Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
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By justineastwick Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:25 pm
Got some pristine drum samples from a DR-220A (kick, snare, clap, open and closed hi-hats, ride and crash cymbals) and was interested in making a cycle kit for use in my MPC Live.

How would I go about adjusting the drum samples to get that “cycling” effect when I play them on my pads?

Been looking at the cycle kit tutorial on here too. They’re using four variations of the same type of drum sample. I only have one, so is there a way to change the velocity/level of the same sample?
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By MPC-Tutor Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:44 pm
justineastwick wrote:Been looking at the cycle kit tutorial on here too. They’re using four variations of the same type of drum sample. I only have one, so is there a way to change the velocity/level of the same sample?


Yes, you can place a copy of the same sample on all four layers and apply different 'level' and tuning to each layer. Or you could copy the sample (sample edit >process) and apply various processes to it to make it sound slightly different, then assign the different copies to the layers. You could use noise LFO and/or envelopes and filters to create slight variations and use Flatten pad to make a unique sample out of each variation and assign these new samples to the layers. Or you can forgo cycling and instead use velocity sensitive options, such as V>tune, v>attack, v>filter etc.

I cover some of these techniques in the following tutorials:

http://www.mpc-tutor.com/mpc-x-mpc-live ... from-hell/
http://www.mpc-tutor.com/mpc-cycle-kit-chopped-break/

Plus lots more in the full book:

http://www.mpc-samples.com/product.php/ ... ive-bible/
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By justineastwick Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:24 pm
MPC-Tutor wrote:
justineastwick wrote:Been looking at the cycle kit tutorial on here too. They’re using four variations of the same type of drum sample. I only have one, so is there a way to change the velocity/level of the same sample?


Yes, you can place a copy of the same sample on all four layers and apply different 'level' and tuning to each layer. Or you could copy the sample (sample edit >process) and apply various processes to it to make it sound slightly different, then assign the different copies to the layers. You could use noise LFO and/or envelopes and filters to create slight variations and use Flatten pad to make a unique sample out of each variation and assign these new samples to the layers. Or you can forgo cycling and instead use velocity sensitive options, such as V>tune, v>attack, v>filter etc.

I cover some of these techniques in the following tutorials:

http://www.mpc-tutor.com/mpc-x-mpc-live ... from-hell/
http://www.mpc-tutor.com/mpc-cycle-kit-chopped-break/

Plus lots more in the full book:

http://www.mpc-samples.com/product.php/ ... ive-bible/

I’ve actually been using your tutorial as a guide. I’m just stuck on the samples part; I saw how you used four of the same type of samples and was wondering if I could just use the samples that I got from my DR-220. For example, you used four variations of open hi-hats and the DR-220 only had one sound for open hi-hats. Just need to figure out why they still sound the same when press play. LOL. I have the hard sounds on 127 (velocity), 64 for medium sounds and 32 for soft sounds. Thinking about adding one more layer too - maybe a 48 for more variation between medium and soft sounds.