I’m really surprised there hasn’t been more MC 101 love on here. Really making me second guess getting one. It seems like a great portable companion but I’m finding very few people who actually use it and/or like it. I had a circuit for a long while and while cool it was always way too limited to make what I wanted. I figured the 101 would be like a big-boy Circuit.
If it works for you and you like it why worry? 
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I haven’t gotten one yet! I’ve been waiting for more use cases and YouTube videos to see if it’s worth it but it seems like very few people have even shown interest in it which is pretty worrying. Aside from BoBeats and Roland’s own channel I haven’t seen much at all about it.
I liked the look of it but programming it looks like a nightmare. I hate using presets. 
Ditto lol. I figured with some resampling though you can shape the presets a bit and then load them as tones for more interesting flavor.
Nanoloop Mono and Nanoloop One both running on 2 DMGs, synced with a single cable, maybe one small effects box like the new Korg NTS and a small recorder with enough inputs. With the song mode on nanoloop, performance aspects, effects, you should be able to record a whole album on the go or at least a few songs in that time. Or just one nanoloop cart, the effect, recorder, super minimal. Add a PO speak for some great vocal stuff!
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At that point might as well just use something else that’s actually fun to use! 
Funny what difference a couple months make…
Fell back in love with my OP-Z, it is great as a sketchpad with a potent sequencer on the go. 
I do recommend to get the decksaver and pack it tightly though, so your heart doesnt stop when your backpack drops 
Took the BlackBox on vacation, as the only piece of gear as I had to pack more for the family than expected 
… litteraly only had a battery pack, a set of headphones, a camera and a phone…
Even though I prepared enough with sample packed SD card, it got really frustrating in a hurry to get anything nice going…I realized that the BB shined in the studio as a great recorder/looper but not so much on the move…
Came back from vacation and sold BB right away, figured that I didnt need it as much as originally thought and composing on it turned out to be a PITA (never gelled with its UI).
Ordered Polyend Tracker as soon as the preorders went live. Happy I did, preorders are shipping now.
Same with MC101 - great sketchpad/groovebox, very portable, awesome effects, super fun.
However. make sure you get a good listen at the synths presets and sounds before you purchase, as it does sound RolandISH.
Also while the clips are a great way to extend patterns, it doesnt make for the lack of song mode, and 4 tracks remains 4 tracks (even if a drum track can be 16 sounds deep). MC101 does shines as a sound module in a larger setup though.
Overall I found that what was the most frustrating on the move, was messing around with loops/looping patterns.
While a great loop is instant satisfaction, it still has to evolve at some point.
Out went MC101 too.
Now, even on the move, I exclusively want to deal with hardware with song mode (hello OP-Z, hello Tracker, hello Deluge) or robust DAW relationship (hello Overbridge) to have loops turned into larger ideas easily…
I must be getting old
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strange that no one mentioned Electribe 2.
i have synth version, and it’s absolutely great as a sketchpad.
can work on batteries btw (but the battery life is not very long).
16 tracks and pattern chaining (sort of song mode).
True,
Electribe 2 is an underrated beast but like you said, I have the same problem, mine runs only 25/30 mins on batteries…
I mainly use it to sketch quickly (have to use it on battery…cant use it with DC anymore, its a common issue and a few got unlucky like me…) and then bounce the tracks as WAV to work on in Ableton or on the go in the Deluge.
It is still relevant after some years, still use it, it sounds great if you like its sounds.
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Back in 2003 or so I used nanoloop on the og gameboy on the bus/ train everyday. If you can get on with the bizarre and cryptic ui it’s fun. Sounds great but really limited. Nice that it didn’t call attention from other riders, just looks like you’re playing Tetris or something.
These days I bring the reface cs to play in my truck on lunch break.
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My mate said it needs loads of processing to sound good, so I crossed off the list pretty early. It should be an obvious choice though
Wow you have gone though the groove boxes haha. I ended up on the iPad Pro and love it.
Is that the Piccadilly?
Victoria!
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Being on the tube feels like another life…
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Hithere
Ithinkk rough music IS essentiel to groovemaker.
Thesample IS the best way to juggle in deep.
At home ,justkooking
And on Travel bus,train,plane enoughpleasure to structure your Time on samplalahacreamytoast.
Sonowquestion IS,
Enjoy seasonswith
Caddy sampling (or)[vs] purehandmade,beatwith preseton
Groovebox …that syours decisionamigo!
™Maybe both hu ™
It’sjust an Idea
Now it’s your way to work that you mustexplorr
Cheers
It really does. I just found out my office is being closed for good, so I’m now a remote worker for the foreseeable! I won’t miss it.
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Same here I wont miss soot nose for sure 
In my old flying days, I would pack an Oxygen8 in my suitcase and make tracks on Reason all night in my hotel room. But the bulk made me leave it behind eventually. Then I found the tiny AKai LPK-25 and found space for it in my carryon most of the time.
I’ve never had any hardware that felt productive enough to bring along, when I’ve already got to carry a laptop, smartphone and tablet for work. I used Rebirth on the iPad for a while and had some great 303/909 jams on the plane.
Anyway, hoping these days you’re safely not tubing, training or flying much, and in the home studio instead.
Last — just remember, nobody will ever make “production on the go” look as cool as Dr. Dre… 
Enjoy!
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