Akai MPC 500 Quick Thoughts / First Impression! Should you buy?

First impressions on the Akai MPC 500. And the making of a quick beat with the machine.
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[@Skulptursound]

I love my mpc500, had it since 2008, I use it way more then my 1000 or 2000xl.. the 500 has to be my favorite mpc

[@ppic7162]

It is quickly growing on me. I don't. know if I'll ever use it more than the 1000. But I can see using it more than the modern MPCs.

[@Skulptursound]

@@ppic7162 have you seen the battery mod for the mpc1000?? I tried to post the link, but KZbin thinks I’m spamming so they pulled my last comment

[@pureaquafina4732]

can this be used with a daw or is it standalone?

[@markerspaintsand808s]

@@pureaquafina4732 it’s not a mpc controller, but the tracks can be imported into a daw via usb cable or sd card transfer or recorded into your daw. Use it with your daw or get a four track and do both. No limits to your creativity kid! I’ve even used an adapter and recorded into my iphone and ipad with the 500.

[@JanWynd]

@@markerspaintsand808s Yep! ^ ^ ^ ^^Knows whassup! Lotta times, I tend to record my drums live from da hardware straight into the DAW while the sample is being played from the DAW. This technique allows my drum loops to have a dynamic unmatched swing along with ensuring that the drum-programming was custom-tailored for every rhythmic nuance of the sample being used. I dont usually reveal that jewel(secret weapon) but we need dis art of beatsmithery to continue so I'ma gwan 'n throw dat gem into da ether for da future beatsmiths that come after me!

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

I know you are going to love the 500. IMO it's the best portable MPC Akai ever made to this day. I learned to use the 500 first before I eventually got a 3000. When I switched on the 3000 everything all made sense for me as it was basically the same as the 500 to me. It's the same workflow except that you have more information on each page of the 3000. Traveling with the 500 is better than the Live or Live II as it's a lot smaller so it fits easily on the tray on a plane without sticking out, unlike the Live and Live II. That's the main reason that I resisted getting the Live or the One.

[@JanWynd]

You understand my language. I'm a bike courier, I'm on the road all day long and literally live out of my backpack: My entire HQ is in my pack, PClaptop/Chromebook/USBaudio-interface/camcorder/digicam...ALLAT. I got just enough room left for an MPC500. I cant wait!

[@W6rr10r21]

This is also one of my favourite MPC’s. Love to see you got one as well. Chopping by resampling is the way to go. Assign a sample to a pad, go to record screen, hit the pad and punch in and out to isolate a chop. The MP let’s you automatically assign it to the next pad. Because it’s a non-destructive way of chopping you can create crazy slices. Use the Shift button in trim mode to move the cursor left or right in smaller steps. Shift button is also very useful in program mode for adjusting param values. With the 1000 (2500 for me) it’s very easy to use multiple programs inside a project. With the 500 I usually put everything in 1 program asmap to keep things nice and clean and as a workaround for not having a mixer. 1 thing I really like about the 500 over the 2500/1000 is that you can have the sequencer running while browsing through your sounds on the CF card. Last note on the battery life, if you have some decent batteries and turn off the backlight you can squeeze out 8hrs of battery life out of them.

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

You can mix in the box with this MPC. You have a volume page, panning page and you can put up to two effects on each pad and you have an EQ and compressor for the output mix. Basically you get your balance of the mix by using the volume, panning and effects and your mix can sound complete in the box before exporting it via the stereo outs. That's where the 3000 excels as it has eight individual outputs and the stereo outputs so you have more control over each sound when mixing in the DAW or tape. I've never used the 500 on a commercial release but I think it's one that I may do this year

[@alecsbuga]

I had a pimped one too. Red screen. All black. Except chopping, Man the audio engine was a beast.

[@samsicles_jr]

i have the red screen too. looks good, and easier on the eyes for me than the red, but do you find you can't see the screen if you turn the backlight off? that's a bit of a bummer for me as i think the backlight is significant drain on the batteries

[@alecsbuga]

@@samsicles_jr yeah. It was useless without backlight

[@13winings]

The 500 and the 5k are my mains. To use the 500 for ideas then hop over to the 5k is the go to workflow. I hope the "mpc live mini" could be a refresh of the 500 would be dope

[@ppic7162]

I just got a 5000 and the pads wouldn't respond. I had to return it. I have bad luck with the battery powered MPCs but I'll consider the mini Live.

[@ildarkinildarkin]

I had MPC 500 till 2021 and sold it as I didn't use it anymore after getting MPC One. The main disadvantage of this machine is that it takes so much time to do simple things. The machine is awesome in terms of sound quality and build quality but all in all its time has passed. The only a way to use 500 I can think of is when you travel and you can't live a minute without beat making. In this situation 500 is the best as you can throw batteries in it and play on the go not worrying of damaging it as it's built like a tank really.

[@MattmanAZ09]

It doesn’t have a mixer per se but there is volume and pan for each pad on the OS version that I had.

[@beatsbyattarus80]

It's a great MPC still in 2023/24, if you learn how to use it properly. Limitations are a pro for me. If you put fat pad pads and nicer knobs it feels and look amazing. Too bad it doesn't ave auto chop, that's the only thing I really miss, plus maybe a couple of extra outputs.

[@JanWynd]

I've been wanting to get my hands one of dem jawns since da jump. Even right now in 2023, I cant seem to find a used one for cheap. Thas a testament to how well-made/reliable they are: Ninjaz is STILL charging upwards of 3hunnid/4hunnid for dem jawns USED! If I can find a used one for under 2 hunnid, I'll do a triple backflip in my drawls in a crowded grocery store!

[@tomblaze2]

Dope - been researching this

[@nicoscorner2592]

I just bought one today for 218 dollars in excellent condition with full memory and including shipping, can't wait to receive it.

[@ppic7162]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@nicoscorner2592]

@@StatetrooperBillyBill Done, along with black buttons, 2000XL style black jogwheel, crosshair and tall black metal knobs. It's a full black version now 👍

[@ruffiankickloops]

This was my first MPC even tho i got it in 2020. I had been doing beats for like 12 years up to that point but when i got that 500, i picked up the MPC Workflow quick as hell even tho i came from the Roland & Boss SPs. But maan ! great MPC after you upgraded the pads and Memory. My main gripe was my unit had faulty tact switched under the cursor. After sold this, i got the MPC live 2. That was like going from an iphone 3GS to an Iphone 15 LMAAAAOO BIG UPGRADE 😂

[@knowEgo]

*AKAI* - got you again lol. I couldn’t imagine doing full projects on the 500 - not because it couldn’t stack up but the calculator screen and the plastic knobs seem flimsy!! On the resale market I would go with the 1000 it’s more customizable and seems more rugged! And just having 12 pads seems blasphemous lol 😂

[@ppic7162]

I agree, but you can get use to this really fast. You hardly notice the 12 pads after using it for a couple of hours.

[@djgreenhornet2892]

I always wanted a MPC 500. I ended up getting a Roland SP606 instead.

[@ppic7162]

Not a bad choice. I had a hard time learning the SP workflow.

[@AnalogFlava]

how you like it ??

[@djgreenhornet2892]

@@AnalogFlava like what? The SP606? Yeah I like it. Had it for about 16 years. I put it to the side a couple mouths to concentrate on my other gear. I’m need to learn my other gear.

[@OPdbx]

I love the 500 and have been making most of my beats on it since getting it a few months back. It was my first MPC so there was a learning curve that I had to get over, but now It feels like a breeze. Chopping on it is trash, and mine still chews through RAM even with the expansion. It's best to do your chopping and any effects on your computer beforehand, and importing via USB. It's a better sampler than some people online will have you believe.

[@smiauu]

Just copped one for 100 euros in mint condition maxxed. absolute steal for a real hardware sequencer of this caliber

[@ppic7162]

What? That's like $110. That is an excellent deal.

[@RunOfTheHind]

I got one after I had to sell my MPC60. You can't get a more powerful, more comprehensive sampler for the price these days. Only sold it as the 16/44.1 sound was too vanilla and the menu diving was a bit annoying. Now using an SP303 which is obviously extremely limited by comparison (no speed-type pitching?!?!) but has a lot more mojo in the sound and is far more immediate.

[@AT-eh2eo]

In the words of the sensei, ill green: “the 500 is like the 3000 on steroids with its arms cut off”

[@stuartdavid8493]

The 3000 can only have one program active in a sequence, the 500 can have 24 programs active in a sequence. The 500 is an octopus compared to the 3000. Way more arms.

[@BDAILEY702]

there’s one i can get for $300. I’m thinking about it.. but i already have a mpc live 2… for the portability.

[@BobbyBeam]

Nice. Will there be a music sampling app made by Paris Pinkney in the near future?

[@ppic7162]

One of my first Apps was a step sequencer call Digital Drum Partner. It was terrible. All that time and effort and only like 57 installs in 3 or 4 years, I think. You can't outdo the current D.A.W.s and samplers out here right now, they are all great and seem to have unlimited resources.

[@BobbyBeam]

@@ppic7162 Yeah, the new stuff is crazy, especially the ones with stem separation.

[@bushmann9272]

i never liked sampling directly into the machine i could hear a slight whine that bothered me, maybe it was just my unit, idk? someone needs to come out with some os mods for it like jjos

[@xlroo4258]

Hi! I've been watching some of your videos and i really like your Sample Chopping and beat making videos, man! Are you looking for a thumbnail designer? I would love to work with you and i think that i can help you a lot. Let me know!

[@ppic7162]

Thanks! Sure. I make them all myself and they look really bad. Send me the info.

[@xlroo4258]

@@ppic7162 Where can i send you a message? Email? Instagram? So i can show you some of my work

[@xlroo4258]

@@ppic7162 Lmk if you're still interested!

[@bionnslucas4909]

Meu rei por favor faz um tutorial dela legendado em português

[@YakDiezel]

Yo can i put that screen on my renaissance?

[@ppic7162]

I don't know. Isn't the renaissance a controller? I never had one but that is how I've heard it described.

[@YakDiezel]

Yeah but the programming works the same way onscreen . I prefer the head down approach on the renaissance in oppose to looking up at the screen because you can do it that way. It's a hybrid workflow but you can work on the ren the same way you work on a 200xl.@@ppic7162

[@mingusx3440]

Haha, another one! 🤣

[@matthewgaines10]

Weight doesn’t mean better or quality. It could but not necessarily. The electronics in a MPC 500 aren’t magically made better. The only thing I think could be better is leaded solder vs lead free solder. I’ve three modern MPCs for years and none have gone bad on me. So what.

[@ppic7162]

Good point. I was just pointing out the fact that it didn't feel cheap with the extra weight. I've had 2 MPC Live 2s go bad on me and 1 MPC one. I think my 2000xl is about to bad. It makes strange sounds sometimes.

[@Paddydacook]

doesn't like like an enjoyable machine to me