The Akai MPC series!
- Sep 14, 2016
- 2 min read
As a music producer who loves making hip hop beats, I have fallen in love with my Akai MPC Studio. I use it on almost every one of my projects now. The MPC has a long history in the Hip Hop community. Many producers have used an MPC to create hit songs. In this post I will attempt to scratch the surface of the history of the Akai MPC series.
Music Producer Stoni wrote in Mix magazine "A driving force in hip-hop production, Akai's MPC Music Production Center/Drum Machine has been used in all types of Recordings... in most recording studios you will find MPCs ranging from the original MPC 60... up through the latest MPC 5000." Indeed, the MPC has become iconic in the world of music production, particularly in the genres and many branches of Hip Hop and EDM. Notable producers who use an MPC include Kanye West, Lord Finesse (who is also known for using the legendary SP 1200), Wu-Tang clan, and many, many others.
My own Akai MPC Studio
The MPC has a very intuitive design. The buttons and knobs may appear a bit daunting at first, but one quickly begins to get the hang of the work flow with practice. It is a tool that makes adding drums a very pleasant experience. The pads are very comfortable and responsive to varying levels of pressure, which gives you varying levels of velocity. The material that the pads are made out of feel very comfortable when one is adding drums.
The MPC is also known for it's ability to quickly chop up samples and drum hits, which is a key feature of Hip Hop music. While you can use quantize to clean up your sequencing, most people prefer using Shift Timing and Swing to create more organic sounding drum patterns, as well as using ghost notes on drums, such as snares. It's also very easy to manipulate the tempo of your chops so that your project flows seamlessly.
In conclusion, the Akai MPC is a very important tool in modern music production. While newer versions of the MPC are more reliant on software and computer technology, the classic MPCs are still very much renowned for their signature 12-bit sampling. All MPCs feature their legendary swing, and intuitive ease of use. This is my favorite piece of hardware by far, because it is extremely versatile. I will probably continue to use my MPC for many years to come.
References
Stoni. (2008, March). Akai MPC Series. Mix Magazine. Page 144. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=33193990&site=ehost-live.
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