Akai MPC 500 Sounds, Samples & Tutorials

MPC 500 Quick Overview & Review 

The Akai MPC 500 is the smallest and cheapest MPC available - it's light, can be run on batteries and has a very good feature-set for its price. What is does lack is pads (only 12 instead of 16) and a large graphical screen (only two line text instead of fine pixel waveform display).
It's not bad for the price, but in all honesty you'd be better off going for the MPC1000 as this isn't much more expensive, has loads more software and hardware features and even has third party operating systems available for it.
 
The MPC 500 is basically great for ultimate portability as it is battery powered (as an option) - if you don't need battery power go for the 1000 or even the 2500.
I've written an MPC 500 review which looks at the hardware and software features of the Akai MPC 500, plus a quick look at some currently outstanding bugs and issues with this MPC.
 

Akai MPC 500 Sound Format & Free MPC 500 Sounds

Akai MPC 500The MPC 500, like all new Akai MPCs, uses the standard WAV file as its native sample format. Like it's larger siblings, it is limited to 16 bit rather than 24 bit as per the mpc 4000. The program format for the MPC 500 is identical to the MPC 2500 and MPC 1000, so all programs are interchangeable and most parameters are transferred (the MPC 2500 has enhanced filtering, so these are not carried). One issue with using MPC 1000 or MPC2500 programs is that as the MPC 500 only has 48 pads per program, you'll 'lose' access the any samples assigned to those missing 12 pads.
 
Download some Free Akai MPC 500 Drum Sounds - this download is a small collection of drum and percussion sounds. 
You can also grab a load more MPC 500 sounds by signing up to the MPC-Samples.com newsletter - by subscribing you'll also get a free ebook that details how to set up and sound proof a home studio on a reasonable budget.
 
Akai MPC Samples & Sounds  
 
If you want to boost your MPC sound library, head over to MPC-Samples.com where you'll find thousands of thick hip hop drums and percussion, multisamples, loops, breaks and musical elements.  

MPC 500 Tutorials & MPC 500 Manual 

Akai provide a technical manual for the MPC 500 which covers the software and hardware features in the machine -  however, it doesn't cover any real world uses for these features and assumes a lot of existing technical knowledge. 
 
MPC 500 Tutorials To help fellow MPC users, I decided to write a dedicated MPC 500 Tutorial book called 'Beat Making on the MPC 500' . Inside there are 44 step-by-step MPC 500 tutorials that help you understand how to use the MPC 500 in practical beat production situations. You can read a free tutorial from the book here:
 
 
To buy the entire book, including all 500 example MPC files, go to the URL below where you'll also find customer reviews and a detailed listing of all tutorials inside:
 

Akai MPC 500 Forums 

If you'd like to chat to thousands of fellow MPC 500 users, try the MPC 500 forum at MPC-Forums.com . Registration is free! 

MPC 500 Operating System 

The MPC 500 operating system is still at version 1 (1.3) - still a work in progress in my opinion, so a few bugs to iron out....
 

MPC 500 Specs 

  • Battery powered or mains powered
  • 48-track sequencer
  • 2MB RAM upgradable to 128MB
  • Built-in Compact Flash drive and USB port (Mass Storage Class)
  • WAV file support
  • Stereo output and headphones
  • Built-in Analog I/O, headphone output, and MIDI In/Out
  • low pass filter with resonance
  • 2 built in effects, plus Master effect