@pianobar, the fat pads are pretty hard… you don’t have to hit em hard tho. They’re extra sensitive, so barely tap them & they go off. Also I can tell the pads are getting a little softer as I use it & wear them in. You can get the pads thru MPC stuff, but not sure if you want to throw that kind of money at it ($40): https://www.mpcstuff.com/akai-mpc-500-mpk-sensitive-thick-fat-pad-set-black/
I agree with @Unflattered about the MPC Live. I’ve been thinking of selling my 2500 & 1000 to fund the Live…still researching tho…I also agree with docermsticks, I’m not sure if I would like the touchscreen.
When using the 500 on it’s own I mainly make boom bap…it’s a simple machine, but it’s perfect for the “simpler” styles… When using it with other gear, like the Op-1 &/or sp404 there’s just so much you can do. But again, I’m ok with putting work in. It just depends on what you’re looking for.
& I like your way of thinking @docshermsticks! It’s nice when you don’t have to deal with limitations, but at the same time, limitations can be an advantage. You gain those skills!
Chopping by ear might not seem like a big deal, but when not using 1 of your senses (like the eyes) it enhances your other senses (like the ears). All of your focus goes into what you’re hearing not what you’re seeing. & music is all about what you hear & how it makes you feel. Takes more time to chop by ear, but there are advantages to it.
I enjoyed reading through this thread… I bought an SP808ex a few months back, as I wanted to try the vinyl sim… I’ll still be on the lookout for a cheap 303 or 404OG, but the 808 was too deep… I mostly just wanted the FX, which admittedly, besides the vinyl sim not having that nice compression, some of the other fx sounded great! There was some really characterful chorus fx etc… Anyways, I flipped it for twice what I paid (and kept the hard case it came in, mwahahahahaa)… But for me, portable studio is macbook + RME babyface pro w/ ableton… It’s a pretty tiny footprint… But it depends on your genre and needs. I do live vocals + instrumental stuff, so for me ableton works great… I’ve never learned the MPC workflow, but respect it on account of the great results… Maybe one day I’ll find a pal to do a knowledge swap, and I can teach guitar in exchange for MPC or something, haha. Closest I’ve come is the korg microSAMPLER which was prior to my first op1… So clunky and stupid is that korg thing, but then upon reflection, it’s great at what it can do, and my wife plays it all the time mostly for live stuff… Just the same old story of the wisdom of accepting what a device is and is not, if what it is does not serve you, then move on. Saying this for my own benefit.
my homie scooped an 808 awhile back and brought it over.
couldn’t believe how heavily it relies on the zip drive.
like constantly streaming everything! it was crazy to think that someone thought that was a good idea.
i recently got the 606 which was the last SP that i hadn’t tried.
its the most mpc like of all of them. i like it in some ways others not so much.
its cool u can use 2 fx at once, and the dbeam filter also. has mute groups and a lil 4 track sequencer.
in general the SP’s are my favorite. immediate, no fuss, no screen, no bullshit, extreme vibe and flavor.
so having a screen on the 606/505/808 is like kinda weird for me. takes some getting used to
@Sharris yea! its like those kung fu movies where the guy loses his eyesight or has only one arm or some crazy shit happens to him and he has to relearn everything from scratch but then he finds out how to turn his handicap into his greatest strength and kicks major butt.
when the mpc500 and 1000 were released it looked like they were going to be the last hardware samplers ever made. it even looked doubtful that m/any hardware synths would ever be made again.
it was a little scary at the time. but 15 (?) years later…and there has been a renaissance in standalone hardware units. a new golden age is upon us!
Totally agreed with @squiddly. We live a wonderful hardware time! <3
My first sampler was the MPC 500 - horrible. I respect a lot the cats that mastered it, but, frankly, found it boring, full of anti-musical menus and the sound isn´t very inspired. Just save your money for the AWESOME MPC Live
I had a 500 few years ago. It was also my first sampler, and really had fun playing it. But I found library was not very practical… then I sold it.
Sometimes I’m thinking about getting another one to complete the Op, mainly for beats btw .
I beg to differ on the 1000. The 1000 was and is one of the most functional machines in the MPC line. I owned the big old grey boys, and they were incredible, but for connectivity and functionality the 1000 is king (once you get on the JJOS especially)
I bought an MPC Live before I got my OP-1. I thought it’s a really well made piece of kit, but I found that all of the preloaded stuff was not my style at all, and I didn’t find it at all inspiring to work with. Actually one thing that annoyed me about the MPC was that it’s so powerful you can almost use it as a DAW, but it’s not quite designed to be used as a portable DAW – but imagine if it was! With a little retweaking that device could be a 24-track on-the-go recording and maxing machine!
anyway, this year I sold the MPC at quite a loss and kept the OP-1. No regrets.
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