Mark Jenkins samples the unique abilities of the Music Percussion Computer

Keep in mind that the MPC doesn't fit into the current scheme of things with regard to up-market digital drum machines, and you won't go far wrong. Because this unusual creature from MPC Electronics, briefly announced as the Kit II, has some unique features which can make it much more versatile than these machines at a significantly lower cost.

The trade-off, of course, is in the nature of the (analogue) sounds, which aren't dissimilar to those on the original Kit. However, as we shall see, the playing and equalisation options on the MPC can more than compensate for this.

Hi-Hat Hybrid

The MPC is a hybrid of the Simmons-type electronic drum kit and the more compact drum machine or rhythm box. Its neatly flightcased body holds eight polygonal plastic pads which can be used with sticks to trigger the sounds (the sensitivity is set a little too high to use fingers). The bottom row of pads are snare, bass drum, open and closed hi-hat, and the top row can be switched from Tom 1/2/3/4 to Tom 3, Tom 4, Cymbal, Clap; every sound has an individual jack socket output down the left-hand side of the casing matched with a rotary volume control for the mix output.

The simplest use of the MPC, then, is as a compact and relatively inexpensive electronic kit strictly for live playing, and this style of percussion (often on Rototoms or concert toms over a taped backing) has become highly fashionable with such bands as The Thompson Twins and Fad Gadget. Individual outputs mean that the sounds can be equalised on the PA desk to become fairly powerful, and the flightcase and integral pads allow the MPC — unlike the Simmons, Klone or M&A Kit — to be taken down in seconds.

The next level is for the MPC to play over an automated rhythm backing. The unit itself only stores four patterns, for as we shall see it has been cunningly designed to use a Sinclair ZX81 as a memory rather than using expensive RAM chips on-board. This means that the basic memory is very limited, to four 16-beat patterns in fact; the internal metronome is started and the individual sounds are put in by striking the pads, with the pattern looping for as long as desired until it's complete. The record and play functions are controlled by a 16-key pad of which the top four keys refer to these four onboard memories; once these are playing back it's possible to skip from one to another at will with the changeover taking place at the end of the bar. Speed is controlled by another pair of buttons, Fast(er) and Slow(er), and there are also buttons for Record, Pause, Play, Stop and Sequence; these help with the ZX81-generated patterns as described below.

ZX Effects

The MPC includes an interface and connector to a ZX81, which will cost you no more than £40 nowadays. The ZX81 generates a full screen display for composing bars, sequences, and songs, for dumping memory contents to tape or retrieving from same, and for downloading information to the MPC. This is where the ZX cancels out the limitations of the MPC's computer circuitry, for while the MPC can't compose as the ZX81 does, it does have the memory capacity to hold all the compositions once complete, and the simple keypad calls them back in songs and sequences. In other words, you'd do all your compositions at home with the ZX81, download to the MPC, and leave your computer, interface and TV monitor behind when you go to the gig. The total capacity is quite impressive — 25 songs, each of up to 25 sequences in length, each sequence consisting of up to 26 bars. This total is in fact only obtained when a 16K Rampack is added to the ZX81 at a cost of about £30.

Composition on the ZX81 is quite straightforward, with a simple dot matrix displaying which sound falls on which beat. Programming can be in steps or in real time as on the MPC alone, and editing of bars is quite easy, whereas editing or rearranging of songs is not so versatile — however, this is just a question of software and may well be revised, so MPC advise owners to keep in touch.

Live playing of the MPC pads is still possible while songs and sequences are running, and in fact an optional set of stage pads is intended to connect to a rear-panel multi-way socket. The rear panel also holds several other goodies, including the socket to dump MPC programmes to tape and the all-important Tape Sync socket. This is absolutely vital for synth/sequencer oriented music, as all the various layers of percussion and sequencers need to be closely locked together even if recorded on different tape tracks at different times. The MPC while running puts a six pulse per quarter note buzz onto tape and can retrieve it by playing back in Sync mode (on one of the panel buttons). This makes it possible to overlay or double percussion patterns; most usefully of all, the MPC has a Roland-style DIN Sync socket which operates in normal and in tape sync modes, making it possible to drive sequencers such as the Roland Bassline from tape. This feature is so useful that MPC have encapsulated it in a little black box which is available as a stand-alone unit.

Conclusions

To sum up, the MPC is a uniquely versatile device with a couple of limitations — such as the need to buy and use an external computer and the necessity to bash in every beat with a pair of drumsticks if you don't do so. For ease of synchronisation and flexibility in live playing it's unequalled, and at around £599 it's considerably cheaper than the more common digital drum machines.

It has to be said, though, that the untreated sounds are far from 'sampled' quality. The snare is interesting with a mix of skin and metallic elements which is variable and adjustable skin pitch and decay length. The four toms also have widely variable pitch and bend but don't have a lot of guts to them; some white noise can be added to give a Simmons impersonation but this doesn't trigger when the toms are played back automatically(?!). The bass drum is inoffensive but again not a real window-breaker, and the clap is realistic but not in the least bit variable in anything other than volume. The cymbals, as on the original Kit, are very good, with multiple oscillators and ring modulation circuits giving a lifelike metallic quality, and variable decay making crash, ride and splash effects possible.

If you're looking at the MPC, remember all the bonus features mentioned and don't be too disheartened by the fact that it doesn't immediately sound like a cross between a LinnDrum and a Simmons kit. Keep in mind the potential of adding reverb, ADT, equalisation and effects to individual sounds and you'll have a powerful musical tool on your hands, with a wide range of playing options and interfacing capabilities. The MPC is an unusual creature, but it's worth giving it the benefit of the doubt.