump ship so they need to add it.

There are a couple things I miss about the MPC, but the MV strengths far outweigh them.




http://www.rolandus.com/index_namm.asp

Scroll down a litle and you can see the MV-8000 v3 will indeed have pattern mode. I'll never use it..Pattern mode is intergrated into the linear mode, it's just easier once you're done with your patterns to jump out of loop set...Trust me as a long time MPC user...Since the 60, the MV is the shiz.

By renegadebliss Sun Jan 16, 2005 6:54 pm
JusDaFied wrote:I sold my MPC and got an MV and at the risk of being ousted by the 4000 community here, I can tell you that my opinion of the MV and the Roland update and support is OUTSTANDING....ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE MV.


And yes, the MV V3 will have pattern mode, although it's not really needed because you can emulate pattern mode with quickset loops and locators but they want to make the MPC jump ship so they need to add it.

There are a couple things I miss about the MPC, but the MV strengths far outweigh them.




http://www.rolandus.com/index_namm.asp

Scroll down a litle and you can see the MV-8000 v3 will indeed have pattern mode. I'll never use it..Pattern mode is intergrated into the linear mode, it's just easier once you're done with your patterns to jump out of loop set...Trust me as a long time MPC user...Since the 60, the MV is the shiz.



Well, We'll see how they implement Pattern Mode or not.

Quickset Loops and Locators are NOT enough.

Is one able to "Mix" with the different patterns as dj would with the
MV's pads.

So you select Pad 1 and it will play Song/Sequence 1, and then
you hit Pad 2 and it will segue right into Song/Sequence 2? Then select
Pad 45 and it plays Song/Sequence 45?

I guess we'll see how they implement it.




I would like to know if you can comment on the MV strengths. We've had
many threads on this Forum about the MV vs MPC and the people
usually commenting on it, have NOT used the MPC for very long. As you
had indicated you were a long time MPC user, it would be interesting to
hear the specifics. As the previous threads did NOT entice me to look again at the MV. I have looked at it and played with it several times before
deciding on the MPC. Would love to hear specifically what it's strengths
are.

1) What kind of Program Modulation matrix does the MV have. I know that
none of the earlier MPC's had this, but this is one the most USED features
by me, to make my Samples more realistic and expressive. I personally
couldn't use one of the earlier MPC's as they don't have this.

2) How many LFO's?

3) How many Envelopes? (Are any of them Multi Stage envelopes)

4) How many Filter types?

5) How Many Zones

6) What can modulate the above said Zones.


Thanks,

Dave

By renegadebliss Sun Jan 16, 2005 7:57 pm
renegadebliss wrote:
1) What kind of Program Modulation matrix does the MV have. I know that
none of the earlier MPC's had this, but this is one the most USED features
by me, to make my Samples more realistic and expressive. I personally
couldn't use one of the earlier MPC's as they don't have this.

2) How many LFO's?

3) How many Envelopes? (Are any of them Multi Stage envelopes)

4) How many Filter types?

5) How Many Zones

6) What can modulate the above said Zones.


Thanks,

Dave



Hmm.. I just redownloaded the Manual from Roland. I think I can answer
some of these myself. Feel free to correct me if I"m wrong:


1) What kind of Program Modulation matrix does the MV have. I know that
none of the earlier MPC's had this, but this is one the most USED features
by me, to make my Samples more realistic and expressive. I personally
couldn't use one of the earlier MPC's as they don't have this.


NO, there is no Program Modulation matrix in the MV8000. All Modulation
appear to be hardwired (LFO --> Pitch, Filter Cutoff, Amp, Pan -- that's it).

If you've used Program Modulation on either the MPC or other synths
you'll how completely powerful this is.

2) How many LFO's?

Only 1 per "Partial" which is equivalent to MPC's "Parts/Program"
instead of the 2 per Part as with the MPC. Now with the Modulation's
being a fixed destination (Pitch, Filter Cutoff, Amp & Pan) this is not
as important, as you don't have a modulation matrix to route your
LFO's to different parts...

3) How many Envelopes? (Are any of them Multi Stage envelopes)

2 envelopes on the MV8000 compared to the 3 Envelopes on the MPC 4000. Again having more Envelopes probably isn't helpful with the MV
due to the limitiations of Item 1 above. Also, the MV's appear to
ADSR type. MPC has 1 ADSR and the other 2 are Mult Stage.

4) How many Filter types?

MV only appears to have Low Pass, High Pass and Band Pass. And only
1 filter per voice.

Where the MPC has:
3 dynamic resonant 2-pole multimode filters per voice
New filtering is provided by way of 6-pole digital dynamic filters.
36 filter types with up to 3 simultaneous filters per voice


5) How Many Zones

MV does have 4 zones as the MPC has, but it appears that since the
MV does NOT have item 1, that the Zones are limited to Velocity for switching. You can NOT use the Program Modulation to control the
MV's zone switching. So you can NOT have some of the interesting
ZONE changing that you can setup with MPC, such as Random LFO
controlling Zone Switching, Aftertouch controlling the Zone Switching,
Envelopes controlling the Zone Switching or any of the 30 other Modualtion
sources that can be used to control the Zone Switching.





*****


Now of course above is only what I was able to see when reviewing the manual again, so they may not be fully correct, and any corrections
are desired, but it looks like Roland did NOT put a powerful enough
Sampler for myself to switch.


Maybe they'll add some Sampler playing functions as well as Pattern Mode in the MV8000 with OS 3.0.

I'll wait until OS 3.0 is out again and check it out again at Guitar Center.

But i have a feeling for my needs, that the MPC will be around for a while.


Cheers,

Dave
By glide Sun Jan 16, 2005 9:22 pm
:shock: :shock: :shock:

thanks for clearing that up renegadebliss,
...

I was going to blabber on about how found I'm of the step sequencer and how big & amazing 24/96k sounds... but dam I don't even wanna compare them anymore...

...man I hope their free penis pump comes with some viagra aswell, they'll need it... :twisted:
User avatar
By AWW_NAWW Mon Jan 17, 2005 2:00 am
glide wrote::shock: :shock: :shock:

thanks for clearing that up renegadebliss,
...

I was going to blabber on about how found I'm of the step sequencer and how big & amazing 24/96k sounds... but dam I don't even wanna compare them anymore...

...man I hope their free penis pump comes with some viagra aswell, they'll need it... :twisted:


HAHAHAHA!!!!!!
User avatar

By cyrus Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:14 am
jonespnice wrote:Both machines are good and will get the job done, I'm a little bias to the mpc 4000, but to be more subjective about the 2 machines, I would choose the MPC because it's proven to be reliable, the filters are very good, it has the best sequencer that I have ever worked with (software included), it has alot of good features. The mv8000 has much better effects, but it's filters suck big time, the pads are too stiff, there's too many buttons to push to get to different screens, but I do like alot of it's features.

* The main reason that I would not buy a MV8000 is not because of the machine itself, but because of how roland abandon their machines. What I'm talking about is the variphrase 9000, the varios, the mmp-2 preamp, ect., they will have wonderful concepts for the machines but if they don't sell fast enough, then you're left with a machine that doesn't hold it's value and that they will not give proper tech support for. Honestly the only thing that I would feel good buying from roland is a digital recorder or a keyboard.
peace.


it is about the filters. Its a sample based unit, and im not sure how you guys use your units, but i need the filters to freak some of those samples. If im not gonna use filters, the 2xl would be fine and cost alot less. THe sequencer is the "center" of where all my tracks begin. This is also why the mpc4000 wins hands down. If i dont enjoy using the sequencer, then where is the fun?

plus on the abandon thing....what about the Fantom series? there has been 3. The original triton is still going. Not saying that any of the fantoms are neccesarily bad, but it seems like they are just hitting the "gear lust market" I cant complain, as akai has its fair share of "marketing problems", but theres a differance.............paving the way, or jumping on the band wagon. looks like roland is just jumping on to whats hot. Nothing new or inovative. The mpc4000 already has several years on it over the MV?! and it still compares. This is why the mpc rock...they are rock solid. Id still put up a mpc60 to the MV. **** mastering, screw realtime time stretch, effects, filters.....it will still get killed.
User avatar

By cyrus Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:36 am
i dont get it either.

you can linear sequence with the mpc, just record a really long loop....but you cant loop with the MV?!

please correct me if im wrong, because i dont understand why you would want linear sequencing.

BTW. im not arguing against it, i just really dont understand the reasons why.
User avatar
By cyrus Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:58 am
SuunAq wrote:as I said it's an all inclusive compositional tool, not a gig tool, you can do a show with it, but it's features are optimized for studio work not stage work.
STILL, you seem to have made your choice so I hope things work the way you want them to, I know my **** sounds tight...


sorry, but, doesnt the MV claim to be the studio? yet it falls short.
User avatar
By cyrus Mon Jan 17, 2005 4:17 am
glide wrote::shock: :shock: :shock:

thanks for clearing that up renegadebliss,
...

I was going to blabber on about how found I'm of the step sequencer and how big & amazing 24/96k sounds... but dam I don't even wanna compare them anymore...

...man I hope their free penis pump comes with some viagra aswell, they'll need it... :twisted:


ha ha ha ha ha. and thank you renegadebliss.