I’ve had my unit for about 4 days now and have really enjoyed it. I’ve been pretty busy though so I haven’t been able to use it as much as I’d like. For context, I have an SX, as well as an MPC Live. Overall, I really like the unit, far more than the SX. What I liked about the older unit was the grab and go nature of the device and its ruggedness. The MK2 maintains all of the that and fixes all of the main gripes I had with the SX.
As others have said, the pads are really nice. I also like being able to use chromatic mode to play a quick baseline with a sample anytime.
The Bus FX are a really nice touch. It took me a little bit to wrap my head around it but once I did, it was a lot of fun. For example, I used the filter on Bus 1 and an equalizer on Bus 2 to cut out a bell noise in my samples and then used the skip back feature to put it all on a new pad. Very quick and easy. You can also use the Mute Bus function to do a sort of pad mute if you set up your effects right.
The input effects were fun when I messed with them quickly using my Shure 58. Sounded nice on vocals.
The MK2 interface is still quick and easy but I find myself getting stumped some times. There are far more button combos to remember than the SX and it isn’t always apparent to me. I have often been on a page, known about a feature or setting, but clicked around without success. Finally resorting to some manual, just to figure out what button to press. I’ll obviously learn these in time but it’s been a bit more cumbersome to use at times because of this.
Lastly, I have really enjoyed the USB midi…mostly. I’m going to do some extended travel soon and plan on taking the MK2 and laptop, but not the MPC. I figure I can use the MPC software as a replacement and save the hassle of extra luggage. The MK2 connected just fine and I was able to use the pads to control kits in the MPC software really easily. However, it’s not the best experience using the MK2 to control synths melodically. From what I could get working, the MK2 only plays 16 notes, one note per pad, from C1 onward. There was no way to shift octaves, or play the MPC chords using chord mode on the software. The MK2 pads would never play anything other than those same 16 notes. In order to change octaves I had to shift the synth semitones in the MPC software. This hasn’t change my plans, it just means I’ll be far more limited in expressing melodies using the MK2. I would love for at least a chord mode on the MK2 because of this.
That’s about all I have for now. Hoping everyone else receives their units sooner rather than later. I foresee this device becoming one of my favorites!
I have never been interested in those music styles so I was never convinced on the original SP404. However, I did pre order a MK2 in hopes of being able to find it a home in weird experimental music, soundscapes, scoring, and as a general sampling tool. I have dabbled in IDM, techno, acid, etc.
I’ve had mine for 2 days and I’m slowly learning it. It really is a sketch pad with a ton of FX. As any sampler, it’s just getting your stems onto the pads and getting the time right. Much like how you’d use clips, or long samples on the octatrack, it’s just on pads and kind of a limited free setting.
Oh, and time stretching. It’s solid, and so accessible. Will I use the sp404 MK2 for complete production? I doubt it, but it will be a tool for sure. Resampling, pitch shifting, delay, reverbs, blah blah, it’s really wonderful to have it all right there.
Im coming from just using the digitakt as a live performance/stem player. Muting/unmuting tracks. Simple stuff.
I always thought the 404 crowd would love the digitakt/ model samples because the capabilities I dreamed of having on the 303 are on the digitakt but the digitakt didn’t really make that much of a dent in the sp base
For performance, the Digtiakt isn’t really that menu divey. And now that the 404MK2 has a screen and more features, they are probably pretty similar. On Digitakt everything is a click away. Press the filter page button, there are all your parameters, press the LFO page button, and there they all are. I think both machines have some shortcuts you have to memorize, and loading a new sample seems similar between the two as well. The Mk2 has that skip-back, which is nice for quick re-sampling though, but the Digitakt has Control-All which is very powerful.
I am a seasoned Digitakt user, and a newbie with the SP404. I can’t give a good response to that at this time. I have squeezed a lot out of the digitakt, with the intuitive ways to make it a performance piece. There are joyful accidents with this SP that some talk about with the Digitakt. With each piece of music gear respectively, it does push us to think differently. I’ll have to spend more time with the SP before I can talk much about the features and processes.
I feel like the reload temp pattern function is the rival of the skipback feature on the sp
reload patt, cntrl all, fill func, and being able to copy and paste patterns while the sequencer is running make the digitakt the ultimate groove performer for me
love the sp for it’s FX, generally running things through it
What about it? My response was on the topic of performance, and also to your comment about the DT being menu divey, not a complete rundown of features that each unit has. But you mention sample time, which should be taken into account on a performance level. The 404 will beat most any other sampler in sample length and time. The DT has 12.5 minutes of sample time per project, which may or may not be enough for some people.
Thank you for your takes on Serato Studio, I took the plunge yesterday and played around with it a little last night and a litte tonight and yeah, it’s super fast and fun to use and really convenient for jamming out with samples. ATM I think of it as a playground more than a DAW (didn’t need another DAW), in that sense it’s a little like the SP404mk2, a very playable, immediate sample-based instrument…
Yeah, the reload function is amazing. You can take things to outter space, and then hit the reload and it all comes back again. The DT and 303/404 are really the perfect combo. Best buds just hanging out in Samplerville.
I love my DT for performance, super fast. That said, the SP404 is no live-performance slouch either, in fact depending on what you rate/need for an act, it might be the better device. More (creative) FX, pad velocity on which finger drumming is actually possible and fairly accurate, super quick workflow, the old ones had built-in mics for live sampling which can be cool for live performance uses, and more pads & sounds on the first layer of the UX (12 pads old 404s, 16 pads new one). Plus direct, single-button-push access to gate and loop locked playback of individual pads.
I’m conjuring up a lot of discipline not to be impatient for the 404mk2 (mid-/end February due date for me…grrrr), not cause something is missing in my setup at all, but just because I feel the 404 will bring some unique playability and possibility to the mix (I play exclusively live and improvised with my setup).
Fingers crossed…