[Da kenzie]

 
I'm looking for a low cost sampler with all-round features including a sequencer

OK
Give me suggestions i'll go up to $600 max- my currency (Rand) is very weak.

And what makes the Boss Sp-505 so much better than the SP-303 besides that it's made especially for people who sample other peoples work - which i don't do that much although i do it now and then.

PS why can't i stay logged in when i post a thread!!!!1

[Arie]

PS why can't i stay logged in when i post a thread!!!!

Maybe you are using Internet Explorer 6 which has problems handling boards like these. Try a lower version like 5.5 SP2. You should post this to the Troubles thread.

[Ekko]

Get a software sampler.

Cheaper, smaller, way more comfortable (Halion reads many formats), more flexible, easy to update, offers better editing-possibilitys and has more options to alter the sound.
Plus, you can drop some plugins behind the samplers out.
You get free software sequencers, which are actually mostly better than any build-in sequnencer of a sampler.

If you can't let go of a real sampler, I'd recommend the Groovebox. The MC 505 from Roland. It's nearly a small workstation.
You'll got a step-sequencer and a synthesizer and a drummachine in one piece. And you have an extreme funky toy on it, the D-Beam COntroller (silly name), which allows you to alter the sound by just waving your hand over the controller. It's all controlled by the wind you make over it. Looks great in live-shows, believe me... Or get drunk and hang out a night over that machine, I bet you've got amazing results the next morning.
You can also buy the MC 303, the baby-brother of the 505, it just lacks the D-Beam Controller (total pity) and some sampling-space if I remember correctly.

It's nearly the same with the SP-505 and 303 you talked about.
The Boss-machines are a bit more developed, the 505 for example has a bigger LCD-screen which allows you to actually see the envelopes you create. (Which you will never need, rely on your ear, man.)
But I find that the ROland machines sound a bit more grunty, if you want them to.

It's a question of taste, I can't help you with that. Borrow the machines for a weekend and chek them out yourself.

Greets,
Ekko

[da kenzie]

What about the Yamaha A3K, dat looks interesting...

[Ekko]

Beware of that machine if you have a mac, you can't transfer a3k-files or waves from the mac to the yamaha. For now. Maybe there'll be a tool sometime, but since the machine is out on the market quite a good time by now, there's only a small chance.

But it's a great sampler anyway, the best is, that you can sync the LFO to the Midi-stream, which actually allows you extremely tight timed oscillations. Not too much instruments allow that.
The rest is the normal stuff, 4 Outs (I think... Or were it 6?), 64 Voices Polyphony, about 50 different FX, but it only comes with very less ram delivered, better stock up to at least 32mb (we have one with 128 at our school, that's okay. Too less anyway. Another pro for the software: No space-limitations. YOu can use all the vast space of your HD. But be aware that you'll need a small partitioned HD with fast access-times to stream long files at once and timed).

Haven't checked the EQ yet, but I guess it'll sound like every built in EQ, if you know what I mean.

[kenzie]

OK
I checked out the fruity loops demo - thats quite cool, what other programs are there and where can I download the stuff.
It seems that I will use the software but I'm also in a live hip-hop crew/band thing and would like to use a sampler live.
My Sp-202 sounds allright but won't it be a mission to get my software samples on there? What reliable samplers are out there at a good price?
And what are some good programs for sequencing and FX.

PS: You have a sampler at your school - r u talkin' 'bout high school or like university/college?

[Ekko]

It depends on what you feel is a reliable price.
The standard HipHop drummachine / sampler combination is the MPx2000 or nowadays 3000.

Okay, once again: Good programs for sequencing are
Cubase VST 24 / 4.0, Logic Audio and Ableton Live in the more professional area.
Then there is Sonic Foundry Acid, with which you can only arrange audio-files, there's no Midi-implementation,
Fruity Loops, which you already checked out, this is just a step sequencer with less Midi-implementation,
FastTracker, which is the best tracker out there (according to Zed  ) and a whole bunch of smaller programs that virtually copy the ones mentioned above.

For FX you really should get some PLugins.
PI warp and Northpole are free filter plugins that freak up the
sound very weird.
I don't start to tell you about all the others, you should check 'em out yourself. There is great stuff out there.

I'm on a private university for musicians and engineers,
we have loads of gear here (it's a dream, really... I often skip my free time to just hang out with the machines...)

[kenzie]

that must be pretty kewl...i mean your music school....so unfair
ok
I'm d0wnl0ading Fruity loops full version right now...morpheus is kewl
or is KaZAA better?
I don't think Cubase will work nicely on my computa
What is the smallest easiest running version?

Thanks for da help...

[kenzie]

The standard HipHop drummachine / sampler combination is the MPx2000 or nowadays 3000.

Are you talkin' 'bout the Akai MPC-2000?

[Ekko]

Are you talkin' 'bout the Akai MPC-2000?

Yeah, since there is a MPC and a MPS, I just placed a small x there. The latest machine is the MPC3000, haven't used it yet, but the MPC2000 is the best for live-shows. YOu have big buttons and a clearly arranged (but a little small) screen, that always shows you only the most important values.
The MPS is like the smaller brother of it and isn't made fabricated any more because most people decided to get the 'real' one, the MPC...
I'd do so as well, btw.

It is very cool if you are interested in music and the technical side of it, but it also is very expensive (since it's a private university) and I don't have much for a living right now.
Because of this, I had to take some side-jobs and this again makes me so pretty flabby, cause it's mostly nightwork *yaaaaawn*
Anyway, I like it this way.
Greets,
Ekko

[kenzie]

I checked the Akai MPC's out on the net and came across the new MPC 4000 ( my fuckin word) it looks like a monster of a thing...er thing yes.

Check it out at http://www.mpc2000.cjb.net/ go to there forum (it's shitty compared to this one) and tell your school to get one - if it's out yet i'm not sure...

[Ekko]

Wow, I didn't know that!

If it's really out already, we have a nice chance to get one soon...

I thought of saving money for the MPC3000. I overthink my plans now.

Cheers,
EKko

[KENZIE (using IE 6.0)]

YEP, i think it maybe out...It's at there web page - so they're advertising it all ready...akaipro.com i thinks

Lucky frekin' skool man jeez...
Oh I made like this Drum+Bass track with fruity loops  - where can i uploadz it for free???

[Ekko]

Oh I made like this Drum+Bass track with fruity loops

[kenzie]

skru dat , the track was b0ll0cks anyway - as soon as i listened to the track over speakers(not earphones) i realised it's crap - anyway...
 
to my horror i've dicovered AKAI do not sell musical products in south africa anymorez....noooooooooooooooo!

No i thinks i wanna buy a sampler and then a ELECtribe mmm...
buuuut....w0t t0 buuuuuy???
PLZ tell me wot is a good sampler for a cheap price - there is like no second hand market here - i wish i was there - --mmm...ummmm...he he he ok gimme ideas and it's gotta be really cheap...is the SP-303 any good?
they offered me that as there special cheap bargain sampler...
any suggestions???