Toy of the month: Akai MPC1000
Akai makes a famous line of samplers called the "MPC". They popularized devices with little pads you could tap to trigger samples. Their machines are sampler workstations with sequencers, MIDI, effects, etc... Lots of HIP HOP producers use them, and you can see some great videos on Youtube: (MPC 4000, MPC 1000).
So now that you've watched the videos, you might be saying: "Paul! Why spend coin on a sampler when your laptop can do it all?". That's sort of true, but after playing with one for a few hours at a Guitar Center, I'd have to say they are good tools for sketching cool songs with. I've never really done much with sampling either, and I figured a little MPC 1000 might let me squeeze as much HIP-HOP out of me as there is, and maybe other stuff too. Here's what it looks like:
The coolest thing by far about the MPC 1000 is that a guy in Japan wrote a new operating system for it that packs huge features (apparently rivalling those of the MPC 2500, which costs a bunch more). So, for 30 bucks, you get many more features (even Pong :), in a portable travel safe package. And really, that's the main reason I bought it -- to travel with it. I figure it, and maybe a TI Virus would be good traveling companions on those long, lonely business trips.
(I'm such a geek)
