I kind of want a groove box. Is the MC 909 any good? I want something I can compose with outside of my studio but then be able to integrate it into my setup if I have something good cooking on it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
MC909. I used to have one of those. Kinda cool, a few good sounds, the midi sequencer can be fun to use, cool arpeggiator, especially for controlling outboard synths. Sampling is a super pain and the thing is huge, like…too big, especially for traveling. Octatrack and a tetra would be way better or even the tempest. Unless you can get one for $400 or less, I would pass on the MC909. You will most likely get one, have a bit of fun, then tire of it fairly quickly and sell it. Ipads offer more variety and better sound, honestly the synth sounds are bad and there are a TON of them and not that easy to program.
I used to have one, and in its day it was quite fun. As said already though, you would probably enjoy it for a few weeks purely for he novelty of it, but it would get old. It has a very dated sound and workflow compared to anything we have available today. Sure you can find them relatively cheap, but I’d recommend saving a few hundred bucks and going elektron (obviously). If I still had mine, I’d use it from time to time, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to find one. Also, as stated above, they are much larger than you think. Not really an out and about box.
If you want portable sketch pad, I can not recommend op1 or iPad enough.
Thanks for the replies. Maybe I’ll save up for the tempest. I can’t seem to jive with the iPad. Is there an app that acts like a groove box? I might be into it.
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Is there an app that acts like a groove box? I might be into it.
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That might be the one. Thanks!!
Do you think there’s a reason that iElectribe costs 20 bucks, and MC909 (still) 20 times more? It just can’t be compared. However, MC909 has its weak sides, but the sound is not one of them. Just, as with every synth and sampler, you have to program it, and program it carefully. As far as I’m concerned, MC909 is still good, the main weak spot being sequencing (even my old XP80 has a better sequencer!), albeit it has very good timing and resolution. Sampling is not the most brilliant in the world, but, believe me, you can do the whole production just with MC. My MonoMachine always need something external…
Hey
I have an MC-808 (the one with motor faders and i love it
you can get mc-808 cheaper
i think mc-909 is even more “hands on”, but they are both HUGE! mc-909 is even bigger than mc-808 - but the feeling is good being in front of one - like a sounds-spaceship!!
but too big to carry it around
its a great and capable sound engine (its roland fantom s in a groove-box) and you can program it VERY deep
midi sequencer is quite good.
my only issue is that you have to stop it between play and record modes
and sample load time is VERY slow (if you have 200mb of samples it takes aprox 10-15min to load all the samples to ram - but then they are instantly available)
i bet dsi tempest is cooler, OT is also cooler but they are both quite more expensive
if you get one of the MC for 300-400€ you will be happy
niko
I think I know the answer, but here goes…
Can you record on a 909 like on, say, a Circuit - playing back a sequence, and then press record and play a riff, then turn record off - or do you have to press stop, enter record mode, you know? Can you build tracks live?