MPC for house/dance music production?

I'm looking to get started with music production - specifically (but not limited to) House music.

I'm looking to get my first peice of hardware - something that will let me test the water so to speak with a focus on sampling/percussion/rhythm. (don't want to use a computer yet for various reasons)

So, it looks as if the MPC is more aimed towards Hip Hop production but would you guys suggest it for house (4/4) dance beats as well?

Would I be able to produce track on the mpc alone or would it be more just for small short loops and patterns?

I'm very close to purchasing an MPC1000 second hand and wanted to check your opinions first....

You can produce any type of music you want with an MPC as long as it is sample-based.

You can do a lot with an MPC...

EQ, effects, sequencing, sample editing, and more. It is possible to create an entire song in the MPC but there are some things you might want to do out of the MPC. Mixing is best done with a mixer/multi-track recorder and not with the internal EQ. The internal EQ is mainly for post-production on single tracks (i.e. drums, guitar, bass). You can't do a final mix with the internal EQ. Another thing you might want to do out of the MPC is create multi-samples. I find it easier to create multi-samples in programs such as Sound Forge because it's faster and easier to locate exact zero points.

An MPC 1K is great for starting off because it's affordable and gets the job done.

The MPC is definitely a good choice for house, techno and anything else you wanna write. The first MPC I ever used was a 2K back in '97 when a friend of mine just bought it. We wrote alot of house and techno with it back then. I never bought an MPC until last year. I was using Cubase until then, but I always wanted an MPC, so I bought the 1K and it's been a relief to break away from a computer. I still play around with some software every now and then, but I'd rather use software more for editing and mastering instead.

The Beat Conductor wrote:You can produce any type of music you want with an MPC as long as it is sample-based.

.

It doesn't necessarily have to be sample based...MIDI is a key component of the MPC....

I make house a lot on my MPC2000XL. I must say, it's really the perfect machine for it, if you have good samples. House music is very sample based. Before the MPC, I owned & used an EMU MP-7. That machine just didn't work for me. When I just had the MPC, it was like magic. This machine works extremely well for me

Since recently, my music taste has become more wide, as I become interested in other styles as well (Techno, Drum'n'Bass, HipHop) and the machine is absolutely perfect for those styles.

In other words, highly recommended!

Hope this helps.

PS. If you're going to buy a 2000XL, replace the floppy drive with a carddrive (very easy), because the floppy drive is the only down point on that model of MPC.

Yea for sure i make Breaks / electro / electronica on my 1K and for sure its tight for that , i do all my drum programing on it and seqencing on it ,, and its great like that

Thanks for the assurance. The mpc1k sounds like the way to go

(I would have liked to get one of the new MPC2ks (blue MCD version) but can't really afford it - even 2nd hand)

Rogue music are going to sell me a used mpc1k + manual + 128mb (other orginal accessories not included) for US$760 inc shipping to New Zealand. This seems like a reasonable deal yeah? what do you think

The MPC line of sequencers is great weather you are using samples, sound modules or midi keyboards. I've produced everything from Orchestral pieces to country and everything in between...If you want to avoid using a computer it comes highly reccommended...

I've never really been into making house music (or listened to too much of it). I got a mpc 1K and mostly make hip hop beats. Thought I'd try something different a couple of weeks back and tried making a house track. Since it was my first attempt, I suprised myself. I only used my MPC and some chopped up jazz samples and I got a really nice first beat out of it. Anyway, my point is all I was only using was my MPC1000 and it felt to come really natural rokin out a house beat on it.

^^^ Keep making that jazzy house!

A MPC2000XL second hand is cheaper than an 1K. I bought mine (2KXL) for 640 Euro, but I paid a little bit too much (IMO). Say 600 is a good price if the condition of the machine is good. The carddrive can be installed by yourself. It's about 45 euro incl shipping.

^^^ Keep making that jazzy house

I posted it so you can check it out. Bare in mind its my first attempt and spent about an hour on it. unmixed and unfinished - but i think its aight. I called it 'My House'

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemus ... dID=298675

I had all the samples out originally thinking i was gonna make some more hip hop with em.

DFENS wrote:

^^^ Keep making that jazzy house

I had all the samples out originally thinking i was gonna make some more hip hop with em.

Hip Hop samples are very good to make jazzy house. DnB samples (more distorted Bassdrums) are good to make more energetic house.

DFENS wrote:

^^^ Keep making that jazzy house

I posted it so you can check it out. Bare in mind its my first attempt and spent about an hour on it. unmixed and unfinished - but i think its aight. I called it 'My House'

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemus ... dID=298675

I had all the samples out originally thinking i was gonna make some more hip hop with em.

Not bad at all for your first attempt. It's definitely worth keeping and adding more elements. A nice 4/4 house kick would sound good, as well as having it break down to the existing beats by muting the kick drums added.

Steven V wrote:

DFENS wrote:

^^^ Keep making that jazzy house

I had all the samples out originally thinking i was gonna make some more hip hop with em.

Hip Hop samples are very good to make jazzy house. DnB samples (more distorted Bassdrums) are good to make more energetic house.

No doubt about those jazzy house samples found in hiphop tracks. The DnB samples are definitely good for UK garage as well.