I love your attitude Poli. Seeing you chug along and try to inspire people and spread the love for music creation keeps reminding me that I should never let the music go.
'by limiting yourself, you actually learn more about your craft'.... This is so true. The abundance of choice can stifle creativity. I bought my mpc one last year to get myself away from a mouse and laptop screen. I have found it to be very inspiring in many different ways. The usb 32 track out is good for live mixing, but for initial creativity, the mpc has absolutely everything you need in the box. Absolutely love this thing...
I bought the MPC One last summer and it changed my world. You’re perspective and knowledge have helped me in my learning process. I appreciate what you do!
Something that I noticed in your videos is you seem absolutely sincere and authentic. I like the way you just speak personally and authentically about how you find your gear, etc. I saw in another video that you were asking how to improve the shot and someone suggested lights, etc. That might have been a long time ago and your lighting looks great in this video. I was thinking that if you used a lav mic on your shirt, rather than something on the camera your audio might sound a little better. And that is a very soft feedback because I'm not saying it's bad by any means. Anyways, just wanted to leave that comment because I'm enjoying your videos.
I grabbed a used MPC Live 1 about a year ago and instantly feel in love with it. Yeah I would love to have the Live 2 with in speaker, but being able to get the 1 at half the price of the 2 pretty much made the speaker a $600 or so option. So all I do is carry around a small speaker. A minor inconvenience, but totally worth it if you are trying to grab one and save a bit of money. It may take a while to learn the ins and outs, but after practicing to hash out a few songs you'll start to get pretty quick with it. A X would be nice to have to avoid some menu diving, but I'm pretty happy with what I'm working with. Quick little side note; the MPK mini III pairs perfectly with the Live as a to-go keyboard.
used to use the maschine all the time, still do on occasion. But after I got the live2 I kinda stopped. The live2 is literally everything you’d need to make something that’s complete. I still love maschine but the mpc is by far the most powerful. it really doesn’t matter what you’re choppin with these days but if youre someone who’s considering pickin up a live2, you’d be doing the right thing.
I use MPC X in the studio, leaving it plugged in /hooked up to a midi thru box and a patch bay to my external gear. It’s the dedicated brain for my studio. For convenience, Live 2 for taking out and about as a sketch pad. Since I have a lot of external gear and a dedicated space for the X, it’s a tremendous piece of gear in the studio . If I didn’t mind plugging and unplugging from my studio, I could see live 2 being my single piece of kit, but I find having both beneficial to the immediacy I desire.
so are you saying that mic u mentioned plugs straight into the mpc live 2 amd works for singing recording? good video too. very helpful for me. 😄 can you link that mic you use?
Man this was a timely video. I’m a long time Maschine user but lately I’ve been really contemplating getting an MPC and wasn’t sure which one to get. The new updates for it seem great! The whole MPC just seems more like an actual instrument and studio in a box to me. I’m thinking I’ll probably get the Live.
Maschine will always need a computer. That’s where MPC wins. The fact that my Splice acct can be used is super dope. Drum kits and loops available any time!!
Nice video! I'm coming from the MPC2000 era, so an MPC Live/II is a great investment. No one should hesitate. Love my X, but trust me the Live was on the wish list
So much appreciated I’m just starting and almost nothing about music production I just want to make electronic music without getting a degree in sound engineering-like most of these people doing these videos with all the jargon. Surely it can’t be that hard?! Liking our video doesn’t seem enough.I loved it I’m inn the U.K. an emergency nurse just need this as my way out from all that stuff - you do make a difference thank you
So which one is better? X or Live 2? I can't decide!:( it's not about the money... I'm worried that one day AKAI will drop MPC X2 & maybe I should buy MPC Live 2 & maybe after the new version of X? Please help me to choose mannnn
I switched over from Native Instruments after I completely figured it out. I was just tired of being connected to my computer all the time and working in a daw. I've been watching your videos for a couple of weeks since I purchased the MPC X I've only been on it for about 2 hours and figured out 80% of the functions to complete an entire song. MPC workflow is the best by far hands down I've been making music for 25 years. My next purchase will be a Roland JD-xa. The X I was amazing. No more worrying about sound packs or anything else you give me a MPC X and a jd-xa and I can make any beat, any sound, any sample, any damn thing in the world. So in short I guess three pieces of equipment a great condenser mic, an MPC X and Roland jd-xa, and you have an entire complete Studio. Only thing that bugs me is 380 bucks for a 1tb SD card but it's hella worth it. I appreciate everything you do and watch all the videos you really helped me come along way quick when I switched over from Native Instruments bro.
@@PoliPopo Thank you more bro. Your channel is under rated and should have way more likes. i think people just use it for what they want and forget to say thank you or give you props for all the quick help. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to do what you do I KNOW. And you just share the info and it helps people everyday bro. In case no one told you. You do Make a difference and you are helping thousands of people.
Hi ya, this video was so helpfull! Honest and humble, love this man! Thanks so much! Was still doubting between the one plus, the live II and the x, the live II seems the one for me, kind regards and keep it up! Leander
I've been making beats inside my home for years. I think being confined to a certain environment all the time may lack inspiration, creativity, or even new ideas. I feel like going to the beach, a park, a nice location to make beats will be a different experience. I was going to go with the X because of all the buttons and Q-links but everything can be done with the Live 2 also just have to take a small extra step. Thanks for your review and thanks for always interacting with your subscribers.
Yussir the live 2 is always with me and the x in the studio I want to take my instrumental tracks I do with the MPCX and take them in my live for my chops 💯 🎶
I have the mPC x and had every Mpc from the mPC 60 on up. I'm thinking about selling my Mpc x for the live 2 with a good vst plug in for my keys. Nice video keep up the good work. What's the best VST for keys
I just learned how to master in my MPC One. The more I learn about it. The more I appreciate the investment I made. It really is. A one stop shop studio. Only thing I’ll probably add. Is a keyboard at some point.
I just bought a live 2 gold edition and was thinking about taking it back and trading up for the x and after this video I’m glad I decided to stay with the live
Got me a Live two and I am loving it...took me a minute to get used to it, but I'm banging out some good stuff. I come from a 2000 and 1000 respectively but this live 2 is way above what I expected,::)
I love my Live 2 and once you learn all the shortcuts the lack of as many buttons as the X is not so bad. Aside from that it can pretty much do everything the X does. That being said if money was no object I would probably get an X at some point as well but I am super happy with my Retro Live 2 and it is def not needed. I would probably be better off spending that money on a new Native instruments keyboard and Komplete control software. As far as standalone drum machines/samplers go the Live 2 is the best imo. I love being able to disconnect from the PC and just go chill on the couch or sit in bed or take a trip outside somewhere and work on tracks.
I'm glad I found this video. I had not touched an MPC since 2002 when they looked like the rennauisance version. I had a Machine Studio from 2014-18 but got tired of it because with the workflow and sound library it seemed all I could come up with was EDM type stuff. So a week ago I decided I wanted to make beats again, "the oldschool way" and my mind went to MPC immediately. I picked up the LIVE 2 for the common reasons and then started looking at the Force and MPX. I"m so glad I found this video because you made the same appeal I was making to myself. I didn't want to be tied to the computer, I wanted something like the Boss DR5 I started out on. I wanted actual Hip Hop sounds or the ability to sample them easily, all kinds of reasons. I find myself using the speaker and watching tv at the same time its just more freeing when having idea spurts. Plus now that I am re-learning these tools I enjoy that convenience of pick up and play, set down a bit, repeat. Thanks for the video.
@@PoliPopo You miss the couch? You didn't give away all your live 2s, did you? I was considering the X when i watched your video but I'm gonna stick with the live until learned all its tricks.
MPC live is the perfect form factor for me. Especially working far from home. Been on the live since 2017…been thinking about getting the live2 eventually.
Really glad I ran across this. I’ve been driving myself batty trying to decide if an MPC was the right choice for me. I can’t buy often and what I go with really counts. Thanks for taking the time!
I understand I Have burned and bought a lot of gear the MPC actually makes it hard to be able to buy anything else it literally does everything you need the only thing I bought since my MPC ex was my MPC live it’s just that good
My Mpc one is absolutely unreal ! I've never tried an X or a live 2 but I'm only 6 months in so have a lot more learning to do ! I Was a ipad guy for years but I'm so stoked I made the jump .. Great vid
great video. i was about to purchase mpc x when i started working but then they released mpc one and i don´t regret getting it. it´s been an amazing journey and learning process
Hi I’m having the trouble on which one to buy rt now the x or live two so I’m asking you your opinion and as I seen ur video ur saying to get the live 2 instead of the x is that correct ??
this was really helpful, poli. I appreciate it greatly. I'm about to sell an octatrack, which I've never been willing/able to wrap my head around (that's why I said "an" octatrack, not "my" octatrack.) I've been set on picking up a used mpc one to fill the role that I intended for the octatrack. then a used mpc x blipped on my radar. all that knob-per-function & that big screen are really enticing!! this was really helpful, man. all that tech stuff aside, your sincerity & encouragement are worth more than any measurable amount of gold. a thousand thanks to you for that, good sir..... ;-) _/\_
I bought an MPC X, what a beautiful machine, and yet in 3 years I hardly touched it. It was wasted on me for one reason, It was too big, it took up most of my desk space, it was two inches or so too wide, I was cramped up with it and when I had finished a session, it was boxed up and put out of the way so I could do other things, regretfully I had to let it go, it just didn't suit my circumstances, that was about two months ago. Yesterday I took delivery of a mint condition MPC Live(as my X was) £30 for a 250GB SSD, £20 for a UDG case and registered it with akai no problem. Its the perfect size for my available space and without disconnecting anything, I can move it out of the way so I can get on with other things. If I had a proper studio I would get an X in a flash, BUT in my little flat(apartment to you Americans) The Live just fits in, and more importantly will get plenty of use. So why not a live 2, I don't need the speakers, I don't need the CV stuff, I don't need the Extra cost.
Once you learn the shortcuts there is really not much of a difference in the speed you can access stuff on the Live 2. If you hold down menu the 16 pads represent the 16 icons in the options menu so you can access everything pretty quick. The X is def dope but if money is tight and you wanna save over a grand for other stuff the Live is a great choice and with the update you can add so many more inputs.
@@torwynd3131 man appreciate that. It’s all knowing your systems. Which is funny because on keyboards there are multiple menu’s. It’s called not being lazy and dive in deep 💪🏾👍🏾
@@jerzboybeats NP man. Once you learn all the shortcuts the workflow is really great on the Live 2 and for me the standalone and portability of it gives it the edge. I just like not being tied to my studio.
Great content bro! Hey, i love your honesty about choosing the MPC Live II over the MPX. Aside from the portability, do you find the Live II better to create beats on over the MPX?
No sir I love the x and the live they have the same horsepower but the x is easier to navigate they both get the job done 💯. I play on a midi key under most of the time so as long as my keys are good the Mpc x or live does the rest
@@PoliPopo I hear you! Ok, then let me ask this... do you think the MPC One would be better for YOU to navigate on over the Live - due to it's independnt buttons like the MPX? Thanks for the feedback!
7:45 “I see alot of people that want to make music….” YES! I would LOVE to be able to go to guitar center and see someone drooling over an MPC playing with one and just hand them one. One could only dream.
Hey brother. I’m a songwriter that writes many styles of music and want to use an mpc to add drums and samples (sounds) to my recordings along with my guitar, bass and vocal tracks without using a computer if I don’t have to. Which would you recommend mpc x or mpc live 2. I rarely would leave the house to record or write. I just want the most professional sounds and industry standard recordings I can make without spending money and time in a studio. You seem like a legit honest person who has plenty of experience with these types of machines and I would like to hear your thoughts on what I am wanting to do. I believe one of these machines would open up a whole new world of creative song writing and recording for me. Hope to hear back from you soon. God bless!
Yussir I actually have both the x and live. They are the exact same workhorse same power and for the comfort of finishing songs I would go live all day. The x has a few more inputs and phantom power and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It has more qlinks and less menu diving. I use the x for all my gear and recordings then send em to the live sampling The live can do everything the x does just less dedicated buttons. Bro I hope this helps and which ever one you choose will definitely get the job done. I let people mess with my live all the time but I’m the only one that touches my x. There’s just something about it but there both awesome 💯
@@PoliPopo Thanks for the input and quick response. I’m just looking to put out the best sounding self produced songs I can. I saw in one of your comment replies that you like the mpc x better. What do you like about it that makes you feel that way over the live 2?
just got mine and im new to the game great video so question what turntable should I get to plug with the live2( if I need one ) I just love the sampling with the turntables
Thanks Poli, Dope video, both sound & look great, I would go for the live 2, as it’s powerful & portable and a bit newer and a on the go mpc ready to make quick beats plus it sounds good and doesn’t take up too much space. The X though still a dope machine & a good mpc for old school beats.
Get you a nice 1500AH uninterruptible power supply for your MPC X and all of your other gear. The UPS will buy you enough time to save your beat in your MPC X and other gear during a power outage. I have one for mine. Glad I got it. I have the X and the One. I like the extra dedicated buttons on the One compared to the Live. However, I wouldn't mind having the Live II because of the battery if I was traveling a lot. My One is basically to replace my MPC1000 that I traded in a while back. The X is for the studio. The best part about them is whatever I make on the One can transfer over to the X and vice-versa because they are both compatible. Glad I got'em.
I have been on the ropes on the MPC for awhile.. I cant stand using computers ..and I really wanted a sketch pad for ideas that can be accessed ASAP.. I've made my choice after alot of research.. , going with the MPC Live.. Thanks So much for the input..
I appreciate your honesty and passion. You're not here to sell something, you're encouraging others to find the right paint brush and colors for their own musical canvas. I'm on the fence between the two. I'm mainly a home studio person so the X is perfect but I don't feel like it's $1,000 better than MPC Live 2. I have Roland MC-707 (with Roland FA07 as a controller sometimes) and only realized after getting it what the MPCs could do better - sampling. I still love the MC-707 but I want easier sampling and audio in recording because I sometimes use my real guitars, bass, drums, vocals, external synths/keys, etc. I think the combo of 707 + MPC would be killer! Have you found that having the extra inputs on the X is a big help or do you think recording different instruments (along with internal sounds) on Live 2 would be just fine?
Hey I highly appreciate that yeah we was out there painting An event called Paint Louis that goes on every year It was right there with the train bridges and all the trains that run back-and-forth like every five minutes back to back that big wall full of graffiti that’s where we were at I think it was like 17 at the time hey I want to say I don’t know what it is I keep trying to do the update on the standalone onto a USB though external it’s not working for me on the content synth 📂 I tried numerous times and just for some reason it’s not working like it works on my computer but I don’t want to work on my computer I want to be working on stand alone🤭🤭🤭😭😭😭
as a teen I always wanted a whole studio to just go wild in well nowadays we have the MPCs u truly have a whole studio to go crazy in its just a good time to be alive!!!
I bought the live 2 last night. I’m using the Renaissance with 2.7 because of the way my midi is setup with all of my gear. I’ve updated the live 2 to 2.10 stand-alone. How do you dive into this workflow. Everything looks different ??? I’m not planning on using hardware with the live but I would like to use the newer software in the box. Thanks for the videos. They’re a big help.
I have a 4000 last 7yrs and went to a dude who makes hip hop in the box pick up some techies mk2s he had for sale and had the X there all shining laying there turned off doing nothing. He didnt even knew that you can use its outputs as a traditional drum machine. He told me he would let it go in a very sane price. With the new update and added sub/trive synthesizers just by its preamps i think this mpc on a mackie vlz and a keyboard controller u with a techies next to it you can do anything forever. Tried the live. Tooo small for my liking i like the centered controls of x . My brain fingers can do left (i have stage 1 autism) but for portable. 2 mpc live and a xone. Full dj sets and live loopings for hours... true what y said. Limitation in gear is key. I have over 7 high end synths and 4 high end drum machines with a shitlot of samplers but when i use max 2 of em together i create 20x times better things.mpc for life bro! Perfect video.
I really appreciate you watching and thank you for your support The Mpc x definitely represents the older Mpc by weight and size 💯 I like to have the x hooked up to the studio and the unfinished songs get chopped up in the live, thanks again for watching
@@PoliPopo a question thats buggin me. Have u tried that mc707? If yes u think is a good combo for that roland legacy sound or overkill as with the expansions alone into x is like we have a shitlot of synths🤣🖤 u the best i will watch more of ur vids i can learn many new things
I thought the Live speaker was gonna be a stupid gimmick, but I loooove it now that I have it haha. Also, that USB mic, does it work with the Class Compliant audio interface feature? I’ve read some USB mics show up
I initially bought my MPC One last September and then bought my Live 2 retro back in February. I pretty now use the MPC One only in controller mode and use my Live 2 for everything else. I still plan on selling my MPC One though
I like that all current mpcs from the one to the x have the same processing power and software. Happy with my live 2. The only thing that bothers me is the rubber surface.
@@marcthompson4661 yeah as you're switching sounds it doesn't fully play hitting the key it makes a weird noise you have to hit the keys like three or four times just to hear them but with the regular plug in as you go through the sounds you can be tapping the keys with no problem
For me the MPC X is the right instrument. The menu diving of the MPC Live takes me out of the zone and doesn’t inspire me. I had one for a month and returned the MPC live 2, I didn’t love it. I do also have the MPC One, which I’m still using. But I mainly use the MPC X. I definitely love the MPC X SE it’s fun, sounds great and is my faster. Using the MPC X SE with a turn table and synths is inspiring.
Word If times were good enough back then I would’ve definitely kept all of my MPC’s but I’m glad I upgraded little by little, I had the Mpc 2000 xl And I can only hope to one day reunite myself with it
I'm really thinking about getting one of these because ableton is getting kinda boring. Would be nice to be able to do all the music making not on a computer. I'm thinking maybe just get an x and use it to control ableton when I do go into daw mode? I dunno!
I have the live 2 but I feel restricted, I have so many cables to it that I can't just take it to the patio or sofa. So I think I'll keep the live 2 and buy the X for a static placement. Thoughts?
