Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
By Curious Chords Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:05 am
Hopefully a simple question for a simple answer directed at any MPC60 user who knows...

Using only an MPC60 for a sampler-- and working in conjunction with a midi keyboard-- would I be able to spread a single sample across the keys in order to play it like a piano, etc?

(I ask because I love the warm characteristic sound of the 60...used to own one for a minute back in 2001 but never got that in depth with it...but am using an eps16+ now, and am thinking about moving back to a 60. But I'd NEED to be able to play samples over the keys like a keyboard.)

Thanks.

By elmacaco Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:22 am
you would need to multisample each note. Better to use the 60 with the EPS, then use the EPS for sreading samples out on keys and the 60 for everything else.
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By Krux Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:26 am
Thres' a feature on the 2000xl called auto chromatic assignment which automatically detunes a sample and assigns each 'detuning' to say a midi keyboard. This feature isn't on the 60, but theres' no reason why you can't make copies of the same sample and tune them yourself, manually, and then assign them to keys on a controller. This is obviously going to take some time and I think you'd run out of ram real quick on the 60... So maybe look at getting a rack sampler if all you want is the sampler itself, and not the sequencer of the mpc. I'm not sure which, if any, of the akai samplers use the same engine of the MPC60, though... S950? But this wouldn't give much more sample time than the 60 either.

By elmacaco Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:31 am
Just keep the EPS and get a 60, no sense in learning two new samplers.
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By drumat!c Thu Jul 21, 2005 4:20 pm
The 60 is not intended for keyboard cooperation. It was meant to be used solely as a drum sequencer and to control other devices - not to be used in the way you would a keyboard. That's why Akai produced the 900/950 during that era. Basically you'll wanna invest in a rack sampler or sell your 60 and buy an ASR-10.

DrUMZ.1
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By drumat!c Thu Jul 21, 2005 4:21 pm
Same with the Sp1200. Sampling Percussion. But hiphop producers broke that ground.....by using it to sample instruments and pitch them up and down as a keyboard....but the SP is a whole other ball game.

I mean you can still get Pitch Adjust w/ 16 notes right? +60 - -120 on the 60. (full octave down & half up sorry.....) *ELMA corrected me....I wasn't thinking.
Last edited by drumat!c on Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By drumat!c Thu Jul 21, 2005 4:30 pm
Ok ok. That is your problem....sorry I was rushing my response and didn't fully understand your dilemma.

Sell your EPS+16. You wanna buy an S950. It has a similar sound and feeling to the 60 and is non-linear. You have adjustable sample rates and a dope ass LFO that is unparalleled on any other rack. The EPS is kinda wack....I hear some stuff sampled through it and didn't do much for my ears. The 900/950 has this dope ass buzzing filter that has to be heard to be understood. Depends on your preference really....i'm just speaking my opinion....don't cut my arms and legs off and dip me in a barrel of Whiskey over it.

My personal recommendation:

Flip the EPS+16 on Ebay.
Purchase an S950 with the profits.
Purchase an MPC-60 to sequence your tracks.
Connect the Midi Keyboard to your MPC60 input
Connect the S950 to the MPC-60 output (60 controls the 950)
--------------------
Now you can play chords and such on the keyboard and the mpc-60 will record all the midi data. You can also sample drums into the 60 and sample long sustaining instruments or load preset sounds from sample disks into the 950. See you get the best of both worlds.

By elmacaco Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:09 pm
Good advice, but If he likes the EPS< he should just get an MPC and use what he has, otherwise, a 60 and a keyboard sampler is ideal.

THe tuning range is +60 and -120.
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By drumat!c Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:21 pm
Well unless I misinterpreted his request to spread samples across the keyboard I'd say that the 950 is EXACTLY what he's looking for not the EPS. He said he wants the 60 sound quality.....EPS is far from that. Just statin' the facts jack!

DRUMZ.1
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By drumat!c Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:23 pm
"I ask because I love the warm characteristic sound of the 60..."

•MPC-60
•S950
•MIDI Keyboard

By elmacaco Thu Jul 21, 2005 11:30 pm
That's 3 things tho, just a 950 instead of the 60 would be better along with his EPS, cuz it has keys already and all that. then he gets the 60 sound quality, but then he misses out on having a 60, which is missing out ;)

By BassLINE Thu Jul 21, 2005 11:43 pm
Maybe he should just cop the 60, keep the EPS16+ and run his samples through the 60 for the sound. Then he'll have the keyboard action of the EPS16+, the sound of the 60, and the sequencing power of the 60.

No need for 3 pieces when he can have 2 and have his bases covered. Less is more (not to mention simpler).
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By Krux Thu Jul 21, 2005 11:49 pm
elmacaco wrote:That's 3 things tho, just a 950 instead of the 60 would be better along with his EPS, cuz it has keys already and all that. then he gets the 60 sound quality, but then he misses out on having a 60, which is missing out ;)

Thats what I said/meant in my first post


drumat!c hit the nail on the head

By KoolSha178 Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:42 am
why would he want the sound of the s950, talk about old and overused (every fukin east coast record from 88-94)....EPS got some different flavor.
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By drumat!c Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:50 pm
.....but the 950 got MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD FLAVA!

C'mon-----you guys trying to compare the 60's sequencer versus an EPS16 keyboard? Wait a minute....he said MIDI Keyboard (as in controller I imagine....) so you can't sequence on that anyhow. Yeah he definitely needs a 60, 950 and his Midi Controller. You're golden homey....you can't escape that 900.00 range unless you can hock a 60 for mad cheap....and get the 950 for around 150-200.00 depending.....but don't expect much though......oh how worth it will be though.

DRUMZ.1