MPC2000: What is it good for?

Hey,

My name is Anthony and I'm new to the site. I have a few questions I'm hopeful you guys can help me with.

I bought a pretty much fully blown MPC 2000 with the 8 outs and all a long while ago, but never really put it to use. I mainly use my PC for everything I do. My question is this: What can I do with the MPC that I can't do on the computer? Is the only major difference that it's hands on as opposed to using a mouse to punch in where you want your beats to play? Or does it have a more rugged, non-digital sound when exported back into, say, Cubase for instance? What exactly is deal? I'm honestly dying to know.

How about this: Can I control certain VSTs like Battery using my MPC? Or the Re-Drum in Reason?

I'd like to put this thing to use, but don't know how or why I should.

Anyone?

Here's a question for you. Why would you buy a machine not knowing what it's capable of? It's all about preference...and I prefer thaMP over any PC beatmaking program.

RockThaMP wrote:Here's a question for you. Why would you buy a machine not knowing what it's capable of? It's all about preference...and I prefer thaMP over any PC beatmaking program.

I bought the MPC years before I even owed a computer, let alone any computer-based programs. I bought it because I simply wanted to make music; I didn't know the ins and outs of everything that had to do with the box, but then again, who really does? I mean who really knows what every piece of equipment is truly, truly capable of? How many times do people buy shìt and just trip at some of the feautres that come equipped with what they've bought? I think that most people know the basics, and then wind up learning as they go. This Message Board should be enough proof of that theory, anyway.

Then the all-in-one shops came rolling around, and it interested and led me down that path - never really looked back. I look in the corner and see my box sitting there and my interest just sparked. Now I'm on here getting the third-degree for asking a few simple questions. What's up with that? j/k

Would really appreciate if you'd take a second to elaborate as to why you prefer the MPC over any c-based program. Have you spent an equivalent amount of time using software as you have with using the MPC?

Thanks!

Ataylor, I got an Akai MPC 2000 Classic too, but I'm trying to learn how to use it properly with Reason 3.0. I really like the Note Repeat /Note Variation on the MPC 2000 Classic. The Note Repeat comes in handy for making easy drum rolls. Trust me, I didn't know it was that easy doing drum rollls on the MPC 2000; however on Reason 3.0, I have to manually do the drum rolls, which really isn't too hard once you get use to it. But sometimes, it gets conserves time and becomes boring listening to how you want the roll to go over and over.The Note Variation comes in handy for key/pitch changes to make your tracks more interesting. However, I hate using the 8 outputs on the back for advanced mixing. It's easier to mix on Reason 3.0 than the MPC 2000. I have a cousin who's interested in producing tracks and I show him how I made tracks on Reason 3.0 and he still didn't get it, but he bought an MPC 2500 and he's mastered the hell out of that. He told me it's easier to make beats on his MPC 2500 than Reason 3.0. Recording MIDI tracks is very easy on the MPC 2000 too. The MPC 2000 sequencer is tight as hell. It does glitch like when listening to the playback on Reason 3.0 Actually, the glitching from the Reason 3.0 sequencer might be due to my process which is 2.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4

Ataylor wrote:

RockThaMP wrote:Here's a question for you. Why would you buy a machine not knowing what it's capable of? It's all about preference...and I prefer thaMP over any PC beatmaking program.

I bought the MPC years before I even owed a computer, let alone any computer-based programs. I bought it because I simply wanted to make music; I didn't know the ins and outs of everything that had to do with the box, but then again, who really does? I mean who really knows what every piece of equipment is truly, truly capable of? How many times do people buy shìt and just trip at some of the feautres that come equipped with what they've bought? I think that most people know the basics, and then wind up learning as they go. This Message Board should be enough proof of that theory, anyway.

Then the all-in-one shops came rolling around, and it interested and led me down that path - never really looked back. I look in the corner and see my box sitting there and my interest just sparked. Now I'm on here getting the third-degree for asking a few simple questions. What's up with that? j/k

Would really appreciate if you'd take a second to elaborate as to why you prefer the MPC over any c-based program. Have you spent an equivalent amount of time using software as you have with using the MPC?

Thanks!

The Third-degree... It's all good.
Software doesn't turn me on like thaMP. What's killing music today is that they're too many damn options. We spend so much time comparing than actually making GREAT MUSIK. We going back and fourth while The Heat Makers just made another hit on the MPC 2000 XL. Dawg maybe the MP isn't for you are maybe music in general isn't your calling in life. Once you find yourself I believe you can make musik on anything.

Hello Anthony, My name is Bob Mckillen and I love to gizz all over my MPC when I have free time. Nah serious though.

This is basically what it boils down to my dude. Whatever you find helps your work flow to create good music then stick to that process. If its using PC programs, cool, if its the MPC, cool. Too many people tend to trip over PC programs and the MPC when it comes to making music. MPC users feel like a truck driver who drives a truck with a manual shift and look at PC users like truck drivers who drive a truck with a automatic shift. Basically they feel their not man enough and are pussies. On the flip side the PC kats feel they have a better ups over the MPC katz cuz of the increase of technology that overall helps making music.

Now I don't take either side. I use both. I own a MPC 2000 and personally am a sample kat. I love making tha ill grimmy beats but I also use my MPC to be a control module for any PC programs such as Reason. I just run my Midi cables into the PC and control what's in Reason on my MPC.

I personally perfer to have a hands on control with my machine, after all that is what the MPC is for. Now if you personally like to click your way with a mouse & keyboard then more power to you. To me the MPC empowers raw quality to enchance my sound. Now, just beacuse I like grimmy beats don't mean that I don't make sure those joints are sounding clean.

My MPC is just about maxed out except for the FX card. I assign my 8 outs through Pro Tools and then mix each sound with crisp clean quality so when the beat is mixed down it has soild knock, and every sound can be heard lovely and clear even though its a grimmy beat, feel me?

Anything I do through Reason or my Proteus I simple patch it through Pro Tools and do the same thing.

I perfer to take use both External & Internal gear. Why no maximize your weaponary if you got the ability in doing so, because sitting back watching people beef over equipment is not doing nothing for you. You must work with what works best for you.

The MPC offers great features to help your production. The sound engine in it is nice and heavy. Why don't you try to play with the MPC for about 2 weeks and include it into your PC work station and see how it works out. If nothing happens then sell the MPC and take the money and expand you studio.

RockThaMP wrote:Dawg maybe the MP isn't for you are maybe music in general isn't your calling in life.

Bro', I'm not really sure as to how you came to such a conclusion, but you've got it all wrong, man. Not to get too corny over here, but truthfully, music has always been and will continue to remain a significant part of my life, for as long as I'm blessed enough to do this thing.

RockThaMP wrote:Once you find yourself I believe you can make musik on anything.

Dude said, 'Once I find myself'.

Wouldn't the MPC fall under the 'anything' category, anyway? The only thing I'm not doing is limiting myself because there's some nerdy-ass stigma that's related to using soft(pun intended, right?)ware as opposed to hardware.

As for the MPC 'not being for me', well, like I mentioned earlier, I never really gave it a chance, so I don't know if it is or isn't for me just yet. But that surely isn't going to stop me from finding out, dude - hence this thread.


p.s.

RockThaMP wrote: We going back and fourth while The Heat Makers just made another hit on the MPC 2000 XL.

The only limitaion people have is located right above the shoulder line, my man. Straight up!

713_HOU_TX wrote:This is basically what it boils down to my dude. Whatever you find helps your work flow to create good music then stick to that process.

But that's the thing, I don't want to 'stick' to just one process if I know that I have other options (that can possibly help me in the long run) readily available for me. I own it, why not at least try to incorporate into my production work?

713_HOU_TX wrote:If its using PC programs, cool, if its the MPC, cool. Too many people tend to trip over PC programs and the MPC when it comes to making music. MPC users feel like a truck driver who drives a truck with a manual shift and look at PC users like truck drivers who drive a truck with a automatic shift. Basically they feel their not man enough and are pussies. On the flip side the PC kats feel they have a better ups over the MPC katz cuz of the increase of technology that overall helps making music.

Honestly, all that shìt is seriously getting to be a bit lame, and is childish as hell, IMO, man. The debates have been made an ad nauseam amount times; I mean it's the in thing to agree with what a majority says, even if you haven't the slighest gatdamn clue why you are agreeing in the first place, right?

713_HOU_TX wrote:Now I don't take either side. I use both. I own a MPC 2000 and personally am a sample kat. I love making tha ill grimmy beats but I also use my MPC to be a control module for any PC programs such as Reason. I just run my Midi cables into the PC and control what's in Reason on my MPC.

That's what I'd like to do. I want to incorporate my box with my computer. Any tips as to how I can go about doing this?

713_HOU_TX wrote:I personally perfer to have a hands on control with my machine, after all that is what the MPC is for. Now if you personally like to click your way with a mouse & keyboard then more power to you.

Not to go afterschool special on your ass over here, but I do whatever it takes. Whatever makes my music sound great, I'm all for it.

713_HOU_TX wrote:I perfer to take use both External & Internal gear. Why no maximize your weaponary if you got the ability in doing so, because sitting back watching people beef over equipment is not doing nothing for you. You must work with what works best for you.

Thank you!!!

713_HOU_TX wrote:The MPC offers great features to help your production. The sound engine in it is nice and heavy. Why don't you try to play with the MPC for about 2 weeks and include it into your PC work station and see how it works out. If nothing happens then sell the MPC and take the money and expand you studio.

I don't think I'll be selling this thing anytime soon, but I will try and set it up with Cubase and Reason.

Thanks!

Dude can really chop up a post...he needs do it on ThaMP and shut up
Nobody cares what you use man just have some fun in process. We help those that help them selves.

to answer your original question yes you can use the 2k to control stuff on your computer, the pads, slider (i think) and transport controls transmit midi data, you'll need to do some searching on this forum and look at the midi implementation charts in the manual to get all this together

this kind of misses the point of the mpc tho, after all you can do that with an mpd16 or 24, plus a bunch more

what else then

the traditional role of the mpc in the studio is i would say something like this;

sample library or vinyl into the mpc, producer creates a beat, a groove, call it what you like, he'll probably use quantise but basically he's building this groove by thumping the pads not drawing notes on a screen, the producer will then build on this groove with other sampled elements, this is all using the sampling capability of the mpc

next ... he'll go sit at some kind of keyboard stuffed full of cool sounds and add some keys or strings or synths or something, this is probably where he'll begin to develop the melodic and harmonic ideas in his track, oh and he'll almost certainly be adding some kind of bass groove at this point if he hasn't already, this part of the process is all using the external midi sequencing capabilities of the mpc

now our producer has a handful of nice grooves and he'll start to build on these ideas with a few variations, with some mute and parameter automation, some breakdowns, essentially he'll create a palette of patterns all programmed in the mpc .. the mpc is about "pattern" based composition not "linear", many musicologists believe that if early music technology hadn't been so simplistic, ie pattern based, then genres like hip-hop and to some degree techno would never have evolved

anyway .. finally he'll string that lot together into some kind of final composition or arrangement, he'll hit play on the mpc and ... this is the traditional role of the computer in the hip-hop studio ... he'll use the 8 outs to track that lot into something like protools

with this lot tracked into protools he can then add longer linear elements that don't suit sampling (or rather didn't when memory was small) such as live guitar parts, other performances and obviously vocals

our producer is then in the realm of traditional studio work and, if he's got the gear, stick the protools tracks through some bad ass outboard just to polish things off

the crucial difference between this workflow and many computer based ones is that the actual creative processes of composition and arrangement were done outside the computer and beyond the paradigm of "the visual linear timeline" and the performances that make them whilst probably quantised were at least played live with the producers or other musicians hands and all the feel and emotion they can communicate

so .. if you wanna find out what you can get from the 2k why not set yourself a project, make a track where you are ONLY allowed to use the mpc in the composition and arrangement process, you can get the sounds and samples from wherever you like but, turn off cubase/logic/reason and sit in front of the Mpc not the pc

jim

lol i'll trade my trigger finger for someone mpc. Any takers?