When the ASR 10 came out, it was a dimond in the rough. Though technically a synth, it had sample capabilities. Complex sample capabilities. The machine has become a classic over the years. It is still held in high regaurd to this day. Used prices reflect this. It isn't all so great though, this machine does have its share of issues.
The Good:
People often say the ASR 10 has virtually unlimited sample time. At the same time, maxed out, it only has 16 megs of ram which may seem unusable if you are used to other samplers. One of the best features of the ASR 10 is how it uses it's internal memory.
When you record a 60 second sample into most samplers, you have taken up 60 seconds of sample time. When you chop that 60 second sample into smaller pieces, each chop will take up more of your sample time. If your first chop is 4 seconds, you have used 64 seconds of sample time. This cycle repeats itself as you chop the sample up more and more. The ASR 10 does not do this. It lets you chop that 60 second sample over and over again without eating up your sample time. Instead of copying the sample, like an MPC would, it only copies data. This is why the ASR 10 can do so much with so little sample time. This simple revelation makes the ASR 10 vastly powerful.
Along with the ability to handle large samples with ease, with only 16 megs of ram, the ASR 10 is a breeze to chop on. Unlike the MPC, or S-series Akai samplers, you don't use a small data wheel. You use a vertical slider. It seems like a simple change but I think linearly, not circularly. Also, this emulates faders on a mixer or a pitch wheel on a mixer. You have a the ability to go through the sample quickly but with a touch of a button, you can fine chop. This is my favorite sampler to chop on, hands down.
The ASR 10 also is one of the few samplers that came out in the 90's that has usable effects on it. It has far more effects than the MPC's have ever had. More importantly, they sound great. Some people use the ASR 10 as an effects unit and don't even utilize it as a synth or sampler. This machine has the best effects of any hardware sampler I have used, most would agree with me.
Lastly, the ASR 10 is much more than a sampler/sequencer. It is a synth as well. You can easily find soundbanks for this machine so it is vastly expandable. You could easily fall in love with this machine even if you don't sample.
Oh, I forgot to mention...This machine sounds damn good. One of the best sounding machines of the era.
The Bad:
I always felt that the MPC series had some of the best sequencers for any sampler ever built. But, I always felt the MPC's sampling abilities were mediocre. Usable but not great. The ASR 10 is the opposite. It has such a powerful sampler but the sequencer is very basic. It is no frills. If you play something wrong, don't even think about trying to edit. It takes 4x as long as replaying your sample.
The sequencer can also be buggy at times. It often freezes up, just long enough for you to pray you didn't just loose your song. Then it starts again. This never happens while playing back sequences, just when you are making changes, quantizing, etc. It also may not put your effects on right away. Adjust an envelope and sometimes it takes 5 seconds of playback for your changes to "kick in"
I have only had my machine freeze up totally 1 time. It just so happened that it was when I was doing my final arrangement in the song mode. I have a bit of a trust issue with this machine now.
One of the biggest pains for me with the ASR 10 is how many menu's you have to go through. Although all the buttons are set up logically, the menus take some time to get used to. They are slow to navigate as well. On an MPC, making a change to how a sample is triggered takes about a second. On the ASR 10, it takes about 5. This can get tedious after awhile. The manual is not great either, I had to learn much of this machine on it's own.
This machine also lacks in the midi department. It only has the standard out, in, and thru. If you use it standalone, this is fine. I would not want to use this as the master sequencer for alot of machines. I have used it with my Akai S2000 rack alot however. The ASR 10 does it job but the midi should have been better thought out in my opinion.
Lastly, the ASR 10 doesn't do some basic things that it should. The ASR 10 doesn't read wav. files. If you want to transfer you drums to the machine you need to put them in Ensoniq's format. It seems unnecessary to me. You can get translater software from Chickensystems to make your life a whole lot easier. However, it adds a step to the process. I just find somethings on this machine were meant to make me slow down.
Oh...Forget about swing, it doesn't exist on this machine. If you want swing, you need to play it unquantized or offset your drum samples.
Conclusion:
The ASR 10 is a powerful sampler with great sound quality. The keys feel great, it is built like a tank. The sequencer lacks which holds this machine back. The buggyness makes me neverous sometimes. Although you can use this machine standalone, I personally think an MPC or Roland MV needs to be the brain of the operation. My MPC as the master, combined with the ASR 10 allows me to use the strengths of the ASR 10's sampler abilities with the powerful and user friendly MPC sequencer. I have used my ASR 10 standalone many times, and as my master sequencer, I can get by but I would rather not. The ASR 10 can be frustrating standalone, I don't consider it to be a "beginner" sampler (well sequencer), but is a great machine. Pair it to your favorite sequencer and you will never want to part with it.
The Life of an Aspiring Producer
I think anyone who tries to pursue a career, that is off the beaten path, goes in and out of a cycle of confidence and doubt. With music, by nature, you have to be an entrepreneur. This makes all the peaks of confidence higher as accomplishments were done with little help and no financial support. On the flip side, the valleys of doubt are lower as an aspiring producer doesn't have support and down times are inevitable.
My confidence in my skill level as a beat maker hasn't lacked in years. It just becomes stronger. I feel like I can compete with many in the industry. I lack in some areas but I feel my music is valuable. I still continue to grow musically. My love for music continues to grow. I just can't stay bored of music for very long any more. My writer's block has virtually gone away. I just don't seem to have many sub-par beats anymore either.
My quality is consistent. I used to have beats which were flukes, something that I felt was way better than my normal quality. I used to only make a few beats a year I really felt were worthy of trying to shop to anyone important. That doesn't happen anymore. I am consistent with my quality. I still improve but my foundation is solid. I am at a point I never thought I would reach.
My beats don't sell themselves. I shop my beats and have various responses. I sometime get the "this is really good but I don't see myself on it". I sometimes get the "I need something a bit more modern, I need more flair". I often just don't get a response. I am obviously paraphrasing but the point is, it is hard to sell a beat to someone who has heard thousands of beats, some probably get hundreds a day. I should feel good that very important people have felt the need to respond, I do feel OK, but it isn't paying my bills. This is where I have doubt.
I get so much positive response from people who can't help me. I have rappers begging me for beats they can't afford. I have people asking me to produce whole albums. I have fans. I even have established producers trying to put me on. My first and only placement happened instantly, I put a beat CD on and I was on an album. Monetarily, would frustrate most of the readers who think they will get some major compensation of their first industry album. Through all of this, I love it, I enjoy it, but it isn't helping me move forward. I sometimes struggle with the idea that so many people outside the industry, musician or not, want to hear me or work with me, but I just can't get in with a major.
It is easy to start to think "if I just came out 10 years ago, I would be huge." I have the style that was popular then. Money was bigger then. More artist able to get out then. I start to think, am I trying to enter a dying industry?
I can also start to think, if I knew AZ or Common personally, I would be on something big yesterday. If I moved to NY, Philly, even LA, maybe it would work out there. My reality is what it is though, I can't think like that.
This is where I have to regroup. The high moments are good but I have to look at them as a stepping stone. They move me forward, they haven't made me into a true professional. The low moments now inspire me to work harder. I can't dwell on an opportunity that just didn't work out, I need to create another.
Even with that mentality of using the good for reassurance and the bad as inspiration, I often feel at a cross road. The feeling of being destined to be a successful artist can quickly change to feeling like I am chasing a pipe dream. I think with any art, but especially music, a destiny and a pipe dream are only a step away from each other if you let your self believe that.
I guess I am trying to find the middle ground where I can walk smoothly. It takes a lot of energy to run up and down hills.
My confidence in my skill level as a beat maker hasn't lacked in years. It just becomes stronger. I feel like I can compete with many in the industry. I lack in some areas but I feel my music is valuable. I still continue to grow musically. My love for music continues to grow. I just can't stay bored of music for very long any more. My writer's block has virtually gone away. I just don't seem to have many sub-par beats anymore either.
My quality is consistent. I used to have beats which were flukes, something that I felt was way better than my normal quality. I used to only make a few beats a year I really felt were worthy of trying to shop to anyone important. That doesn't happen anymore. I am consistent with my quality. I still improve but my foundation is solid. I am at a point I never thought I would reach.
My beats don't sell themselves. I shop my beats and have various responses. I sometime get the "this is really good but I don't see myself on it". I sometimes get the "I need something a bit more modern, I need more flair". I often just don't get a response. I am obviously paraphrasing but the point is, it is hard to sell a beat to someone who has heard thousands of beats, some probably get hundreds a day. I should feel good that very important people have felt the need to respond, I do feel OK, but it isn't paying my bills. This is where I have doubt.
I get so much positive response from people who can't help me. I have rappers begging me for beats they can't afford. I have people asking me to produce whole albums. I have fans. I even have established producers trying to put me on. My first and only placement happened instantly, I put a beat CD on and I was on an album. Monetarily, would frustrate most of the readers who think they will get some major compensation of their first industry album. Through all of this, I love it, I enjoy it, but it isn't helping me move forward. I sometimes struggle with the idea that so many people outside the industry, musician or not, want to hear me or work with me, but I just can't get in with a major.
It is easy to start to think "if I just came out 10 years ago, I would be huge." I have the style that was popular then. Money was bigger then. More artist able to get out then. I start to think, am I trying to enter a dying industry?
I can also start to think, if I knew AZ or Common personally, I would be on something big yesterday. If I moved to NY, Philly, even LA, maybe it would work out there. My reality is what it is though, I can't think like that.
This is where I have to regroup. The high moments are good but I have to look at them as a stepping stone. They move me forward, they haven't made me into a true professional. The low moments now inspire me to work harder. I can't dwell on an opportunity that just didn't work out, I need to create another.
Even with that mentality of using the good for reassurance and the bad as inspiration, I often feel at a cross road. The feeling of being destined to be a successful artist can quickly change to feeling like I am chasing a pipe dream. I think with any art, but especially music, a destiny and a pipe dream are only a step away from each other if you let your self believe that.
I guess I am trying to find the middle ground where I can walk smoothly. It takes a lot of energy to run up and down hills.
Can the Akai MPC 2000xl still hold its own?
The MPC 2000xl used to be the most sought after MPC, even after the MPC 1000/2500 were released. For whatever reason, they have now become low on the MPC latter. The great part of this is this machines can be an absolute bargain. I bought my 2000xl for $261 shipped. It had max ram, 8 outs, a hard case, and didn't have a scratch on it. You can add a card reader to it for $5 and bring it's functionality up to most modern machines.
As I started to use my 2000xl, I found it was so much better laid out than my MPC 1000. Menu's are easier to find and faster to go through. This machine just feels better than any of then new MPC's. This machine shines in design and simplicity.
This is my favorite MPC for chopping samples. I attribute this mostly to the data wheel. Unlike the 1000 and 2500, it does not click, and is very smooth. It doesn't feel cheap like the newer MPC's either. I find that this makes chopping samples much more enjoyable. The actual wave form is slow to load however on the screen. This does not bug me, I often I have my first chop done before the waveform has fully loaded. If you are visual chopper, this may be a hassle in the long run. For me, this machine is simple, fun, and easy to use.
Hardware wise, this machine is great. It has 8 outs which makes life much easier. Akai has done a great job on the MPC series with making this a breeze to utilize. No complex menus, just go to the mixing menu and assign.
It has 32 megs of ram which is 378 seconds of sample time in mono, or 187 in stereo. Unless you are loading a bunch of sample libraries for synth sounds, or using increadibly large samples, this should be enough time for most anyone. Unlike older MPC's, you don't have to "plan" your beat as much when loading up samples.
I added a card reader to my 2000xl. This is one of the best parts of the 2000xl. The card reader works flawlessly, is quicker than a floppy, no annoying noise. You can access all your sounds off your computer and throw them on your MPC. You cannot do this cheaply on the 3000 or 60.
What is not to like?
Unlike the MPC's that came after the 2000xl, you cannot make the MPC 2000xl truly monophonic. What this means is you can't make each pad mute all the other pads. Watch Boon Doc use an MPC 1000 on youtube. You will see that he hits one pad, then another one, and the second chop cuts off the first. On the 2000xl, you have to set each pad to mute another pad. Each pad can only mute 2 other pads. Many people don't mind this, to me, it is a huge pain.
Coming from the 1000, it just irritates me. The 1000 does this so easily, in one menu. I feel like on the 2000xl, I have to set it to, note off. Then I start arranging my chops, going back and forth from the program menu, to set my mutes to switch the chops back to mono. This can start eating up my time quickly and get frustrating. I will often just use my ASR 10 or S2000 rack instead to make my life easier. Because this machine is so easy and enjoyable to chop samples with, I think it bugs me more than it should.
The other thing with this machine is that the screen can go bad. It used to be a costly replacement, now they are a discontinued part. Be careful when buying one online. Many dedicated MPC 2000xl enthusist are trying to create a solution for new screens. You can read more on the mpc-fourms.com.
My Verdict.
This machine has a rock solid sequencer that the MPC series is known for. It is well laid out, has plenty of sample time, and just feels great to use. It has 8 outs which save tons of time as an option. The card reader expansion is cheap and makes this machine so much more modern. The pad mute part bugs me but many people don't care.
This is the best MPC for the money hands down. It has a higher build quality than new MPC's, more sample time than older, and can be found dirt cheap. Make sure you find one with a good screen.
As I started to use my 2000xl, I found it was so much better laid out than my MPC 1000. Menu's are easier to find and faster to go through. This machine just feels better than any of then new MPC's. This machine shines in design and simplicity.
This is my favorite MPC for chopping samples. I attribute this mostly to the data wheel. Unlike the 1000 and 2500, it does not click, and is very smooth. It doesn't feel cheap like the newer MPC's either. I find that this makes chopping samples much more enjoyable. The actual wave form is slow to load however on the screen. This does not bug me, I often I have my first chop done before the waveform has fully loaded. If you are visual chopper, this may be a hassle in the long run. For me, this machine is simple, fun, and easy to use.
Hardware wise, this machine is great. It has 8 outs which makes life much easier. Akai has done a great job on the MPC series with making this a breeze to utilize. No complex menus, just go to the mixing menu and assign.
It has 32 megs of ram which is 378 seconds of sample time in mono, or 187 in stereo. Unless you are loading a bunch of sample libraries for synth sounds, or using increadibly large samples, this should be enough time for most anyone. Unlike older MPC's, you don't have to "plan" your beat as much when loading up samples.
I added a card reader to my 2000xl. This is one of the best parts of the 2000xl. The card reader works flawlessly, is quicker than a floppy, no annoying noise. You can access all your sounds off your computer and throw them on your MPC. You cannot do this cheaply on the 3000 or 60.
What is not to like?
Unlike the MPC's that came after the 2000xl, you cannot make the MPC 2000xl truly monophonic. What this means is you can't make each pad mute all the other pads. Watch Boon Doc use an MPC 1000 on youtube. You will see that he hits one pad, then another one, and the second chop cuts off the first. On the 2000xl, you have to set each pad to mute another pad. Each pad can only mute 2 other pads. Many people don't mind this, to me, it is a huge pain.
Coming from the 1000, it just irritates me. The 1000 does this so easily, in one menu. I feel like on the 2000xl, I have to set it to, note off. Then I start arranging my chops, going back and forth from the program menu, to set my mutes to switch the chops back to mono. This can start eating up my time quickly and get frustrating. I will often just use my ASR 10 or S2000 rack instead to make my life easier. Because this machine is so easy and enjoyable to chop samples with, I think it bugs me more than it should.
The other thing with this machine is that the screen can go bad. It used to be a costly replacement, now they are a discontinued part. Be careful when buying one online. Many dedicated MPC 2000xl enthusist are trying to create a solution for new screens. You can read more on the mpc-fourms.com.
My Verdict.
This machine has a rock solid sequencer that the MPC series is known for. It is well laid out, has plenty of sample time, and just feels great to use. It has 8 outs which save tons of time as an option. The card reader expansion is cheap and makes this machine so much more modern. The pad mute part bugs me but many people don't care.
This is the best MPC for the money hands down. It has a higher build quality than new MPC's, more sample time than older, and can be found dirt cheap. Make sure you find one with a good screen.
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