How far will my MPC2KXL take me?

Hi,

I've purchased an MPC2000XL a couple of months back and now I have the basics down of how to sample, chop my samples (trim and zone), recording sequences, filtering, building songs from sequences, using the built in mixer, ...
I find that my work sounds already pretty good due to using the MPC but how far can this machine take me?

I wanna crank it up a notch and making everything sound better ie learning about production. So my question is, what other hardware/software should I look into:

- software programs
- effects plugins for the programs
- eb16 efx board
- hardware (compressors, equalizers, ... )
- ...

Currently I'm doing everything with my MPC since I'm just starting out and want to master this wonderful machine. I'm wondering what else I need to look into in order to make my productions sound better.

I'm not asking for a full detail explanation, but I'd like to be pointed in the right direction. If anybody has some good online resources/tutorials where I can read and learn about production, that would be mostly appreciated.

Thanx...Just glanced over the site and it's looking like the thing I'm after. I know what I'll be doing tonight!

yes tweaks site is great for looking threw, i asked a question in the studio enviroment forum, and while im waiting for people input i have been going over that site reading every page and the reveiws of the gear.

me personaly i have a hard time grasping subjects 100% when i dont have the hardware infront of me to try it out on, but thats just me.

from my limited experience, once you have learned the basics of working with samples and sound on the MPC, you next logical steps would be a synth or 2, and a DAW.

now i DAW isnt something everyone needs, you could also go with a 16 track recorder or something also, but i like software just because if you make a mistake you can just revert to a save you did before hand. thats and there are alot of tools in all the good DAW software to use also.

i would say after leaning the basics on the mpc, i would get a synth, so you can lay some key patterns, either a keyboard or a module or 2 with a midi controller, and some kind of DAW and interface to record into.

if this makes no sense, or im wrong, im sorry, im new hear and just learning myself. kind of a blind leading the blind.

Rob

I would say your next step would be a HD recorder or a decent soundcard for CPU recording. Also do you have the 8 outs yet? As you progress with your skills those will be invalube for tracking out your songs. VS-1824 or AW16G are my recommendations for HD recorders, they both have CD burners and they both have good effects(roland effects being better, and you can double them buy getting another VS8F card). This will take care of your recording and they all have a mastering kits on them. There are all sorts of soundcards depending on your buget, but I would say get somethign with good preamps and firewire interface to your computer. I won't get into CPU programs etiher because there are all types depending on your buget. Last thing you mentioned was a synth. You can get midi cables and get one of the older roland keyboards like a XP-60 or a Alesis Q.S series, they are both good boards and can be had pretty cheap. Also you will need a mixer before you get a keyboard, so this is another reason a HD recorder is a good 1st purchase becuase it will already have inputs for a synth and your MPC. I could go on and on, but you are on the right track. Mastering your MPC 1st, then when you think its time to go to the next level get HD recorder, but I would get something to record soon, you wanna be able to post your results and listen to them in your car and IPOD or what have you.

thats good advice.

Rob

the mpc will take to to hell and back.

http://www.mpc2000xl.com/mpc_dps_sync.htm

this is a ill site for learning multi track recording.

Just start collecting mad sounds, maybe buy a synth or an instrument or two and experimtent 'til your hearts content.
.
I just bought a LAMBDA interface with Cubase and I'm hyped about the possibilities. The learning curve is crazy.

I try to recreate some of my favorite songs and that's money right there.

tweek eeddz dot coooooooooooooooooommmmmmm

bhunt wrote:I would say your next step would be a HD recorder or a decent soundcard for CPU recording. Also do you have the 8 outs yet?

No...I can buy both the 8-outs and the eb-16 from a guy which I hopefully will be able to do so soon. I also was thinking about getting an m-audio soundcard since I gather they're really good price quality wise. I have two laptops from work so I think it would be best to use that for recording instead of getting a dedicated HD recorder. Currently I record with my standard soundcard.

bhunt wrote:Last thing you mentioned was a synth. You can get midi cables and get one of the older roland keyboards like a XP-60 or a Alesis Q.S series, they are both good boards and can be had pretty cheap.

I think a synth would be dope but I can't afford to buy everything right now so I'm gonna put that on hold for a while unless I find a deal I can't decline.

bhunt wrote:Also you will need a mixer before you get a keyboard, so this is another reason a HD recorder is a good 1st purchase becuase it will already have inputs for a synth and your MPC.

Same as with the synth

KO'LES wrote:Just start collecting mad sounds.

Been doing that for a couple of years now. I've been a dj for almost ten years and the last 3-4 years I've been collecting a lot of vinyl to sample.

KO'LES wrote:... and experimtent 'til your hearts content.

Sure but I feel it would be best to educate myself about production as much as possible. I love learning and finding stuff out for myself but nowadays I don't have time to experiment for days. That's the reason I want to learn as much as possible to progress alot on a short period of time.

I've been reading up on tweakheadz.com and soundonsound.com when I'm too tired late at night to begin on something new on my mpc. Good sites in my humble opinion.


A friend of mine (who plays the electric guitar in a metal band) is also helping me with production since he's been busy producing his band for a couple of years now and knows a lot more about the subject than I do. Everynight I try to send him something new and he tries to get it to sound better. The next day he sends it back to me with a short report of what he did and why. I think that's a good way to get me started.

Everyday I'm amazed at what a great machine the mpc is. Now I really feel it's like a great and intuitive tool to get creative with samples whether loops or just sounds.

Thanks for the replies everybody.