For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
By fidel_ Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:17 pm
Hi,

i do own my MPC 1000 for several weeks now - during those days i focused to work only on that specific device.

now i would like to combine the MPC1000 with a DAW (Ableton) over MIDI. In a later step i would like to add my Kork Microkorg.

As i am pretty new to the entire music stuff and especial to MIDI i have issues setting it up properly.

The following image shows the hardware
Image

I do assume so far that i need to do the following for the first smaller setup (just PC und MPC):
###################################################
CABLEs
01. Connect MPC1000 with an USB/MIDI Converter (MIDI in & out) to the PC
02. Connect the AUDIO-OUT of MPC with the Soundcard of the PC

SOFTWARE:
03. Define the midi devices in Abletons preferences
04. Create a midi track - as External instrument

and at that point my theory is stuck ....is that correct so far at all?


any help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance
fidel
User avatar
By konc3pt Thu Feb 13, 2014 6:55 pm
you've got it down so far.

important question is do you want to use mpc as the main guy (master) or ableton.

I think below article will help you get it sorted out, seems like all you have to do now is setup mpc midi configuration.

http://www.akaipro.com/kb/article/1478
http://www.doepfer.de/update/en/sync_live.html

try it out and post back with your results for further support
By fidel_ Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:30 pm
Hi konc3pt,


first of all - thanks for the response.
I knew the the akaipro.com link already - but the other one was new to me.
I found the following article ( http://www.mpc-tutor.com/understanding- ... -akai-mpc/ ) as well - which discusses several setup options in general.

So right now i do have it as follows:

01. MPC Midi In 1 connected to USB Midi-Converter with PC (Midi Out)
02. MPC Midi Out A connected to USB-Midi Converter with PC (Midi-In)
03. In Ableton: Sync On on each device i have ;)
04. MPC Setting: Midi-Sync-In to SLAVE 1
05. MPC Setting: Midi-Sync-Out: Off


This results in the following if i do create a midi track in Ableton as External Instrument & 1 additional audio-Track with anAbleton Drumset.

This works as well if i want to control via my MPC notes 1 up to more instruments on in Ableton. Which means my midi notes from MPC gets interpreted my Ableton for each defined instrument which is set to Monitor IN.

Pushing a button on the MPC triggers the related sound of the Ableton-audio-Drumset if ableton itself is not playing.
If i do record Midi-Notes on the MPC and play those on the MPC - while ableton is not playing - the MPC triggers the Ableton sound as well - which is more then i achives before. Thats great.

BUT - and i dont understand that part:
Pushing a button on the MPC - while Ableton itself is playing is not resulting in anything / any sound.


I would like to reach a point where i can:
06. Push buttons on the MPC and those get recorded in Ableton
07. Play & rearrage those recorded Notes in Ableton which should be synced back to the mpc if possible at all.
08. Sync Play & Pause from MPC and Ableton - i had that once - but i am unsure how i did that to be honest. so pressing play on MPC starts playing Ableton as well - and vis versa.



Additional questions:
If i assume it right having the DAW as master, MPC as slave - while i connect the devices with MIDI in/out in both directions is the most likely way to go - right? Refering to the article at the end here: http://www.mpc-tutor.com/understanding- ... -akai-mpc/ which unfortunalydoesnt refer on the slave/master aspect that much.


Thanks in advance for your time & help

greetings
fidel
By fidel_ Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:51 pm
Update ;)

Ok - now i am able to:

- Define 1 Seq on MPC
- This sequence may contain several tracks, each track has a defined specific midi-channel which again triggers a sound/instrument in Ableton - if MPC is playing and Ableton is NOT playing.

Its getting more and more interessting ;)

What i am still somehow missing is to be able to see those MPC Midi notes/signals in ableton - and in best case to be able to re-arrange them inside ableton - which would make it way easier to finetune single events.
User avatar
By electric dragon Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:48 pm
fidel_ wrote:What i am still somehow missing is to be able to see those MPC Midi notes/signals in ableton - and in best case to be able to re-arrange them inside ableton - which would make it way easier to finetune single events.
Right now the MIDI info is sitting inside the MPC, you have to figure out how to record the notes into Ableton. . . ;)
By Lazy Eyes Thu May 18, 2017 5:31 am
so, electric dragon, I'm curious as I see you have the MPC 2500 and ableton suite with Push2. I still have push1, which I always loved but kind of stopped using because of the limited sampling capabilities.

I have been on ableton for about 10 years so would say I'm fairly familiar with Live. Do you still use the MPC as much as you used to or has the usage decreased since you have Push2? I still have a MPC1000 which I use but I just seemed to find the speed on the Push much faster and now that the Push2 does samping (in software) too - I think that's the right move.

How do.you feel about that?

Thanks