teach the children (again): Sampling Drum Machines

djnikoless

I'm working with Science Museum on an exhibit and I'm a lil behind times on my technology. One part of the exhibit is creating a music room were kids can experience some different sounds of Hip Hop. My idea was to let them learn about the roots of Hip Hop thru the use of a sampler.Bascially, I want to get a sampler then program some various things into it. For example:-drum breaks (particularly breaks may change)pad 1: funky drummer break (one bar)pad 2: apache break (one bar)pad 3 good times break (one bar)-bass lines (haven't decided on these yet at all)pad 4: ?? bass linepad 5: ?? bass line pad 6: ?? bass line-stabs:Pad 7: guitar stabpad 8: vocal stab (ow, ohhh, etc...)pad 9: ?? soundNow the goal is to have these pad so that kids (of any age) can go up to it and press the pads and learn how to combine the drums with the bass lines with the stabs. However, I don't want any sounds from the same sets to ever play at the same time. Meaning all drum pads cancel out the other drum pads and etc (I know I could do a feature like this on the sp12 by using "channel assign")... Also, having it touch sensitive to volume is a good thing too. THE QUESTION IS THIS: What is the best drum machine to do this with on todays market? I have brought a sampler since my SP12 in '90. The newest thing I've used is a MPC 60 in the early/mid 90s so, needless to say, I'm outdated. I've been looking at these in guitar center: mpc 1000 or the sp-404. However, they aren't set up there for me to sample stuff so I don't really know for sure but based on my experience either one seems like it would work. Anyone have any experience with there that can tell me pros or cons. Or have a better solution. I need to have the Museum buy one by Tuesday so I need some suggestions please. Also, I don't know what the budget is so frugal is always good if it can do the job. Any advice would be mega-appreciated. word.

Bsides

Thats a really weird exhibit.


But Id say use the sp12. Especially if its gonna have some kind of historical connotation. It would be cool to see what people used to use to make beats. Cause all these kids will probably already be making beats on their laptops by the time they are 7.

Better yet, just put an 808 in there. People didnt start sampling in hip hop till like what? 7 or 8 years into it?

Sun_Fortune

I say just use an mpc2000, its pretty easy and cheap.

But I wouldnt use breaks, as you just hold those down, which may albe confusing for a young kid. Give the kids one shots, and let them make thier own shit. they'll have a blast. dont forget a few vocal snippets or sound effects.

ariel_calmer

For the ultra-frugal, is software an option? I'm teaching a course in Flash and for their next assignment they're creating a drum machine. It's really simple but you get the idea. It could be extended to include more MPC-ish features like sequencing. Maybe cannibalize an old keyboard and attach keys to drum pads if you want external drum pads... I know some guys on the net have done this with duct tape and peizo sensors (seriously).

http://sulley.dm.ucf.edu/~aschrock/DIG4526/classfiles/assignment4-example.zip

nzshadow

I say just use an mpc2000, its pretty easy and cheap.

But I wouldnt use breaks, as you just hold those down, which may albe confusing for a young kid. Give the kids one shots, and let them make thier own shit. they'll have a blast.[/b] dont forget a few vocal snippets or sound effects.

co-sign.

jjfad027

People didnt start sampling in hip hop till like what? 7 or 8 years into it?

??

pad 3 good times break (one bar)

The Good Times break isn't that recognizable if you only play the first bar. It sounds like Another One Bites or any other number of songs that play just one note on the first 3 beats for the first bar.


I like yer idea though. Why not throw a turntable in there?




Luh da kiddies