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 Post subject: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:06 pm 
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I've been looking around at some different samplers lately, and found the old 808. I have a 404 that I've been using in a 3 piece band setting along side my drums, and I've been doing of stuff by myself lately and I've realized I need another sampler.

I was considering the SP-555, but it's a little too expensive, unless I can find one for less than $400. Which probably wont happen.

I really like having the mixer on the 808 for sequences, but I just need to know how sequences work on the 808. Is it possible to just have a 4 part sequence going, each part a different sample, but have them looping forever, without the sequencer's limit to 99 measures or whatever? And still have them quantized so they don't miss-align? That's what I really need in a sampler, if it makes sense. Will the 808 do this? Or will any samplers do it?

Also, does it use floppy disks? This is probably the major downfall of the 808, it's just old as shit.

Any guidance would be appreciated.


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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:00 pm 
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hey mans,

not sure if i'm really clear on what you're after, and i don't know the 808, but you might want to look into the sp505 or sp606. they both have 4-track sequencers, which you can mute.

the 505 remembers BPM, has a bunch of effects, stores to smartmedia (which is shitty, but better than zip drives or whatevs), and has a really simple workflow.

it's not PERFECT, but you can find them for around $200 to $250, and most cats on here that have a 505 swear by it. i recommend reading thru some o' the 505 posts (or maybe 606 posts....i'm not as familiar with the 606).

good luck!

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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:36 pm 
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I've looked a little into the 505. Seems like more of a groovebox?

I'll check it out some more, thanks.


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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:06 pm 
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hmmm. not really groovebox....the MC-505 is more what i think of as a groovebox...the sp505 is like a reaaaaally lo-fi MPC.

still may not be what yr after, tho.

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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:44 pm 
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I would co-sign Fauna's endorsement of the 505 100% (prolly my favorite stand alone SP... well, maybe the 404 actually...), but one of the things it lacks is the audio recording capabilities of the 808. The 4-track on the 808 (which is really an 8 track with 4 stereo pairs) can record either midi seq data or straight audio data. That to me, makes it a more useful pairing with any other sampler you currently own. The zips read slow... but this only becomes an issue when you try to program your drums (as in, rapid sequencing of 1-shots). As long as you have another sampler to do your drum loops on you're good. I added an 808 to a collection of SP's (404, 505, and 555), so it works well with my setup ... I wouldn't recommend it for someone to purchase as their only sampler tho... it's somewhat limited as a stand alone.

To address your question of infinitely looping synced beats... I really don't know of a way to loop your sequence from the 8-track section, so while this seems like a simple function, I'm not sure how you would accomplish it. Hope the rest was somewhat helpful. Peace.

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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 2:15 pm 
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Well, I thought the recording section was more of a sequencer, like each fader controlled the volume of a section of a loop, say there's a hi hat on one fader, a snare on another, and a kick on another. You can have the hi hat going, and fade in the snare, then kick, you know what I mean?

I don't really understand how a 4 track recorder can help on a sampler.

And what other samplers have multi-track sequencers?


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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 5:43 pm 
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Wow can you really control pitch on samples using the D-Beam on the 808 like it says in this VS description:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/sp808.php


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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:17 pm 
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hXc wrote:
Wow can you really control pitch on samples using the D-Beam on the 808 like it says in this VS description:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/sp808.php


Nah, I don't think so. I think that simply was a overly-complicated way of explaining how the D-beam Synth works. You change the Pitch of the synth by waving your hand, hence Theremin, but I don't think they are talking about the pitch of the samples there...

I got no first hand experience though. I recently almost bought one, but it turned out a tad too expensive. :)

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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 10:19 am 
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hXc wrote:
Wow can you really control pitch on samples using the D-Beam on the 808 like it says in this VS description:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/sp808.php


The V-Synth is able to do this :D But then again, it's a totally different product. Highly recommended, though.


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 Post subject: Re: Just looking for some info on the 808
PostPosted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:19 pm 
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PHeMoX wrote:
hXc wrote:
Wow can you really control pitch on samples using the D-Beam on the 808 like it says in this VS description:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/sp808.php


Nah, I don't think so. I think that simply was a overly-complicated way of explaining how the D-beam Synth works. You change the Pitch of the synth by waving your hand, hence Theremin, but I don't think they are talking about the pitch of the samples there...


Actually you CAN use the D-beam to control effect parameters...


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