OpenTube

The Best Guitar Rig Nobody Is Talking About

Rhett Shull

36,002 views

🎛️ Is an Akai MPC Live III actually better for your workflow than a standard amp modeler? For a lot of guitar players, stepping outside traditional modelers like Helix or Quad Cortex and moving into a sampler/standalone unit opens up unreal effects, DAW-less music creation, and complete MIDI automation. In this video, I break down how I use the MPC Live III for guitar—from recording direct and chopping samples to MIDI-controlling gear like the Chase Bliss CXM 1978.

Huge thanks to @Sweetwater for sponsoring this video!

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Intro

2:57 – Two years in the sampler world

3:32 – The MPC Live III (and what this video is really about)

4:00 – Recording guitar straight into the MPC

4:53 – AIR Flavor Pro: A pedalboard in one plugin

5:49 – The amp sims aren't there yet (Akai, fix this)

7:46 – Chopping and mangling guitar samples

9:59 – Ether & Sprite: Built-in effects that beat most modelers

11:01 – Thanks Sweetwater!

11:56 – A complete DAW in a box

13:18 – Where samplers and amp modelers overlap

13:49 – Controlling the Chase Bliss CXM 1978 via MIDI Q-Links

17:33 – Hearing automated reverb in action

19:01 – Who is this setup actually for?

20:12 – Is it ready to replace your amp modeler?

20:55 – The honest drawbacks for guitarists

22:35 – Why more guitar players should try this

23:11 – Outro

🧰 GEAR IN THIS VIDEO (Sweetwater Affiliate Links)
🎛️ Akai MPC Live III: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/L0gDmY

🎛️ Akai MPC X / XL: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/xJOn5v

🎚️ Chase Bliss CXM 1978 Reverb: https://www.chasebliss.com/cxm-1978

🔗 COMMUNITY & COURSES
💬 Join the Discord (Groovebox & Sampler Channel): Discord: discord

🎓 Master the Fretboard (Guitar Courses): https://rhettshullguitarcourses.com

🎸 Amp Presets & IR Packs: https://rhettshull.com

🎙️ Dipped In Tone Podcast: @dippedintone

📸 Instagram: Instagram: rhettshull

#guitar #guitarrig #ampmodeler #MPC #AKAI #sampler #guitargear #homestudio #DAWless

20 Comments

@surfrduede 3 months ago

Rhett’s MIDI-life crisis is in full swing

@margaretchavezmusic7712 3 months ago

Dude, you have no idea. You are the number one reason why I went out and purchased an MPC seven months ago because I watched your episode on the groove box episode and ever since then it has completely totally changed my life and my perspective on songwriting not in the beautifully passionate voice from the sky, kind of way, but as in how I view the compositions and the structure of songs but yeah, it's been an absolute game changer so thank you

@enbo2001 3 months ago

Hold up… because I didn’t know you was cooking like this. Earned you a new follow ⛽️

@tjguardino 3 months ago

YES!!! guitars+grooveboxes 4 life 🌠

@SynthCat9 3 months ago

One of the coolest sampler/groove box video’s in a while.
Dig this direction for more video’s from Rhett’s perspective

@vvundertone 3 months ago

Love to see Rhett on the MPC! And that midi verb was beautiful

@ScottyRockz253 3 months ago

Love the first automation! And blows my mind the creative path you are on. For me, Its your guitar playing on top that makes it really special!!! Wow!!!

@jorgeleonel0504 3 months ago

I play guitar and keyboards for decades. Have used a ton of different amps, racks, loopers, pedalboards over the years. This year i got myself the MPC Live 3. By far the most fun and powerful piece of gear i have used to make music in a looong while. Completely second Rhett's comments about the opportunity Akai has to improve plug-ins to open the door for a generation of guitar players to embrace this type of machine. Great video, Rhett! Love it

@n97223 3 months ago

I love how this channel has progressed over the years and I have enjoyed watching you take your music and video's in a whole new direction. Thank you for sharing your experiences as you explore new ways of working and producing music.

@GuitaristJohnMorris 3 months ago

The easiest win: NAM A2 support on the MPC. If they would just add a basic NAM loader it would be a massive win

@dmbwa 3 months ago (edited)

This content is rad Rhett! Please keep doing stuff like this, this opens it up for guitar players that are not familiar. I have the vision to want to roll my own custom beats and backing tracks but not the know how. This is the kind of video I need.

@Ponchy 3 months ago

killerrr! i've been way into this work flow lately too. i love the portability of the mpc and the fact that it's really an all-in-one machine. with the combo input jacks and the speakers and even the mic, you really just have everything you need with this thing.

@qcolemusic 3 months ago

beat maker before ever picking up the guitar, but my favorite thing now is to just jam over my beats.

@RustINpeace-l1w 3 months ago

Always thought of you as a sound design type guy, glad youre chasing what you like. Plus not purely relying on midi and synth, being able to add physical instruments to these soundscapes is rad.

@philaufdencamp2582 3 months ago

I love to see you branching out from the guitar-gear niche. I feel like this channel is becoming less Guitar-Gear Reviews and more "Watch this talented musician practice his craft and learn from him". I really hope the Algo rewards you for it. Very cool work

@ChrisBuonoGuitar 2 weeks ago

I'm 100% behind the shout out to AKAI.

@thegymgypsy 3 months ago

This is so good. Please more MPC content!!

@wideskyguitars 3 months ago

This is dope. More of this please

@steppenwolf_666 2 months ago

This is an example of what I find to be the most useful content on YouTube. It’s a video that shows me how to use something to help me make music. I'm a guitar player from the 70s so a lot of these things are new to me and it can be a bit overwhelming. I find content like this so very helpful! Thank you!