On Akai MPCs and Live...

tjwett · Post by **tjwett** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 11:28 pm

Is anyone here using an MPC with Live? I'm reading up on the new MPC1000 and I'm thinking it could be a lovely match. For one, it would be great to bang out beats on those pads. Also, this new MPC shows up on your machine as a Smart Media Card Reader, allowing you to drag and drop samples between the MPC and your puter, which I think could be super useful. I'm thinking it would be sick to sort of "sync" the pads/samples on the MPC with Clip slots is Live and use the MPC's MIDI sequencer to trigger everything while at the same time recording the whole thing in Live. So you've got your whole performance in the MPC as MIDI data along with the source material, and the perfectly timed audio version sitting in Live for all your post production, mixing and mastering tasks. Sounds really productive to me! Anyone got anything to share, MPC tips, etc?

Cheers All,

-t

Mic-minimal · Post by **Mic-minimal** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 1:53 am

I've been thinkin the same thing, looks like it might be a very nice combo
a laptop running Live, remote 25, and the mpc-1000, what more could one possibly need, of course top it off with a pair of turntables and your fate is sealed.
I've got the akai mpd16 and it's turned my laptop into the tightest beat machine I've ever had, but I still want one of those mpc-1000 for those times when I don't want to really fuss with the computer, the strange thing
though is that I used to feel that way all the time but since I've been using live i hardly ever feel that way.

tjwett · Post by **tjwett** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 9:16 am

Mic-minimal wrote:I've been thinkin the same thing, looks like it might be a very nice combo
a laptop running Live, remote 25, and the mpc-1000, what more could one possibly need, of course top it off with a pair of turntables and your fate is sealed.
I've got the akai mpd16 and it's turned my laptop into the tightest beat machine I've ever had, but I still want one of those mpc-1000 for those times when I don't want to really fuss with the computer, the strange thing
though is that I used to feel that way all the time but since I've been using live i hardly ever feel that way.

Yes! I was real close to picking up the MPD16 as well but I'm glad I waited. My concern with the MPD16 was that yeah, it would indeed be awesome to finally make the most of single drum hits in Live (dragging them onto the Arranger and constantly zooming in and out doesn't exactly get me psyched) BUT, Live doesn't really have the ability to auto-quantize during recording as your pounding away on those pads. If it does, please let me know how you're doing it because I can't figure it out. And for some weird reason I just can't groove with Live's metronome, perhaps it's the 2-tone clicks or something that bothers me.

In any case, that's where the MPC would really shine for me. I need to be able to get my drums going quickly or I go nuts and lose my flow. Interesting too what you say about Live and fussing with the computer. I've spent the good part of the last four years wrestling with Logic and there were multiple episodes of software-induced anger that led me out to the store to pick up an old piece of hardware just to get that feeling back of really making music and not just using a computer. My mistress was always the Ensoniq ASR-X Pro, very similar to an MPC.

After using the big software sequencers you really start to miss and appreciate the limitations of hardware. They force you to be resourceful and creative with the entire process, another thing that I need to keep my interest alive. So along comes Live and totally shits on my whole concept of sampling, working with audio (rather than MIDI), and "finishing" a song. With Live you have those similar limitations to hardware, maybe not so much limitations (well, us Mac users have a few

), but all those useless features, windows, menus, and bullshit are simply not there. It's like it took everything you wished your favorite hardware box could do, and threw out everything you hated about your favorite software sequencer and put it all right in front of you.

And if you've got any links to your tracks I'd love to hear em. And Thanks again to the Abes for continuing to blow my mind on a daily basis for the last 2 years, has it even been that long?

::mic-minimal:: · Post by **::mic-minimal::** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 1:46 pm

My sentiments exactly, when I first got Live I was on an icebook 600mhz, then to a sony picturebook (believe it or not, the thing kicked ass) and then to a larger sony and now a panasonic centrino and an amd desktop, as much as people talk about pc users with cracked software I've spent alot of money on sh*t, Sonar, Cubase sx, Reason, Live, Spectrasonics trilogy/atmosphere blah blah blah and Live just killed it for me, I'm a poor
ass mofo and it was hard as hell to scrape together the software not to mention I had to sell hardware to help out and I hate the fact that I've got these sequencers just sitting around doing nothing. I finally had to take them off of the computer cause it was irratating me just looking at all the money I wasted but Live has been much more than worth it for me. I think
I understand why there's this seemingly low-level conspiracy in the mags like recording, eq, electronic musician, mix, sos, and the like. there must be a ton of people who don't know wtf to do to justify all the apps they've got, it seems like people either just go cold turkey and break from their sequencer after getting familiar with live or they fight it. but these mags though they do light reviews of Live they don't give ableton the coverage that the program demands, I think it's because economicly it's not good for them, just think if everybody started using Live it would just totally flip the script on everything else.

anyway my site is slowly in the making, i'll have something up after the new year but I heard that 'money' beat you put up that was tight, you got
skills.
I'm the same way when it comes to drums, I need to get that shit down quick as it comes to me, what I do with Live is just load the drumsamples
set the velocities and set the quantize to 16ths or 32ths, turn on the metronome and make beats. I had a hard time because theres no quantize after the fact but I'm sure their going to add that soon, they had to of just missed it but in the mean time it has helped me with my timing, it doesn't even take long to get used to it and the realtime quantizing is better than I thought it would be at first, for real fast shit I just slow it down and then speed it back up after I'm done recording but I don't do too much fast stuff, mostly just hiphop from 80-120 about the fastest I ever go is 145bpm, I'm programing fills and everything and getting very good results almost all of the time, not to mention alot of good suprises when I fuck up. I was using the redrum for the sequencer but now I've let
it go.

tjwett · Post by **tjwett** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 10:45 am

Mic-minimal wrote:My sentiments exactly, when I first got Live I was on an icebook 600mhz, then to a sony picturebook (believe it or not, the thing kicked ass) and then to a larger sony and now a panasonic centrino and an amd desktop, as much as people talk about pc users with cracked software I've spent alot of money on sh*t, Sonar, Cubase sx, Reason, Live, Spectrasonics trilogy/atmosphere blah blah blah and Live just killed it for me, I'm a poor
ass mofo and it was hard as hell to scrape together the software not to mention I had to sell hardware to help out and I hate the fact that I've got these sequencers just sitting around doing nothing. I finally had to take them off of the computer cause it was irratating me just looking at all the money I wasted but Live has been much more than worth it for me. I think
I understand why there's this seemingly low-level conspiracy in the mags like recording, eq, electronic musician, mix, sos, and the like. there must be a ton of people who don't know wtf to do to justify all the apps they've got, it seems like people either just go cold turkey and break from their sequencer after getting familiar with live or they fight it. but these mags though they do light reviews of Live they don't give ableton the coverage that the program demands, I think it's because economicly it's not good for them, just think if everybody started using Live it would just totally flip the script on everything else.

anyway my site is slowly in the making, i'll have something up after the new year but I heard that 'money' beat you put up that was tight, you got
skills.
I'm the same way when it comes to drums, I need to get that shit down quick as it comes to me, what I do with Live is just load the drumsamples
set the velocities and set the quantize to 16ths or 32ths, turn on the metronome and make beats. I had a hard time because theres no quantize after the fact but I'm sure their going to add that soon, they had to of just missed it but in the mean time it has helped me with my timing, it doesn't even take long to get used to it and the realtime quantizing is better than I thought it would be at first, for real fast shit I just slow it down and then speed it back up after I'm done recording but I don't do too much fast stuff, mostly just hiphop from 80-120 about the fastest I ever go is 145bpm, I'm programing fills and everything and getting very good results almost all of the time, not to mention alot of good suprises when I fuck up. I was using the redrum for the sequencer but now I've let
it go.

nice nice nice. i need to give Live a chance with the real-time quantizing, or actually i need to be a bit more patient.

as for the mags/reviews thing, oh my damn, i was just thinking the same! Live gets like ZERO coverage in comparison to everything else. sometimes i think it's the coice of the Abe's (they appreciate the underground and the movement) but more often i think it's all the fat rich bastards who've spent a ton of money and spend (waste) a ton of time each day clicking the old mouse in ProTools and Logic that pay for the mag space. yeah Logic 6 is dope, but is it nice to use yet? not even close, probably won't ever be. it's a damn shame, is what it is. i've laid down the money for this sequencer and that sampler and time after time i look at them with disappointment. Live is where it's at, for me at least. i haven't had fun making music like this since my old Ensoniq days. Live Live Live!!!

Mic-minimal · Post by **Mic-minimal** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 12:01 am

funny you should say that, I started out on the ensoniq 16plus, and then got an asr-10 I still have a zillion floppys with beats on 'em I figure one day I'll get'em again just for the fuck of it.. I remember when I got the asr
10 thinkin damn it doesn't get better than this...ha we had no idea what the future held!

tjwett · Post by **tjwett** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 12:15 am

Mic-minimal wrote:funny you should say that, I started out on the ensoniq 16plus, and then got an asr-10 I still have a zillion floppys with beats on 'em I figure one day I'll get'em again just for the fuck of it.. I remember when I got the asr
10 thinkin damn it doesn't get better than this...ha we had no idea what the future held!

not sure where you're located but if you're in the states and are one day looking for some of the classic samplers and drum machines from the golden era check these guys out. http://www.roguemusic.com they are here in NYC and are a staple amongst all the hip-hop producers in the area. they've got all the fun stuff from back then, Ensoniqs, MPC60s, E-mu SP1200s. very cool store run by a great group.

Mic-minimal · Post by **Mic-minimal** » Thu Nov 27, 2003 9:23 am

I'm in La, and thanks for the tip

ocp · Post by **ocp** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 7:03 pm

If I had the money for the MPC1000, I'd go for it. It has all the features the MPC2000 doesn't, and I'm a very happy owner of a MPC2000XL which, amongst other things, I use to sequence Live clips. Software sequencers lack that physical feel, that hands on approach. Not that I have anything against software sequencers (I use Logic, Cubase and Protools "free" but for other purposes). In my humble opinion (for what it's worth) anyone considering the buy of the "little" AKAI is on the right track and will have a lot of fun in the years to come.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:40 am

agreed, before I got my akai mpd16 midi controller I was bangin out beats
with a keyboard controller which is ok if thats how you wanna do it but for me it just didn't feel right, but with the mpd16 its like having a mpc with a bigger screen.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:08 am

Hey ocp (or anyone with MPC&Live wisdom)....

I'm thinking seriously about getting a MPC1000 when they come out to run alongside Live.
Can anyone tell me: is there an elegant way to simultaneously trigger an MPC pattern and a Live scene simultaneously?
i.e. can you assign the MPC pads to select patterns and have them send a midi note as you hit the pad to fire a Live scene?? or something like that.
Basically what I want to do is run MPC midi patterns and Live scenes together for live performance and select them on the fly as easily as possible.

Any tips and thoughts would be hugely appreciated.

cheers
paddy

PS heres a joke...

Q: Why did the tiger get lost?
A: Because de jungle is MASSIVE!

ocp · Post by **ocp** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 4:23 pm

Quote:

"...is there an elegant way to simultaneously trigger an MPC pattern and a Live scene simultaneously?
i.e. can you assign the MPC pads to select patterns and have them send a midi note as you hit the pad to fire a Live scene??"

What you can do is assign MPC sequences and/or tracks (on/off) to the pads. If you sequence a Live scene in the MPC, what you intend to do is quite feasible. Let me tell you though, that this is only possible with the sequencer running; no simultaneous real time triggering. And, by the way, I'm speaking of the MPC2000XL. Don't know much about the MPC1000, but it should be more complete. Hope this answers your doubt.

Cheers.

lo-fi · Post by **lo-fi** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:51 am

[quote="tjwett"][quote="Mic-minimal"]
After using the big software sequencers you really start to miss and appreciate the limitations of hardware. They force you to be resourceful and creative with the entire process, another thing that I need to keep my interest alive. So along comes Live and totally shits on my whole concept of sampling, working with audio (rather than MIDI), and "finishing" a song. With Live you have those similar limitations to hardware, maybe not so much limitations (well, us Mac users have a few

), but all those useless features, windows, menus, and bullshit are simply not there. It's like it took everything you wished your favorite hardware box could do, and threw out everything you hated about your favorite software sequencer and put it all right in front of you.
[/quote]

Word!

I'm seriously thinking of getting rid of Logic PRO. I'ts just too easy with big sequencers to get slowed down handling the software, in stead of making music. Drag a bit here, copy a bit there, you know the thing. On my MPC it's just: Sample something, bang out a pattern, if it sounds right keep it, if not do it again.

I'm thinking of replacing Logic with Live - to keep it simple and make it more mobile (Logic uses a dongle and is a pain to use on a 12" screen). Sampling something and quickly banging out a pattern, hiphop-style isn't quite as simple and direct yet as it is on an MPC, but it might get there in a future release.

Eza · Post by **Eza** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 1:42 pm

"you ain't got a thing if it ain't got that swing"

it's a shame that the mpc 1000 is not fully integrated usb wise like it's big brother the mpc 4000. it would be nice to be able to access the mpc directly from the computer instead of having to puit everything to the card then onwards to the mpc1k.

i still want one of those though.

the mpc1k looks likeliest even though i've been up the 4k. can you use the mpc 1000 just like the mpd16 via usb?

aah, another thing. mpc 1000 needs record track mutes. why oh why is this not implemented?

still gonna get one though of 'em though. i need hardware in my life and mpc is more of a musical instrument than any software could be!!!

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 2:01 pm

Funny that this has come up here again as my MPC2000 is in Yahoo auction as we speak, with the FX board on sale separately and they're already at a combined total of more than an MPC1000 with 3 days to go. Why am I mentioning this? ecaus eI'm seriously thinking of getting a 1000 for all the reasons mentioned above. I love the tactility of the MPC and being able to swap not only audio but midi too thru usb is just too tempting, that and the fact that the 1000 is lap-sized not desk size...I'm pretty much sold too....the MPC's great w/ Live in so many ways. Anyone else using one?