New to the MPC production world? Got a music production question that's not really specific to any particular MPC? Try your luck here and get help from our experienced members.
By DEMIRTAS1 Mon Feb 21, 2005 5:23 am
classic, I TAKE IT THAT YOU DONT EQ OR COMPRESS YOUR BEATZ,DO YOU JUST MAKE THE BEATZ WITH BOUT ANY EFFECTS,SO LETS SAY IF I WANTED TO GET MY WORK (PRO MASTERED) DO I JUST WORK ON MY BEATZ (MPC1K & REASON 2.5)BUT WHEN IM DONE, I SHOULDENT ADD ANYTHING EFFECTS TO MY BEATZ (COMPRESSION) (EQ) SHOULD I EVEN MIX IT A LITTLE,OR DO I JUST MAKE THE BEAT THEN TAKE IT TO THE STUDIO.........
BUT when i take stuff to the studio i track it out(which is record each track sepratly) in cubase so the engineers can EQ it
WHEN YOU record each track sepratly I TAKE IT THAT U SAVE IT AS A CUBASE FILE THEN TAKE IT TO THE STUDIO,(WHICH CUBASE VER DO U OWN)COULDENT YOU JUST MASTER YOUR TRACKS ON CUBASE ON YOUR PC,OR DO YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR TRACKS TO THE STUDIO FOR THAT STUDIO TOUCH...I HAVE CUBASE SX 1 AND SONAR 3 PRO EDITION,ARE ANY OF THESE SOFTWARES ABLE TO MASTER MY BEATZ?
IM NEW TO ALOT OF THIS STUFF,IVE BEEN MAKING BEATZ FOR 10 MONTHS,AND THATS PRETTY MUCH WERE ALL MY KNOWLEGE LIES,NOW IM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN,WHAT I SHOULD DO AFTER I HAVE FINNISHED MY TRACKS (BEATZ)...SHOULDLD I GO TO A STUDIO TO MASTER MY BEATZ OR CAN I DO THAT AT HOME WITH SONAR 3 & CUBASE SX 1(IM PRETTY SURE IF ONE DAY I WANT TO SELL MY TRACKS I WILL HAVE TO GET THEM MASTERED IN A STUDIO.....)
User avatar

By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:30 am
2Serious wrote:Cool, but what If it wasn't synth I wanted during the sequence? What if i wanted to play an instrument, but wanted it to be longer and, wanted the notes to be consistent and not get distorted as i go higher in notes?


Im assuming your talking about sounds on your MPC right??

well like i said before
thats the limitaion of using samples like synths on the MPC. The Autochormatic fucntion can only do so much. Your samples will get disrtorted and the length will vary the more u manipulate them. U can try and edit the sample manually on software and try looping a small piece of the synth sample so u can play it countinuesly. creating a multi-sample programs is also an option but that can be time consuming and u can only do so much with 4 programs. If u plan on composing eventually u will need to invest in some type of external sound source(hardware or software)

class....


clas...
User avatar
By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:49 am
DEMIRTAS1 wrote:classic, I TAKE IT THAT YOU DONT EQ OR COMPRESS YOUR BEATZ,DO YOU JUST MAKE THE BEATZ WITH BOUT ANY EFFECTS,SO LETS SAY IF I WANTED TO GET MY WORK (PRO MASTERED) DO I JUST WORK ON MY BEATZ (MPC1K & REASON 2.5)BUT WHEN IM DONE, I SHOULDENT ADD ANYTHING EFFECTS TO MY BEATZ (COMPRESSION) (EQ) SHOULD I EVEN MIX IT A LITTLE,OR DO I JUST MAKE THE BEAT THEN TAKE IT TO THE STUDIO.........
BUT when i take stuff to the studio i track it out(which is record each track sepratly) in cubase so the engineers can EQ it
WHEN YOU record each track sepratly I TAKE IT THAT U SAVE IT AS A CUBASE FILE THEN TAKE IT TO THE STUDIO,(WHICH CUBASE VER DO U OWN)COULDENT YOU JUST MASTER YOUR TRACKS ON CUBASE ON YOUR PC,OR DO YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR TRACKS TO THE STUDIO FOR THAT STUDIO TOUCH...I HAVE CUBASE SX 1 AND SONAR 3 PRO EDITION,ARE ANY OF THESE SOFTWARES ABLE TO MASTER MY BEATZ?
IM NEW TO ALOT OF THIS STUFF,IVE BEEN MAKING BEATZ FOR 10 MONTHS,AND THATS PRETTY MUCH WERE ALL MY KNOWLEGE LIES,NOW IM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN,WHAT I SHOULD DO AFTER I HAVE FINNISHED MY TRACKS (BEATZ)...SHOULDLD I GO TO A STUDIO TO MASTER MY BEATZ OR CAN I DO THAT AT HOME WITH SONAR 3 & CUBASE SX 1(IM PRETTY SURE IF ONE DAY I WANT TO SELL MY TRACKS I WILL HAVE TO GET THEM MASTERED IN A STUDIO.....)


Whoa watch the caps kinda hard to read

Anyway yes Cubase is enough to master full tracks from start to finish (if u have the correct plugins. Cubase is is as robust( i think even better) then protools. It’s really just a matter of personal preference. Ive been to studios that use protocols and ive been to studios that use cubase. The software doesn’t matter it’s the quality of the engineer that is using it

I usually record out the 8 bar loop(or however long the sequence is) of each of my tracks from my MPC(so I can cut and past the bars later) into Cubase without any effects. This is because the engineers usually like to have the tracks they are working on “dry” . This is like starting from a blank canvas. Now if the studio im going to is running cubase,which is what I have. I can just save the cubase session on a CD and load it up in the studio and let the engineers go to work. IF the studio has protocols, I export the wav files of those indvitual tracks(give them instrument names). Then when I go to the studio the engineers open up a protocols session and drop those audio tracks into protocols.


As far as u mastering your own beats, well u have to realize that there are people who have spends countless hours and large amounts of money to learn how to make your music sound better. Its always good to learn something new(like mixing etc.) on a hobbiest level. But when u get to a professional level its best to let the engineer handle your tracks. They can help because they have experience and a fresh set of “Ears” to catch stuff u will miss. But don’t just give them your beat and walk away. Its best to stay involved in the mixing and mastering process so u can have imput to how your beat sounds. Casue in the end, you’re the one who created it, not the engineer.

I can get my stuff sounding pretty dope on my own but i always get better results when I work with and engineer.

Plus I foucus on making tracks rather then engineering them casue that shit takes a lot of time an pratice

I have cubase SX

Class……
Last edited by classic on Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:24 am, edited 2 times in total.

By 2Serious Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:49 am
Iite coo, as far as an external sound source, what do you suggest?
User avatar

By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:55 am
2Serious wrote:Iite coo, as far as an external sound source, what do you suggest?


I mean its up to you, there are alot of good racks out there. I mean u cant go wrong with a motif or a fantom but those may be a little hight end. Also u can look into software VST's they would work the same way as a rack but just on your computer. There is soo much stuff out there u just need to reseach

And realise this, u can have the tightest equiment in the world but that dont mean ish.. Casue if the music aint in you, your beats will still be less then disrable.

I know people with 10,000 worth of equimeint that cant do jack, i know cats with reason and a MIDI controller that can **** with kanye or just blaze

Point of the story, u gotta have talent and u gotta get stuff that fits you

class....

By 2Serious Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:02 am
Word, I feel what u sayin, so whats the best all around rack, for synths and instruments? I mean. well I'll say it like this. I got Cubase and a bunch of VST's that i LOVE can i just use that? and if i would want to would i just sequence it into cubase as audio or midi?

And yeah, what plugs do u have having ur mixer into ur soundcard? sorry if i sound like a newb, i kinda am, kinda not, u know how it is.
User avatar

By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:14 am
2Serious wrote:Word, I feel what u sayin, so whats the best all around rack, for synths and instruments? I mean. well I'll say it like this. I got Cubase and a bunch of VST's that i LOVE can i just use that? and if i would want to would i just sequence it into cubase as audio or midi?

And yeah, what plugs do u have having ur mixer into ur soundcard? sorry if i sound like a newb, i kinda am, kinda not, u know how it is.


I mean thats fine, like i said i know cats who sequnce with just reason or cubase and asome VST's and there beats are banging. Really pro level. The only hardware they have is a midi keyboard.

IF u dont belvie me check this cat. HE is one of my friends from another site. he is only 18

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/1/afriq ... emusic.htm
these are old beats...
all he has is reason and a midi controller



You really gotta do what suites u man. If u love sequncing on cubase stick with it. DOnt to something just casue other people are. As far as audio or mIDI i have seen cats do both but i really havent done it so i cant really tell u the befnits and downsides of each


I dont really know what u mean about plugins for my soundcard to my mixer. why would i need anything??? Im just running audio from my mixer into the soundcard. Thats it

class...
User avatar

By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:30 am
2Serious wrote:And yeah, what plugs do u have having ur mixer into ur soundcard? sorry if i sound like a newb, i kinda am, kinda not, u know how it is.


Sorry i mis-read i thought u said plug-ins

anyway i just have 1/4 inch stero audio cables from my Mixer to my firwire 410

class....

By 2Serious Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:54 am
Iiite good lookin, it looks like Imma just use my VSTs, and sequence into protools. How would I hook it up so that I could just sequence it, then just do my Vsts?
User avatar

By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 1:44 pm
2Serious wrote:Iiite good lookin, it looks like Imma just use my VSTs, and sequence into protools. How would I hook it up so that I could just sequence it, then just do my Vsts?


Man ur gonna have to figure it out on ur own. DO a search. Thats the best way to learn

class..

By grimaybeats555 Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:28 pm
cool video. Still watching it.
By DEMIRTAS1 Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:29 pm
class,thank u for taking the time out to answer our questions,your insight will be very helpful to me (hopefully) in the near future..........last question since you dont add any effects to your tracks,till u get into the studio......do u mix your beatz at all with a hardware mixer or software mixer-(cubase or sonar)or do u just work on your beatz, then when your done without adding any effects or mixing any of your tracks(snares,kdrums)do u take it straight to the studio to also get it mixed as well as mastered,or do u work on a little bit of mixing then take it to the studio to get a final mix,or is it better to not do any thing,except make the beat at home then take it to the studio for everything else....is it expensive to get your tracks mastered and mixed at the studio???? also in cubase sx1 can i record my tracks in to cubase......1 insturment at a time with my mpc 1k & reason 2.5(like u said u record each insturment one by one into cubase) i know this is possible but i was woundering if you could possibly give me a quick run through on how to record from reason and my mpc 1k in to cubase sx....thanks man..........class whats firwire 410[/quote]
User avatar
By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:06 pm
DEMIRTAS1 wrote:class,thank u for taking the time out to answer our questions,your insight will be very helpful to me (hopefully) in the near future..........last question since you dont add any effects to your tracks,till u get into the studio......do u mix your beatz at all with a hardware mixer or software mixer-(cubase or sonar)or do u just work on your beatz, then when your done without adding any effects or mixing any of your tracks(snares,kdrums)do u take it straight to the studio to also get it mixed as well as mastered,or do u work on a little bit of mixing then take it to the studio to get a final mix,or is it better to not do any thing,except make the beat at home then take it to the studio for everything else....is it expensive to get your tracks mastered and mixed at the studio???? also in cubase sx1 can i record my tracks in to cubase......1 insturment at a time with my mpc 1k & reason 2.5(like u said u record each insturment one by one into cubase) i know this is possible but i was woundering if you could possibly give me a quick run through on how to record from reason and my mpc 1k in to cubase sx....thanks man..........class whats firwire 410
[/quote]



i like record a version my beat straight of the MPC and moitf as wav file with some basic effects from my motif and use it as a refercne(no tracking just recording the loop). This is so i can listen to my beats on a CD and see how they sound And i can let other people hear my stuff. When artist hear my beats. They arent hearing the engineerd masterd stuff. They are just usually hearing the beat that i recorded. I only go threw the process of tracking and mixing when an artist is intersted in my track. Thats becasue it can be a timeconsuming process.

Now when i track a beat to go to the studio thats a differnt story. I take all the effects i used on the motif off and i record the track dry. This is becasue usually the engineers like to work with stuff from scratch. BUt i will use that basic wav file i recorded(of my beat) as a refernce for the engieers. Ill say to the engieer( i recorded this basic wav file with some basic effects, this the idea i was going with) . Usually they will recreate those basic effects and countinue from there.

All the mixing i have seen done on my beats has been with software. Like i said before i rarely track out a beat and worry about mixing unless and artist is seriously interested. Usually i just recrod the wav file of the beat straight of the MPC and motif and use that as my refernce.(i will save the mpc and motif data files to my ZIP and back them up on my computer)

Honestly untill u get to a serious professnial level u shouldent worry about mastering and mixing in a studio. Just do the best with what u got. Its possible to get a pretty good sounds with a limited amount of knowlege as long as u pratice.


U would treat reason just like i treat my motif rack. YOu would have proboly have the audio from reason coming out your soundcard into your mixer. THen from the mixer, back into your soundcard. It would be just like a rack but on your computer. Im not too familure with the set up but i know its done. U got to reseach

The m-aduio firewire 410 is basically my soundcard. It acts just like a soundcard but its just connected to my computer threw a firwire cable.
User avatar
By classic Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:25 pm
DEMIRTAS1 wrote:u tha mAN class :)


Thanks man keep in mind that u get out of this producing thing what u put into it. I mean i have been only making beats for a little over a year. But i definlay did my reseach and made sure i found out what fits me, not what other people are doing

class...

FSY Im a classically trained pianist (hence the name) so even though ive been making beats for a year ive been a musican my entire life so the transistion into producing was easy