Sampler/Sequencer for playing live - suggestions wanted.

[foster]

Hi,
I've just started out playing live with a new band/production project using live synths/guitars/drums etc with sequenced loops/drums and other bits.

we're currently playing live with Ableton Live 5 running off a powerbook for the sequenced stuff but i'm looking for a more dependable/more flexible hardware sequencer/sampler that could do the job instead. i produce and record the band using the powerbook so i'd rather not take it out on the road.

i've seen bands using the MPC-1000 for this sort of task. i wondered if anyone had any thoughts about this or any other possible alternatives (sampling groove boxes from roland or korg for example).

thanks in advance

foster.

[foster]

also - you can check out the sort of stuff we do at www.myspace.com/runhidesurvive

any feedback would be appreciated.

[getcrunk]

Cubase SX is more in-depth than ableton so that should be a good choice, and it would be cheaper than buying an MPC since you already have a laptop i suppose..

[foster]

we kinda want to get away from just running the tracks as sequences on the laptop. ableton live has been good because we can use clip based triggering along with the sequenced stuff to give the show more of a performance feel, rather than it just looking like we're performing with a backing track.

can the mpc, for example, play sequenced clips (phrases) from the pads with quantised triggering like ableton?

[Samplecraze]

Have a look at the Yamaha QY700 and the Roland MC80.

[foster]

the QY and MC are solid hardware sequencers, i used to use an MC50 back in the day. but we need something with a sampling capability, at the moment our live tracks use one or two midi sequenced tracks - driving seq lines on different synths, and the rest is sample based so we'd need something with the sample playback capability.