3 ms·

MPC One, MPC Live, MPC X are all basically just little underpowered computers, which I suppose you could say about any MPC but the workflow on the new ones is b

by least 4y ago

MPC One, MPC Live, MPC X are all basically just little underpowered computers, which I suppose you could say about any MPC but the workflow on the new ones is basically like most DAWs just with a fully mapped hardware midi controller attached. They're not really comparable to older MPCs in my opinion. I think something like the SP-404 comes closer in feel to what an MPC was.

throw_m239339 4y ago
> I think something like the SP-404 comes closer in feel to what an MPC was. The SP404 has absolutely nothing to do with the MPC line. The SP series is basically a flip of BOSS old digital recorders and its pads weren't velocity sensitive up until the SP404 MKII released last year, the SP202 was released around in 1998, 24 years of barely any improvement in the series. The MPC One is an MPC, with all the MPC goodies like the 16 levels and a true general purpose MIDI sequencer, which clearly the Roland SP line never had. The fact that it's based on Linux doesn't change that fact, plenty of gear today are running Linux for convenience purposes. The MPC line were always "DAW", they were always designed to be generic MIDI sequencers and the center piece of a hardware synth setup, which the SP line clearly never was designed for.
- least 4y ago
  I think the 404 mk2 brought quite a few good new features while maintaining the core identity of the SP lineup. You say that there's not been much improvement to the series but I think that's part of the appeal. It remains focused and people are using them like instruments for (mostly) chopping samples and beat making with a great set of effects. Perhaps it was inevitable that MPCs would evolve to the state they are in now but it isn't really the same workflow and it certainly doesn't feel like an instrument like older MPCs, drum machines, SPs, or plenty of modern grooveboxes do.
  - throw_m239339 4y ago
    The SP404MKII still only have a single way to record MIDI events: live recording, the MPC always had at the very least an event list mode. The SP404MKII does allow to take a sample and spread different pitches on the pads, but you still cannot sequence pitch variations live to this day. The MPC Live/One has the exact same workflow as the older MPC. tracks, sequences, song mode, 16 level velocity/pitch, drum programs they were all there since the beginning. You don't have to use anything else. It's only when one uses the extra features that the workflow deviate from the original MPC. OS 2.11 which releases on June 23 2020 brings even more workflow improvements for the MPC Line.
    - least 4y ago
      While I think it's a natural evolution to the MPC line and MPCs now are probably the best standalone midi workstations to exist on the market right now (probably ever?), I still think that they lack the visceral feel of the prior generations. Maybe it's just that I'm so used to using a computer for making music that the MPC doesn't feel like stepping away from it to something standalone. Maybe the large touch screen that you have to occasionally use on the MPCs and can't ignore makes it seem that way. Then again, I suppose if you're someone that's been using MPCs since the 90s and you just gradually progressed through the newer and better iterations it feels a bit less jarring than to someone who didn't. I don't really know what to tell you about the SP line, though. You are just listing features and how they don't perfectly map to the powerful previous generations MPC. I get that it's not the same or that it has or will ever have any sort of feature parity to even the old MPCs. I still think it's closer right now than the current MPCs, which have endless options and features and power that make them basically just an underpowered laptop with feature updates that come out on the whim of Akai rather than you buying a new VST or DAW for your computer. Admittedly Akai's firmware updates have been amazing and transformative for the MPCs in how you work with them, but I digress. It's definitely too much, while the SP is maybe not enough, but for creative work and as an instrument, the SP is much more inspiring.

by least 4y ago

throw_m239339 4y ago

> I think something like the SP-404 comes closer in feel to what an MPC was. The SP404 has absolutely nothing to do with the MPC line. The SP series is basically a flip of BOSS old digital recorders and its pads weren't velocity sensitive up until the SP404 MKII released last year, the SP202 was released around in 1998, 24 years of barely any improvement in the series. The MPC One is an MPC, with all the MPC goodies like the 16 levels and a true general purpose MIDI sequencer, which clearly the Roland SP line never had. The fact that it's based on Linux doesn't change that fact, plenty of gear today are running Linux for convenience purposes. The MPC line were always "DAW", they were always designed to be generic MIDI sequencers and the center piece of a hardware synth setup, which the SP line clearly never was designed for.

least 4y ago
I think the 404 mk2 brought quite a few good new features while maintaining the core identity of the SP lineup. You say that there's not been much improvement to the series but I think that's part of the appeal. It remains focused and people are using them like instruments for (mostly) chopping samples and beat making with a great set of effects. Perhaps it was inevitable that MPCs would evolve to the state they are in now but it isn't really the same workflow and it certainly doesn't feel like an instrument like older MPCs, drum machines, SPs, or plenty of modern grooveboxes do.
- throw_m239339 4y ago
  The SP404MKII still only have a single way to record MIDI events: live recording, the MPC always had at the very least an event list mode. The SP404MKII does allow to take a sample and spread different pitches on the pads, but you still cannot sequence pitch variations live to this day. The MPC Live/One has the exact same workflow as the older MPC. tracks, sequences, song mode, 16 level velocity/pitch, drum programs they were all there since the beginning. You don't have to use anything else. It's only when one uses the extra features that the workflow deviate from the original MPC. OS 2.11 which releases on June 23 2020 brings even more workflow improvements for the MPC Line.
  - least 4y ago
    While I think it's a natural evolution to the MPC line and MPCs now are probably the best standalone midi workstations to exist on the market right now (probably ever?), I still think that they lack the visceral feel of the prior generations. Maybe it's just that I'm so used to using a computer for making music that the MPC doesn't feel like stepping away from it to something standalone. Maybe the large touch screen that you have to occasionally use on the MPCs and can't ignore makes it seem that way. Then again, I suppose if you're someone that's been using MPCs since the 90s and you just gradually progressed through the newer and better iterations it feels a bit less jarring than to someone who didn't. I don't really know what to tell you about the SP line, though. You are just listing features and how they don't perfectly map to the powerful previous generations MPC. I get that it's not the same or that it has or will ever have any sort of feature parity to even the old MPCs. I still think it's closer right now than the current MPCs, which have endless options and features and power that make them basically just an underpowered laptop with feature updates that come out on the whim of Akai rather than you buying a new VST or DAW for your computer. Admittedly Akai's firmware updates have been amazing and transformative for the MPCs in how you work with them, but I digress. It's definitely too much, while the SP is maybe not enough, but for creative work and as an instrument, the SP is much more inspiring.