My thought on the SP404 MKII - one month later

Shout out to everyone that’s popping up and showing love. I truly appreciate it 💙💙

I’m gonna work on getting the audio quality better next time and hopefully deliver better content so I’d appreciate it if y’all stuck around ☮️

That’s for putting this out there you seem like a genuine dude. I’m a sound designer scouring the innanette looking for a sampler. I’m between the SP 404, MPC one, or the new KO II.

How is it 6 months later? ;)

get yourself a used MPC XL 2000.... then..... cherish what they did with MPC Live 2, be mindblown - create

Its a great Tool IF your workflow is also Loopbased/Lo-Fi based. Once you step into real producing and arranging, it kinda kills the workflow overall

What is the biggest problem? The linearity of its user interface and dumb decisions. Underutilizing the display, for instance. It beat analyzing algorithm is more wrong than right (even on samples from its own SD that are looped perfectly). The sequencer is inconsistent. In real time mode, it knows detuned samples. In step-mode, it ignores detune. Some times button, a,b and c do something else than button a,c and b. The input volume is low, ridiculously low as it goes into the red with the signal barely registering. If you open input FX without an actual FX, the volume gets louder. I even found inconsistencies in loudness and graphical representation of samples. It does not remember sequencer settings like barcount. Gets frustrating after a few bodged attempts. Also, cool BPM settings. They are all over the place. Actual BPM of the sample, relative BPM of the sample. BPM of the project, BPM of the group, BPM of the sequencer, BPM of the sample to be recorded. I don't know about Japanese dudes and dudettes, but generally, in the western world, we have on BPM per song. Check out Koala, Roland. You can't merge or concat recorded sequences. But you can automatically resample them, not via resample, of course, that would be so logical that Spock could do it, but via copy. And then shift - pattern select. Are you with me? Ah , I was a professional software designer and all this would get my hair grey if they weren't already 😂.

What is an ever bigger problem? I love working with it. And yes, I use Koala as well.

Thank you. I appreciate you. Your video was very thorough and helpful. Keep up the great work!!

Every piece of hardware takes time to learn, but I do think that the mk2 just isn't a Centre piece. I'm dawless and use an SX & a mk2 in my setup. The mk2 has found its way to the end point of my setup, so I can dj with the music I produce, but its also at the start of the process too, I like to craft samples on it first, then import them to other devices.
I will say this about them tho... they're just damn fun to use.
subbed, nice work

I have a MPC One & A SP404Mkll

I’m here trying to justify keeping mines. I come from using MPCs since the 2000xl and most Roland products are a learning curve. When I bought the MV8000/8800 I got rid of it so quickly and went back to Akai. I got caught up with the hype from videos saying the MPC and 404 is heaven on earth( I’m being sarcastic)lol

not many people know you cant just load a sample then pitch shift it, you have to match the projects bpm to the samples then record it and the pitch shift will come out way cleaner. It works the same way with some other efx too

Right there with you man this my first beat machine got it 2 weeks ago trying to find all the tutorials and learn all i can

I have the sp404 mk2. What I hate the most is the sequencer. They should make an MPC that size and portable.

This is the first time I will admit it....I have barely used my MK2. I have jammed on it a few times and felt really good about it but it is literally not being used now because I have so much going on in my life and I can barely concentrate on making music. I have a Microfreak too, love them to bits but I admit I am the problem, not them.

I'm switching from about 5 years in FLStudio now, 😮 thanks for making this vid. I'm trying to figure out if I'm gonna get an MC707 or a MKII for live performance

Keep grindin bro. I came from MPC Live 2 Retro and it was driving me crazy, but now I haven't touch my MPC in months- except to check battery life and add some expansions to ssd.

Its like having 10 SPs in one.

Any hardware that has software that includes midi, audio sequencer, mixer, effects and sound generators on a screan is DAW software on a device with dedicated hardware controls.

I'm a guy who knows nothing about any daw or any standalone drum machine , bought an mpc one and i am learning slowly but tbh I'm very overwhelmed and confused

This was a great breakdown, brother. I just got my Mk2 a few weeks ago, and as an MPC One User the workflow intimidated me a bit initially - but coming from using the Koala app, I had some bearing. It’s a FUN and powerful machine, and kind of a rule-less, messy way of making music with a host of possibility - and that’s why it’s so beloved! Having a blast with it so far. That said, great breakdown and vid - can’t wait to follow along and see more from you. Thank you for sharing. Also, tracks are 🔥. Best to you, fam. Peace!

CAN'T HEAR YOU. bg music is too loud and you're too far away from your mic 🤦🏿‍♂️

thanks for your insight bro. I'm a newbie too (but on the MPC one platform); I've been keeping my eye out on the 404mk2 tho, and you helped me decide to add one to my setup in the future. peace

I own the 404mkii…. Had it for months… HAVNT really used it.
Own the digitakt, digitone, octatrack mkii, and a korg minilouge xd.
LOVE those.
I don’t make hip hop …like…. Not even a lil LOL.
But I dig your content my guy. Here’s to years of exponential growth to you and your channel!

Have you tried Koala?

The SP404 Mk2 is a brilliant machine with great built in effects. It’s not for me personally but it’s a great device for those who get it. Not everything is for everybody. I prefer working with MPCs.

Music creation itself has a lot of complexities. Sit someone who has no musical experience in front of a piano. It will be some time before they can create something worth hearing. Anything worth learning takes time.

what's the name of the "whokuh" channel?

Bro get an Octatrack and don’t look back I did and I sold my 404 the next day

MPC is the best by far

Great video. Appreciate your perspective.

out of curiosity, what was the name of the retreat?

your beats in the background are sick!

I just picked up this machine myself the other day, in my humble opinion this is a great piece of gear and there is a lot to learn about it. I'm a person just starting off making videos myself, but I have none at the moment making beats. I own the AKAI MPC One and a few other Sequencers and drum machines, but I really like this machine and as you said in your video there are people explaining how to use the 404MKI. I'm still a beginner at this machine, but love learning the functionality and the capabilities it offers. I also like the portability of having a machine to take anywhere to create different effects and best when the time should arise. Keep up making videos !

Just bought this device yesterday and came across your video. Coming from ableton and mpc ive always been intrigued by this machine. I appreciate your informative video. Definitely gonna sub for you bro.

I just ordered an SP404 og to pair with my MPC one. I need that SP sound because the new MPCs are brilliant but they have no character to the sound, its very lifeless and the built in effects are very artificial

about to get one soon. was gonna cop this week but im putting if off a liittle

My monitors nearly crushed my ears because of that ventilator sound in your video !

Youre right the 404 community is great, each one teach one love it.

the most important part when you decice to go the 404 road is to give this device time and put effort in it, to learn the workflow, i came from a mpc background (rack mpc in the 90s and later 1k series) and im honest the first months i was close to send the device back because my mpc hardwired brain could not handle the workflow, but the suffering was worth it i wont look back now

why switch from the mpc to the 404? its simple the mpc (live) is just another daw, i tend to get lost in the infinite possibilies and my creativity suffers, with the 404 i get alot more output and its such a great tool, resampling efx monster!

great video

Im too in love with my SX to upgrade too the MKII, lol hope im not sleeping on something lol.

fire video

I've never used the 404, but I did have a 303. Around 10 years ago, I bought an SP303 and an MPC 4K at the same time. The 4K is supposed to be a "deep" machine with a bit of a learning curve, so I expected the SP303 to be the easier machine to learn because I knew that it was a more advanced version of the Roland MS-1 which I had way back in the day. I thought I'd be using the SP most of the time and slowly getting a grip on the 4K. Exactly the opposite was the case. I had the 4K mastered in no time. It was turning into an extension of my mind while I made it do backflips and the 303 just ended up on the shelf collecting dust. Honestly, I found the 303 to be really difficult to get used to, just totally counter intuitive and required the manual to do anything. I ended up selling it. Maybe it's actually easy and I just didn't get it or spend enough time with it. Whatever lol. I still have the 4K to this day.

I was thinking about getting one, but I don’t have time to learn it.

Would this be useful to pair with an motif es6 or just go for an mpc?

informative keep them coming

I liked and subscribed before I finished watching.

I have to say alot of the stuff I see done on a sp-404mk11 just doesn't seem musical.
I am over 60 so I have always heard music that had rhythm, everything had a rhythm. Super slow music like "music for airports" and "no pussyfooting" from eno still had a rhythm. Prog rock had dudes who could change time signatures every 4 bars live without a click-track, but everyone was in time. Then hip-hop came along and everyone's songs were really heavy beats that had a rhythm. the drops were in time. The music was in time the spaces between the music had a rhythm.
I see lots of clips with MPC players and even if I think their music is boring it still has rhythm and a beat. But so many sp-404 clips are just random hits no melody no rhythm...and no beats. So the sp-404 mk11 seems to have so much tech in it but it doesnt make its users musical. I had a tb-303 and it was so easy to make random stuff but it still inspired people to make music.
So I got a sp-404mk11 and started looking at everything and noticed this statistic.

Sound like Dj Ace Deuce

Interesting perspective. I just got my 404 and learning it i found your video here. I have an MPC One but i got a 404 just because it is a battery operated sampler/sequencer. I'm one day in and it feels like the 404 is a winner. The portability is a huge pro. Excellent video, subscribed

Tbh, I'd say the sp404 is just a little bit too much for a beginner. Just so much menu diving and stuff. I think a mpc is way easier for beginner due having a touch screen is something people nowadays with smartphones can quickly get their hand around and being able to look at waveform is also not that crazy for most producer which come from a daw.

Great video man, I just got a 404 mk2 and I’ve been finding it way easier to use than a DAW. I played guitar for a decade and some drums so I needed something tangible to make beats with. DAWs just don’t make sense to me so maybe it’s a vice versa thing. If your good with a DAW then a machine might be a little more difficult at first.