Question about hardware - Roland MC vs Akai MPC

Hi everyone.

I’m saving up towards purchase some more instruments that will help me produce more and allow me to play live. My choices I narrowed down to Akai MPC 1000 (+ 128MB memory + HD) and Roland MC 909 / 808. Has any of you got experience on both machines ? Which one to chose ? I’m familiar with Roland’s sequencers as I used to have JX305 but Akai due to 32 or 64 MIDI tracks seems quite a good thing. I’ve got so far two synths.

What would you suggest ? One thing … hip – hop isn’t my thing.

In the end it comes down to what you want to do with it, but I would recommend to check out NI’s MASCHINE if you haven’t already…

Native Instruments Maschine

Thanks for comments – It is great product – as most NI’s – however you still need some form of computer.

Are you going to transfer stuff to the machine(akai or roland) after creating it on your computer? I don’t have experience with either in practical use, but I bet looking into the way they interface with what you have now will make up your mind. Is the outboard sequencer the main draw to these units? There’s little differences like the Roland has 2 midi inputs where as the akai has one. The akai focuses more on pads for input where the Roland has a bank of faders and the trigger pads follow a keyboard layout. Seems more musician friendly to me, and there’s more dedicated outputs for an outboard mix if you need it. At the same time the faders make it easier to do it in the box on the roland.

I’d say if you have songs written you want to perform maybe it would help to try and break down the performance and see what you’d want to do in real time. Hope any of that might have helped.

Hello

I only can tell about the MPC . It’s a great and intitutive piece of hardware which will allow you to use it allmost for any kind of live performance.

My experience is, that if you play in clubs and / or other places where you wont have much light and had allready a few beers, it will be hard to work with the small display. As Dejans allready stated, maybe you should have a look into other products as well. I would never go on stage ( for my kind of music ) without a confident way to see everything in one view ( mixer, tracks, fx etc. ). One thing you sure allready know is Ableton Live, not a perfect Midi sequencer to work with, but THE BEST solution to use it for liveperformance and together with a cheap laptop easy to carry around

Good Luck

Hi guys,

Thanks – SonicCube has one of the points – As far as I remember Roland MC’s (909 and 808) they’ve got most buttons with background light. Ableton … yep – this is great idea, however … I can’t imagine to perform looking like someone who checking his emials

robGD – thanks. I’d rather use those sequencers to compose. I used to have JX305 – groove box as keyboard and even thought sequencer wasnt the best in the world I could work in quite fast … so thats why I’m thinking about going that way.

Cheers Guys.

Ableton … yep – this is great idea, however … I can’t imagine to perform looking like someone who checking his emials

Why this ? You only need the screen of the laptop somewhere on your table. You will have to use some of the following hardware to play with :

http://4midiloop.bassdas.ch/en/tutorial/

http://www.faderfox.de/mark/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110&Itemid=209

http://www.ableton.com/de/launchpad

http://monome.org/

And so on …. you will NOT look like checking your emails … no need to use your mouse.

Ok Sonic – you’right.

Lets do the mats:

Laptop … ok – let it be PC to keep the cost low – 400 (UK pounds) then about 150 – 200 for decent interface … controler – lets go for Novation – quite cheap – 150 … don’t mention the software. It is about 700 so far. MPC with hard drive will cost about 700, but MC 909 I ’ve seen on ebay from USA for about 560 with shiping …

Ok – thanks anyway. I’ll try to play more on Ableton as it would be a gig and we shall see.

Regards guys – have good day and productive week.

Well, if it’s just for the cost’s … buy a Casio all in one workstation and you’re done with 200Quid

Cmo’n Sonic – I said in the very first line – I’m saving up … that’s mean I’m not crazy reach as you.

I went to dawsons in Manchester and lads let me play a bit with MPC1000 with just few samples on board. It is reaaaaaly nice and easy to start recording stuff, adding new tracks when you recording etc. Onlyt thing is I’m aware of that it is a sampler – so everytime I will have to spend some time to put some sound in to this machine. From other hand – one of cash generator stores in my area they have Alesis Fusion6HD – full blown workstation with sampler, synthesizer (4 types), 32 track sequencer, HD 8 track audio recorder, shave blades, tent .. you name it – and they asking for £350 – that may be alternative due to fact roland MC still cost as second hand aroudn £500.

Cheers