[OT] I wish I'd brought my MPC with me this morning!

[logic_user99]

For you mpc on-the-go guys, are you using the 500? And what mic?

Aye, MPC500 - lovely peice of kit (I've only recently taken a big step 'into' it, but it was well worth it). As for a mic, I'm prone to use an SM58, or my not-very-good battery-powered condenser (it really isn't very good at all).

TBH, though, I don't really sample much on the go; I do alot more with sequencing chops that I've made at home on the Mac. Much of the stuff that I do required some pretty heavy sample editing, which is completely do-able on the 500, but would take more time than I have free at the moment.

[Tone Deft]

any situation is better with an MPC.

[Nick the Zombie]

Awesome thread. I, too, suffer some particularly hilarious looks from people as I walk around downtown on a nice day taking field samples for my videos. The end result is always worth it! I'm seriously considering picking up an MPC of some sort to carry around with my R-09HR. Most likely a 500 as they work on batteries are are very no non-sense for putting together quick sequence ideas with found sounds.

[Tone Deft]

I'm seriously considering picking up an MPC of some sort to carry around with my R-09HR. Most likely a 500 as they work on batteries are are very no non-sense for putting together quick sequence ideas with found sounds.

yeah, and then there's the iTouch and those things that have music applications on them. every day I think I'm closer to getting a #&*$ing iPhone.

[Nick the Zombie]

I'm seriously considering picking up an MPC of some sort to carry around with my R-09HR. Most likely a 500 as they work on batteries are are very no non-sense for putting together quick sequence ideas with found sounds.

yeah, and then there's the iTouch and those things that have music applications on them. every day I think I'm closer to getting a #&*$ing iPhone.

I have an iPod Touch, but I'm not really inspired by those little MPC-like apps. I still think a 500 would be way more fun, if not a tad on the bulky side.

- Nick

[starving student]

its the pads it's the pads maaaannn.....

[starving student]

just a tip while me and my coffee are here for you gents thinking of picking up the 500, all of the mpcs have a mute feature where you can mute and unmute pads/tracks, but not all of them have recordable mutes, the mpc500 is one of those, it has the mute feature but you cannot record them it's really there for live performance purposes, being able to record the mutes will probably be included in the next os upgrade as it's one of the top two feature request I believe, any way you can do this work around which even provides more functionality than the mpcs with recordable mutes such as the mpc-1000.

all you have to do is create a program that you use for mutes, in other words create a regular mpc instrument program but don't load any samples onto the pads, set the pads for whatever mute group you'd like and everytime you hit a pad it will mute the group that it is assigned to, the advantages of this are that you can record the mutes and in addition to that you can quantize them.

[Nick the Zombie]

just a tip while me and my coffee are here for you gents thinking of picking up the 500, all of the mpcs have a mute feature where you can mute and unmute pads/tracks, but not all of them have recordable mutes, the mpc500 is one of those, it has the mute feature but you cannot record them it's really there for live performance purposes, being able to record the mutes will probably be included in the next os upgrade as it's one of the top two feature request I believe, any way you can do this work around which even provides more functionality than the mpcs with recordable mutes such as the mpc-1000.

all you have to do is create a program that you use for mutes, in other words create a regular mpc instrument program but don't load any samples onto the pads, set the pads for whatever mute group you'd like and everytime you hit a pad it will mute the group that it is assigned to, the advantages of this are that you can record the mutes and in addition to that you can quantize them.

Nice tip man, thanks for that! And you are right, it's the pads, and more generally the idea of purpose-built hardware that inspires me. I like to adopt hardware like the MPC as an instrument rather than a mere tool, something that has limitations as well as advantages that all go into shaping my music. I've never been big on the infinite possibilities thing.

- Nick

[serge_a_storms]

you are right, it's the pads, and more generally the idea of purpose-built hardware that inspires me. I like to adopt hardware like the MPC as an instrument rather than a mere tool, something that has limitations as well as advantages that all go into shaping my music. I've never been big on the infinite possibilities thing.

- Nick

Really nice to hear this attitude. Just be creative with what you have rather than feeling that you need everything. I think this part of what you mean?

[Nick the Zombie]

you are right, it's the pads, and more generally the idea of purpose-built hardware that inspires me. I like to adopt hardware like the MPC as an instrument rather than a mere tool, something that has limitations as well as advantages that all go into shaping my music. I've never been big on the infinite possibilities thing.

- Nick

Really nice to hear this attitude. Just be creative with what you have rather than feeling that you need everything. I think this part of what you mean?

You got it

[logic_user99]

Srsly; I've not been more inspired for a long time than I have been this week. Trying to work to the limitations of my MPC500 has really opened my eyes as to what can actually be achieved with such 'minimal' gear. I LOVE my Live/MPD rig dearly, but it's got so much to it, I just get lost.

After watching a video of Shadow, Chemist, and Nu-Mark doing a three-way MPC battle... hell, it's just made me want to get MORE into it. I fear that I may have to upgrade to a 2500 later in the year... by 'upgrade', I just mean buy one! There's no way in hell I'll be getting rid of the 500 any time soon.

@student - you kinda went over my head a little there with that tip. Can you step-by-step it for me, bro?

[starving student]

Srsly; I've not been more inspired for a long time than I have been this week. Trying to work to the limitations of my MPC500 has really opened my eyes as to what can actually be achieved with such 'minimal' gear. I LOVE my Live/MPD rig dearly, but it's got so much to it, I just get lost.

After watching a video of Shadow, Chemist, and Nu-Mark doing a three-way MPC battle... hell, it's just made me want to get MORE into it. I fear that I may have to upgrade to a 2500 later in the year... by 'upgrade', I just mean buy one! There's no way in hell I'll be getting rid of the 500 any time soon.

@student - you kinda went over my head a little there with that tip. Can you step-by-step it for me, bro?

no problem i'm not in front of the mp right now though I'll be back in a few hours.

[logic_user99]

no problem i'm not in front of the mp right now though I'll be back in a few hours.

Word.

[high five]

[serge_a_storms]

Srsly; I've not been more inspired for a long time than I have been this week. Trying to work to the limitations of my MPC500 has really opened my eyes as to what can actually be achieved with such 'minimal' gear. I LOVE my Live/MPD rig dearly, but it's got so much to it, I just get lost.

After watching a video of Shadow, Chemist, and Nu-Mark doing a three-way MPC battle... hell, it's just made me want to get MORE into it. I fear that I may have to upgrade to a 2500 later in the year... by 'upgrade', I just mean buy one! There's no way in hell I'll be getting rid of the 500 any time soon.

@student - you kinda went over my head a little there with that tip. Can you step-by-step it for me, bro?

Hey logic, it's cool that you've got into it now. I read on another thread that you were having a creative slump? That live, MPD rig isn't going anywhere. It'll still be wating when the lightbulb pops on. Now you also have the 500 to fall back on for something differnent.

Just a thought. Your a drummer right? Do you ever sample and chop up your own playing?

Good to hear your enthused again.

[logic_user99]

Hey logic, it's cool that you've got into it now. I read on another thread that you were having a creative slump? That live, MPD rig isn't going anywhere. It'll still be wating when the lightbulb pops on. Now you also have the 500 to fall back on for something differnent.

Just a thought. Your a drummer right? Do you ever sample and chop up your own playing?

Good to hear your enthused again.

Hey Ash,

Yeah, man! Back on the pony! I kinda went a bit deeper with the MPC - I thought "I hand-program most of my stuff in Live, why can't I do it on the 500". Am getting a bit of a flow down for step editing, and then I can go back over the sampler & effects sections.

As for sampling myself, I haven't done it yet. I've been meaning to set up some mics and record the kit for a while, but I never get a chance! The only time I get in the studio with the acoustic kit is at a proper band practice *sob* As soon as I've got some material that's useable, I'll share the love!

Peace.