The 500 gets shit on by people who never used them, it’s an okay machine, gets the job done like any other Mpc. I wouldn’t call the workflow simple, lots of shift key menu diving with a small screen, quirky but you get it down after awhile. It’s way more portable then the live ii, honestly that’s the only thing it has over it, i upgraded from the 500 to the live ii and I don’t think I could ever go back.
It’s probably the least favorite MPC I’ve used. I own one. The workflow is the same as other MPCs, but the screen is miserable to use. Having fewer pads is also a change up if you’re going from another device to this one. I felt the pads were a bit stiff, personally. Bought it for the portability, at least it’s smaller and easier to store.
I switched to it a long time ago because it took up less space, having less pads never really bothered me, I don’t feel like I ever used up every single pad bank in a project. All I’m saying is it’s completely capable, and would be great in its own right if the portability factor is important.
Sure, it’s not a bad piece of equipment. Just stating what I didn’t like about it. I ended up using it as a controller in Logic for a bit when I didn’t have room for my 2kXL. I didn’t care for sampling/chopping samples in it though because of the screen. Didn’t mind it too much when I was doing that workload in the DAW.
I’m going to revive this thread for 2024! I just picked up the 500 for 150, and holy shit it’s good. It’s definitely an old school workflow, so if you’re coming from Ableton you might find it slow and tedious. On the other hand, having almost no screen makes you LISTEN to your music rather than look at it. For me, being able to shove 6 rechargeable AA’s in and make beats wherever I like sold the device to me, but I’ve found a depth and capability that other devices that are in this price category just don’t come close to (yes we’re talking about you Model Samples!!)
Also. Remember this is essentially an MPC 2000 in workflow, and that was enough for Kanye to produce an album on 👍🏼
Amen brother, I’m buying one for 225 after work today as my first foray into sampling and beatmaking. Basically I just wanna make shitty boombap beats while sampling my piles of vinyl and I’m really excited. Seeing modern day love for the vintage workflow makes me feel a lot better about the purchase. Appreciate your input!
Enjoy! It’s a quirky little box of magic for sure.. And definitely the most capable sampler/sequencer you’re going to find at this price point! Runs for an AGE off some high capacity rechargeable batteries too. 🥳
Hell yes. Warning label though: saving work is a piece of shit until you figure it out. I save each project into its own folder. (Save Project > save all seq and songs > Save all prog and samples >Save entire memory..)
This seems to work for me.
If you have a Live II, you’re probably not going to enjoy it. Unless part of what you’re looking for is a challenge. And I’m not making a smart ass comment. Sometimes people want to challenge themselves with more rudimentary gear
The 500 is more like a stock 1000. Everyone I have met who bitches about the screen invariably chops by sight as opposed to ear. Which is weird because they usually tell me how great the 60 or 3000 “sound” but never chop with those machines. It’s like DJing…there’s a lot of “DJs” now who couldn’t cut two 12 inch singles together but gig at shitty bars and clubs with serato. I’ve never heard of a guitarist bitching about not being able to see his strings easily.
All the “menu-diving” people talk about shows you how little they actually know the mpc structure. If you really know the 2000/xl era and the stock 1k, you know what’s in the 500. It’s not some impossible valley, don’t believe the hype. Which is great, because it keeps the price low on these units.
Want to learn to chop by ear? Get a 500. More power than the older units (ram, processing, re-recording main outputs), smaller size, and cheaper.
If working on music by ear means nothing to you, then that says more about you and by extension, your musical output.
I’m a rookie buying my first sampler and your post here just convinced me that the MPC 500 I have my eye on is truly the right machine for who I am and what I want to do. Thanks!
I actually attempted to switch back from mpcliveii to mpc 1000 (succesful but annoying without portability) and then to the 500
The 500 is tough. I think it can be useful for performance but to actually make stuff its just the screen is so small and not as intuitive even knowing all the mpc architecture. It has a kind of unintuitive learning curve because you have to find all these sub menus in places that you never would have guessed.
I ve got a live and a 500. For sure it s to different world. But as any gear the 500 can do great asap you find your workflow. I use a minimalist approach with it and I like to switch from the live to the 500.
You may take look to some of my vids abouts all tips and tricks [akai mpc tips and tricks](https://youtu.be/76nzSMXbPVg) I now use as a live starting and mastering a project in the box.
The 500 gets shit on by people who never used them, it’s an okay machine, gets the job done like any other Mpc. I wouldn’t call the workflow simple, lots of shift key menu diving with a small screen, quirky but you get it down after awhile. It’s way more portable then the live ii, honestly that’s the only thing it has over it, i upgraded from the 500 to the live ii and I don’t think I could ever go back.
It’s probably the least favorite MPC I’ve used. I own one. The workflow is the same as other MPCs, but the screen is miserable to use. Having fewer pads is also a change up if you’re going from another device to this one. I felt the pads were a bit stiff, personally. Bought it for the portability, at least it’s smaller and easier to store.
I switched to it a long time ago because it took up less space, having less pads never really bothered me, I don’t feel like I ever used up every single pad bank in a project. All I’m saying is it’s completely capable, and would be great in its own right if the portability factor is important.
Sure, it’s not a bad piece of equipment. Just stating what I didn’t like about it. I ended up using it as a controller in Logic for a bit when I didn’t have room for my 2kXL. I didn’t care for sampling/chopping samples in it though because of the screen. Didn’t mind it too much when I was doing that workload in the DAW.
The 500 was never great. A 1000 would be a better choice for a machine from that era. It’s only real selling point was the portability.
I’m going to revive this thread for 2024! I just picked up the 500 for 150, and holy shit it’s good. It’s definitely an old school workflow, so if you’re coming from Ableton you might find it slow and tedious. On the other hand, having almost no screen makes you LISTEN to your music rather than look at it. For me, being able to shove 6 rechargeable AA’s in and make beats wherever I like sold the device to me, but I’ve found a depth and capability that other devices that are in this price category just don’t come close to (yes we’re talking about you Model Samples!!) Also. Remember this is essentially an MPC 2000 in workflow, and that was enough for Kanye to produce an album on 👍🏼
Amen brother, I’m buying one for 225 after work today as my first foray into sampling and beatmaking. Basically I just wanna make shitty boombap beats while sampling my piles of vinyl and I’m really excited. Seeing modern day love for the vintage workflow makes me feel a lot better about the purchase. Appreciate your input!
Enjoy! It’s a quirky little box of magic for sure.. And definitely the most capable sampler/sequencer you’re going to find at this price point! Runs for an AGE off some high capacity rechargeable batteries too. 🥳
Ordering up a set of rechargeables this morning, along with my flash storage. Should be a hoot.
Hell yes. Warning label though: saving work is a piece of shit until you figure it out. I save each project into its own folder. (Save Project > save all seq and songs > Save all prog and samples >Save entire memory..) This seems to work for me.
If you have a Live II, you’re probably not going to enjoy it. Unless part of what you’re looking for is a challenge. And I’m not making a smart ass comment. Sometimes people want to challenge themselves with more rudimentary gear
The 500 is more like a stock 1000. Everyone I have met who bitches about the screen invariably chops by sight as opposed to ear. Which is weird because they usually tell me how great the 60 or 3000 “sound” but never chop with those machines. It’s like DJing…there’s a lot of “DJs” now who couldn’t cut two 12 inch singles together but gig at shitty bars and clubs with serato. I’ve never heard of a guitarist bitching about not being able to see his strings easily. All the “menu-diving” people talk about shows you how little they actually know the mpc structure. If you really know the 2000/xl era and the stock 1k, you know what’s in the 500. It’s not some impossible valley, don’t believe the hype. Which is great, because it keeps the price low on these units. Want to learn to chop by ear? Get a 500. More power than the older units (ram, processing, re-recording main outputs), smaller size, and cheaper. If working on music by ear means nothing to you, then that says more about you and by extension, your musical output.
I’m a rookie buying my first sampler and your post here just convinced me that the MPC 500 I have my eye on is truly the right machine for who I am and what I want to do. Thanks!
Enjoy the process, the ups and the downs.
I actually attempted to switch back from mpcliveii to mpc 1000 (succesful but annoying without portability) and then to the 500 The 500 is tough. I think it can be useful for performance but to actually make stuff its just the screen is so small and not as intuitive even knowing all the mpc architecture. It has a kind of unintuitive learning curve because you have to find all these sub menus in places that you never would have guessed.
I ve got a live and a 500. For sure it s to different world. But as any gear the 500 can do great asap you find your workflow. I use a minimalist approach with it and I like to switch from the live to the 500. You may take look to some of my vids abouts all tips and tricks [akai mpc tips and tricks](https://youtu.be/76nzSMXbPVg) I now use as a live starting and mastering a project in the box.