sampler for my live setup

norm · Joined: Mar 11, 2004 Posts: 18 Location: Canada

Hi, I have a question about buying stuff. Hope you guys don't get bored by these kind of question,ok? I looking for a sampler for my live setup. I found MPC1000 and Korg Electribe ESX1 are very interesting. I know it's a bit different. I like the pad on MPC and I like all the effect that include in ESX as well. so I want to know which one you guys prefer, why?
2 more question. If you using Live4 do you think you want a sampler HW for your setup? (righ now I think I want something to be my main sequencer because I don't want to take my computer, my monitor, my soundcard with me to everywhere. my music type is electro pop, ambient,...my setup have 1 guitar,2synth, 1 effect (adrenalinn II) and 1 drum machine. )
can you compare HW sampler and SW sampler for live situation?
thanks!!

mosc · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 7:17 am Post subject:

I wish I had more experience with HW samplers, but it seems in this day and age a computer is the best sampler. There's really not much a separate piece of gear can give you in that department.

aquanaut · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 8:23 am Post subject:

paul e. · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 9:13 am Post subject:

witha software sampler you can get much larger samples as the samples can stream from disk..

with a hardware sampler you get much less RAM = less sample time

jksuperstar · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 9:35 am Post subject:

I have an MPC1000, and once had an ES-1 (first generation). The ES-1 is infinetly more usable live. The MPC is *almost* useless for creating things in a jam situation as you play.

The ES-1 was more difficult to upload samples from a PC (where I do most of my sample editing). The new ones may not be. The pattern sequencer was really the only way to make sequences, so it is very oriented for pattern-based music. But, you can sample, resample, and tweak you sounds in real-time while you play. Very cool for improvisation & jam sessions. It's interface was extremely fast, with no menu diving. It is, however, limited in terms of MIDI tracks (the original only had 8 tracks that were also internal sound tracks). I sold it to get an XL-7, played with that for a year ort so, then wanted samples again, so I sold it for an MPC.

The MPC has it's heritage in the studio. It's sequencer is very easy to use, and the pads are velocity sensitive. But it has some serious limitations. You *can't* sweep filters in "real-time"...filter settings get captured when a sample begins to play, and can't change until the sample stops playing: so no filter sweeps. The same is true for the ASR envelope. Only way around it is to use a multi-sample that is layered, and use a slider to fade between samples. There is no record-while-you-play. Nor is there editing of sequences while you play. It does have a good clean sound though, and CF storage gives you lots of space with quick loads. It hooks up via USB to a PC, but the MPC must completely stop operating as a sequencer while connected as a drive to the PC. The MPC has 64 tracks, with 2 MIDI ports. Any track could be sample or MIDI channel or both. I must admit, the MPC is way behind in MIDI implementation from other gear: no realtime tweaking of effects, no CC# control over the internal mixer, actually no CC# control over anything internal to the MPC. Once you play with one, you realize why hip-hop music sounds the way it does...everyone is using an MPC. But damn, are they loyal to these machines. There were lots of bugs intiming until the last OS release, but everyone swore how the MPC was the tightest sequencer. They've never used anything else. I thought it was much more when I got it. Work arounds, and more dependence on my G2 have given it a home for now. I have 128MB in my MPC1K, and can practically record a whole song using resample mode.

So, The MPC has more tracks & channels (only realtime record, or an archaic step-editor), and is pretty much "what you put in, you get out". The ESX has more power for creating (in the box) crazy patterns, and is really great for playing live.

I will not depend on a PC for a live set, so that's why I use the hardware over software. They do have some advantages in doing things "instantly" also.

aquanaut · Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:58 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info Jk, i did'nt know all that...

Repeatpeak · Joined: Dec 25, 2003 Posts: 46 Location: Boston, MA, USA

I have been using Ableton Live on my VAIO laptop with RME Multiface card at gigs and countless sessions without a single problem. Very flexible "sampler", effects capabilities that no hardware sampler or effects device will ever come close to, etc. I use external control boxes - Doepfer fader box, Yamaha SU10 for trigger pads (non velocity sensitive though) and ribbon controller, Nord Modular knobs and keys. Works great, though some people may need to use a VSTi sampler within Live to get the results they are looking for.

Again, this laptop set up works so great as a sampler the way I use it, I would never look at hardware solutions again. That doesn't apply for synth stuff though in my case where I still prefer hardware for several reasons.

Philip

Repeatpeak · Joined: Dec 25, 2003 Posts: 46 Location: Boston, MA, USA

Oh, BTW, I used to play with a drummer who also used Ableton Live on his Apple laptop to trigger atmospheres, one shots, and breaks. Used a Roland Octapad and Evolution control box. Worked great and sounded amazing. Only problem he ever had was the laptop recognizing the usb midi interface. But Live as a sampler for him worked great.

Philip
www.repeatpeak.com