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By mikeklein Wed Mar 04, 2015 11:33 pm
im looking to get an mpc....... make a beat........ then mix/master that beat inside of a multitrack recorder....... first of all, is this possible?

secondly.......

when i see people recording on the mpc...... they usually play the drum pattern with the kick and snare together...... thus putting them on one track (channel) am i correct?

if this is the case........ then i would be forced to mix/master that 1 channel with both the kick and snare on it.......... not ideal in my opinion............ as i would want to isolate every sound into its own channel

so my conclusion is i'd have to play one sound at a time on the mpc........... just the kicks ........ then just the snares......... but that seems lame to me....... not groovy at all........

what are your thoughts about this ?
User avatar
By *Pilchard* Thu Mar 05, 2015 12:59 am
You really need to do some research.
MPCs don't work the way you are figuring. You can put all your drums on one sequencer track if you want to.

If you have multiple outputs (some MPCs have these as standard, some have them as an optional extra) you can route each drum sound to a different output, even if they are on the same track in the MPC sequencer.

Routing is derived from the pads themselves. You have an internal mixer where each pad has a channel that can be routed either to the main outs or the multiple outs.

Tracks in the sequencer on the other hand, are completely separate and only serve to organise the midi data , mainly to make editing easier. They have no relation to how the sounds are actually output.

It seems a little overcomplicated at first but it actually works quite well once you get your head around it.

:mrgreen:
By mikeklein Thu Mar 05, 2015 1:23 am
ok thanks for your explanation, so let me see if i got this right

each pad has a mixer on it

this will allow me to apply reverb, compression, eq, etc., to each pad ?

so basically i can mix everything together IN the mpc..... good

once it's all mixed then........... it will need to be mastered later......... after the vocals are put on it i guess.......... or maybe before the vocals, i don't know.......

anyway

once the beat is all mixed properly in the mpc.............. i will then like to send it to my multi-track recorder........... the vocals will be recorded in the multi-track recorder............. then i guess i can mix the vocals using the multi-track recorder...............

then............... i can somehow put the vocals ON the beat with the multitrack recorder? is that correct ?

then do the final master in the multi-track recorder?

thanks bro
User avatar
By *Pilchard* Thu Mar 05, 2015 1:41 am
mm no you still have it a bit skewed.
the mpc has an internal mixer. Each channel of which corresponds to a pad.
So the sound on that pad will come through that channel of the mixer, where it can be routed to an output. That output is connected by an external cord to a channel of your multitrack recorder.

It is possible to mix internally in the mpc but thats not what you were asking to do.
Getting it printed to a multitrack recorder is the most versatile way to go.

Have a poke round this very forum and decide which MPC might suit you best. Then download the user manual and get to grips with what the thing does and how it does it.


:mrgreen:
By mikeklein Thu Mar 05, 2015 2:22 am
ok thanks.... im just wondering how once i connect the cord......

how i will then be able to get each mpc sound in its own channel in the multi-track recorder
By gripz Thu Mar 05, 2015 4:11 am
If you are using for example the mpc1000 which has two outs stock iirc, you would be limited to recording 2 tracks to the multi tracker at a time I believe. So you'd have to hook up to tracks 1-2 on the multi, play back your song, then your kick/snare should be recorded onto 1-2. Re route your outputs to tracks 3-4, record your next two tracks(and so on)

I am actually going to be recording my stuff this way as well, just haven't picked up an 880 yet(is there another cheap one anyone would recommend over the 880?)

But so far that's whay I've been able to glean as far as how that workflow would go.
User avatar
By *Pilchard* Thu Mar 05, 2015 9:39 am
it really depends on your multitrack machine.
if it only allows you to record two tracks at a time then you will have to do as the above poster say's.
my multitrack allows me to record up to 24 tracks at a time. Far more versatile.

btw. the mpc1000 comes with main outs plus 4 additional outs as stock.


:mrgreen:
By mikeklein Thu Mar 05, 2015 4:24 pm
thanks pilchard and gripz

pilchard what multi-track u have ?

does it have good mixing/mastering effects capabilities

edit: .... i don't want to use mv8800 though, it's basically like working on software from the videos i just saw

edit 2: oh you meant roland vs-880 i guess...... my mistake i thought u said mv8800
By gripz Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:17 pm
mikeklein wrote:thanks pilchard and gripz

pilchard what multi-track u have ?

does it have good mixing/mastering effects capabilities

edit: .... i don't want to use mv8800 though, it's basically like working on software from the videos i just saw

edit 2: oh you meant roland vs-880 i guess...... my mistake i thought u said mv8800

Ye the vs 880 haha left the vs bit out of my post whoops.

Myself I'm prob just gonna peruse pawn shops and Craigslist for a few days, but the vs 880 or 1680 is kind of what I'm leaning towards... In another thread here someone linked what looked like a slightly upgraded version of that but I cannot remember the model now.

I have heard good shit about the zoom r8 etc, but those shits are way more expensive.
User avatar
By Doc00Cosel Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:47 am
mikeklein wrote:im looking to get an mpc....... make a beat........ then mix/master that beat inside of a multitrack recorder....... first of all, is this possible?

secondly.......

when i see people recording on the mpc...... they usually play the drum pattern with the kick and snare together...... thus putting them on one track (channel) am i correct?

if this is the case........ then i would be forced to mix/master that 1 channel with both the kick and snare on it.......... not ideal in my opinion............ as i would want to isolate every sound into its own channel

so my conclusion is i'd have to play one sound at a time on the mpc........... just the kicks ........ then just the snares......... but that seems lame to me....... not groovy at all........

what are your thoughts about this ?


The MPC's capabilities on making a beat are pretty limitless. You can put as much or as little on one track as you want. In fact, the way you are describing making a beat is EXACTLY how I make my beats and lay tracks out. I want every single sound to be able to be mixed separately. Some people do it this way, others don't. Everyone has there own style. Some people even do step recording. or even grid.

Now, you can route different sounds to different channels and then record them to a multitrack recorder for mixing. That's definitely possible.