https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/15/21067517/akai-mpc-one-cheaper-smaller-music-production-center-namm-2020

Yes, we can nitpick the lack of certain features, the smaller form factor, and smaller pads.

But by and large, this shit looks like a home run to me. It strikes a fine balance of standalone and computer based production ethos.

I've seen a few videos already, trashing it for being a cut down Live, but it looks much more like a significantly souped up Touch.

I'm betting this turns out to be a killer app, because it nicely bridges that gap between top of the entry level and lower tier of higher end gear.

It's positioned as an entry level product, but it's functionally identical to the Live and X, particularly once you factor the software side of things. It's missing certain hardware elements that are now much more of a bonus than a necessity. Less outputs, smaller hard drive, etc.

The lack of RCA inputs is an issue if you're using turntables.

The fact that you get full standalone functionality in addition to the expanded functionality of a decent DAW makes it a great buy IMO.

But gear is a funny thing, because few things are all things for all people. These are instruments, and certain instruments will speak to your language in ways others don't, even if they more or less do the same things.

You also need to research current limitations, bugs, etc, because everything has some issues or drawbacks.

trying to pick up some more creative hobbies in 2020 and i did enjoy making beats back in college so i just want to give it a whirl again.

im absolutely an amateur so i'd probably be messing around in FL Studio to start with. not even sure where to begin w/ equipment. we used to do everything on an iMac back in college.

Since this is more recreational, I'd say that the tactile experience of a legit hardware sampler/sequencer will give you more immediate gratification than clicking away in a DAW.

At a minimum, you'll still want a solid midi pad or keyboard controller.

The MPK minis are very popular, so that plus pretty much any DAW will suffice.

If budget isn't a big deal, there are a handful if options to consider, depending on what your willing to spend, many within this range.

Seems like an SD card or external disk will be needed down the road.

That said I'd definitely buy this over my Live if I had the choice a few years ago.

if you're sampling just get a SP-404a (or a PO-33 if you wanna be cheap. its not bad for the money.)

If you want something with a screen, maybe a Maschine Mikro or the MPC Live

Although, when I expand my living situation, I think I want an old school MPC or an ASR. I’m sure they get the job done, but these new MPC’s with all the colors look like toys.

I had an MPC2500 that I barely used which felt like sleeping in a garage with a new car you don’t drive.

Whether the ASR 10 (keys) or the ASR X/Pro (sampler).

The alternative is the floppy drive, which is a major PITA nowadays. The drive on my ASR-X doesn't work, nor do the box of floppies I bought so I have to resample everything every time I turn the unit on. I just use it as an effects module now because of this (I have the X, which has some nice 90s on-board effects).

With SCSI, you could plug up a hard drive.

I'm familiar, from working with Lil' Jon. He had the SCSI Zip drive for his 3000.

Longtime MPC3K owner here and I've been looking for another MPC which has the ability to import samples easier.

Instagram: ascensionmusic

Just for drums.

It serves such a small market..

If I am gonna get an mpc I still want a 60, 60ii or 3k

Older ones are also just sexier tbh

But between push and maschine or even an akai controller and a daw it feels like a step backwards

Maschine is just so good at the integration

Also everytime I collab with someone with a new MPC it becomes so difficult to trade files

Reminds me of the MV-8000. I was engineering a session and that shit took forever to sync.

they both have pluses and minuses.

I have had my MPC 2000 inactive for years and years.

More recently have strongly rekindled my decades long vinyl collecting habit and my boy I used to make music with is like 'how are you not making beats with these?!'

To me the collecting thing appears to be a separate part of the brain or something and I'm content with amassing without using to generate any output.

In the future, I do have a goal of putting mixes online that nobody will listen to but that's neither here nor there yet.

I miss making beats but I'm good on hoarding records. The amount I spent and the space they took up...not interested anymore. I kind of want to just buy a stack of dollar bin records at a time to sample and trade them in for the next stack.

rid of dollar bin joints from the old beatmaking days.

I'm about to up my shelving unit since I'm at a place now where I'm not replacing old garbage with new pieces, so it's genuinely growing from now on, but if I was to start taking up a home studio my wife would trip lol

As far as beat making beats though yeah, that sounds like a good way to save space and keep things interesting

Of course....

But what is the point of this new one?

It cant sound/feel better than the 90s joints

Cant be easier than a computer daw

It doesn't get better mileage than a Prius.
It doesn't have much room as a Sequoia.

And what's the point of these base model cars?

Those old stereo systems aren't as nice as the touch screens, and GPS systems are more convenient than systems that don't have GPS. Those stock systems aren't as nice a higher end BOSS system.

So why are they selling those base model cars?

I wear a size 11 shoe. What's the point of a size 8? It doesn't fit me.

I'm right there with you on this. I'm the only person that exists, or at least the only one that matters, and because of that, I'm completely mystified when companies create and sell products that aren't tailored to my specific needs, preferences and desires.

What's the point of something if I'm not the target market?

and the OP-1 is too expensive

A lot of people are looking for that all in one box they can take anywhere, come back to the studio and dump the tracks into the daw and finish. People also want the tactile feel of knobs and pads that you can play like an instrument, get some muscle memory, play with other people, etc. Stuff you can't really do in a daw.

Circuit, Digitakt, OP-Z, the Live, this One, etc.

...256 GB cards are cheap now ...4GB onboard storage is kinda doodoo

I already have a Live so I don't need it...

But I still want it..lol

I get your meaning though. You're not tapping out bangers at the beach with this, but you could setup shop at Starbucks without taking up half a table.

Seems kinda like cheating but I guess the world has moved on from record digging?

crate digging is still a thing but the landscape is such that its easier to flip a royalty free sample than have the algorithm sniff out your sample that wasn't quite flipped enough.

I heard this joint today and it made me wish I had a producer friend so I could tell them to flip this joint.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF2jxqQVloM



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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

...this looks interesting!