Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
By Copilla Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:27 am
Hey. I just got a mpc 500 a few days ago. Its my first mpc. Ive been messin around with a few things but im still in the dark about alot. the sounds the mpc came with suck... so i wanna take the sounds i already have on my computer and drag them onto the mpc using the usb cord.

So i connect the two and open up the mpc 500 file with all the folders like "1. Kits" and "2. Beatbox." i coped a folder i made with about 60 or so sounds in it. everything worked fine. I could load the sounds up and use them and everything. But i tried to copy just one more sound over later and it said there was no more room left on the MPC.

So my question is...do i need more memory? or ram i guess? im sure the MPC should be able to hold more than 60 of my own sounds. The sounds are in wav. format if that helps anyone. should i convert to mp3 to make them smaller? As of now i just copied all the sounds the mpc came with onto my desktop and deleted them off the MPC so i could use my own sounds. Any help would be greatly appreciated. i also found some really good sample sound kits for free if anyone wants them.
By walkamongus Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:42 am
hey, i just got mine too... ive been using the 128mb card that came with it... i had to reformat it at one point because the CARD IS FULL dialogue kept showing up when i knew the card wasnt full (how to reformat is simple and its in the manual). i copied all of the files from the card and deleted them from the card... ive keeping the card as clean as possible (only putting what i need for a session on it), until i can get something bigger.
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By ssnedden Fri Jan 02, 2009 5:30 am
The CF cards hold data that can be loaded up. This means how many sounds you have in your MPC 'library' to choose from working with, saving, etc... If you're just using the card that came with the MPC, yes, 60 sounds might max out the card. I have 10 gigs worth of CF cards, and I think the one it comes with is only 256mb or 128mb.

These are loaded into the RAM. This means how many of those sounds can be accessed at once/loaded into the MPC. Maxing this allows about 12 minutes of stereo sampling time.
By Copilla Fri Jan 02, 2009 5:51 am
....so what your saying is that the card that came with the MPC is only ment to hold a few sounds? (128mb worth i guess) then i load those onto the MPC and save them so i can access them later? sorry. ima little confused still. can i put that max amount of sounds of the cf card, move them to the MPC, save them onto the MPC itself, then delete them from the card and do it over again with other sounds? or do i need multiple Cf cards and just swap them out. im just tryna find the easiest and most effective way of getting as much of my own sounds onto the MPC as possible.
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By ssnedden Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:44 am
RAM = Random Access Memory. It holds samples on the actual MPC until the machine is switched off. You can hook up a turntable or something and sample pieces and access them off of the RAM without ever getting a card involved. If you want to save these sounds and access them later, you need to save them on a card.

If you have a card full of sounds and your RAM is full, they can't be loaded.

I recommend getting at least a gig CF card, and maxing out your RAM.

One is sounds that ARE loaded (RAM), one is sounds that CAN be loaded (CF Card).