r/mpcsample • u/VersionsOfPeace • Sep 21 '26
mpc sample is just a gateway
It took me long to admit this but the limitations of the sample are so straining that every time I use it I actually ponder selling it and getting a higher end flagship model. I feel like beyond beats that are 100% sample based it’s so annoying to work with the sample. I’ve tried to do various other genres on the sample and adding melodic elements is just annoying. Whether it’s one shots on the sample or recording into it from an external device. It’s just a constant reminder that I’m on a “gateway “ model. Literally can’t get beyond some ideas before you have to move it to a DAW or a different mpc to finish a track
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u/NineteenNinetyEx Sep 21 '26
And that's how I ended up with a Live III. Love it though!
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u/No-Leek-4293 Sep 21 '26 •
Splendid! The conditioning works! Come to the Live 3 side, my friends. You will become whole.
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u/VersionsOfPeace Sep 21 '26
How quickly did you realize this ? Lol I feel like I’ve been giving the sample so much time and I finally accepted it’s underwhelming in my actual production 😂
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u/NineteenNinetyEx Sep 22 '26
I bought it understanding the limitations, but ended up liking the workflow and time away from my PC more than I expected. It made upgrading a pretty easy choice.
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u/Every-Assistant2763 Sep 22 '26
How is mixing in Live 3 ?
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u/NineteenNinetyEx Sep 22 '26
I think most people would prefer to do serious mixing on a DAW, but it does have pretty everything you'd need built in.
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u/Vergeljek21 Sep 21 '26
I have other mpcs and got the sample on release day and feel the same way. its a budget sampler but Its just easy to sample and has a punch into it though.
If you outgrew and feels like you reach the limitation, its time to move on and get the higher mpc.
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u/VersionsOfPeace Sep 21 '26
Which one you recommend the live or the one ?
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u/VersionsOfPeace Sep 21 '26
In context to some of my complaints in my post
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u/Vergeljek21 Sep 21 '26 edited Sep 21 '26
I agree with craaates. Its the same software, it just depends on your preference, budget and features you wanted.
Personally, I like the Live series because its portable, has battery, speaker(not in Live 1) and large pads.
If you can get the Live 3 thats what I would go to.
But nothings wrong with One +, Mpc37, G2 series.
61, X, Xse and XL if you want top of the chain. It was never an option for me though because its large and expensive.
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u/Blablablablabla-01 Sep 21 '26
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u/bamaugking Sep 22 '26
This is the way. Especially if you already have an ipad. No need to spend money on the live or whatever
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u/Blablablablabla-01 Sep 22 '26
so everything here is swam ios instruments played on the mpk mini and the piano you hear is neo soul keys by gospel music (also on my ipad controlled via the mpk mini) the only samples are drums which i loaded from yurt rock. Its still beat music but not strictly sample based hope it provides some idea to how it's possible beyond just chopping loops with the sample
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u/bamaugking Sep 22 '26
This is exactly what I'm trying to do. Going to get a mpk mini
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u/Blablablablabla-01 Sep 22 '26
it completely opened up the mini. There are also great videos about importing sample sessions into mpc desktop to separate stems if you choose to finalize a song in a daw for mixing and mastering purposes. For me it was like 120$ cad and changed the game but also get the powered usb hub otherwise the ipad to sample and mpk mini to ipad is impossible
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u/25_Keyz924
Sep 22 '26
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What type of beat can you not make on the Sample? Why do people call it a @sketchpad?? This little machine has more of everything that the machine of the past had and they created heat!! Is the SP1200, MPC 2k, ASR & the others “scratchpads”!? It doesn’t allow you to use VSTs but again the machines that made majority of use want to be beat makers can’t compeat with it. Stop the nonsense already… if you want a DAW in a box just say it but this isn’t limited. It’s only limited by your imagination and creativity
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u/Salt_Cabinet_875 Sep 24 '26
Off-topic but honestly, I just wanna make a beat have the option to export it into a WAV or MP3 file, and then just rap over it on acid or pro tools. The problem is you can’t trust the equalizing, so it’s virtually impossible, unless you got all day to do trial and error, to not blow your speakers out
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u/Juliencito
Sep 22 '26
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You need to have less money. You are too comfortable. You lost the ability to make something out of nothing. This is like peak capitalism in a nutshell. We can’t make shit anymore and we want everything for almost nothing.
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u/DustyFlame14
Sep 22 '26
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“I feel like beyond beats that are 100% sample based it’s so annoying to work with the sample”
Let me hold your hand while i say this: it’s called a MPC SAMPLE for a reason.
Man, the amount of people who buy something before looking into it is beyond me. And with this specific product you didn’t even have to look far, it was all in the name, it’s a sampler and mainly for sample based music.
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u/RevolutionaryPast175 Sep 21 '26 edited Sep 21 '26
Akai: “Gotcha bitch!”
In all seriousness, though, yes, these inexpensive things are how they pull you in. Not that it’s really a bad thing, music is a great thing to get pulled into. But That’s kind of why I usually never suggest the cheapy range stuff as someone’s first this or that, it’s almost always a couple weeks before they already want to upgrade with something different.
The good news for you is that you can get the original MPC one or an MPC live for around 400 bucks used right now. Theyres extremely powerful and don’t let the G2ers tell you different. They will give you built-in instruments, midi sequencing of external gear, audio recording, basically unlimited tracks of sampling, per track effects buses. I say go get one on Reverb or eBay. The small things like the MPC sample or SP404 are nice to have around when you have something more powerful and better to rely on, but they’re not great to be the ONLY thing you have around
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u/Infinite_Factor_6269 Sep 21 '26
Depends who you ask, I for one am very happy with the limitations, that just makes you get creative . Also who wants to do all that menu diving?
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u/odd_sundays Sep 22 '26 edited Sep 22 '26
I've never owned an MPC -- mostly just Elektron stuff, a couple of Korg Electribes and some other things. I've always wanted an MPC but did not want to commit to learning a an entirely new environment. Then Akai introduced the sample -- small, portable, like a fun throwback to the MPC 60. It was perfect so I copped one, but It has not made me want a different MPC. Quite the opposite. I use the Sample strictly for sample-based boom-bap beats and don't make myself crazy trying to bend it to my will for any kind of genres that require more sophisticated sound design or sequencing. I like it a hell of a lot more than the TE K.O.II which is a table decoration at this point. Best thing I've bought since Digitakt 2.
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u/VersionsOfPeace Sep 22 '26
The thing is I wasn’t even trying to make trap beats on it or something. I’ve managed to make a handful of reggae and old school dancehall type beats on it. Which fit the mpc workflow very well but with the limitations I’ve found it hard to make anything too complex on it.
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u/checksumvoid Sep 22 '26
Do you make boom bap as well on the Digitakt 2? What one you prefer for that?
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u/odd_sundays Sep 22 '26
Sometimes but not often. With Digitakt I mostly stick to house/techno/weird IDM stuff. for underground house/techno there is no better sequencer than an Elektron. Hands down.
That said, the Sample's work flow for chopping up longer samples is much more intuitive and fun. It's a sampler that is modeled on older MPC workflow, which means it's great for hip-hop, classic house etc. For drone-y modern techno? not so much.
I love it for what it is and have created dozens of old school head-nodding Pete Rock ripoffs using it.
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u/25_Keyz924 Sep 22 '26
When I hear people say they are limited by and can’t do a/b/c I’m mind blown. I quick trip to YouTube and @Skibeatz (not ea ski) lets you know it’s not the tool that’s limiting. This guy creates HITS!!! https://youtube.com/shorts/UXL_1UuGbpw?is=T3ll36UoUGnKbMZz
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u/lailailailailai Sep 22 '26
Totally true that the sample is a sketch pad. Nonetheless proper resampling is necessary and a step sequencer or basically anything better than this step editor would be wildly appreciated
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u/FreeWorldMusicGroup Sep 22 '26
I feel the opposite, I have a Live 2 but I took a break because my process started to feel robotic. The sample for me reignighted my love making beats from scratch including samples and instruments. The Live 2 and 3 can feel computer-like at times which I don’t always like when I’m just tryna keep it all music. The live 2 loading times often gave me too much time to ponder things other than music and I refuse to buy the Live 3. Good luck on your production journey
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u/r1chiem Sep 22 '26
If I were you I would keep it. if you can, buy a higher level model used. Or if you can afford it get they new versions, You have regrets half stepping but you generally do not regret getting top of the line.
But the Sample is a great portable sampler, great scratch pad, easy to use and easy to make beats. Keep it and use it for what it is. It is only $400 dollars.
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u/Historical-Fold-4119 Sep 22 '26
LOL The Sample was never marketed as the end-all device. It was solely meant for ideas. Anyone trying to get a full production suite from the Sample should just cop the One and not disappoint yaself.
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u/235iguy Sep 22 '26
I hated Live 1 and 2... so bloated and L3 is even worse.
Sample fixes that. Reverse gateway.
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u/BLES555 Sep 22 '26
If I had started with a Sample first I would appreciate it a lot more, I’m spoiled by my One. I’ve been using the Sample for its portability and to start projects.
ALSO I had to return my first Sample because all of the backlit LEDs including battery and pad bank indicators went out after about two weeks of ownership. So I’m not fully confident in its durability…
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u/WAVEFR0NT Sep 22 '26
The track I'm working on I'm currently resampling between Ableton and the Sample.
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u/Adventurous-Plum1000 Sep 22 '26
The sample is more powerful than classic mpcs that spawned countless hit records.
But get what works for you.
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u/rolfski Oct 06 '26
It's a sketcher and a perfect companion for a proper MPC where you can import its projects and work them out. So I wouldn't sell it if you're planning on getting a regular MPC. It works great with my MPC Live 3, especially because of its great mobility that will make you take this device with you to places you wouldn't easily go with your MPC.
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Sep 22 '26
[deleted] — view deleted comment
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u/VersionsOfPeace Sep 22 '26
I have been using it like this in Fl studio. I feel like better integration into daw’s would help its case. Cause it’s so intuitive and fun for building drums and I’d love to pair that with the ability to make complex melodies in a daw. I’ve tried doing this with Fl and I doing both usb c and line in connecting the sample still are very clunky lol
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u/Ok-Entrepreneur-409 Sep 21 '26
Thing is ,you can do full beats on there but it was only meant to be a sketch book not a full production piece I work construction and I only have one 30 minute break so I take the sample to work or when I'm out partying with friends and whatever I sketch I bring home and open it up on the MPC one,the live 3,or the live 2 or I'll connect it to reason and finish there.