Getting Started with your Akai 2000XL

Quick video to help you get started with your Akai... get sounds you want as .wav files onto your disc, load into your Akai, assign sounds to pads, save as .pgm, make a quick sequence (record something) then save sequence :) If you are interested, I can show the recording process and saving progress in another vid ... good luck and keep it fun!

[@arakifanboy]

i wish all youtube tutorials were like this. specific, in depth, understandable.

[@jvz773]

Perfect demo for quickly conveying the basics! Exactly what I needed, thanks! 🙏👍

[@riversidedjs]

You are welcome! I should probably make more videos...

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

I would like to say a big thank you for this video. It helped me a lot in recording my first track using the 2000XL. Other videos showed me different functions but your video showed me how to get up and running. Big respect

[@riversidedjs]

I am planning on making more videos, got tied up with the pandemic :)

[@cdh79]

thanks, i started making music about 20 years ago, and back then had two choices: get an MPC or an E-mu sequencer (with internal sounds).. i decided for the E-mu back then, which i have regretted over the years, as I knew it wasn't the right choice.. over the years i've bought an S950, an S6000, some sound modules (which i all still own) and when i came across an MPC 2000xl in a pawn shop a few days ago for a good price, i decided to get it.. when at home i tested it, and unfortunately it had some broken pads (the rest works fine), so i went back as that shop gives a month warranty on their stuff, told them what's up, and how much a pad sensor is (inclusive shipping and import fees to Europe as it seems to only be available from the US).. initially i wanted to return the MPC, but they told me that they'd give me 150 Euro back in cash if i wanted to keep it and fix it myself, as they can't sell it broken and have no knowledge on how to fix it, so that's what i did it, as this just made it a great deal (around 500 bucks with 32Mb and CF/SD reader). already ordered the sensor from mpcstuff and i know installation will be easy.. they actually didn't make any money off it (i know how much they bought it for, as the seller was coincidentally in there selling something else and we talked when i wanted to return it).. your video really has helped me quickly getting into using it.. today i was offered a mint mpc2500 with jjos and full memory for 500 bucks, so i might have to jump on that as well, as the offer is just too good to pass, but that's a topic for another instruction video ;)

[@Wungun_Eniguey]

I don't have a 2000, but I appreciate the breakdown of information! Thank you and well done, sir!

[@riversidedjs]

Thank you for the compliment :)

[@ppic7162]

Just got the MPC 2000xl delivered. Thanks for the video! You were a big help to getting started.

[@riversidedjs]

Glad the video was helpful :) I should probably make more videos

[@diegodominguez45]

Make a part two! Great video 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@patansy3455]

That was very helpful. I just got me an Akai MPC 2000xl SE with orange color scheme and flower tone pads . I am trying to navigate through things and figure it all out .

[@patansy3455]

@@moritz_schadt yes I am. Been making alot of EDM and stuff like that .

[@andrewlewis7409]

Awesome vid man, i hope to get one soon

[@BoombapBodega]

Thanks bro! I love this machine! I got to get my hands on this old school joint! Peace!

[@riversidedjs]

You won't regret it:)

[@gearpunk9632]

Thanks for this vid, very helpful.

[@minkloco619]

Can’t wait until I get that package delivered great video though💯

[@MuhammadLaher]

Thanks a lot bro, this was really useful. I just got my 2000XL and wasn’t sure how to get started but now I can. The guy I bought it from gave me some disks with his sounds and stuff on it. But I was hoping you had or could make a video on sampling and then chopping it up and assigning to pad banks etc...?

[@riversidedjs]

I can do that :)

[@ahmedalbather7213]

Man you explained this very well! 👏🏽👌🏽

[@JJJobson]

Mine is sitting in my closet covered. It has new pad censor, 8 channel board and 128mb ram with the original floppy drive. Love this machine and not sure I could ever sell it

[@Ismimical]

Dope video, I need the xl, problem is no money for it and nobody wants to trade.

[@culturemax234]

🖤

[@fahadha]

thanks for this vid. I have a question about using wav's in the MPC2000XL -- are these all files you've sampled with the MPC? Or is there a way to load wavs from a PC onto the card and then use them in the MPC? I have OS 1.14 on mine. Currently no extra drive, only the floppy, but planning to get an external scsi SD drive. thanks.

[@riversidedjs]

Thanks! You will definitely want to get a hot swappable sd card reader. Yes, you can use wav files from a cpu. They must be 16 bit 44100 sample rate. I recommend using a scsi hard drive, save all your sample sounds and pgm to the scsi hard drive, update your operating system, then install the hot swap cf card reader. Your experiences will be better with that combo. Also, keep your floppy drive and safely store the floppy with the os on it for future use if needed. Enjoy!

[@mikewhiteman23]

Good vid

[@riversidedjs]

Thank you sir! I need to start putting up more

[@mikewhiteman23]

​@@riversidedjs yes put up some more!!! I was woundering can you import other people sequencers or midi from ableton or anywhere to put into the mpc. Do you have a sequence section then a sound section and can trigger both of them randomly?

[@ushnicyuvnikof2748]

The best thing you can do with 2000xl is use it to sequence an Akai S950 !!!! I'd prefer that set up to any other sampler or combo of samplers ever including the SP1200, MPC 60, MPC 3000 literally anything although an ASR-10 would be nice.

Hey are you always supposed to filter your samples before sequencing if it has too much low end?

[@riversidedjs]

I would filter it to be the sound you like prior to sampling, but dont go overboard... you can always run processing in your preferred DAW. Make a backup of your original sound

@@riversidedjs i don't have a daw i got the mpc 5000 i and i am curious about the filtering of samples and how to save them as filtered samples

[@misab5670]

Amazing video and beat grate job and by the way do u by any chance have all the sounds you put into the Akai 2000xl I really like the noises in the bank B specially the one at 8:24 and 8:25 there really cool if u do can u tell me where I can download them please thanks.

[@MonDBlancBranford]

Hey man, this was a super helpful video, im just wondering how you can get the pad to play while you hold it down and then stop when you release it.

[@riversidedjs]

Thanks! I could probably make a video to show you how to do that....

[@MonDBlancBranford]

@@riversidedjs Really? i dont have money for that kind of thing...

[@riversidedjs]

@@MonDBlancBranford here ya go bud :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKaspGaGhN9jbrM

[@phabeondominguez5971]

I MUST KNOW, what type of music are you creating with this priceless relic of the past!??? please, please still be around to answer this....

[@riversidedjs]

I use it for hip hop, reggae, adding bass to rock and such... love this thing!

[@phabeondominguez5971]

@@riversidedjs SOLD, buying one this week, as could never afford one as a kid but years later, things have changed, now I have more $$$ than time.. Anyways your video confirmed to me I was not making a mistake. Your reply just now is much appreciated. This is a geat introductory video and one wonders why there is no more? Would love to see what works of art you have created with this gem known as THE MPC...

[@riversidedjs]

@@phabeondominguez5971 Glad to help :) I should probably make more videos, when you get yours feel free to ask questions and Ill try to make video answers. Get the 8in8out board, worth it when tying into DAW on your computer through digital mixer :)

[@phabeondominguez5971]

RD Much appreciated, thanks!! And yes you should, there's an untapped segment clamoring for this. Also for my new machine, it's the mpc2000XL w/8 outs, Max ram, compact flash installed, SMPTE, even includes a SCSI zip external drive.. going from an mpc 1000 to this, aka backwards, so we'll see...

[@fabioescudero6204]

I wish I could have it

[@fabioescudero6204]

@@riversidedjs TY man

[@richardwalley2862]

Where did you get your flash drive?

[@riversidedjs]

I bought it with another 2000 machine and transferred it over to this one. But you can get them from ebay, or online. Do NOT get the trashy aftermarket one, look for genuine unit, they are HOTSWAPPABLE and nearly bullet proof. They go for about 200 to 300.

[@nicholasmichelangelo]

If you don’t have a sd card full of sounds/instruments can you still have sounds in the program

[@riversidedjs]

Sounds for programs are stored on removable media (zip drive, sd card, scsi drive, flash rom etc). No media= no sounds.

[@eunacehuntley2776]

hey man why nobody talks about the program and how it changes??? i separate my programs drums in one and sampled music in the other but however when I'm recording what ever program I'm using on track one if i go to track 2 and change to drums it also changes track 1 to the same as track 2s program sounding like a bad car wreck and I'm an experienced mpc user just never used the 2000xl or the 2500 all the others I've used and none of them does this the 4000 will let u correct that error but can't make this 2000xl stop changing programs

[@riversidedjs]

Good catch! And worth mentioning. When you load a program (group of sounds, samples, instruments assigned to the pad banks) to use, this program will be applied to the sequence you are working on. I like to apply drums to bank A, instruments bank B, voice samples bank C, and other samples bank D. Keep all tracks in one song using one program. There are limitations to work within

[@johnbosack6772]

ehh damn thats kind of beat tho even my MPC500 can do this

[@patansy3455]

I got the Akai MPC 2KXL it has the 32 MB SIMMs, but none of the other extra options . I have a zip drive in my MPC in the front, which for now I am ok with. and I am getting a SCSI external HD for external memory. Which options are worth the money ? The 8 mix in out sounds like it is worth it. The F-Rom board? The effects board ? Or the SMPTE chip ?

[@riversidedjs]

Hello! I like the 8 out board, tge smpte if you are tying to other equipment, f-rom board you will have a hard time finding... Ive been looking, the scsi hard drive for more memory is good. The effects board is nice to have, but is basic. Would be better to connect to external board like lexicon. I like these machines!

[@patansy3455]

So if I am trying to use it as a Midi with a daw and also stand alone for mixing and sampling, with the the internal clock It still worth it to get the SMPTE ? Does it work better for timing with a daw and recording or ?

[@patansy3455]

I really am excited about mine too. Just working on getting things going with it

[@patansy3455]

If I have a 9gb external hard drive to it . Do I need the F-Rom or how useful is the F-rom in that case ?

[@riversidedjs]

@@patansy3455 I would get the smpte chip :)

[@eastwoofer]

Does the standard factory 2000xl take normal floppies? Why am I hearing all this talk about Zip drives-is that a modification?

[@riversidedjs]

Older ones had a floppy drive. Not very dependable. Other models came with zip drives for more capacity, still not very dependable. Best option is to get the mcd model or upgrade to one. Reads compact flash cards, sd cards, etc.

[@dewittstewart2612]

Do I load what I want to sample on card ,or can I run my mpc directly in to CD player to sample

[@dewittstewart2612]

I want to sample some music,do I put it on the card that slides into my drive. Or can I just run the mpc directly into my CD player

[@dewittstewart2612]

@@moritz_schadt yes still trying

[@KIDJAAP]

how do you program ? like how do I create a program file with all the sounds on there like you did? As opposed to just having Individual .wav files.

[@riversidedjs]

So first, you would select and load your sounds (16 bit .wav 44.1) onto the pads (assign each sound to a pad)

[@riversidedjs]

Then, you would record your sequence with the tracks needed

[@riversidedjs]

Then you would hit "shift + save" and select save a sequence, and do it again and select save a program and sounds

[@riversidedjs]

You will need both of the above to open your beat back up and continue working :)

[@KIDJAAP]

@@riversidedjs oh okay! Thank u! I’m gonna try it and let u know how it goes. I’m still very new to this.

[@user-rv8wb1nl1b]

Aah , happy memories , but not really . I had the studio plus (fx,smpte,8 outs etc). . . . . . Now i have the MPC X , and LIVE . .. . . . THEY KILL !

[@riversidedjs]

No matter the tools, make the music :)

[@user-rv8wb1nl1b]

@@riversidedjs indeed , but you make better food with good ingredients, better films with better actors and better music with better instruments .

[@user-rv8wb1nl1b]

@@riversidedjs yeasall good

[@pharcyde522]

What type of sd cards do you use for you mod I installed the same one any Suggestions

[@riversidedjs]

I'll check the exact ones and let you know :)

[@riversidedjs]

I use SanDisk 2gb compact flash cards.

[@ac3ythisplacecalledvil316]

what size is the audio cable ?

[@riversidedjs]

Audio out left/right is 1/4" phono... they are balanced, so TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) is what I use... my monitor inputs are xlr input... so cable I use is 1/4" phono TRS to xlr/m (m stands for male) :)

[@lazyllamas6982]

Do you recommend this over the newer models? I notice you can use the 8 outs on here to send into a mixer to the pc but correct me if I’m wrong.

[@riversidedjs]

@@lazyllamas6982 I love this old thing, its crisp and the quality is insane. Newer stuff great too, just love this one :)

[@aadeshsurujballi9951]

Does anyone know where I could get one now a days ?

[@aadeshsurujballi9951]

@@riversidedjs just wondering . How much did u gets yours for ??

[@aadeshsurujballi9951]

@@riversidedjs and thanks

[@yingtianfu]

What is your reader? Do you know where I can buy it?

[@yingtianfu]

@@riversidedjs I don't see many people selling the factory mcd card reader online and they seem to cost a few hundred bucks. I did find gotek floppy drive USB emulator on amazon. Do you think those are good? Which one do you recommend? Thanks for the help! I just got an MPC 2000XL, and I'm very confused about how to use it. My MPC 2000XL has a floppy drive reader.

[@riversidedjs]

@@yingtianfu yep, gotta get rid of that floppy (but keep it safe and never let it leave your home, its needed for software)

[@riversidedjs]

@@yingtianfu make sure its HOT SWAP (card can be removed while machine is powered)

[@arsindmp9202]

Can you download a program onto a hard drive or sd and where would I download sounds

[@riversidedjs]

Yes you can. All of the sounds you loaded onto the program would also be saved to the same folder location as your program, so that it can be reloaded at a later date.

[@riversidedjs]

If you're looking for .wav sounds to use in your mixes and programs, there are many sources online with royalty free .wav files. Google for free .wav files, royalty free .wav, and such

[@arsindmp9202]

@@riversidedjs thanks so much man 😁

[@riversidedjs]

@@arsindmp9202 not a problem :) notes: I use a script hd to store programs, sequences, etc when working on them. When finalized or needing modification, I save to an SD card using the mcd SD card reader, there are other SD readers that are good as well. Feel free to ask questions :)

[@chadmcclain3462]

Nice 🤙🏽👍🏽😎💩

[@ahmedalbather7213]

Can I contact you via email ?

[@silentry]

i have an mpc one why am i watching this LOL

[@silentry]

@@riversidedjs fr I gotta say its cool learning about the 2000xl tho I was thinking of getting one if it wasn't so dang expensive.