Can I use my MPC as a midi interface?

Hi - first post newbie here!

I bought my mpc4k a few years back, then a big project got in the way of doing anything with it. Now I'm trying to get it set up. With so much connectivity on the rear panel there are obviously a lot of choices.

I have a fireface 800 audio interface that has midi in and out, so I can take the midi out from the mpc to the midi in on the ff800 and take the midi out of the ff800 to the midi in of the mpc.

For audio I have put an adat card in the mpc so that connects both ways to the ff800 and gives me all the channels I need.

I don't have a lot of outboard gear, but I do have an upright piano that has been fitted with a midi interface, and I also have a Mackie Control Universal - the old style one, just with midi in/out and no USB connection.

So my question is (see - I get there eventually): Can I use the extra midi ports on my MPC to route midi through to my DAW (logic), either through the USB connection on the MPC, or through the midi ports on the FF800 (which is connected firewire to my mac)?

Does the USB connection on the MPC pass midi - or is it just for aksys use?

If it doesn't, then should I be able to route midi from the MPC connections, through my ff800 and into my DAW (over firewire).

Even if it is possible - am I likely to get timing problems and would I be better using a dedicated midi interface?

All thoughts, comments, advice welcomed!

Thanks

Well, AFAIK the aksys is just a MIDI sysex -based editor for the 4k, so theoretically theres a USB MIDI Connection going on under the hood. But whether this USB MIDI connection is available as a open system, I do not know..

ltbmuse wrote:Can I use the extra midi ports on my MPC to route midi through to my DAW (logic), either through the USB connection on the MPC, or through the midi ports on the FF800 (which is connected firewire to my mac)?

Does the USB connection on the MPC pass midi - or is it just for aksys use?

If it doesn't, then should I be able to route midi from the MPC connections, through my ff800 and into my DAW (over firewire).

Even if it is possible - am I likely to get timing problems and would I be better using a dedicated midi interface?

All thoughts, comments, advice welcomed!

Thanks

I tried to do this before and didnt get too far. Lets try it again, im looking at it now and you can assign to out 1 and out 2 at the same time.

I think the problem is, its not simultaneously multi channel with the sequences.

Yes, you can route mpc>ff800>daw>ff800>mpc

No timing problems.

The 4000 doesnt replace a midi interface.

The usb ports are for external drives and a qwerty keyboard.

I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to do.

Do you want to use the MPC MIDI ports as an additional MIDI interface for your computer, to give your computer more MIDI ins and outs from your computer than what is available on the Fireface, so you can connect the other MIDI devices to your computer?

If so, no, you can't, you need another MIDI interface for your computer.

SimonInAustralia yes that is what I am trying to do. I guess I'm just being cheapskate.

I'll use another midi interface.

Thanks for the reply.

dustymaestro - thanks too.

The USB port I was referring to is the one that you can connect to your computer to use with aksys.

Anyway - I'll use another midi interface. I was just seeing if there was a simpler way of doing things.

Cheers!