Need help with a Purchase for sampling

  • Thread starter Thread starter Affinia Dumont
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Affinia Dumont

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I'm new to the site and new to producing. So far i've bought all hardware equipment of which I love, the only thing I'm missing for now is a sampler. I have loads of friends with MPC's but I'm not to fond of them. But I have been eyeing Roland's table top products.

Sp555 or 404sx or even an Old Sp808.

The problem is that everyone tells me that I should just use Abelton Live 8 because I already have it. They tell me to get a controller and use it for samples.
Even though I'm new to production, I'm not a computer gal. I just can't see using my laptop while playing live. I have used Abelton a bit and Love how I can tweak a sample to peices but can't get over the fear of having to depend on a laptop.

My goals are to have a sampler that I can use during a live performance. Should I just stay simple and go with hardware or bite the bullet and incorporate Abelton and if so what's the best controller for abelton Live.

Thanks for your help!
 
If your used to Abelton I'd go that route to have zero learning curve. If you don't care than a MPC or a SP series sampler will work fine.
 
This is going to be long, but since you're starting out I figured you may need all the help you can get.

I have owned both the Sp-808 and the Sp-404. I sold them but I now want them back. I started sampling on the pc and YES It much easier but I found I missed the portability of a tabletop sampler. If you don't plan on playing live then stay with Abelton but it sounds like your goal is to PLAY Live.

Also to me using abelton just for samples in a live setup is overkill. Most people that use Abelton live usually ONLY use that, or they use it with a DJ set up. Hardware, plus a laptop ,plus a software controller is ALOT of stuff to control for a Live performance. You will find that you will rarely use one of those things.


Now as for the rolands,, let me tell you that the sequencers SUCK on ALL units. Well not all. I've never used the Sp606. But even the 555 only has one track sequencer, the old Sp808 had a useless 4 track sequencer. I say useless because I found that those sequencers were a ***** to synch thru midi and the old sp808's had a limited time that you could put a song together,, I think it was like 24 minutes or something like that. In Live situations that's not alot. The positives were the ease of use and the FX. I loved the 404 because you could take it anywhere and do field recording. I would go to construction sites and record stuff. bring it back and process them at home. If your money is tight you can find an 808 for DIRT CHEAP but they aren't portable and they use old technology, ie zip discs. But it's so EASY TO USE. If money is no problem I would skip over the 404 and get the 555 just don't use the sequncer. All you have to do is trigger the samples with one of hardware sequncers. You will have more flexibilty that was anyway.

The 555 is still somewhat portable, has a built in mic input for field recording and more importantly uses USB and can import wav files. This is important because you can create some great sounds using abelton and then just dump them on the SP555.

My vote buy a sp-555 and keep using abelton at home to create your samples.
 
the launchpad is made for Live
http://www.ableton.com/movies?type=product&movie=launchpad&autostart=y
as is the APC40
http://www.ableton.com/movies?type=product&movie=touch&autostart=y
and the APC20
http://www.ableton.com/apc20
but pretty much any midi controller will work with it. if you are considering a hardware sampler, have a lot at some of those controllers, since Live is a bit more versatile that some of the boxes you mentioned. you can pretty much use Live in the same fashion as you would any of those samplers. but it's up to you, check the vids and see how others are using it. Ski is sayin the same stuff i've been trying to tell cats since '04 when i was using ver.4, now, everything is even easier, especially with drumracks and groove quantize option. i'm good now.
http://www.ableton.com/skibeatz
LevLove
 
Sp-555

The Sp 555 really only has one track? Why would they reduce it to one track when the sp808s had 4.

I really don't know what I want to do. I think i definitely don't want to take a laptop out tho,, so that does limits the options.
 
Like I said, the Sp808s sequencer was worthless anyway and this is coming from someone that loved the sp808 and the sp404.

So the sp404 going to one track wasn't too bad. You can't sequence external sequencers on any of them. The best thing about the rolands were the FX. How many samplers in that price range do you know of that can change a males voice to a females voice PERFECTLY. That's was just one of the FX on the SP808. The ideal hardware situation would be to get the MPC500 for the sequencer and the SP404 or 555 together. The problem with that is that you're now in the 1000 dollar range and you can get so much more for that.


I know the dilemma you're facing. I was in the same boat.
 
I never got around to using the sp606. The specs look good, but they are hard to find now. That's a good sign , the people that did buy them aren't giving the up.
 
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