This video shows you how to use Ableton Live like an MPC to chop and play your samples so that they can cut each other off.

The video also shows how to setup your own custom drum racks in Ableton so this chop and cut off setting is done automatically when you slice a new sample.

via SoundsAndGear

This video, via synthjunk, is a celebration of all that is good – with an emphasis on the pure analog electronica power, using classic synths, sequencers and drum machines.

via synthjunk:

Influenced by electronic music of the 70’s 80’s & 90’s.

Recorded using Ableton live with minimal overdubbing.

Robot featured is home made.

Boston based virtual instrument manufacturer SONiVOX has introduced Sampla – Hip Hop Production Sampler, a new virtual sampler plug-in for MAC and PC designed for fast sampling and beat creation for hip hop producers.

Features:

• MPC style editing & slicing for easy instrument & beat creation
• Imports Wav, Acid, Broadcast Wav, Aiff, & MP3 Format Files
  Easy to use record functionality for real time sampling
• Over 250 factory preset instruments and pad layouts
• 16 user assignable pads
• Tempo Sync Stereo Delay, EQ, and Chorus Effects
• Assignable filter section with 10 filter types
• Graphic waveform display with zoom, click, and drag functionality
• Midi Learn & Save functionality, Sampla is instantly compatible with any
• MIDI keyboard or pad control
• Pad-Specific Variable Resolution Note Repeat and Pattern Arpeggiation Mode
• PC Standalone, VST and RTAS Compatibility.
• MAC Standalone, AU, VST, and RTAS Compatibility.

Sampla is available now with a MSRP of $149 and an introductory street price of $99.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Description:

Sampla’s unique design bridges the gap between MPC style sampling and the computer based virtual instrument environment. Sampla allows users to easily record, slice, loop, and assign (keymap) their ownrecorded samples as well as any of their own wav, acid, aiff, and mp3 samples.

In addition to the flexibility provided by Sampla’s sampler engine, Sampla’s “Learn Mode” allows users to interface their MIDI pad controllers and controller keyboards directly with Sampla.

Sampla is packed with a diverse and extensive factory sound bank, all recorded and programmed by SONiVOX’s award winning sounddesign team, with over 250 high end instrument presets and pad layouts.

Included are acoustic and electronic drumkits, basses, keyboards, leads, guitars, strings, brass, pads, vocals, symphonic construction kits, scensorship bleeps and blips, as well as a selection of loops from the SONiVOX LoopLine series.

MPC Cat

Purple the cat responds to the keyboard cat with a demonstration of mad beatmaking skillz.

via officialanticon

This is an introduction to Ableton Live for (MPC-style) hardware sequencer producers.

via SoundsAndGear:

this is a tutorial for people like me that are used to using hardware sequencers. Find out why I feel ableton is the best daw for music production around.

DJ Magazine took the Akai Pro MPD32 for a spin.

The MPD32 is a MIDI-over-USB performance pad controller for DJs, programmers, producers, and others musicians.

If you’ve used the Akai Pro MPD32, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Akai Pro MPd32 Features:

• MIDI controller for production and performance
• MPC pads: bank of 16, velocity and pressure-sensitive
• Four selectable pad banks for a total of 64 sounds accessible from the pads
• Eight assignable Q-Link faders, eight assignable Q-Link 360° knobs, and eight assignable Q-Link buttons, all three banks
• MIDI-synced MPC Note Repeat and MPC Swing
• Two assignable footswitch inputs and expression-pedal input
• Dedicated transport controls
• Backlit, easy-to-read display
• MIDI-over-USB or MIDI operation
• USB powered or powered via optional AC adapter
• MPC 16-Level and Full Level
• Comes with custom versions of Ableton Live Lite, FXpansion BFD Lite, and Vyzor Editor Librarian software
• 30 user-definable presets for DAW applications

via AkaiProVideo

This is a demo of Beat Thang Virtual, the Beat Kangz’ new virtual music production workstation.

If you’ve had a chance to try out Beat Thang Virtual, leave a comment with your thoughts!

via griffinavid:

In this vid, we chop up a sample and make a beat within 10 minutes.

Doesn’t get any easier than that.

DJ Jazzy Jeff talks beatmaking with Ableton Live.

via AbletonInc:

DJ Jazzy Jeff is a legendary DJ and producer with countless hits and even signature scratch styles to his name. Jeff’s skills and knowledge have earned him a reputation as one of the industry’s musical godfathers. With over 20 years in the game and a back catalog covering soul, hip hop, jazz and house, he’s still making records and developing the art of the DJ. We got the chance to meet Jeff in his studio, so we took our cameras along. In this movie, Jeff shows us how he builds a beat and shares his thoughts on Live and Sampler.

2009 Summer NAMM Show: This is an official demo of the new Akai LPD8 Pad Controller.

2009 Summer NAMM Show: Akai has announced the MPK61, the fourth model in the company’s line of keyboard/MPC performance controllers.

Description:

The MPK61 is a keyboard performance MIDI controller that expands the popular MPK line.

Each MPK controller combines a piano-style keybed with a bank of genuine Akai Professional MPC pads, assignable Q-Link controllers and some of the technologies from the icon MPC. The MPK61 offers a mix of 61 semi-weighted keys with aftertouch, 16 MPC pads with velocity and pressure sensitivity, 72 assignable Q-Link, MPC Note Repeat, MPC Swing and an arpeggiator.

The MPK61’s size is ideal for performers who need a larger range than the original 49-key MPK49 offers, but also prefer the lighter weight and associated portability of a semi-weighted keyboard. The MPK61 retains the key split features from the MPK88, enabling the performer to divide the keyboard into two zones for performing with two different programs at once.

Like its 25, 49 and fully weighted 88-key siblings — the MPK25, MPK49 and MPK88, respectively, the MPK61 empowers musicians to create and manipulate melodic, harmonic and rhythmic content and manipulate quickly with its arpeggiator, MPC Swing and MPC Note Repeat technologies.

The MPK61 comes with Ableton Live Lite Akai Edition software, one of the most popular and powerful performance and production programs worldwide. Ableton Live Lite enables musicians to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise, and edit musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment.

The MPK61 is a MIDI controller that sends MIDI values over USB for plug-and-play performance with Mac and PC. Because they are MIDI compliant, the MPK series works with virtually all MIDI recording, sequencing, and performance software for musical performers from keyboard players to producers to DJs and VJs.

The MPK61 performance keyboard controller will be available from professional audio and musical instrument retailers Q3, 2009.

2009 Summer NAMM Show: Beat Kangz Electronics has announced a shipping date for the much-hyped Beat Thang, an MPC-like, Hip-Hip production center. The Beat Thang is expected to ship in October 2009, with a list price of $1,299 and retail of $999.

The Beat Kangz are also putting the finishing touches on The Playa Thang, an iPhone app and a software version of the Beat Thang. By July 17, The Beat Thang Virtual software system, $149.00, will be available for purchase on the company’s website.

Features:

• Sampling
• 3.5 inch video grade color LCD
• On-board rechargeable NiCad battery.
• Over 3000 Blazin’ Brand new sounds designed by The Beat Kangz
• 16 Track MIDI sequencer (sequence external instruments)
• 500 production ready Platinum beats and loops created by The Beat Kangz
• Sleek design and styling with customizable “Paintz” and “Grillz”
• Convenient, light-weight portable design with internal rechargable battery
• USB In & Out
• Pitch and Mod Wheels
• On Board FX including Reverb, Delay, Automated Filters and tons of Crazy “Freak FX” including “Chopped and Screwed”!!!!
• On Board “Mo Bang” Mastering with EQ and Limiting
• 256 MB Ram standard
• 2 High Speed SD Card Slots (16 Gigabytes/ card)
• Export Beats to a Mac or PC (supports AIFF and WAV format)
• Intuitive user interface.

via FutureMusic

This official Ableton video looks at making sounds in Ableton Live with Sampler.

Sampler is a sampling instrument, that brings multisample playback and import, as well as sound design capabilities, to Ableton Live.

via AbletonInc

“Slip” – Sebastien Leger Remix (”MASCHINE” vs “TRAKTOR”) LIVE

This is a live remix/re-tweak, via massivebeatzz, of Sebastian Leger’s SLIP.

Massivebeatz mixes on Native Instruments’ TRAKTOR, Native Instruments MASCHINE as well as Jomox’s xBase 09 and the Roland MC09.

Here’s a little Sunday Synth Jam featuring some Native Instruments Reaktor and Maschine remix action.

via timexile:

A live mashup of this amazing 16bit tune using a patch I made in Reaktor using the Maschine controller from NI. FX on the pads and twisters, bar progress on the top 8 buttons, track section on the 8 buttons to the left of the pads.

Check out this insanely fun, MPC-inspired orange juice commercial.

Ingredientes: Laranjas fresquinhas, funk carioca e uma pitada de bom-humor.

Art direction and Creation
Hardcuore – hardcuore.com

Design and Animation
Breno Pineschi e Rafael Cazes

Audio Effects and MPC Tropical Soundtrack
Joao Brasil

Colaboration / Thanks
Joana Angert

via apc

This is a free video guide to Native Instruments Maschine – their next-generation music production workstation – a sort of Akai MPC/computer hybrid.

By clicking left/right arrows above, you can view all the official videos from NI for Maschine.

Topic covered include:

• Introduction to Native Instruments Maschine
• Native Instruments Maschine Demo Performance by NuVintage
• Controlling Ableton Live with Native Instruments Maschine
• Syncing Traktor Pro and Maschine
• Controlling Traktor Pro with Maschine
• Maschine: Browser & Library Part 1
• Maschine: Browser & Library Part 2
• Maschine: Live Recording Part 1
• Maschine: Live Recording Part 2
• Maschine: Live Recording Part 3
• Maschine: Step Recording

Introducing the worlds first USB flash memory drive shaped like the Akai MPC 2000XL, one of Hip Hop’s most classic drum machines / samplers. This is the long time favorite Sampler of producers such as Dr. Dre, Pete Rock, Just Blaze, Lil Jon and more! Akai’s powerhouse drum machine has been immortalized as a 4 GB USB flash memory drive. Every nuance of the Akai MPC 2000XL has been captured in extreme detail! These unique devices are perfect for Hip-Hop beat makers, producers, and enthusiast on the go. This is the only portable data storage solution that screams “Hip Hop”.

A SP1200 version is also available.

They sell for $39.95 plus shipping and handling, about twice what a standard 4gb flash drive costs. Screaming “hip hop” ain’t cheap, you know.

Exile reveals his secrets, starting with making beats off the radio in his car.

via cratekings

MOTU BPM was one of the hotter pieces of music software to come out of the 2009 Winter NAMM Show, because it is designed to turn your computer into an advanced MPC-style virtual instrument.

MacMusic has an early review of MOTU BPM, and they’re impressed:

BPM is a force to be reckoned in the drum machine world. With its huge library and strong feature set, BPM can easily hold its own compared to hardware drum sequencers. BPM’s compatibility with all major DAWs deserves bonus points. I would have liked to have seen a MIDI programmable sound repeat button as well as a hi-hat decay slider as on MPC drum machines- perhaps in a future update.

Nonetheless, BPM is by far the strongest software drum machine currently available. I’ll be looking to see how musicians find creative ways to use BPM, much like the MPC, but in my opinion, MOTU may have officially put all hardware drum machines on notice.

No faint praise!

Have you used BPM? If so, leave a comment and let us know if you think it’s the strongest software drum machine currently available!

More on MOTU BPM.

Musikmesse 2009: Open Labs introduced the DBeat – a new portable music production workstation that offers iPod integration, a multi-touch touchscreen interface and traditional MPC-style pads.

The DBeat will be available for $3,999 USD ($3,499 for pre-orders) in June 2009, directly through here at www.openlabs.com or through an authorized reseller listed on the Web site.

Check it out and leave a comment with your thoughts!

Description:

Encased in an ultra-light aluminum chassis and weighing only 20lbs, the DBeat boasts more than 10,000 sounds with an additional 14GB of sounds that come with the included, full feature version of AbletonTM Live 7. Live DJ performance capability is taken to the next level with the inclusion of Open Labs’ edition of GURU and the proprietary virtual instrument host Riff.

DBeat comes loaded with a plethora of fully mappable real-time controllers, including Open Labs’ exclusive Bump MP drum pads, the Mix/Edit digital audio workstation panel, and comprehensive DJ controls including a cross-fader. DBeat puts “the feel” back in making music by including an integrated trackball, iPod-compatible cradle and 12-inch capacitive touch screen, which will be multi-touch capable with Windows 7 update.

The ability to directly connect USB turntables and the compatibility with virtually any software, including DeckadanceTM, Serato Scratch LiveTM, TraktorTM, Pro ToolsTM, Reason and many more, make DBeat the ultimate DJ solution for studio, stage and club use.

DBeat Technical Specifications

CPU
Intel® Core2 Duo ® (3GHz)

Control Surfaces
Trackball with 2 buttons
Mix/Edit Controls
BumpMP
DJ Panel

Memory
4 GB

Audio I/O
(1) High Performance Audio I/O Card with Low Latency including 24-bit/96kHz professional 4-in/6-out : (2) mic/instrument preamp inputs (with Phantom Power 48V), (2) analog line inputs, (6) analog line outputs, S/PDIF digital I/O (coaxial)

Storage
320 Gigabyte

Drive
High Speed Dual-Layer 8.5GB/disc CD/DVD Burner

Display
12-inch capacitive touch screen (multi-touch capable with Windows 7 update)

Connection
Comprehensive I/O capable of up to 24bit/96KHz audio with 4 in / 6 out including 2 phantom-powered mic-pres with DI’s, S/PDIF I/O and MIDI I/O

Software
Open Labs Riff®
Abelton Live®

Factory Sound Library
Over 7,500 presets and 1,000 song presets loaded into RiFFTM. (Check our Software Bundle webpage for more information)

Dimensions:
26”(W) X 14”(D) X 5”(H), Weight (base configuration) 20 lbs.

Specifications subject to change without notification.