Why did most Hip-Hop producers still use MPC's and SP-1200's in the 90's???

[Maschine_Man]

hmmm... yeah this seems really possible cause the computers couldn't do as much back than.

software had a lot of limitations. And working with many tracks of wav files took up tons of space. not to mention trying to use plug ins and effects of computer that had limited RAM and processing speed was kind of a bytch.
Hardware just worked well. no lagging and stuf like that.

I did however, love getting my first copy of Goldwave back in the day just to chop samples up. IT made it a lot easier than on that mpc screen.

 

[Be@t Bangerz Fan]

One of Jay-Z's best instrumentals was made with an SP-1200. Classic shyt!

 

[TEKBEATZ]

One of Jay-Z's best instrumentals was made with an SP-1200. Classic shyt!

 

[Tom Foolery]

Just off the top of my head.
1. Entry level computers were trash in the 90's. The average home computer didn't have the power to keep up 'till about like '05.
2. MPC/SP1200 were built for sampling. plug your line in and enter record mode.
3. MPC/SP1200 are portable and more suitable for live performances.

 

[Tom Foolery]

I would love to own an sp1200

Those prices man.

 

[TEKBEATZ]

Those prices man.

I know

 

[DJ Mart-Kos]

MV-8800's are cheap these days though

 

[DJ Mart-Kos]

Imagine the MV-8800 having a Piano Roll like FL Studio. It has a mouse already.
If they would add that feature i would buy the MV again.

 

[karim]

not as many people owned a pc, hard drives were much smaller than today, cpu's were slower and software not as advanced as it is today. but the main reason was simply that mpc's and sp12's were the standard back then. if you wanted to be looked at as a real producer, you had to own one. if you used software, people regarded you as a kid that was just toying around. people were telling you about the sound and groove of the mpc that was impossible to replicate. the funny thing is, i started producing in the mid to late 90's (around '97) and because an mpc was expansive but I alreadyy owned a computer, i started out with software. since you could mix in cubase, i started to read up on mixing and developed a work flow were i was mixing my beats in the process of programming them, while everybody else just slapped shyt together on their mpc's and than relied on somebody else to mix them. as a result, my beats always sounded better than theirs. when they heard them, they always thought i had some super expensive equipment, when all i had was cubase and a couple of cracked plug ins . that's when i learned that it's not the equipment you use, but what you do with it.

 

[DJ Mart-Kos]

not as many people owned a pc, hard drives were much smaller than today, cpu's were slower and software not as advanced as it is today. but the main reason was simply that mpc's and sp12's were the standard back then. if you wanted to be looked at as a real producer, you had to own one. if you used software, people regarded you as a kid that was just toying around. people were telling you about the sound and groove of the mpc that was impossible to replicate. the funny thing is, i started producing in the mid to late 90's (around '97) and because an mpc was expansive but I alreadyy owned a computer, i started out with software. since you could mix in cubase, i started to read up on mixing and developed a work flow were i was mixing my beats in the process of programming them, while everybody else just slapped shyt together on their mpc's and than relied on somebody else to mix them. as a result, my beats always sounded better than theirs. when they heard them, they always thought i had some super expensive equipment, when all i had was cubase and a couple of cracked plug ins . that's when i learned that it's not the equipment you use, but what you do with it.

yep, it has to be cause of the crappy computers back than. Hardware was just steady and stable.
My MV-8800 was stable. My FL Studio crashes at least once every beat i make. (I use shytloads of FX on my instruments)
If i would be performing on stage i would never perform with soft-synths anyway. hell no!
So now i start to understand why producers used hardware basically.
And i used to think you couldn't make real beats as good with software back in 2006. Which was the reason i bought the MV-8000.
Than switched to the MV-8800. Those machines looked hella gorgeous to me which can be misleading. (I saw all these videos on youtube)
The MV couldn't read mp3-files and such. You could only use a few effects at once. The rest you had to re-sample all the time. It had a lot of limitations.

I'm gonna buy the MPK 261 so i still can get that hands-on feel.

 

[DJ Mart-Kos]

Ski Beatz used the MV also.
He uses Maschine now.

 

[GrindtooFilthy]

nah, that can't be it.
That could be replicated with software easily already.

nah breh it's the swing of drums software still can't replicate like a good portion of it

 

[karim]

nah breh it's the swing of drums software still can't replicate like a good portion of it

That's a myth. The guy who programmed the Swing himself said that it's easy as fukk to replicate.

 

[DJ Mart-Kos]

That's a myth. The guy who programmed the Swing himself said that it's easy as fukk to replicate.

Akai said it was cause beatmakers used to chop they drums witouth a Editing-Screen.
They drums was just chopped less precise.

 

[karim]

This is the interview with Roger Linn I was referring to, pretty interesting stuff: http://www.attackmagazine.com/features/roger-linn-swing-groove-magic-mpc-timing/#

As far as the magic goes:

When did you first hear people talking about the magic of the MPC’s timing?

I first heard that idea discussed in the early 80s, shortly after I introduced the LM-1. A part of me would love to tell you it’s something ethereal, a sort of secret sauce that only I can achieve. But honestly, nothing more than what I’ve written in the first answer above is required to create great grooves.