The Annoying & Addictive SP-404 Mk2: Making a Beat // Compact Creations

In this video, We go through my creative process as I make a track on the SP-404. The SP-404 MKii is a powerful tool and while it is much fun, it can also be challenging to make a beat on this machine. As I work on my track, I share my thoughts and insights on how the SP-404 mk2 makes you think about music production in a different way. S/o to Chip Wickham for the sickest samples! I sampled this song here - www.tracklib.com/music/artist...
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00:00 Hey What's Up?!
00:58 Sequencing Drums on the SP-404 MkII
03:48 What Makes The SP-404 Workflow Special
05:19 The Samples I'm Using
06:18 Sample Chopping on SP-404 Mk2
08:38 Sequencing a Sample Chop
10:14 Copy Pattern To Sample is SO SICK!
11:55 Tracklib Promo Sponsor
14:34 I Saved So Much Time Using Skip Back Instead..
16:08 Tons Of ReSampling The Sample To Layer FX
19:46 One Final Pattern Before My Brain Explodes
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#sp404mk2 #beatmaker #lofihouse

[@brianrainsfordmarshall2692]

Got my MKII in January after feeling really burnt out from music and I've made more music since getting it than I did in the previous 2-3 years. Amazing machine.

[@SuperHonkyPodcast]

Can you elaborate a bit as to why the MKII helps you with that feeling burned out feeling? I ask because I've been producing music since the early 2000s and in the last few years I really started to get burned out and haven't hardly made anything new in the last couple years! I've been using FL Studio for nearly 20 years. I also own an MPC X as well but don't use that nearly as often as I should!

[@The7threst]

@@SuperHonkyPodcast I'm in the same boat man. Have my MPC X here and just can't be bothered turning it on after it kept crashing because of shitty Akai updates. Been eyeing a SP-404 for a while now.

[@brianrainsfordmarshall2692]

@@SuperHonkyPodcast I think it's mostly due to how fast the workflow is. I just find it way faster to translate what I'm hearing in my head to a finished product on the MKII compared to working in a DAW. I released 1 track last year, this year I've already released 3 beat tapes, with a plan to release 1 tape a month. I started to feel drowned in options working in a DAW, the MKII forced me to streamline my process and by doing that it's just made making music feel much more fluid and satisfying.

[@tommyk88888]

The 404 is also pretty handson when it comes to sampling. Its just a different experience.

[@DJCJ999]

can you plug a midi keyboard into the SP? to play samples or tweak fx?

[@daneguitarist1]

yessssss, more sp404mk2 stuff!

[@JaseOn]

Plsssss

[@charlarge3555]

Yessssss! Please!

[@joaquin5007]

“Are you still with me.” 😂 damn I felt that .

[@delt1595]

Yo Ricky, while in start/end menu, you can press the resample button thats blinking, to turn SNAP ON and help trim cleanly your sample while chopping them. It will set the start point anywhere where the soundwave is at 0 to avoid clipping. Might as well want to have the envelope start at 1 if the sample have tight transients. Peace

[@TheWorld_2099]

Zero crossover point. That’s a helpful function, thanks for the tip..!

[@RickyTinez]

oh hell yea! Thanks so much for sharing this Delta!

[@delt1595]

@@RickyTinez

[@KrazieBeatzLLC]

Bro that skip back just changed my life. I was turning on the record walking over to my synths playing some notes then coming back to the SP and trying to loop and truncate what I just recorded. Def a game changer!!!!!

[@nkglion]

I love you man! You've really influenced my life in such a positive way for more than 5 years. I'm now performing my electronic stuff at clubs and bars multiple times a month with my SP & Ableton Push and even getting paid for it. Releasing albums myself online. And it all started with watching videos of you performing live on your MPC and tutorials like compact creations, and your ableton tutorials. I'll be a fan of you forever dude.

[@XLIImusic]

I’ve owned the mk2 for over a year now. Made like 50 tracks on it. Still hate it. Not selling it, cos I love it. Except for when I wanna throw it off a building, but don’t cos I wanna hug it.

[@micraw714]

I can relate 😂

[@johnnynojokes]

Hey Ricky, I recently bought one of these as part of holding myself to a hobby resolution to learn something I’ve always been interested in by the end of this summer. I cannot undersell just how useful watching your workflows are. I’ve been having a lot of fun with this thing and just watching you work has taught me so much. Thanks man, I greatly appreciate it.

[@daisheyaku]

I've had the sp404 mk2 for a while now and while I love it, it can be a real pain in the ass. It offers so much though, so you really can't complain. I'm committed to mastering it. Your video is inspiring.

[@benklive]

I have watched so many videos and I can say you explained everything I wanted to know to make my workflow better with my new SP404mk2. Thanks Man! You’re awesome!

[@najati]

Great to see some really inspired 404mkii content! Would love to see more and how your workflow on it/use cases for it develop!

[@richardwhite7093]

Loved that video. Had me smiling so much by the end. It’s great to see the mis-steps and mistakes too as that helps viewers understand the errors they make themselves better. I also love the rapport you are able to maintain with a camera! We can see you but you can’t see us, just a camera - so professional 😊

[@sailortomb9307]

Super excited to watch you work with the MK2! Especially putting your signature vibe through it. Excellent process vid thanks v much!

[@kerosene4751]

That's deep. Embracing the slow-down to encourage more thinking as a creative process strategy. And I like the tip about skip-back, it never occurred to me to use it that way.

[@sclr]

Explaining the different parts of the sampler and having to maneuver out of them to get back to an area so you can navigate is super helpful. Most of my thinking of how this sampler is difficult comes from getting a little lost in the various “areas”. I wish there was just a simple overview tutorial that is just like remember if you are in chopping you can only get out via blah blah blah… lots of “don’t forget” type things with this machine. But it’s really a dope sampler.

[@isolabeats4271]

I've finally got around to learning the 404. A couple of weeks in and I'm really understanding the hype. It took a while to get my head back around destructive edits, but between learning how to use the sends properly and some of the new features it's super fun.

[@sinewaymusic]

I appreciate how diplomatic you are about stating the obvious, which is that the workflow is SO convoluted! I mean, why can't you just jump between pattern select and pattern edit? Why can't you exchange two samples while playing back a pattern? Why can't you apply a sample filter envelope on a per-pad basis? Why can't you flatten a pad with effects rather than having to resample to a new pad, save, exchange pads and remove the original pad? Why can't you edit existing steps in a tr sequence instead of having to remove and re-add then? Why can't you toggle between the two bus fx when playing a sample in chromatic mode? Why can't you start record while in chromatic mode? Why can't you toggle between tr-rec and live rec at all times? Why do you have to think deeply about why the pitch adjustment of a sample doesn't translate into what's being played in a pattern sequence? Why can't you set a fixed length of a resample in bars/beats and adjust the start OR endpoint to create the perfect loop? Why couldn't it just support a pseudo per-sample effect feature by remembering the per-sample effects via resampling it internally and adding a simple layer of meta info to retain the instructions about how the effects were applied to that resample? Why can't you hold down multiple steps or samples and press copy to copy them all at once? Why can't you nudge an existing step in the step sequencer? Why isn't the amp envelope a proper envelope? Why is entering tr-rec sometimes a shift+rec command and other times a rec and then remain command? Why can't you exchange a sample when a pattern is playing? I mean, are we suppose to just love this workflow for the unique flavor it gives you - or should we point out the elephant in the room and demand that Roland steps up their UX game like Elektron and others have done for a decade? 🙏

[@armandolara1290]

It’s crazy how natural Elektron’s workflow feels compared to other products

[@elek-trick]

Why don't you ask Roland all those questions?

[@sinewaymusic]

@@armandolara1290 It really is. I just wish that the Digitakt supported stereo samples, some polyphony and were battery/usb powered and it would have been the ultimate sampler groovebox. But there's no denying that the Digitakt lets you make music instead of wrestling with a clunky workflow.

[@sinewaymusic]

@@elek-trick I'm thinking that I kind of am asking Roland by posting these questions here. But if you know of a more direct way to communicate with them, I'd be glad to ask them directly to them too!

[@spiderfingers2005]

@@sinewaymusic You can battery power a Digitakt with the My Volts Ripcord power cables.. You need to get the Ripcord adaptor with the 12V USB cable... I use an Anker powercore Battery to power my one..

[@velanche]

This groove is definitely my vibe....and Chip Wickham! I have the SP404 MK2, but I am juggling quite a bit so it sits on my studio desk most of the time. I plan to dig into it this summer, but the kind of beats you do is what I hope to create. Been a DJ on radio and bars/lounge/venues for over 20 years....one thing to play other people's music, another to do my own. Keep crafting; you are inspiring.

[@Guacamole1000]

I always learn something when I watch your videos! Good stuff as usual, thanks Ricky!!

[@7oztheproducer]

Supremely well said! It's annoying but so damn fun, it is a charming sampler!

[@Elctrc]

What a smooth review. I love it Ricky!

[@Studio_4to1]

The mother of all reviews. Thanks a bunch

[@lofi-dave]

I've got my SP404 last week and this content is super helpful. Thank you!

[@bradfordkeithmadison953]

…new vid, coffee and that new Lucky Jaguar mug - great Saturday! (Thank you, sir!)

[@timrobertson4391]

More SP404mk2 content 🎉🎉🎉 Ricky Love it

[@maxthewolf9384]

So many little things I learned from watching this. Thank you very much!

[@peterbennett4733]

Ricky, you are smashing it bro!

[@lpn369]

Dam bro you can start your own UNIVERSITY with just about anything involving creativity, rhythm machines, exploring and teachings. So articulated at the same time 💯🔥🫡🫡🫡

[@alexdavis4043]

finally a video I can follow. Thanks for showing your workflow it really helped clear up some confusion

[@shawnbravo5201]

Appreciate your time thank you 🙏🏾 and that wall paper is 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@ram_frog]

Love this! I think I'm up to your level of comprehension on this thing, but not nearly as quick yet lol. Great tune man, inspired me to get working on my SP 🔥🔥🔥

[@patbreacadh]

Man that beat sounds dope. Great work!

[@shinseusagi224]

Thank you, man. Super useful to check ur workflow. Fantastic track. Peace and love from Hamburg, Germany ✨️

[@Ysosassythedj]

excellent 30 second intro about what the video will be about. Appreciate that.

[@Kablehead]

Used a lot of the SP's and i know exactly how you feel. 😄 So much frustration with these little beasts. But also a lot of fun.

[@TuzXMr]

It's alive compact creations are dope!

[@gelohau]

Inspiring stuff man! 🙌

[@olcanakcay]

Man this is fire, looking forward learning more out of this 404 month by month, just got it recently

[@shuasaladbar]

Yes someone calling the needless annoyances out. When resampling or creating samples out of pads it's also very helpful to bypass bus 3 and 4, that way the pad doesn't need to be bypassed when using in a track. Unless you're going for ultra lofi/303/saturated and compression (usually what my 3 and 4 are defaulted on).

[@xxjoshbrownxx]

Thanks for the tips!!! The skip back external only is a game changer.

[@espacemaxim]

The SP lures you in, chews you up and spits you out...at least for the first couple of times I used it.

[@prinzbach]

Amazing! I never thought about using the Skip back for sampling while playing. Still not as good as real-time sampling but I'll take it! Great video thanks!

[@BrightsoundsForAcidminds]

Mr Tinez throwing the bars at the end of the video. Fire vibe

[@jimbroadbent5664]

Watched this video when it came out but I only retained a portion of the topics. That skipjack tip for the external in is a great one! Thank you

[@marcvallois8984]

Yessss bro magnifique Rooohhhh good good song 🎧👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏☝️

[@NazarGerasymchuk]

Great! You've got a great track there! It was worth it :D

[@simonyricools]

It feels good to think!

[@kolektywpaliatyw]

Great beat! Reminds me of Mr. Fingers, especially the keys you played 😎

[@noelbreitenbach8673]

I ❤ my 404 MKII…. ❤ it so much

[@user-vd3if4wq6m]

Tracklib is like hiring a Police Officer to be SEcurity to your underground party... first person that gets caught drinking / Party's over!!!

[@mistahbenn]

I was in the same circles as Chip back in Manchester days. Great video

[@onlyonetonyg]

Great Vid man!

[@paulreed1308]

Thank You Ricky!

[@herman5115]

Thank you so much for this video - I was close to getting one, hoping that since SX they figured out a bulletproof UX, but … nah. I love it, FX are dope, but few days before 1.5, I got a cheap secondhand Digitakt as a companion to my old MPC1k - match made in heaven. Octa is next on the list, but for now: best of both worlds 🙌🏼

[@crisantosantaana]

very hepful! just got mine a week ago andI learned it super fast! it is fun and annoying lol. I feel that! I liked and subbed! Good content!

[@littlehopeleft]

Awsome video as always. Two things I am kinda missing comming from Circuit rhythm was A) When using the chromatic mode the Rhythm managed to keep changed key on the pad even after exiting out of it and B) The recording external input on the go. On rhythm you could assing empty pad to a pattern and then record to that pad while you whole pattern played on. SP always annoyingly stops the playback.

[@rushdontrun]

so good mate

[@robertsyrett1992]

It's truly a devil's bargain. The additional features dramatically sharpen the learning curve, but that's what makes this device so great!.

[@DJCJ999]

So I was trying to convince myself that I don't need an SP 404 mk2... but I am failing :/ .. that is so cool to be able to hear a sample pack with a beat!.. and change pitch and tempo!! game changer!!

[@saint.everett]

at 1:22 you reminded me of something, i got a mk2 as my first "sampler" and quickly after i bought an mpc2000, then sold it for a 1000, i never realized it but it probably is what sling shotted me into the world of mpcs lol

[@intr0beatz]

Yes! More sp videos pls!

[@fergalmcbride8769]

Great video, thank you

[@alexambient7491]

That in deed was a dope journey man! I didn't know you`re able to delete the samples in the pattern edit mode :D i always deleted them with the erase function. You always learn some new stuff on this machine... love it.

[@intnrmri]

Being an mkii pro means knowing all the quirks and workarounds. It’s fun to see people fumbling on it though :)

[@rorz999]

I'm still learning 😂 you really have to put in practice every day to remember all the button combos etc

[@chrisliddiard725]

This would be good as another must-have if only it had more memory allocated to its Skip-back functions. This function is the only reason i'd buy it. I'd have it in my audio chain monitoring everything, ready to commit anything interesting to longer-term memory. With more memory, you could be a 'serious' muso and not just into beats, and still find a place for this thing.

[@daysaverproductions]

Just subscribed as well great content man

[@pgwwa2]

Will take a while to get used to SP for me as a long time DAW user, but that was very informative video, thank you!

[@thebndu]

Dude that end build up is so sick, did you ever publish this track? One of my favorite tracks you've done and I keep coming back to that end bit just to hear it again.

[@noelcampbelljnr]

I love this video. Pleas make more and more sp404 mkii content. I have both the MPC live 2 and the sp404 mike and really love your content

[@billybartcody3591]

Hey Ricky, you really make that thing sing. You probably already know that JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown recently released a collab album called "Scaring The Hoes", every beat on the album done on the SP-404. JPEGMAFIA says it was a great experience, but he wouldn't do it again, haha. I do dig the form factor, sounds aces.

[@hahaihaveahandlenow]

Since I learned that, I've been binging 404 mk2 videos non stop

[@Dolle_Man]

@@hahaihaveahandlenow Love your user name!

[@hahaihaveahandlenow]

@@Dolle_Man 'Preciate it. I didn't even think it through, it was genuinely born in a moment of pure frustration

[@Dolle_Man]

@@hahaihaveahandlenow that alone makes it even more cool! 😂

[@raihanshrk1955]

really? good to know. Source? If you remember, where he said that?

[@DeathTrapProductions]

I recently discovered a function of sample chopping on the sp on accident. I'm used to being able to chop a sample up and save it to a single pad then press a button combo to access the chops on that pad (like on machine). However like you said the sp forces you to assign the chops to separate pads. I accidently found out that if you go into chop mode for a specific sample pad and make chop points, you can reenter those chop points without having to assign them to an entire new set of pads. However this can not be done while playing a patten simultaneously. But if you should happen to know how to lay the chops in time without the beat you can either resample to a new pad or use skipback to recall what you were playing. I hope they update this soon. If anything just being able to enter "chop" mode while playing a beat back would save SOOOO MUCH TIME AND SPACE.

[@DJDigitalJosh]

I've been messing with my MK2 today as well. Yes! The SP series machines are always a little annoying to me as well. I've just had to learn to love the better parts of each SP sampler and learn how to use these annoying things.

[@ZetaCarinae]

You are the first person I've seen that makes this device look appealing. I have a Deluge, which I use everyday and love, and I've wondered for a while if the SP-404 MKii would be complementary to it. I'm still pretty sure its not for me but it was very helpful to see how you used it.

[@tommyk88888]

It would be nice if you would sequence the mk2 on the deluge i think

[@rorz999]

​@@tommyk88888that sounds good in theory until you realise how basic the midi implementation is on the 404MK2. I really hope they improve it because I am desperate to sequence it with an external sequencer such as the Deluge but with control over many parameters via MIDI as well

[@jaysilence3314]

"execute, sounds.... a little intense." LOL, Gold!

[@jas_bataille]

The SP-404 was absolutely EVERYWHERE in the 2010s. I recall seeing this thing whenever I pulled up to any electronic music event. I recall seeing at least 5 pr 6 DJs doing a set exclusively on it, and the vinyl sim is so legendary that Vulfpeck had it modeled into a plug in called the Vulf Compressor by Good Hertz. I don't know any other digital hardware features modeled into another digital version of it. The 303 had the best reverse tho and this one has a 303 reverse mode! No matter how quirky it is, it will forever be a classic!

[@brmbkl]

The sp12(00) and ensoniq bit reduction has been modeled because people miss the sounds of those artifacts, so there’s those as well

[@Spacechord]

Very good. I am thinking of buying it too. My music genre is dub techno. I think I can do great things with this machine. Thank you for the video. I subscribed to your channel because you turned out professional, creative and nice. Bye 👋🎉🎉🎉

[@earthboundboy]

Chip Wickham is 🔥🔥🔥

[@iamluchini]

Recently picked up the MK2 to make house. This vid is exactly what I needed! Ty

[@VCTRLXNDR]

Great vid! Would love to see how you would incorporate it in a live performance 👀

[@darkflow192]

I'd love to see you revisit this again in a few months if you keep working with it, it seems like it really has a lot going on and has a much different workflow than a lot of other devices

[@dracul74]

I’ve owned mine for a while. My favorite thing is probably it’s versatility. Great as an effects box, loop maker, song maker, sampler… can travel… integrates well with other gear. It’s not perfect, but can’t imagine selling it anytime soon.

[@rorz999]

Yeah it's really flexible, can fit into so many different types of workflow

[@Tapepusher]

The only thing I’d contest there is “loop maker”, there’s no quantized cropping so you can’t make a perfect loop out of audio, and you can’t record loops with the external input, you must stop to finish recording, this is simply audio capture.

[@PorchBass]

The thumbnail is great.

[@djbigphill]

Subscribed after watching this!!

[@soejrd24978]

Man, I was looking for a good introductory video to see if the workflow of the SP-404 could be for me. I'm just sick of really planning my music, like on a DAW with a timeline. So I was thinking this, or ep-133, or polyend tracker, or digitakt, or a more simple one. I definitely like this one. Thanks mate

[@antoineb2409]

I just got my SP404 MKII a few day sago and coming from the MPC X, I feel just like you. I'm falling in love with it but maaaan....it makes you work for what you want from it lol I like it though and I plan on trying to master it

[@jonaxxx]

Saludos. La verdad es que no me hago con el workflow y tiene fallos que veo ilógicos. Pero viendo el vídeo y aprendido varias cosas, y una de las para mi que no sabía cómo grabar un sonido externo mientras suena un patrón. Ahora falta ponerlo en práctica. Salud y feliz año 2024🎉❤

[@darkcognitive]

Thought i saw that 3rd Wave in the background, oh lucky you!!! Initial pricing here in the UK is around £4.7k….. OUCH.

[@_boof]

More 404mk2 vids. I have one and I’m sure everybody will have one at some point. That price is too good

[@NimbusAbi]

you can disable the "operation complete" message. Also you can assign individual samples to an fx group and route the group to an fx bus. When you turn the fx on it only affects the routed fx group

[@girlinagale]

Sold my sp404sx a few years ago but just love the compactness. Almost tempted to get a mkii. Always itching for that one ring to rule them all, however much that limits what I've currently got.

[@rorz999]

Do it! The MK2 is just so much better than the SX

[@TheHoodGourmet]

dope!

[@emielmol1627]

It's GREAT! To see you finally dive into the 404 mk2 especially after 3.0 they made a ton of improvement. And dam that track you just made just slaps hard. I'd love to see me 404 vids.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

I found using the computer editor to make loading and managing samples much less frustrating on the SP 404 MK2. I load tons of drum percussion hits and anime samples and love to resample modular into it. The ability to run dual bus of FX is great.

[@gavinpeters9531]

404 OG was my first sampler... 404mk2 is what I always dreamt about.. it's frustrating if you want to treat it like a power sequencer but once you have the muscle memory it's super immediate and the FX range is so great. I kind of use it as a sample explorer but also kind of like a many many many track tape recorder for random jams/loops that I don't want to save as presets etc

[@cjbcarr1]

404sx was my first sampler....and i bought the mpc one and kinda regret my decision. does your knowledge of the og 404 translate right over to the mk2? it seems like it does everything i wished the sx does.....although it's limiting and i think the pattern sequencer sucks, it just makes sense to me. do you feel like like the mk2's got the same soul?

[@jalocin]

Haha great work, really feeling your struggle and enjoyment

[@MichalSada]

external real-time recording with use of skipback is pretty good thing bro! THX

[@thebooleanworld9593]

JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown's new album was produced entirely on the sp-404. Peggy says he's over it now 😂

[@solace20]

where did he he was over it at? I only saw him saying he used it.

[@WeNeededThis]

@@solace20 bandcamp page for the new album

[@thebooleanworld9593]

@@solace20 on the bandcamp page for the album, "Im done using the 404 now."

[@__cal29]

@@solace20I think he said it on the Bandcamp album page

[@__cal29]

@@solace20yep just checked, it's on Bandcamp: "For about a year i practiced with the SP-404. im proud that i got to make some fire shit from the time i spent with this machine & my favorite rapper. You can call this a practice session. This is what we would sound like in the 90s with no pro tools. Im done using the 404 now."

[@kash_flow83]

Ive gotta set aside some time to learn mine. I underestimated the menu diving.

[@marcolucero3585]

I'm into the price point of this device really seems fun, trying to get started with sampling!

[@daijotogashi]

DOPE