So on a lazy day where is don’t want to build my own kits and form my own loops i use stock ones like Best Service classics. I could use a PC daw but id be interested in a sampler any budget that handles loops really well from a Workflow angle.
So Can Time-stretch
Can Slice and dice at a breeze with great transients with no clicks and pops(or maybe just a few as i know it can happen anytime)
Can Do all the other other. stuff like Pitch Shift
No Menu diving(or just a bit)
Good display not tiny or fiddly
Which sampler is the king at this? Im leaning to another Octatrack. Never tried a MPC.
… what meets your expectation best is very dependent on the workflow you prefer and the output you want to achieve.
Concerning “sampling” and use of pre-made material, IMO all of them should do a great job. Preparing of samples is quite different. But this seems not to be of your concern …
If you like the workflow and if you can achieve what you want - why change horses?
IMO there is quite a different workflow if we compare the OT to a MPC and how the making/playing/improvising of music is supposed to be done. The OT is focussed on its deep step-sequencer, which is for me more of a “programming” rather than having the option of playing single-shots and loops by hitting the pads of a MPC and “recording” the performance live. There is also live-recording on the OT, but to me it feels “different” from playing a MPC.
Check out some YT tutorials or reviews on MPC. IMO even the many options of a MPC do not require deep menu-diving for the tasks you mentioned.
A nice add-on is that now MPCs can create stems from audio and we can divide recordings to drums, bass, vocals, and the rest. Works fine with single-shots and loops.
The SP-404 IMO is king, if you are up to do sampling and re-sampling in a very intuitive, spontanous, and creative way, drawing lot of advantage from the richness of available FX.
Hey thanks thats a great response. The 404 appeals quite a bit. Is is a breeze with loops? Can you do things quickly like put into a track and slice it for extra layers? I wil have a look. The MPC seems the most popular. But it maybe overkill if i just want loop stuff.
One thing to mention is that the SP-404 uses its memory card as storage and we can drop very long files on it and use them to playback only and cut them down to smaller segments etc. but IMO it’s not as comfortable like working on a MPC.
The automatic and flexible chopping algorithms of a MPC, which cut longer samples and are capable to create automatic pad assignments are very handy.
If I had to chop samples a lot, I would prefer the MPC workflow, because of the large screen and the speed the MPC allows for this task.
Compare a MPC One to a SP-404. Price should be not so different.
Thanks again. Can i ask if you know anything about the earlier models of MPC and why they remain so popular? I would get one of these if it was in good condition. Just because from what ive seen they look easy to work with and not so many features. Cheers again.
Popularity IMO is justified, because they allow to use their functionalitiy in a very intuitive way - from the beginning of the 60 until the models now on offer.
Before my first MPC, which became a 5k, I had watched a couple of YT videos about the 60, 3000, 1000, 2000, and 2500. It was quite often said that you can turn on such a thing, start without reading the manual, and - more or less - get your first track going.
Well … until I put my hands on my first MPC I thought this must be marketing or fan-boy talking. I was convinced after less than an hour that the usability was great and intuitive. With the little understanding from the videos it was really easy to start and have fun from the first moment.
I suggest to consider this:
If you by a legacy MPC in good shape you might get offers of a collector’s item. Meaning - quite expencive compared to the recent models.
IMO the new MPC One, Live, and X do have much more functionality compared to the legacy models, but AKAI preserved the typical MPC workflow of the past. We don’t have to use all of the new bells and whistles, but there are quite many, which I fell in love after trying them
