Review Akai MPC 1000 by future producers website...
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I've just spent the last 2 months with a brand new AKAI MPC1000. Here's what I can report so far.
It can host a very decent amount of memory (128MB) so you can capture very long samples in high quality (16 Bit, 44.1 Khz). 16 MB is very usable to start with actually, so you can live without it as you first learn how to use it. The extra 128 MB module can usually be found at a bit more than $100 and is not a standard memory module.
The built-in separate outputs, 2 for the main stereo + 4 assignable, makes it easy to route the sounds you want to separate tracks on your mixer or DAW. The MPC1000 comes standard with effects: 2 separate FX sections + a dedicated EQ and a dedicated Compressor on the MAIN OUT.
It can re-sample its own output while playing. This can be used in many ways: for example you can save a whole song as a WAV file on the Compact Flash card - very handy - or to apply effects and combine sounds together, and remap the result to other pads, etc.
It accepts "Type 2" Compact Flash cards like the ones used in many digital cameras. Those will work with models as large as 2 Gigabytes. It is a good idea to get a bigger Compact Flash card than the 32 MB one that's shipped with the MPC. You can work with it for a while but you will feel limited as far as saving large "programs" (a program is a collection of WAV files, plus a PGM file with the pad assignment and envelope information. You don't need to buy the largest CF Card however, because in my opinion those are too expensive right now... However the 256 and 512 MB ones are cheap enough considering how much they hold. Those cards are pretty small and my advice is to also buy a solid case to hold all of them.
It has USB built-in - basically the MPC's CF Card shows up in your computer as a removable drive. The workflow is a bit weird though, as you have to get in a "mode" to transfer stuff... To go fast you can just pull out the CF Card even while it plays, plug it on your computer, add files, move it back to the MPC, etc... I found this to be more comfortable than it may sound. Card readers for your computer are cheap these days, and you can find one for around $10.
Sound Format / Programs
The MPC 1000 has its own (new) program format, and cannot directly read programs from the "popular" AKAI CD-ROM libraries. Those CD-ROMs usually contain programs in either S1000/S3000 or S5000/6000 format. In my case, most of my sound library is made of S1000/S3000 programs.
Here is what the MPC1000 can read:
MPC2000XL: SEQ, PGM (*), WAV
MPC4000: SEQ, WAV (No PGM compatibility)
MPC3000: No compatibility
Z4/8:.WAV sample data only
S5/6000: .WAV sample data only
S1000/3000: No compatibility
There are easy ways to "extract" the sounds from these CD-ROMs, and to save them as WAV files which can be used on the MPC1000, but this is only useful for simple cases such as basic drum kits and programs with a small number of sounds. AKAI made this decision because the MPC1000 is designed primarily as a drum-focused machine. A nice thing is that you can load and use up to 24 Programs.
In a sense, I don't think I would have relied on it to load in super complex orchestral libraries anyways, because its polyphony (number of sounds or notes which can be played at once) is limited to 32. The MPC2000XL is also limited to 32, but the MPC4000 has 64 voices, which would give you more headroom to trigger "both" complex drum parts and instrument layers internally. 32 notes is a fine number when working with complex drum sequences however, and the MPC1000 does a great job at triggering those, dead-on time.
One thing to keep in mind however, is that the MPC1000 (like the other models) can easily sequence external sound modules and software, so you can always load your full orchestra in a software sampler or even one of the older rack samplers which are getting cheap these days, and still get the feel of the MPC workflow by sequencing everything from there.
It is small isn't it?
It's very small - that's nice, but you may prefer the larger pads on the 2000XL and 4000, so make sure you try both. The 1000's pads are usable though I like them, but if you are used to the 2000's size you may find them small at first.
Sample Editing
If you like using Sound forge or other sound editors to reverse and stretch your samples, you are in good shape - otherwise check out the other MPCs as the 1000 does not currently have those features built-in. However also know that 2000 users usually complain about the speed they aply...
If you *really* don't want to use a computer to do these quickly, maybe look at the 4000 which has more sample editing features. It is more expensive but if you need these features all the time you might want to give it a try.
Hardware and Software Sequencers
It does not replace a computer-based sequencer, it is *different*. In fact, I believe it would be limiting to ask if one replaced the other. They work very well together. You can sit down and get some ideas down within minutes, and later on if you that you miss your Cubase, Logic or Sonar, you can save your work as a standard MIDI file (.MID) on the CF Card, import it in your favorite computer application to "continue" your MIDI work from there. Most of the time however, if you are happy of the way it's sequenced and still miss your DAW to sequence the "Rest" of your song, you can just record the separate tracks of your sequences in audio (tracking) and import them to audio tracks in your favorite application, and continue to build from there. It is really up to you to decide the way you want to work, and the MPC1000 doesn't get in the way.
Room for Improvement?
Is there anything missing? Of course my reflex is to ask for the possibility to plug USB drives (hard drives, cd readers, burners). Unfortunately this would probably require the MPC1000 to be designed as a USB Host rather than a Slave. Can't load legacy AKAI programs. No time-stretch or sample reverse. Need to "stop" everything in order to use the USB feature.
Conclusion
The MAIN thing about it: it's FAST to work with... You can sit down, power it up, and start making music right away.
I like to look at it as a "music sketchpad"... Not as much editing as let's say Cubase or Logic, but to me much faster to "START" a project. when I walk in the studio I like to get my ideas down quickly, mainly because by the time I turn on everything and set up the software, it's basically gone, or it's not as fresh. Here, the MPC1000 really shines, and changed the way I make music.
There are definitely some features that could be added to it but there is something about its simplicity... Its very "dedicated" and streamlined. Combining it with a software setup works great, despite what some may say about "Duplicating" features.
It is not all about features, but also about the way you INTERACT with them.
Review by: mano@FutureProducers
