The MPC4000 Versus it's Competition

I just happen to be browsing the Roland site to find out more about the new MV8800 and happen to run across this:

http://www.rolandus.com/go/mv-8800_demo/

For those of you who's curious about the new MV, it's a pretty powerful beat and can do a lot of things. The VGA output and built in color LCD screen is definitely "eye candy." However, I still would rather have my MPC4000 since I can see one hardware limitation on the MV's back panel already like only 1 midi in and 2 outs vs. the MPC4k's 2 midi ins and 4 outs. I have a Fantom S and from the looks of the MV8800, it seems to function more like the Fantom's sequencer but in a sampling drum machine instead. Through the video, I did find out that it has track mute automation like the MPC4000. Hahaha, I wonder if it can do the MPC's "note repeat" thing. So I guess its really a matter of look/ feel and personal preference when it comes to comparing such things like MPCs and MVs. Ok, here's the major difference I found between the two mahines. The MV seems designed to be more of an all-in-one box, hence the better effects/mixer implementation, mixdown and CD burn-straight-to-audio option, and fewer MIDI inputs and outputs. The MPC4000 seems designed to be more fexible as it doesn't have everything built into one box and has more MIDI ins/outs to sequence more external MIDI equipment. I know this topic as already been debated on countless times on this forum but since the MV8800 is a new product, just want to share with you the differences between the two machines I've found simply by browsing the website and playing around with the demo program.

That demo link above will also let you play some patterns as well as play some of the drum kits to get an idea of what some of the onboard samples sound like. I like the TR808 kit. I wouldn't mind having the new MV8800 myself but I wouldn't dare trade my MPC4000 for it. MPC4000s and MV8800s together working would be good friends however, not that you would need them both. If you already have an MPC4k, the MV would be just a nice to have luxury as you probably already know.

Now one think I would like to see on the MPC in the future in addition to pattern-based sequencing is linear based sequencing like on the MV series. I'm pretty sure that can be done on the current MPC4000 with just an OS upgrade. These machines are just specialized computers that are only limited to the software that runs on them. If we had the source code for the operating systems, we could add whatever we want. Although it'll never happen, it would be lovely if it did!!!! Perhaps Akai should consider making the MPC4000 operating system "open source," giving us an even greater advantage over those who bought the MV, thus keeping MPC sales up. That way, when Akai releases a new machine, they could put most of their emphasis primarily on hardware features.

I posted a pic of the MV 8800 yesterday just to note how much it looks like the white 4000's and i think it got deleted? is that some kind of policy that you cant mention other competitors, even though it was related to the 4000?

My kurzweil k2600 does linear and pattern based sequencing at the same time and it was built back in the late 90's i think.

The mv is still only 16 bit isnt it? If so thats a pretty big difference in my book.

My MPC 4000 can do Linear and Pattern Based Sequencing right now...

Originally posted by 4000is1monster:

I posted this yesterday and it got deleated
I posted a pic of the MV 8800 yesterday just to note how much it looks like the white 4000's and i think it got deleted? is that some kind of policy that you cant mention other competitors, even though it was related to the 4000?

Yeah, I remember that thread yesterday. If it was deleted, then I'm going to rename my thread since this thread concerns a comparison between the two machines. Hopefully, it won't get deleted as well. I really don't see why there would be such a policy because there were MPC vs. MV threads all over this forum one while. Chances are, future MPC owners will obviously be looking at the competition as part of their shopping anyway before buying an MPC.

Hopefully the demo link I included is helpful for MPC users if nothing more than an additional source for free sounds. Yeah, that's right. I said it. You can go through the drum kits and sample the sounds into your MPC if you wann'em. I might try to get a few of those 808 sounds. You can never have enough 808!!!!!

Originally posted by Renegadebliss

My MPC 4000 can do Linear and Pattern Based Sequencing right now...

I partly agree with you and partly disagree. Technically speaking, as we know the MPC is structured around patterns where you set the number of bars and record then it will loop then you create additional patterns for a song in which "Song Mode" is structured around a combination of patterns. Roland Fantom and MV sequencers are linear based (pattern based too) and you don't have to set a bar lengths (although you can if you want to) and have them setup to loop nor do you have to create a series of patterns to build songs, you can just hit record and start working on your song with only "one" sequence.

Now with that being said, you can make the MPC act as a linear based sequencer by setting the bar length of a sequence to some high number (178 or something) with sequence looping turned off and just make a song using only one sequence. Never really looked at it that way but that is a good point. However, you have no "track view" display that shows you the bars being recorded in each track on the MPC like you do on a true linear-based sequencer, not that it's a big deal or anything.

Limitation is a good thing. The MPC concept is simple. Patern based sequencing is fine. The MPC 4000 hardware might possably still be the most advanced and professional interface. Maybe the best AKAI will ever make, only time will tell. But when all is said and done, it doesn't matter. Any of these machines are powerfull enough, depending on what you are doing. If there is one failing of the AKAI MPC 4000 is it could be simpler, the OS could be tided up a bit. But there it is, it's a diamond in the half-rough.

I am not interested in it being any more visual or patern based. Monocrome is fine, I am doing music, not using paintshop. I look at a damn LCD colour screen all day, and it is not nessasary on a drum machine. The cleaner the interface, the more I can hear the music.

Other machines can be the all singing all dancing box multitrack mix master vst cia fbi thing. Let the MPC be the MPC.

nik wrote:Limitation is a good thing. The MPC concept is simple. Patern based sequencing is fine. The MPC 4000 hardware might possably still be the most advanced and professional interface. Maybe the best AKAI will ever make, only time will tell. But when all is said and done, it doesn't matter. Any of these machines are powerfull enough, depending on what you are doing. If there is one failing of the AKAI MPC 4000 is it could be simpler, the OS could be tided up a bit. But there it is, it's a diamond in the half-rough.

I am not interested in it being any more visual or patern based. Monocrome is fine, I am doing music, not using paintshop. I look at a damn LCD colour screen all day, and it is not nessasary on a drum machine. The cleaner the interface, the more I can hear the music.

Other machines can be the all singing all dancing box multitrack mix master vst cia fbi thing. Let the MPC be the MPC.

Co-sign

Dont you have to keep copying and pasting the drum track sequences to "keep up" with the linear tracks? I tried it once when i first got the 4000 and was upset that it wasnt the way it is on the kurzweil.

But say I have a drum track sequence that is 4 bars that i want to keep repeating while I riff on my keyboard in a linear track. Say my linear track is 20 bars long, dont I have to copy and paste that 4 bar drum track sequence 5 times to make it "match up" with the linear?

Maybe you dont have to do it like that, but thats how i remember doing it and I thought it was retarded, so i never tried it again.

moorekv wrote:
I partly agree with you and partly disagree. Technically speaking, as we know the MPC is structured around patterns where you set the number of bars and record then it will loop then you create additional patterns for a song in which "Song Mode" is structured around a combination of patterns. Roland Fantom and MV sequencers are linear based (pattern based too) and you don't have to set a bar lengths (although you can if you want to) and have them setup to loop nor do you have to create a series of patterns to build songs, you can just hit record and start working on your song with only "one" sequence.

Now with that being said, you can make the MPC act as a linear based sequencer by setting the bar length of a sequence to some high number (178 or something) with sequence looping turned off and just make a song using only one sequence. Never really looked at it that way but that is a good point. However, you have no "track view" display that shows you the bars being recorded in each track on the MPC like you do on a true linear-based sequencer, not that it's a big deal or anything.

Your coming from the Computer world by saying that you need a graphical GUI or Track View to see the bars being recorded/played to be a linear sequencer. That is not necessarily the case.

There are Linear Sequencers that do not have displays, such as the Yamaha QY series, and even the early Roland MV 30 and such.

With the MPC 4000 we are limited to a 33 minute Linear Track because we can only go to 999 bars.... but we can still do linear sequenceing. I can either make a song and then have the MPC convert that song to a single Linear Sequence, or I can build it up from scratch. Just like any Linear sequencer, I can copy and paste things where I want them. I might not get a mouse to do this copy and pasting, but it still works just fine. I can create a linear sequenced songs with all of it's parts. But it's really a matter of how one works.


Dave

on first impressions that MV looks exactly like the last one apart from the colour screen. So they didn't fix the MIDI thats a surprise as a lot of folks moaned about that when compared to the MPC... SI suppose it begs the questions whats new with it and if it sjust purely software then can MV8K owners update their machines?

this is from the MV forums:

Ok heres the scoop on the MV-8800

The new MV-8800 features :

Built in VGA card with mouse capabilities stock.
Full on-board color screen
New internal HD for some improved load times on projects and saving
Auto Zero Cross on sample editing in patch mode
Fade In & Fade Out on sample editing from the Sample Manager
Exportable MFX Analog Bass Synth Patchs , great for online trading and swaping
Exportable Audio Phrase Banks ( just like patchs ) you can swap phrase banks online and will allow for future downloadable loops and content.
Up to 500 patterns per project in Pattern Mode
Selectable projects upon boot-up via the F5 button
Automatically boots into Pattern Mode
Dedicated Pattern & Song Buttons on the front panel
Pattern Play mode now allows for playing of Audio Phrases on top of patterns in REAL-TIME.
Pattern Track now allows for Real-Time recording including input quantize while playing the pads which trigger patterns. Only step-rec was available on the Pattern Track.

Also includes over 400MB of sounds

Over 50 new drum kits
Plus a special Vintage Collection which includes tons of classic drum machines from the 80's & 90's
( this does not include whatever was offered as FREE downloads for the MV-8000 ) ALL NEW STUFF

Retail $2695

Street $2295

and looking at that forum it looks like its not just me who just seems to think its an OS update ad a lick of paint.... Roland could've really stuck the boot into Akai but fooked up

4000is1monster wrote:I posted a pic of the MV 8800 yesterday just to note how much it looks like the white 4000's and i think it got deleted? is that some kind of policy that you cant mention other competitors, even though it was related to the 4000?

Wasn`t delete just move to the right forum. Try and add a post to it. And probably few if any responded.