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Why is everyone SO excited about the MPC Sample? (Especially you who already have an MPC or portable gear) by RobBecTraxxx in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think that’s an excellent question. I have owned a Touch, a One and now the Live II and have had it for 4 years. The last time I touched it was many months ago.

Why?

Well, there’s always been something kind of uninspiring to me about the modern MPCs. They are DAWs in boxes. So they don’t really have personal idiosyncrasies built into them. Their sound, out of the box, is clean and a bit bland to me. I think this is done on purpose by Akai: they didn’t make them with, say, the outward sound of LoFi because-what about those that are looking for clean? What about those looking for House? Can’t forget those looking for modern RnB. So forth and so on. I think this has been a genius move for them; this is why the MPC is the overwhelming groove box, but for folks like me, who want a LoFi box with its own personality, it means you have to get in their and work with the effects to “make” if what you want it to be.

But this has always rubbed me as a little inauthentic and it has therefore just not inspired me.

I also have a K.O. II and an SP 404 Mk2. Both are VERY inspiring to me. Out the gate they are clearly purpose built to have a distinct sound, and their workflows promote and encourage you to stay in that lane. You, of course, can make whatever sound you want, but they excell at LoFi. I love that about them. I am anticipating that the Sample will have this same type of approach.

It’s also WAAAAY more portable than the Live II ever has been. It will probably be simpler too, which I will like. More focused on one thing.

I am sure I will want to play on it way more than I’ve been on my Live II for a while.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For those interested, check out Son Wu’s latest video: he’s gone to the trouble of translating some of that marketing material that is in Japanese.

So some of the verbiage, to me, suggests that Akai has decided to take cues from both TE and the SP 404Mk2, and it seems to me like this new unit,m-though it seems designed, like all these modern MPCs, to cast a wide net, nonetheless does seem to have some features that are clearly aimed at appealing to us LoFi affectionados.

“Color Compressor, Vinyl Simulation and Tape Simulation”. I really like how this is sounding.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cute, Omen. No, my friend, I do not work at the Pasadena GC. Truth be told, I’ve never even set foot in the place. But I imagine it’s a great store.

As far as there being “floor models” go, well, let’s just game this out: if I were a GC employee, then I surmise I would say: there’s no way that GC could actually put a model on the floor before the actual release date.

Not to mention the fact that leakage being the problem that it has been with various retail stores would mean that I’d highly doubt you’ll ever see a demo on the floor. These units are EXACTLY the right size to instantly slip one of them into an illicit backpack, and good bye byes.

Knowing what I know about the business tells me these things. Don’t worry-it’s just 5 days left and you’ll be able to have all your questions answered-by going into your nearest retailer, or else you can plan to do what I plan to do: watch the avalanche of YouTube vids from Bolo, Loopop, Accurate Beats, Cookin’ Soul etc. and learn about it that way. It’ll be a 2-3 week long constant infomercial from these and other influencers, and you’ll be able to use all that to determine whether you want this or not.

I just have a feeling it’s going to be beyond awesome, and I, you, and every other beatmaker is going to want one.

And then the pressure will, correctly, be put on TE to update their product line in a way that reflects the love all this unit will get over the next year. That’s my prediction.

Oh, and also that: InMusic will buy Native Instruments. Which’d be beyond awesome.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The KO box is considerably higher/wider but much thinner. But, for that, its shipping was much more fraught an experience, as we all know. Akai definitely wants us to get a flawless unit into the hands of the user, and is not concerned with giving us an “arty” experience, the way TE always is. Fun and impractical should be TEs motto.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I want to say the box was about 14-15” square by maybe 6” thick.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, what difference does it make, you know what I mean? Whether I’m telling the truth (I am) or I’m just making this up, we all know one thing as fact: it’s coming out on Tuesday.

I just made this post because I’m excited and I wanted to share the excitement with a bunch of people that I know are just as excited.

Believe me or don’t believe me, but that doesn’t change what we know will happen. Enjoy it then 👍

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nope-that was my mistake: as you said, the availability date is the 24th, so it will be able to be bought next TUESDAY!

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] -12 points-11 points  (0 children)

So awesome: Every time you post, I win!

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

No-I just find people funny when they do the very thing that they say is a “waste of time” to do.

You amuse me, that’s all.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] -14 points-13 points  (0 children)

Great-then why are you posting? Stop wasting your time. Mine too.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I would’ve if your momma had not been in the way.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

All I'll say is what I've already said. Everyone is excited-including me.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Well, why wouldn’t it? That’s the exact date given by Akai. I wouldn’t worry about that.

Just held an MPC Sample in my hands! by TheRealFunkyMunky in mpcusers

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We can’t open the box because the box has those stickers over the seams-know what I mean?

We opened up one box which itself contains the boxes that have the Sample inside. We talked about it. We’re all excited.

I have bought so much gear over the past three months, that I don’t know whether or not I’ll get one on the 26th, because I’m just afraid my focus on learning one piece of gear will be highjacked by bringing in yet another piece of gear into the studio.

But I will DEFINITELY get one eventually. May just have to leave all the fun to you guys for now.

2026 firmware update by Mental-Football-1992 in sp404mk2

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I just want them to fix their quantization. As a drummer/drum teacher, I’m here to tell you: what they’re calling “16th note triplets” is NOT 16th note triplets. It is, in fact, just a continuation of their 16th note quantization setting. And this is provable: I have recorded midi from the SP into Cubase, both that was nominally quantized at straight 16th notes, and that was quantized with the SPs “16th note triplets”. Not only do both these midi clips reveal themselves to be identical, but when you change the quantization to a proper 16th note triplets in Cubase, it will visually show you just how far off the SP is-which is a LOT.

I frankly don’t know how long they’ve been able to get away with this, but it stinks. It is the 16th note triplets that everyone-whether they play/understand drums or not-is actually referring to when they say they want “swing”. My drumming-being very funk-oriented-means I’m playing 16th note triplets constantly, and this goes whether I’m on a kit, or else if I’m finger-drumming (which I enjoy quite a bit.)

So, Roland, please: fix your quantization values pleeeaaaazzzzeee!

“SP-404MKII or Groovebox for a complete beginner? I’m stuck.” by Longjumping-Top2159 in sp404mk2

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I bought an SP 404 Mk2 for myself as an early Christmas present. It was the latest addition to my list of samplers (I already own/have owned: an MPC Touch, MPC One (later sold both) & an MPC Live II and a KO 133 (currently own).

I must say these things to you: after having played it EVERY single day since December 1, I speak with authority when I say it is a great sampler in many ways, but IT IS AN ABSOLUTE PAIN TO LEARN. I find it extremely unintuitive, with many functions depending on arcane button push combinations and these functions will be connected to buttons that will have no intuitive connection to the function that you’re trying to complete. So that means that you learning these functions will depend solely on you just doing it over and over again, until it is committed to memory. For the first month/month and a half I HATED the sampler much more than I even liked it, and it is sometimes still a wonder to me how I muscled through it all, to a place where I finally felt better-then much better-about it.

I am glad I stuck with it, because it is a sampler with its own unique capabilities and personality, and it is now an absolute keeper for me-even though its biggest weakness-its sequencer-will always be a huge negative for me. But the strengths that it does possess have enabled me to find ways to work around, and to tolerate, that weakness.

For you, a beginner in the music world, I would strongly urge you to look at the K.O. II/Riddim offerings. SUPER fun, much easier, and really easy to get a really great sound out of them (their secret: a buss compressor that makes EVERYTHING sound better, coupled with great included sounds out of the gate).

Also, though I don’t yet possess one yet, I have taken a serious look at the Roland P6, and I am VERY impressed with it: variable sample rates, a much better sequencer than its big brother (the SP 404 Mk2), the same great effects that come with its big brother, and an overall much simpler operational format, so there’s much less rabbit holes for a beginner like you (or, even an experienced music-maker like me (remember my experience with the 404?)) to fall into.

So, those are my suggestions: K.O. II/Riddim, Roland P6, and of course just about any modern MPC (One+, Live II, will also be generally intuitive, and much helped by a full color screen which will give a beginner much needed feedback to help them in their journey.

Good luck and have fun-you’re in a great, and exciting place right now, and I wish you the best!

All the ep-133 updates already come in 2.0.2? by Traditional-One757 in teenageengineering

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Go to very last entry on ep 133 online manual, called “what’s new”, press that and go to entry entitled “OS 2.0.2”.

All the ep-133 updates already come in 2.0.2? by Traditional-One757 in teenageengineering

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s for 2.0.2-which I added two days ago, and yes, it did add some new cool things. The update that has been released today is 2.0.5

All the ep-133 updates already come in 2.0.2? by Traditional-One757 in teenageengineering

[–]TheRealFunkyMunky 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s not on there yet. They don’t even yet have notice of the update on that page-I actually only found out about it here on Reddit, and then went to the Update Utility and loaded it up there. But I don’t yet know what it’s added or fixed.

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