Looking into purchasing an Mpc but don't know which one to get

Welcome!

3 questions:

1. Do you lean more 90s/00s/Dilla, more 808/trap, or more "#$%& you, I do it all"?

2. Which producers are really inspiring you right now?

3. What are you currently using to make music? (FL? Logic? PT?)

I'm using fl and I want to make madlib type beats with trap inspired drum patterns

excellent.

You aiming to make beats without a computer, or just want something more hands-on?

What is it that FL can't do that you're hoping the MPC can bring to the table?

I used one of my friends mpc's and I just really like the feel of them and I really enjoy crate digging also earlier u asked by biggest influence and I'd probably say J.cole

Those pads feel amazing, don't they? So solid.

Which MPC did your friend have?

I totally get crate digging, but you can sample into FL just as easily as you can sample into an MPC.

The way I see it, if you're dead set on an MPC, and just getting a MIDI Controller with MPC-quality pads to connect to FL won't cut it, I'd go for one of the modern units, and stay away from the 80s, 90s, and 00's units. Unless you know for sure that you just have to have the gritty converter sound of the MPC 60, 3000, or 2000, I'd save yourself a lot of headache and get the best deal on a modern machine with a fast processor and a color screen.

If you haven't used any of those old machines, I think you'd be shocked at how long certain basic operations take. They have tight timing and great feel, but doing anything else is gonna involve some waiting around. I hear even the new MPC 1000 has some load times for certain actions (don't quote me on that).

Anyway, long story short, don't get any of the older machines unless you just have to have that specific authentic sound. The new machines will be easier to live with.

That said, in my personal experience, if you have great music inside of you that needs to come out, then you can make that great music with FL and a controller, an MPC isn't going to improve your musical skills at all.

But if you want one, you want one. I get it.

Thanks for all the advice I think I'll get the mpc but I will start with the mpc one+. My friend had the 2000xl another reason I am interested in the mpc is because I've seen all my idols use it like J.Cole, Kanye, Mf doom, J Dilla and more

Totally get it. And I think values on the 2000 are gonna keep rising because of that. The 2000 isn't as known for its "sound" as the MPC60 and 3000 are, but it still has a sound all its own, the MPCs that came after that, not so much.

J Cole is the youngest of those guys, and he's almost 40. Anyone that was making beats in the 2000's had an MPC 2000XL. If you hadn't gotten a 3000 when they were new (like JD), you had a 2000.

If you were vibing with your friend's MPC 2000, and you're ok with the load times and limitations, I'm in no way saying it's a bad machine -- it's a classic... but it's going to be a slower process than just using FL. The newer MPCs can do stuff the old ones could never dream of... just depends on your priorities and what you're going for.

... also if I get an mpc would it be possible to do sample chops and drums on the mpc then export them and do vocals and arrangement in fl?

For the MPC2000/2000XL, no there is no export in the way you're thinking. You have to setup the machine to synchronize to FL over MIDI, and then press play and record the various tracks of your beat and chops into FL as the MPC plays them back. So you need a good audio interface true with DIN MIDI input and output sockets to pull this off. So buying a 2000 means also buying a good audio interface, which adds $$$... you'll want an interface that can do more than 2 tracks at once too, otherwise you have to run several recording passes to get all the individual tracks of the beat into FL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sah1jTnZPr4

https://youtu.be/zPw1gQssMLs?t=235

For the MPC One+, I believe you can just export each track as a .wav file directly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O4NSiy8Unc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abtSTPHlJto

But to be clear, I don't recommend either the One or the 2000 at any price, I recommend you use FL Studio to it's full potential and just get a cheap MIDI controller that has pads that feel like an MPC. But I totally understand wanting to have the MPC hardware experience for yourself.

Whatever you buy, either wait until you can get a good deal used, like on Reverb(dot)com, or make sure the place will let you return it, open box, for a refund if you're buying new.

Ok I think I will get a midi controller for now also are plugins like serato sample worth it?

Plugins are something you'll eventually start getting into, if you're not already, but FL ships with everything you need.

Serato Sample is hot right now. Some people like the simple workflow, but fundamentally, it doesn't do anything that isn't already built into FL. FL even has stem separation now, something JD and Madlib (RIP) could only dream of. If there's a demo of Serato Sample, definitely check it out for yourself. I haven't tried it myself.

People like buying things. People especially like buying things to feel like they've accomplished something that moves them forward, instead of putting in the work to get better at their craft. I was one of those people for years and years. Don't make the mistakes I made.

If you're interested in a plugin, and they have a free demo, it never hurts to check it out... but I'd recommend never buying any plugin unless you're sure its something your DAW just can't do well enough out of the box. I've got waaaayyyy too many plugins. I use like 5 on a regular basis, the rest just sit there.

@dudewhomakesbeats

Pkennethk makes some good points that I'm going to expand on.

Serato Sample is hot right now. Some people like the simple workflow, but fundamentally, it doesn't do anything that isn't already built into FL.

FL is a giant sampler with a million interface options and layers of tools. There's a half dozen ways to peel every banana. This is because it began life as fruityloops, a sampling drum machine style loop generator meant to be used as a source of material for fully featured early DAWs. Functionality was added to every update, at first a single 303 type acid synth called tb404 and a mixer to compete with rebirth, but much much more as time moved on. Features have rarely been removed or replaced although a few sample window distortion and ambience features were removed about 20 years ago. Almost everything from version 1 is there and you can do a lot just with those front tab sampler controls.

People like buying things. People especially like buying things to feel like they've accomplished something that moves them forward, instead of putting in the work to get better at their craft. I was one of those people for years and years. Don't make the mistakes I made.

The best reason to invest in a new plugin or piece of gear for production or mixing is because you've encountered a problem you couldn't solve to your satisfaction. The next best reason is to spark creativity. The worst reason is because you think that just inserting that processor somewhere will take your work to the 'next level' in some ill defined way.

Understanding that most processing families were originally designed as tools with fairly specific use case scenarios is the key. Experimenting is fun, but it used to be a luxury. When we had to work budget-driven deadlines it forced a much more utilitarian approach that produced an in depth understanding of the tools available on any given project as well as the critical listening skills required to use them productively... or not at all... just because you gave an 1176 doesn't mean you have to crush something in your mix.

Keeping your tools limited to the extensive palette in your daw and setting artificial deadlines might be a great approach to learning how everything functions and when to use what... and when to fo nothing.

In a dense mix, the best effect in your DAW is fader automation. Automation is hands down the greatest development in recording technology since multitracking.