Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
Bypapinski Mon Nov 15, 2004 12:02 am
Copy & paste:

Man, it truly sucks being new to this...hello by the way, i´m the new guy...

Here´s the scoop:

I got some single Fender Rhodes sounds in A2,4, B1,3,5, C 3,5, D2, 4,6,
E 3,5, F 2,4,6 and G 1, 3, 5. I have a MIDI (49) keyboard that i would like to use to play these sounds.

What key do i assign where? How do i know what the right key is? I know i have to pitch somehow and assign it to the appropiate key,right?

This has probably been answeres a million times so i feel really stupid asking but i would be thankful for any help!
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By featherboy Mon Nov 15, 2004 6:49 am
First, have you got a 2000 or 2000xl? The xl has an autochromatic feature that might be helpful here, but as I don't have the xl I cannot help on that.

Secondly, do you know your midi note numbers & keyboard keys? Please say you do because otherwise I don't think anyone could explain this just in writing. (I'm already regretting starting to answer this because it is going to be a long one!!!!!)The lowest note in your list of samples is G1 which ineeds to be on midi note 43.

Unfortunately, the default settings of midi note numbers to MPC pads isn't a neat order of B01 being 52, B02 being 53 & so on.

The SLOW way to do this on both machines is, first go into a new, blank PROGRAM. Scroll to the second row where the info is Pad: (Pad No.) = Midi Number
Go through that making each pad in order a correspondingly higher number to the previous one. Before you assign any samples maybe save this empty program under a name like "chromatic" so you can use it for other mutlisampled instruments.

So, your lowest sample, G1 needs to be on the pad that is midi note number 43. The next lowest sample is B1 that needs to go on the pad that is midi note number 47. So, if you have the sample G1 on pad A01 sample B1 should be on pad A05.
On pad A02 you would again put sample G1 but this time tune it up a semi-tone so it plays G sharp/A flat. Put it again on pad A03 but tuned up to A. For pad A04 you could use sample G1 tuned up to A sharp/B flat or use sample B1 tuned down.
Can you work the rest out from here?

It will take a lot of work, but it will be worth it especially if they are good Rhodes samples. However, you are trying to do something that is easier on a rack sampler (or MPC4000) designed for chromatic sampling ...... or to use a sound module.