Ok, I'm know I'm gonna catch hell for this ,but I need some advice on a sampler.

[POUND]

Ok, I'm know I'm gonna catch hell for this ,but I need some advice on a sampler. See here is the deal. I've been making music for years, but I've never sampled anything. I've always made up everything or played it myself. Well, now I wanna try my hand at sampling ,but I'm sort of stuck on what to get. I was thinking mpc 2000xl or 4000. Then again I thought about the software route to. I know, I know. I"ve read all read a lot of the posts though and have yet to read anything real informative. Mostly just dumbasses arguing about whether software is better than harware and vice versa. I'm leaning more towards the akai line for the pads, but anyone with some real input is welcome to speak on it. I'm listening. And please don't turn this into a B I T C H fest about which is more real and real hip hop blah blah blah.

thanks in advance,

Pound

[Unsystematic]

It's all preference. Myself, I love owning hardware samplers. I also use Soundforge and Cool Edit Pro to chop or cleanup samples. Example, I record a 4 second sample from turntable or keyboard into cool edit and then chop it up in one of the two programs mentioned. I then throw the chopped samples into my MPC 60/ S900 (drums mainly) or my ASR-X Pro. With the ASR-X, I mainly use it for melodic samples and maybe manipulate the chopped samples even more and resample them within the sampler and throw them back to the computer for clean up, then back into the sampler ...blah, blah, blah. I like using the hardware because it is more hands on for me and I groove better with them. I like using the computer because, as mentioned before, sample tweaking is more convenient for me to clean up on it looking at the sound waves. If you enjoy the look and feel of hardware, go that route. If you feel more comfortable with software, then look around at sampling software. If you buy the MPC with a 30 day return policy, you can always return it if it is not what your looking for. I don't think software is returnable.

[Pase]

I have a 2kxl and its built for sampling/sequencing but If you want just a hardware sampler and to sequence in something else you could also go with a triton or motif rack or the akai z8. The z8 sampler is cool too because its one of the few samplers that can sample in super audio (24 bit 96 khz)

[POUND]

Thanks guys. Those are the kind of answers I was looking for, real info. I'm sort of torn between the mpc 2000xl & the 4000, or maybe a akai z8 with a mpd16 to control it. I'm actually a hands on person. So maybe I shouldn't even consider hardware. Though i guess I could use the mpd16 for pads. I'm leaning to the 2000xl, but I don't know. I mean having to have a million floppy disks doesn't sound to appealing. Where as using CD and the 4000 does. I don't know, I'm really confused. Also, I have a MAc so it doesn't have a floppy disk, so it might be hard to create them.

[Pase]

You can get a mpc with a zip.

[homershines]

Pase is on the money! A MPCXL & a zip drive. The Zips can pop back and forth between your MP and your Mac. Use MPCProgram Maker for storing and converting your computer based sample library and then dump them to disk through that program and the sounds will be lined up appropriately on the MPC's pads. It's off the chain. I use it everyday.

I'm like Unsystematic, but I'm a Mac user though. I record into Pro Tools and then spit it out to one of my samplers. Been doing it this way since 1989. Used to use Alchemy which actually connected with your samplers through the computer via SCSI, MIDI and RS422.

The most important thing is whether you would use a keyboard or synth a lot. If so, get a nice new jawn. If not, get an older, even used keyboard or synth module. Lately been talking with some people about the Korg Trinity. It's the Triton's Daddy. Now, they are cheap. But they sound good. Look that way. Or even to the Korg T3. I have one. It's the Triton's Great Grand Daddy.

Either way, good luck and take your time.

[milLion]

go with the mpc2000xl -- i'm biased -- lol -- but that's what i have -- and i sample -- check my page below for examples -- you can also get an external cd-rom (scsi) for the mpc2000xl -- that way if you deal with cd's it wouldn't be a prob

[MrKasualUltra]

if your intuitive, get an mpc, if your more technical, bust the software,

[POUND]

Thanks for the respnses guys. I already have a keyboard and guitars, ect. I just want to get into sampling to expand my style a little bit and branch out. Also, I like the idea of being able to have access to so many different drum kits. I think my best bet is the 2000xl. It seems the 4000 is not really any better, just more expensive. I found a place to order all the zip and cd stuff and memory for the 2000xl. I think I'll go with it. I'm sure I'll have some more questions for you guys later on. Thanks for all the advice. I do have one more question though. IF I do the whole sequence on the mpc, will a floppy be big enough to save the sequence?

[milLion]

a floppy can usually hold the program (sequenced data, etc) -- but if you get into saving sampled sounds with your program -- chances are you'll go over the floppy's capacity -- a zip will fix that though -- but for the sequences -- you'll be fine with a floppy