This edition of BEAT MAKERS TOOL KIT focuses on the MPC 60 Drum sample kits by GoldBaby.com. The sound of the MPC 60 quite simply defined an era. One of the classic sampling drum machines, born from the defunct marriage of Roger Linn & Akai Pro, the MPC 60 yields a mighty punch. The MPC 60 sound is defined by its 40KHz 12-bit gritty lo-fi bang. Even today the MPC 60 and MPC 60 II are among the most sought after classic drum machines of all time.

As a beat maker the best thing you can do for your sample library is keep a well balanced variety of drum samples. If you are like most beat makers you may not be able to afford one of every classic sampler and / or drum machine. So the next best thing would be to cop dope sample packs born from sound designers that utilize sound design wizardry along with those classic drum machines in their design process. That’s where GoldBaby comes in. GoldBaby describes themselves as “Purveyors of quality sample based instruments with a passion for vintage drum machines and synthesizers.”

GoldBaby.com’s MPC 60 drums will give you that much needed and sought after nostalgic 12 bit umph. Not only are you getting the 12 bit goodness but every sample was captured using high end converters which gives each sample a high definition sound. According to Goldbaby “to capture the overall sound of the machine I recorded the the drum sounds through it’s analog input and then playback through it’s analog output…. then through a DI and a nice mic-pre into my Metric Halo converters at 24 bit.” Needless to say, even if you went out on Ebay and copped a mint MPC 60 and sampled the same sort of drums listed below, you’d likely not achieve this high quality sound. Goldbaby made sure these kits are pristine high quality gems.

Your library will thank you and so will your beats.

MPC 60 Volume 1 (TR)

In volume 1, GoldBaby sampled the following classic Roland TR drum machines, 60 808, 909, 606, 626, 33, 66, 77, 707, 727, 505,  into the legendary Akai MPC 60 II. The results are pure bliss. Undoubtedly, you’ve heard these kicks, snares, hats and various percussion before but you’ve likely not heard them like this. The MPC 60 II seems to impart a lovely warm subtle gritty thump to kicks and low toms while the higher frequency samples like snares and hats wear the grit a bit more evidently. And pleasantly so. There is a really nice gritty tail on the ends of snares and a little bit of crunch on the high hats.

Now if you are a beat maker with a nice library you may ask why you would want yet another sample pack full of classic Roland drum machine samples? Well, this MPC 60 Volume 1 (tr) kit is anything but the usual Roland drum machine samples. It is a set of classic Roland drum machine samples drenched in 12 bit glory. I know that sounds over the top but I think you get where I’m coming from here. This sample pack is a fresh take on classic drum sounds.

MPC 60 Volume 1 (TR) includes 541 samples captured at 24 bit for a mere $29 cost.

MPC 60 Volume 2 (Vinyl)

In Volume 2 GoldBaby headed for the crates to dusty up their fingers for you. This volume 2 kit is all about that raw vinyl drum on shots that are pretty much the foundation for what people refer to as that classic hip-hop or real hip-hop sound.

My first impression of this set was that it is already bangin’. I usually use the on-board MPC compressor and a couple of little on-board tricks to make the drums sound the way I like them to sound. Every beatmaker worth his weight in gear knows the quick tricks to make the drums bang but there was no need with these drums.

Volume 2 of MPC 60 finds GoldBaby with kicks that are fat, nice and weighty. Because these drums are exclusively sampled from vinyl some of the kicks may have a hat or tambourine on it. This is flavor that lends it self to that familiar hat / kick combo that gives it that extra something nice when all sequenced up. The snares crack like you’d expect from a beast like the MPC 60. If you arent sure what to expect from an MPC 60, think DJ Premiere or J Dilla sort of grit. The 12 bit MPC 60 grit is apparent on both kicks and snares but the hats and higher frequency samples have a nice bit of 12bit dirt on the tips.

MPC 60 Volume 2 (Vinyl) includes 541 samples captured at 24 bit for a mere $29 cost.

MPC 60 Volume 3 (Finale)

According to GoldBaby.com,  Volume 3 is “the last in the MPC 60 series of sample packs. It includes: Layered Drums, Vinyl Drums, Various Drum Machines, FX and even some synth sounds. All sampled on the MPC 60. Then captured as 24 bit wavs. These super solid samples are dripping with the MPC60’s legendary sonic character.”

Legendary sonic character indeed. This sample pack is sort of an ideal mixture of sounds similar to the first two volumes along with a nice collection of layered drums and other samples. However, don’t let that statement fool you into thinking that if you cop the first two volumes that the last one can be skipped over. Its certainly a worthy piece of kit.

The layered drums are huge and warm with bite.  Every sample embodies that legendary sonic character that Goldbaby describes above. This time around they’ve included a more full featured set of sounds that allow beat makers to sprinkle their old school bangers with synthy fx and textures that scream “TRUE SCHOOL!”

MPC 60 Volume 3 (Finale) includes 1053 samples captured at 24 bit for a mere $29 cost.

 

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