Mute Groups

I recently went from a 1000 to a 2000xl and 3000 (also an asr10). I didn't use all the extra bits on the 1000, all I did was sampled vinyl, cut it up and played it on the pads. So getting rid of extras for better sound and build and just a bit of sentimentality was appealing to me. However I was a heavy user of mute groups for playing pads and making sequences. I'd always lay down the samples then the drums, though not being able to find something equivalent to mute group has somewhat hindered my workflow. So basically I was wondering if anyone could provide any tips regarding how you lay down a beat etc. I was listening to one of J Dilla's instrumental albums today, and considering he apparently used a 3000 or something I just thought man, how did he pull that off without mute groups. I know you can change a sample to play back as mono and all that, but it was just so intricate that it would have taken so long to cut all the samples to end where he wanted them to. So yeah, is there some sort of technique or something I'm missing? Or is this what people mean when they say "slow workflow". Don't mean to be a nub and try cut corners and shortcut so I can make bangas every 5 mins, just interested to see how others work and try to improve my methods.

Thanks

You can set a pad to mute 2 others. Or, set the pad velocity to effect where the sample starts (with the pad set to mono) and use 16 levels or step edit to get the chops you want. Or, you can just set everything to "note off" and use step edit to adjust the duration of the sample.

I thought 16 levels might be the case, I haven't used it before. I don't have a manual as none of my mpcs came with one so I just figured things out, but I'm going to try print out a 2000xl/3000 manual and sit down and go through everything. Thanks, I appreciate you replying to what probably seemed like a really stupid question haha.

Yea FYI the closest thing to 'Mute Group' in a 2kxl is found by hitting OPEN WINDOW when you have the mono/poly/note off selection highlighted in program edit mode.
Again, this works in that the two pads you specify here will be cut by the pad you currently have selected.

nogginj wrote:Yea FYI the closest thing to 'Mute Group' in a 2kxl is found by hitting OPEN WINDOW when you have the mono/poly/note off selection highlighted in program edit mode.
Again, this works in that the two pads you specify here will be cut by the pad you currently have selected.

yeah.. its like mute groups lite..

i think playing it out normally (on poly), then setting it (=the ones you want muted) to note off and adjusting the end points in step edit is a good idea too..

Yeah thanks guys!

I got it sussed. I tend get a sample, cut it up, assign the cuts to pads and the play it, and now I just select the pads that I want to mute others rather then lazily mute grouping everything. When I read it had no mute groups I assumed it meant no muting at all and was like noooooooooooo.

All good, thanks again!