Why do my beats sound diff. on my Mpc compared 2 protools?

yea i think that might be the problem.

Try an outboard compressor to feed it through. Thats what i did and it works wonders for me. A Focusrite Platinum Penta or whatever suits your taste.

its a damn shame but the only way to get the exact sound from the mpc is recording direct into logic..........it will keep the integrity of the beat

BeatHeadz wrote:its a damn shame but the only way to get the exact sound from the mpc is recording direct into logic..........it will keep the integrity of the beat

what a load of crap.

on the MPC you are PLAYING a track

then you are RECORDING it to another program, in this case ProTools.

of course it will sound different as you have subjected it to a new signal path and conversion process.

recording basics guys....

I've been seeing this issue arising everyday a client brings in a "home" Pro Tools recorded project for me to mix. Here are the primary areas you may want to consider when recording at home:

1) Monitors: You need to invest in a nice set of monitors. Good monitors, in an optimized recording/mixing room, provide you a view of how the real world will hear your mixes.

2) Mic Pre-amps/Channel Strips: One of the most neglected parts of the recording chain for many bedroom producers. These units can provide the right amount of color and/or clarity to your recording. Be sure to optimize your gain on all stages (MPC-to-Mic Pre, Mic Pre-to-Soundcard) to get the best sound possible.

VERY IMPORTANT, don't record any project with the "fix-it-in-the-mix" mentality. Though Pro Tools offers many editing and sound shaping options, you have to make sure your signal makes it into Pro Tools with the most fidelity possible in order to take advantage of everything Pro Tools has to offer. Lasty, mix/record with your ears and not your eyes.

I hope this can be a very basic primer for many delving into the relm of DAWs with their MPC. I can go into further detail regarding this issue, but, I ain't trrying make your eyes bleed.

Vaughan

mix/record with your ears and not your eyes

lolol...So many times I've heard "rah rah that LOOKS out of time"
WTF

..totally off topic but heh...France 2 -England 1 i feel to rant lolool

I know a professional producer who has an S3000XL. He just samples almost every sound he wants into that machine. Then he loads them into Protools. Believe me his beats sound warm an thump. He has a Digi 002 and lots of plugins like that waves stuff, and the Red focusrite too...

It's not the equipment you have, it's how you use it. I've heard $hitty mixes that were mixed on a SSL 9000J from Pro Tools HD. I've also heard great mixes (including vocals) mixed internally on an ASR-10 directly to DAT (16-bit/44Hz).

Needless to say, I think you can get a great mix from almost any equipment combo. And once again, mix with your ears and not your eyes. The ears are the most important piece of audio equipment you will ever own.

Vaughan

DJ NoNseNse wrote:Ive been noticing this for a while now. Ok when I make beats I track everything on my MPC 2000xl and then I record each track to pro tools. The beat sounds different when I play it back on the MPC compared to pro tools. It seems to have a more warm type of sound to it and it bangs more when I play it from the MPC. Anyone know what might be wrong? Is this suppose to happen?

You have a DA/AD converter. The problem is after you record, there is a difference. Software made the difference. Just try any other software that you may have available on your computer and you will notice another difference too. Here is proof....> http://johnvestman.com/DAWSUM.htm As you see, Protools LE is nothing like a full blown Protools system.

If you want that warm back, go-up on the sample rate: try 96k. If the sound isn't phat, you may need a compressor. What you hear before you record is what you should hear after you record the first time. You should not make any adjustments. This is why I hate digital because of bits, sample rates, dithering and so-on. ....but yes! You can get some good mix from a DAW.

We don't have this problem with analog. So now you know that it is more than just laying down beats. A real recording engineer can make a world of difference with those beats. They use SSL/ Neve consoles: API pres, Great River and other high $$$$ stuff. Just take your demo to them and you will see a whole world of differences.

--Al

Also remember, AD/DA's are not created equal...The Digi 001/002 and Mbox don't offer the same fidelity as a high-end Apogee convertor. Your AD convertor is typically the difference in the sound of an LE project from a Mixplus or HD project (also, the sample rates....I prefer 24/88.2). The higher bit and sample rate provides you with alot more headroom than 16/44.1 (Do an A/B with the same material using different bit/sample rates). Also, like I mentioned before, use a high-end mic pre/channel strip before you go into your AD convertor.

I have both a Pro Tools Mixplus (in the studio) and Pro Tools LE (on my G4 powerbook)...I don't hear a difference in the sound unless I used the Mbox interface to record my signals.

Vaughan

mpire45 wrote:Also remember, AD/DA's are not created equal...The Digi 001/002 and Mbox don't offer the same fidelity as a high-end Apogee convertor. Your AD convertor is typically the difference in the sound of an LE project from a Mixplus or HD project (also, the sample rates....I prefer 24/88.2). The higher bit and sample rate provides you with alot more headroom than 16/44.1 (Do an A/B with the same material using different bit/sample rates). Also, like I mentioned before, use a high-end mic pre/channel strip before you go into your AD convertor.

I have both a Pro Tools Mixplus (in the studio) and Pro Tools LE (on my G4 powerbook)...I don't hear a difference in the sound unless I used the Mbox interface to record my signals.

Vaughan

I second all of this! I agree 100%.

A cheif Engineer I know at a studio in the city got a digi 002 for someone's track and he said the converters are so bad. He had to run them through a separate AD/DA converter box to get the acceptable. He thinks they are skimping so people buy the HD system (which he has 2 of as well, and can't stand the sound) but cats that pay for time want to see you using Pro Tools even if it sounds like doodoo.

A cheif Engineer I know at a studio in the city got a digi 002 for someone's track and he said the converters are so bad. He had to run them through a separate AD/DA converter box to get the acceptable. He thinks they are skimping so people buy the HD system (which he has 2 of as well, and can't stand the sound) but cats that pay for time want to see you using Pro Tools even if it sounds like doodoo.

LOL. I personally don't like recording and/or mixing to Pro Tools. Unfortunately, many of my clients like seeing the waves on my Mac monitor...I also think they like to say "Pro Tools" when talking about their projects to their friends.

I also agree that Digidesign is trying to get people to upgrade...They offer various upgrade paths to current users...Oh well, such is life.

Vaughan

to sum up everyone elses remarks in a couple of words:

its the crappy A/D converters in your mBox that are making your sh!t sound weak. trying going spdif to the computer instead of the analog route.
the mbox has spdif, right?

check your cables...these are very important!