Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
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By Lo Pass Filter Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:47 pm
Elm - I prefer the limitations of the EPS over the ASR.. I also prefer the sound of the EPS16. It's quite a bit darker, and punchier. It's like the ASR is an MPC 3000, and the EPS16 is an MPC 60 (sort of a weak comparison, but you get what i'm saying..)

LMAO at the seqeuncer love comment. Made me think of this Roy Ayers joint from like 83/84 called "Computer love". He gets on this sexy synth track, real chill drums, and he's like, "Baby.. your sweet 40MB HD, your incondesant glow". Now back to reality.. The sequencer to me, is the best sequencer i've ever used. Period. I've used every sampler i'd ever want to use, and the EPS to me, takes the crown. Because you play in a "non-quant" mode first (realtime), you hardly have a need for step editing events. I basically play the drums over the sample how I'd want them to be placed. My timeing is very good, so it's basically locked up the first go around, but if I slipped, all I have to do is execute the quant function (and what ever value of quant time I see fit) and it locks my event or events up, just enough to sound locked, but not robotic. Plus haveing banging bandpass filters, fx, etc. It just sets me off. Tempratures rising off the Infamous LP is one of my all time favorite cuts. The drums in the beginning of that track are stupid crisp. And now I know why. The EPS16+.

What always fu*ked me up is that, almost every other EPS user (Rza, El-P, PBW) has weak drums for the most part . Like they all got cuts here and there that bang (were talking drums, not music), but none of those cats I mentioned have really been noted as top drum programmers. Then I'd check Havoc out on the early Mobb Deep sh*t, and it' blow my mind. Like, "How the fu*k his drums get so crisp!? He gotta use an SP with it". Plus Tip produced a few cuts on there so I figured they were prolly sharing equipment. But na man, Hav just knows how to flip the EPS. No SP, no nothing. Now i've only been using the machine for 3 days. And i've already caught on to the secret formula. Give me 6 months, and it's a wrap! Like I said, i'm dumping all my other samplers. This is the "mother ship" for me at this point.

Check the MySpace again Elm. I up'd yet another new version of Massive Attack. BTW. The crew Massive Attack rocked the EPS16 hard for a long while now too. I actually no a cat selling the old Audix console they used to cut they're first commerical album (it's basically a knock off Neve Broadcast console). He's looking for $3,500-5G's.
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By Something Like That Sun Jul 24, 2005 5:33 pm
just peeped the beat...it ain't bad, got a nice vibe to it. Wish you'd load up the whole thing so I could hear drum break downs, horns, vocals, if there are any in it. EPS sounds nice, i thought about getting one a while back but decided to stick with what I got.

My beat time is up, so I'll have to mess with the S950/SP1200 combo sometime during December.
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By Lo Pass Filter Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:00 pm
You know me G, the 20 second assassin.

By elmacaco Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:31 pm
I hear you. I'm big on gear personality, sequencers and all that. The ensoniq stuff does have some real magic in it, so it's no surprise that you're all into it. I wouldn't dump that SP just yet though.

By BassLINE Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:45 pm
elmacaco wrote:Yo Bassline, you're buggin, if you ditch the 60 you will surely regret it, especially if you go with another sequencer. If you love the sequencing and sample editing on it, there is no reason to ditch it because it doesn't do everything, part of the reason you can enjoy the sequencing and sample editing is because of all the stuff they left out.

Frankly,I love midi, but using "all this stuff" takes a bit of organization, and wise purchases. Not everyone can design their own studio, most people that do tend to do it over time and make lots of mistakes. The most common one I've seen? Sellin the 60 after loving it. The thing that is great about midi and the 60 is that you can control everything with the 60 and not lose any functions of the 60. On most other sequencers you lose one internal track when you control external gear (SP, EPS,) the 60 has 99 tracks, unbelieveable, even new sequencers dont come with that kind of power.

The point is to pair your 60 with a rack or keyboard that does what you need and learn that. I personally find that having more than 3 samplers is a waste because you can really only get deep with 2 most of the time, and the third gets les rotation and time dedicated to it, then any more just divide up your attention even more. Unless you use them individually for their interface like Lopass does with the EPS and the SP 1200.

If all the midi gear is distracting then pare it down, but you'll be in for a rude awakening if you like the 60 and get an EPS without having used it first. Like Lo Pass said, it isn;t for everybody.

The point is, no matter what else you get, the 60 can handle it easily, you know and love the interface, you write your pieces on it, no new learning curves, then you get other samplers and just focus on their sound capability and you don;t have to worry about the sequence side of it.

Things can change around the 60 constantly but you are never left clueless cuz it just makes any other peice of gear submit!!

Lo Pass, why don;t you go with an ASR 10? That was the cuulmination of the ensoniq line and they completed the things they attempted to do in the eps 16. it's still a good piece, but basically a ASR Jr.

And that's a sequencer only a mother could love ;) You can get it to work and get used to it, but I know guys who use the ASR sequencer only and have been for years and they still complain about it, even though they got no MP or anything other to sequence with.


Ha ha ha, I knew you'd say this El. And you're right, I would regret it if I got rid of the 60. I love it too much. I was spending time with it last night thinking "would I miss it if I got rid of it?". The answer was YES. It's like the centerpiece, I know it like the back of my hand and the workflow is just it for me. Plus little touches like the alphabetical keypad make it indispensable.

I think I'm just going to put away the keyboard and focus on the 60 and the Emax I (though I'm not a big fan of the inteface, it's got great sound and filters). I'll probably eventually end up getting rid of the Emax I and II and picking up an EPS (though I tried to get standard and 16+ at different times and was outbid everytime). The prices on those things seem to fluctuate quite a bit.

Thanks for the perspective.

By elmacaco Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:04 pm
the 60 is the only 12 bit sampler that can go into any studio, wrap it up in midi and audio cables and make every thing scream at once. the only mpc's that can compete with it in that respect are the 3k and 4k, but not everybody needs all that.

Point is, if you get down with the 60's sequencer, keep it cuz nothing is gonna touch it and anything else is a compromise that you'll have to learn later the hard way. With midi any other gear can just come in and it's like no big deal to incorporate it in, you just have to be smart as far as what you bring in and how you lay it out around you.
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By Lo Pass Filter Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:16 pm
My primary advice to anyone would be, if your already comfertable making music with one machine, it's best to stick to that unless your in a position where it's not gonna hold you back to take some steps back and figure out a different machine. Thankfully I have an extremely high apptitude for all things electronic, particular drum machines, and keyboards, and I picked up the EPS in (2) days.

The reason i'm willing to dump my other samplers (which I know like the back of my hand) is because simplicity is key, and haveing everything in one personafies that philosophy, AND, this turned out to be the workstation i'd be secretly wanting all these years. You know what i'm saying? Like, it fit me like a glove. Same wave length with my brain type sh*t.

By BassLINE Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:21 pm
^^Word, the way you feel about the EPS is what I feel for the 60. Only problem is its lack of filters, looping functions makes it necessary for me to get shit to supplement it.

The newer MPC's have all that but they just don't have the sound, build quality that the 60 has. And I'm big on sound and quality.
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By Something Like That Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:32 pm
Lo Pass....

You should rock the EPS and SP1200 then. I don't know what the memory capacity is on the 16+ so maybe you could keep the S900 for dope loops that ain't runnin on the EPS.
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By Lo Pass Filter Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:09 pm
Memory depends on what frequency rate(s) you use. I take most everything in the 20-something khz range. So I get 51 seconds at 33 1/3. ie. Infinity coming from a non-expanded MPC 60/SP-1200 background. So the S900 isn't nessaccary. The sound of the S900 is unimitatable, but you can't imitate the EPS's filters and sound ether. So it's like a trade, and I'd rather have the EPS's simply because they're bandpass and more of a workhorse type filter then a 1 trick pony. As for rocking the SP with it, theres no need. Peep the MySpace. The drums are hittin'. Harder then an SP in fact. Not quite as deep, but then again a bit of EQ could resolve that. It has a much splashier top end though, and i'm tin-can brother #1. It's almost a tie between the SP and EPS. Cause if you throw FX on the SP drums and add some end EQ you can get them to sound about the same, but with more depth on the low end side. Tic-for-Tac type sh*t.

Like I said though, it isn't for everyone, and it's not a "miracle" machine. It just happens to be the perfect joint for me personally (despite only using it for a few days now.. it just feels right, ya know?). Just like Preem on the 60, or Pete on the SP.. (Except I got skills on all (3) :wink: )
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By tbiggz Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:10 am
WTF I'm a goof -- how do I enable music on myspace? There appears to be a mediaplayer that says "Loading XML File" forever... is that it? I have to check that XML is enabled or sumshit?
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By Lo Pass Filter Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:32 am
I belive your browser will prompt a pop up to auto download the needed file (make sure pop-up blocker is turned off), otherwise right clicking the link and downloading should work. If those options aren't avaliable, go to download.com, and download the latest version of shockwave media, and/or, any recent xml software upgrades for your browser.
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By max1973 Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:24 am

When I started, I used to make all of my beats on the EPS only (not EPS16) and while the other samples were fine, the drums sounded weak no matter what. Nice texture but weak. Now concerning Mobb Deep, the guy who mixed their first album, Tony Smalios, told me that when they came into the studio their tracks sounded ridiculously weak, and he had to layer all of the drums with his own sounds. He actually did the same thing with my track, and it worked magic.

No need for that with the MPC60 though, but I still love the EPS. I agree with LoPass that it's best to stick with one or two machines you're confortable with. That's really true for hip hop which doesn't require a lot in terms of effects and synthesis, and where the magic resides in the know-how.

BTW, I recently got an SP1200, made my first beat exclusively on it , and fell in love...it's definately less refined than the MP, but it's a real pleasure to sample and program.

Best,

Max


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By Nino304 Mon Jul 25, 2005 7:39 am
I sold my EPS just b4 I got my Triton and I hated the sequencer on it. After reading Lo Pass comments, I thought he can't be talking about the same EPS but then I realized that I never really gave it a chance. I was comparing it 2 my 60 and nothing can beat it as far as ease-of-use and user interface. I think that had I gotten the EPS 1st I might have appreciated it more. However, I feel the simplicity argument and I wish there was 1 piece that could do it all 4 me. The saving sounds internally is a dope feature on the EPS and the action of the keyboard is solid. If they made a 60 or even a 3000 with all the modern conveniences, i would be straight with that. Until then i'ma keep searchin..... Gear lust is an addiction so good lucc my fellow addicts. -uno-

By elmacaco Mon Jul 25, 2005 11:38 am
Unless you need what everyone else needs, there will never be one piece that does it all. compromise is part of life. I like using different gear connected to the 60, cuz then go to a piece of gear to accomplish a task rather than have to scroll forever on one piece to do what I want.

That doesn't apply to Lo Pass's case, he's got the less is more thing down, so he's not in danger off falling into the triton trap like that (does it all and burns your cd)

Honestly I can make an album with anything, but give me a 60 and any random midi gear and I will really enjoy it ;)