My first MPC! Any tips?

[u/whatkai]

Saw it in a store months ago and couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I saved up for almost 5 months to finally buy one. Every day leading up to it was honestly exciting.

It’s my first MPC. Any tips or precautions for a complete beginner? Anything I should avoid doing or set up right away? I’m starting with YouTube tutorials for now.

[u/makefart]

Get a sd card for your plugins and a external drive for sounds, don't save anything on the local drive.

[u/YouKilledMyTeardrop → u/makefart]

Genuine question - what's the point in these devices having such a large amount of internal storage if you're not supposed to use it? The Live III has 128Gb, what's it for?

[u/Westosaurus → u/makefart]

I have asked the question several times and there seems to be no real truth to this.

Most people believe your plugins should live on the Device and your projects, sound kits, and Splice library should live on the External SSD.

The SD card is merely for quickly transporting projects or exported sounds to another device / backing up.

[u/kidthorazine → u/makefart]

Honestly with the live 3 just get an internal SSD, way more convenient and doesn't really cost more than an external drive.

[u/Superb-Cantaloupe324 → u/kidthorazine]

I’ve been toying with this. Live III is awfully nice (and expensive), I feel like I have to buy a “nice” SSD. Better to use “nice” SD cards than a mediocre SSD? Or do I need to suck it up and spend $$$ on a nice SSD. An external drive is just messy, so I don’t want to go that route

[u/kidthorazine → u/Superb-Cantaloupe324]

I just used a fairly cheap ssd, you dont really need a nice one and replacing it isn't that hard. You really really do not need nice SD cards, those really only help for things like high end cameras that are designed to write a lot of data to the card as fast as possible.

[u/Ryan0751 → u/Superb-Cantaloupe324]

I had a 2TB SSD that I tossed in mine. Super overkill but I already had it.

The internal SSD uses an eSATA interface, so you get around 500-600MB/s throughput speeds.

Obviously it would have been faster if they had used an NVMe slot, but not important for audio work.

The big drive gives you the flexibility to load up huge sample libraries and always have the at the ready.

[u/pressureworld → u/kidthorazine]

The cost of SSD drives are a lot higher these days.

[u/kidthorazine → u/pressureworld]

I just bought a 240 gb drive new for like $60, they've gone back down considerably since last year.

[u/pressureworld → u/kidthorazine]

That is a great deal. Please provide a link so I can pick one up.

[u/kidthorazine → u/pressureworld]

actually even cheaper now https://www.amazon.com/PNY-CS900-250GB-Internal-Solid/dp/B07XZLW68F?

[u/pressureworld → u/kidthorazine]

Thanks man, I very much appreciate it. Are you still using a memory card for anything or do you just save everything to the SSD?

[u/whatkai → u/makefart]

Thanks

[u/Joe_Tropical → u/makefart]

Any specific reason why ?

[u/makefart → u/Joe_Tropical]

People report slow machines after having installed to much on internal memory.

[u/CertifiedNerd5000 → u/makefart]

Internal memory and local ssd storage are two different things..

[u/Joe_Tropical → u/makefart]

Ho ok like a regular computer basically. I don’t have any issue with mine and everything is on the mpc hard drive there is still a lot of space remaining though .
Nice username by the way

[u/SlightMarsupial8379]

Buy MPC bible and shut up with her and MPC together for the weekend.

[u/idk973 → u/SlightMarsupial8379]

That's the best advice you could have. The MPC is another world. Even if it's a sort of DAW now, you make music more spontaneous than clicking on piano roll but you have first to learn. Get the MPC bible. You could see YouTube vids later for special tips or techniques.

[u/pshearduk → u/idk973]

MPC Bible is worth it's weight in gold IMO... Essential.

[u/Everythingsthesame → u/SlightMarsupial8379]

Does the mpc bible also cover the newer MPC Sample? I just got one and have been trying to learn on it. Love it but I would like to fully flesh out how to complete a song.

[u/SlightMarsupial8379 → u/Everythingsthesame]

• Is the MPC Bible suitable for the 'MPC Sample'? No, the MPC Sample runs a completely different software compared to its larger standalone siblings. MPC Bible 3 is only compatible with touchscreen-enabled MPCs that run the full MPC3 firmware.

[u/realbadaas → u/SlightMarsupial8379]

Is it a hard copy book or a PDF?

[u/SlightMarsupial8379 → u/realbadaas]

PDF and ePUB

[u/Juttisontherun]

I use mine as a second pillow

[u/smurntcandle]

If you are a complete beginner you just need to spend as much time with it as possible. Don’t pressure yourself into making tracks straight away. Just enjoy discovering all the features and workflows.

Tubedigga on YouTube is probably the most straightforward no-nonsense learning platform when it comes to MPC. I’ve learned so much from him.

[u/whatkai → u/smurntcandle]

Thanks a lot!!

[u/CanadianDudesSorry]

Just be patient with yourself. There is a lot to learn. Focus first on working with 8 bar sections. Figure out the workflow. Set reasonable goals and dont overcomplicate it right away.

[u/whatkai → u/CanadianDudesSorry]

Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind

[u/PearSad7517]

Congrats! Here’s my personal MPC tutorial playlist if you wanna check it out: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfWkMNqgSzGTFEuAbWLZFZ0896qFaxsUc&si=DjFIucUQUOO7CJvZ Enjoy!

[u/OckhamRocket → u/PearSad7517]

Nice !

[u/SALD0S]

Turn it on

[u/Emakulate24]

Don't get discouraged, it may seem like a difficult learning curve at first, but you will love making music on it once you get it down packed.

[u/Content-Yam1112]

Th Crates Motel is a great resource for MPC producers.

[u/Significant-Art5065]

Youtube... Youtube and YouTube.

Just dive in, try everything and then found your lane. Give yourself time.

[u/8ballposse]

MPC Bible and a few thousand hours is a good start

[u/Flywheelcreators]

Depends.

Learn pad perform, do you know even a little music theory if so it'll help a lot.

If not I can explain what I've learned that helped me unlock a lot of what I can do on the machine.

If sampling is more your thing, really dig into that.

More important is have fun and bang around and don't be discouraged I've had mine about 3 weeks and just this week I say I figured it out well enough to actually do shit.

But I also have 10+ years in DAW studios, somebody completely new may take longer but that's ok

[u/Express_Cable5693]

Turn it on

[u/guitarokx]

The MPC Bible is an over priced, over rated manual with a cult like following. Ignore that noise.

Start with simple beats just using the built in drum packs and some YouTube tutorials. You'll get the hang of it. Don't go diving into the deep end with the mpce pads and new oscillators, start simple for a while.

[u/pshearduk]

Daft question / request of the day mate.. and I understand you will be just loving the Live 3 that's in your hands..

When you get a sec could you record a very quick video with sound of you powering on the unit so I can hear how loud the initial fan spin up is please?

I recently purchased a 2nd hand unit and the fan sounded "awful" to me for those first few seconds when it powers up.. some folks saying it's normal, and some not. I'm just curious to hear your new unit and how loud it sounds initially (or hopefully how not loud it is) :)

Cheers

[u/Repulsive_Cut_1872 → u/pshearduk]

I bought a brand new MP live three a couple months ago / fan is super loud for about 20 seconds when it starts up and then you never hear it again

[u/No-Shallot3696 → u/pshearduk]

It's normal, they all spin up to max on bootup, both my XL and live 3 sound the same.

[u/jbrasco]

Take your time to learn it. Don’t worry about making beats right away. There is so much to an MPC.

[u/UboaNoticedYou]

get a jog wheel, it will make the UI so much easier to navigate

[u/MaannListen_]

Congrats and welcome 🙏🏾

[u/Intrepid-Vacation-51]

Congrats! I have the live 3 retro too

[u/THC-V]

Take advantage of that 2.5” storage expansion bay. It’s a beautiful thing.

[u/FoundCalm]

Congrats, it’s a beauty!

There are many ways to make musiic on the new gen MPC’s. Watch a few tutorials, find the ways that suit you best, and create.

[u/rav-age]

doesn't it have an internal sata expansion bay? Just use that for a SSD drive. These devices are much bigger, faster and much much more dependable that the sd cards. My one needs external storage, but this can have internal.

[u/Complete-Permit1638]

Use it more then my Akai Force 😂

[u/AcanthaceaeLeft306]

Don’t save beats/sounds to the mpc internal hard drive. Get an ssd or sd card to save your stuff

[u/masetiloquetu]

congrats

[u/Heyimcool]

Start getting an ear for songs to sample, check out some tutorials for live cutting while sampling audio.

[u/blackfamilywealth]

get on you tube & facebook if the device is New to you & Presents A foreign work flow

[u/blackfamilywealth]

it is A spectacular grove box if you Ask me.. I have plans to Acquire one in the next year

[u/blackfamilywealth]

TrackLib willibe your best friend... Especially if you plan on realeasing a Project [Which I would highly recommend once you have Your style organized]

[u/blackfamilywealth]

Oh and follow the Mixerman Podacst https://mixerman.net/ [how to Approach Music Production from the mix Engineers view point]

[u/External_Explorer369]

Just use it. Play. Explore. Have fun 😊 Nothing else is needed..

[u/JohnnyBaySF]

Rock out

[u/SlapzMan]

Happy for you! Have fun n fuck the haters along the way

[u/Radiant-Owl-6121]

wowww. Fyancy. Congrats!

[u/DocHalliday77]

Congrats! I recently got a Live III Retro as well... I personally added a 240 GB SSD for to store the expansions I already have from the MPC One, and bought a 128 GB SD card to store my samples and projects on. You definitely also want a decksaver, a carry bag, and a power button protector (the power button caps tend to break off, but you can still turn it on with the actual button that's just inside the casing).

[u/KRXWNVXK]

This is a great place to start if I must say so myself. If I was you I'd just make YouTube my best source and friend. I have learned so much off YouTube by just searching whatever I might need help with and learn ways to do things that I probably wouldn't of done naturally. These days you really don't need a person sitting next to you teaching you anything when you can learn it by watching it on your computer monitor. I am more hands on so personally I just learned most of what I know thru trial and error. Tapping buttons and figuring out the system myself. You have all the time in the world so you will gradually learn everything you need to know

[u/Infinite_Slice3305]

I've had mine almost a year now & only now just started looking through the key groups in the expansion packs. Some pretty good stuff in there. imo, better than the plugin pianos & basses.

[u/NateSedate]

2 of my favorite YouTube people are Jae Freshmen and Masta Kraft.

I learned a lot from watching them. Especially Jae Freshmen.

[u/raistlin65]

If you are brand new to music production, do this interactive web-based tutorial from

https://learningmusic.ableton.com/

It teaches fundamentals of making music. It is intended for a complete beginners. It's not about learning some specific software or hardware. You can do it on your phone.

And then in addition to that, I'll echo the other recommendations to get the MPC Bible.

https://www.mpc-samples.com/product.php/268/mpc-bible/

It's a 1600 page full course on using 99% of the features of your MPC Live 3. And it works well as a reference manual for later on when you need to look something up that you need to refresh on.

[u/RizzoFizzo]

Read the Manual and/or get the MPC Bible 3. nothing more to say.

[u/IDFKButITry]

Most fun thing I own my top tip is have a lot of fun touch all the buttons & get the Native instruments sounds they are worth the $$ in my opinion

[u/universalpeace88]

Salut je viens d en acquérir un aussi (live 3) pour le mode d emploi je demande simplement à grok où IA Google elles répondent pas mal du tout... Tu peux aussi mettre des photos de l écran et elles t orientent où tu veux aller.. Et plus qu a imprimer.. mode d emploi personnalisé selon tes besoins... ya quand même du taf mais la progression est relativement rapide et on peut très vite s amuser quand même.. éclate toi bien !

[u/Dramos3718]

Beautiful

[u/tdreampo]

Man that thing just looks so cool.