Easy MD-nauts, I’m considering switching up from a MD MK2 to a UW one. How difficult is sample management? Can it easily replace the Digitakt in terms of drum sampling, or is sample management much more tedious?
I’ve read the old posts here addressing this, but still felt a bit unclear and would love to hear some fresh thoughts now in 2025.
Much more tedious, at least at first, especially if you don’t have a Megacommand Live to handle sample management. Pre-MCL I devised a laborious system of saving, converting, converting again and transferring samples from my laptop to the MD. Now, I would only use the MCL for sample management, as it takes the pain out of it.
The good thing about the process being so painful is that you come to cherish each sample, whereas on the DT they can feel more ‘throwaway’. I’d end up browsing through loads of kick drum samples on the DT, whereas I treated that one perfect 909 sample in the MD like a member of the family
Thanks, appreciate the response. I’ve just ordered a MCL from Marcus B, so I will have one in the future atleast 
I’ll read up on sample management on it, feel free to let me know if you have any other sources!
Isn’t it true that MCL (at least most of them) doesn’t have usb mode available? Therefore you have to disassemble the unit, in order to reach the SD card?
DT(ii) to MD would be quite a downgrade as far as sample management is concerned. Like going from a laptop to a file cabinet.
I see, feel free to expand on that. I would have thought that the sample management on DT & AR is less tedious and more immediate.
Without a +drive kiss good bye to a couple of hours or so every time you want to sort 45 samples (ensuring they can fit inside the 2.5mb) and then import without turbo midi.
If you want to swap the samples you’ll need to export the current bank if you want to use again with that projects patterns in future. Then import new roms.
I lived this life and it’s ok.
It’s arduous compared to modern methods.
Saving grace is you can create on the md during rom import export.
If you plan on using samples alot get a +drive version if possible or get an unofficial one Life changing, time saving.
And this is true as well, so much to be said for making the most of choice samples… I know an md user who’s had the same sample bank for many years and is fine with that.
I fucked up the order. I mean from DT to MD. I edited my fuckup, teehee