Soft eye for the harware guy

Getting my MPC today

Let's say I don't have a computer. What functions of the MPC 1000 would I not be able to use at all? I don't mean production software and stuff... I mean the MPC's core functions. I dont care about d/ling samples or anything, as I will be creating ALL of my own sounds with synths.

Also, does anyone here have experince with using a handheld instead of a computer for mpc file management? Just wondering if it can be done, or if there are certain drivers needed that would prevent this.

Thanks in advance. Forgive me if this is covered somewhere, or even in the manual, but I am kinda jumpy sitting here waiting for the Fed Ex guy.

You'll be slowed down a bit by not being able to edit samples and create programs on a computer, and you'll miss out on the ease of being able to move samples, sequences and programs via USB....but you won't lose out on any of the 1000's core functions.

you can edit samples just fine on the 1k. maybe not like on a computer, but trucating a sample is easy on the mpc.

the 1k's shortcomings have been well doc'd on this forum. no reverse sample, timestretch, etc, echo effect (although someone here recently figured out how to do it with the loop function and envelope decay, works great really!)

as for putting together programs, i almost always do it right on the mpc. i tend to be kinda light in my sample usage (i like to get as much as possible out of each sound). there have been times when i needed to put together a larger program (it was some kraftwerk sample set, i think about 50 samples or so) and i used a computer. that would have taken a while right on the mpc but it was only a minute on my mac.

basically, you can do a TON of stuff with the mpc alone. having a computer handy just makes it even better. get a flash card reader/writer too. $10-20 and it will make your mpc life so much easier!

Theres nothing on the 1000 that won't be functional without a PC. You would want the PC for the things that the MPC cannot do at all. Like timestretch and other effects. You also can just use the 1000 for file management. You can creat new folders in there and access them and delete specific files that you want, etc. Granted, it is easier to do file management on a PC, but not necessary.

i use my mac most of the time to do file stuff. a lot of times i think it's actually faster (to put the cf in my reader, make a new folder wherever i wanted it, eject the card and put it back in the mpc) than just doing it on the mpc.

im a visual person, on a computer you can see all the hierarchies at once. the mpc's directory keeps things out of sight. it's more abstract to me on the 1k.

Cjack wrote:
Also, does anyone here have experince with using a handheld instead of a computer for mpc file management? Just wondering if it can be done, or if there are certain drivers needed that would prevent this.

By handheld, do you mean something like an iPaq or PalmPilot?
If you try to attach via USB, you would need your handheld to support the "USB Mass Storage" class, the same as for external HDDs and PenDrives.

In my case, I have an iPaq 2210 with a CF card slot, so the files are visible directly if I plug the card in. The File Manager works as normal, perhaps I should look for a WAV editor for the iPaq. But I have never tried a USB connection that way, don't think the iPaq has the necessary drivers on board. It's a little soon for a MPC Program Editor for the iPaq..?

I think the big drawback is: if you create a lot of samples, archiving them could be a problem without a computer. You could look for one of those portable hard drives/file managers that professional photographers use, e.g. X'S Drive (http://www.xs-drive.com/). I think you can now get CD-writers with CF slots too.

Great info, all. Thanks very much for the help. Its good to know that I won't loose any functionality other than that of convenience. Will be getting a new pc eventually anyway... just didn't want to have to wait.


Stereoroid: thanks for the xs-drive/cd writer tip. I'll look into that for sure.

GOOD LORD, this is a well-designed machine.

Have been playing with it for a day, and have managed to sample my synths (complete with pre-midi synched phrases!), make some sequences and learned to manage it on folders just fine internally. Just "saving entire memory" makes it really easy for my approach (building songs and sampling specifically for those songs rather than building a sample library). Really quite intuitive, all in all. I just have to name my files carefully

Now I really need the 128 exm upgrade and a bigger cf card Thanks TONS for the advice again all. I am really, really happy with this purchase.