Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
By natebeatz Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:59 pm
Hi ive run into a problem wondering if anyone can tell me the best way to do this i have my mpc synced to the cubase with the mpc the master using midi clock when i press start on mpc cubase starts.I cant get my head around how to produce this way because if you want to go to a area of your sequence you cant just do that it has to start over again all the time can you make me see this better or tell me what im doing wrong im also using rewire so reasons sequencer starts when i press play on mpc too.

How do you arrange your sequences on the mpc properly using it this way im using automation on my reason soundmodules thats why i need the sequencer to start but i dont want to commit to a project till i can see the best workflow for this please someone thats done it like this help me out thanks guys
By dr4track Thu Jul 17, 2014 5:19 pm
I dont use my mpc synced to a comp, so my advice will b limited. I have to ask tho, 1. Why is the mpc the master if u r not using its sequencer? 2nd why bother using midi clock if the mpc is just a controller? To me if the mpc is being used as a sound module no reason to use clock. Same if its just a controller. I would be syncing only if I absolutely needed to have the sequencers on the mpc and thecpu follow each other. Somebody else may b able to give u better advice. For me I would just use 1 sequencer , either the mp or the cpu, I dont c much point in using both.Mayb im missing something here.
User avatar
By bliprock Tue Aug 05, 2014 1:58 am
LFOs and FX use tempo, so it helps to have it clocked if you want those things in time if the sequencer is running.
Yeah OP it is not very clear to me what the problem is. You mean that the DAW starts when you hit the MPC start and you do not want that? You want it to play just a part of the sequence then I suggest setting the loops points in your DAW or MPC then it will just play that part for you.
User avatar
By peeping tom Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:17 am
i have the same problem when i try to use reaper like this.

When he presses play on the MPC the DAW plays fine..........,

When he hits stop at a certain point, and then play again (so you might have recorded 8 bar intro, now you want to work on the next section) it does not play from the point he stopped at, it always takes you back to the beginning.

I would also like an answer, i have a feeling there are ways to do this in reaper.

EDIT: what i do when i want to record this way is turn the metronome on in my DAW and just bang stuff out live on my mpc, recording the output in my DAW.
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:27 am
'If' Song Position Pointer (SPP) is implemented on both devices, it should locate to the correct bar/beat upon playback.

SPP sends a count of the number of MIDI beats from the start of the sequence, from one device, to the other device, so that the other device starts playback at the correct location.

If no SPP is implemented, then it probably is not that easy.

Otherwise, MIDI Time Code might be a better choice, but then the tempo, and any tempo changes, need to be setup the same on both devices.
User avatar
By peeping tom Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:50 am
"synced to the cubase with the mpc the master using midi clock"

he's using midi clock. Never played with SPP but i thought the MPC only outputs MTC and MMC ?


Do the play and start button on the mpc send diff CC values?

If so, is it then possible to have one of them do PAUSE in the DAW and the other one do the stop start thing, that way you can pause and then continue from where you left off?

Curious more than anything. Daz where you at!
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:52 am
SPP works in conjunction with MIDI Beat Clock, if the devices support it, which it seems they probably don't.
User avatar
By peeping tom Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:58 am
midi beat clock syncs the other way around yeah? DAW to MPC?

Rather than MPC to DAW?
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:20 am
peeping tom wrote:midi beat clock syncs the other way around yeah? DAW to MPC?

Rather than MPC to DAW?

It depends on the DAW, and whether it can sync to incoming MIDI Beat Clock.

For example, I know that Ableton does, it can be MIDI Clock Master or Slave, but I don't think Pro Tools can, it can only be a MIDI Clock Master.
User avatar
By peeping tom Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:43 am
righto.

sorry to jack your thread OP - were discussing a solution haha
User avatar
By Bugfix Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:38 pm
natebeatz wrote:Hi ive run into a problem wondering if anyone can tell me the best way to do this i have my mpc synced to the cubase with the mpc the master using midi clock when i press start on mpc cubase starts.I cant get my head around how to produce this way because if you want to go to a area of your sequence you cant just do that it has to start over again all the time can you make me see this better or tell me what im doing wrong im also using rewire so reasons sequencer starts when i press play on mpc too.

How do you arrange your sequences on the mpc properly using it this way im using automation on my reason soundmodules thats why i need the sequencer to start but i dont want to commit to a project till i can see the best workflow for this please someone thats done it like this help me out thanks guys


Can't you record this automation with knobs (real or virtual) to MPC's sequencer insted of PC? Than you just send MIDIClock to Cubase for it to know your tempo. You would also need to record notes to MPC.. leaving PC just as soundmodule. no?
User avatar
By SimonInAustralia Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:45 pm
Maybe the way to go, if wanting to sync the two, if to use MIDI Time Code (MTC) instead of MIDI Beat Clock (MIDI Clock).

MTC syncs the time position of the two sequencers, rather than the tempo which MIDI Clock syncs.

The difference with MTC being that you would have to setup exactly the same tempo, and the same tempo changes and location of tempo changes, within both sequencers.
User avatar
By peeping tom Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:59 am
yeah and remember when your creating in the mpc to create in one long sequence, the sequence change triggers the DAW to loop / start from the beginning :?
By anaozao Fri Aug 29, 2014 6:20 am
If I get what you are asking, I suggest working with several sequences, one for each section or variation of your song, then stringing them together in Song mode (MPC 1000).