Thoughts on using dual SP-404's

[cartesia]

OK I'm seriously wondering if I should perhaps go 2x 404s instead of an MPC500 and a 404..

but I'm trying to think up a whole bunch of things I can do with 2 that i cant do with one, in terms of live performance possibilities. . here are some things ive come up with:

- Use one as a main sampler (always playing), then have the 2nd on an effect send so i can sample/resample something onto the second without stopping the music.

- Use them in sync, so that I can have 2 patterns running at once - or 'transition' between songs by doing something along these lines..

- fit twice as many banks of samples in my rig

Any ideas? there have got to be some really interesting things that can be done with 2 that cant be done with 1 . . I guess the only way to really find out is to get 2 and start playing with different effect combos etc..

[Dj Frantic]

why stop at 2 ? But ya, 2 SPs is sick. Hook em up to a dj mixer and load em up with the same samples and go back and forth and experiment. Rock em like 2 turntables. Maybe even load whole tracks... go crazy... Im not a fan of the MPC500 btw. It makes me sick to my stomach...Im down with MPCs.. but the 500... yuk.

[iG9]

joe beats uses 2 404s in his shows.

[cartesia]

Yeah. . . I like the IDEA of a sequencer/sampler with velo sensitive pads all in one tiny battery powered box. . but the execution seems to have been dismal...

and unfortunately i can't really afford 3 more sp-404s as much as I'd love to :p

[Jim Y]

You won't be able to sync 2 404's one off the other though. No midi out!
What you could do though is use a cheap drum machine, like the Alesis SR-16 which will send midi clock and with what's called a "midi thru box" that works like a midi out splitter, send the clock to both 404's + have the drum machines velocity sensitve pads to trigger it's own drum sounds and/or one of the 404's.
You can use an SR16 as a midi sequencer for something else if you ignore it's own audio output. The patterns on the SR-16 can be chained up to make a "song", which you can't do with the 404 pattern sequencer.

[Dj Frantic]

you dont need midi to sync them. Just set the tempos the same and hit the pad to trigger the sequence/samples you want in time

[Jim Y]

oh, you think they'd stay in time that way? Has to be some drift without sync surely? Tho' if you completely crossfade between the 2 I don't suppose it would be noticed.

[iG9]

yeah, midi sync is for pussies. =)

[cartesia]

You won't be able to sync 2 404's one off the other though. No midi out!

This is not a problem as I will be using other gear as the clock master.