Set up help

Hello all,

I've enjoyed reading all of the expertise on this forum, but I'd like some guidance on my setup. I was gifted a few things (probably too many), but now I need to get the following set up.

1) MPC Live 2
2) Keylab 49 mk2
3) Bass Station 2
4) Macbook (logic pro perhaps?)

I've enjoyed using Keylab 49 hooked up to Analog Lab on the mac and separately learning a few things on the MPC. But I'm looking to accomplish the following:

1) Have BS2 and Keylab connected to MPC Live while using Analog Lab loaded on the macbook but connected to the MPC.

2) I would also like to maintain the ability to record from the MPC into the macbook while the BS2 and Keylab are connected to the MPC. Leaning towards logic.

3) Connect Macbook and MPC to my speakers. I'd like the flexibility to run sound from the MPC while doing my thing, but also be able to switch to the macbook output when needed.

4) Getting greedy perhaps, but on the odd occasion I'd like to use the Keylab straight into Logic and bypass the MPC, what does that look like?

I'm hoping to get some advice before investing in audio interfaces, more cables, etc..

The original plan was to run the MPC/Keylab/BS2 via a USB hub to the Mac, and then find a way to audio out to the speakers but then realized I may want to rock without a computer often enough.

No clue what I'm doing since I'm a DJ and really only had experience with my 1200s, a mixer and speakers

Thanks in advance.

Let me explain my setup. Maybe that gives you an idea. Because it sounds like you are trying to achieve something similar.

General:
- MPC X
- MacBook w/Studio One (S1) but it shouldn’t matter. The basics of each DAW are the same
- MIDI: several devices that ultimately meet in one central USB Hub
- Audio Interface: Behringer X32 - the thing important here is that this is a Mixer with audio interface that can route all channels to the Mac via USB and back from the Mac to the interface/mixer
- MPC Software and the Network Midi driver are installed on your Mac

Important Gist: All midi is connected to the MPC (some exceptions, see below), All Audio Ins/Outs are connected to the Mixer/Interface (NO Exceptions!)

Intentions/how I make music:
0 - My setup is optimized for a couple things: ready in 1-3 Minutes max, All devices ready all the time, Flexible in terms of how I record. NO fiddling with cables ever. Easy to bring in more devices/switch DAWs.
1 - MPC Only: I want to switch on the Mixer, all synths and the MPC and be good to go - I want to leave the Mac OFF. I want to lay down ideas, record, sample, arrange also with the MPC only. I want to freely route Audio to wherever.
2 - Mac Only: I want to do everything I do in (1) but with S1
3 - Everything at once. Like (1) and (2) but I use the MPC and S1 at the same time with all my gear.
4 - I am a DJ myself so I want to record and process my mixes with S1 (recording a set) or the MPC (Sampling)

How is this setup? This is a multistage process and I would set it up one device at a time

Midi on the MPC:
Let’s start with the simplest one.
1 - connect ALL midi to the MPC (The only thing directly connected to the Mac are controllers I only use with S1 - ignore such devices for now)
2 - setup all midi devices in the MPC so you can use them with the MPC in standalone mode

Audio on the MPC:
1 - connect all Ins and Outs of the MPC to channels of your mixer
2 - Learn how to use inserts and send/returns to route audio to and from the MPC

Midi on the Mac:
1 - connect the USB of the MPC to the Computer
2 - Put your MPC in Controller Mode because then all Midi is routed from the MPC to the Mac in Controller Mode
3 - Map/name all Midi devices your DAW should now see so you can create a midi track in your DAW and play the synth/device from your DAW
4 - connect your special controllers to your Mac which you only want to use with your DAW and set them up so they basically work

Audio on the Mac:
This is usually the most complicated part and depending on the caps of your mixer/interface takes some time and fiddling
INFO: You might want to mute all mixer channels so that audio you hear is only coming from the Interface channels that get routed back from your daw into the mixer
1 - Connect the USB-Cable from your Mixer to the PC,
2 - Setup all Channels you want to record and all Channels you want to send back to the Mixer/Interface (at least Master L + R from the DAW) in your DAW. So you can create Audio Channels in your daw and see the meter pick up on a signal and then Hering it via the Mixer-In channels you route that audio to

You should now be able to create arbitrary Midi and Audio channels in your daw and record midi and audio, and playback midi and audio.

Decide what should be your master clock. MPC or DAW. I tend to use the DAW as master if I use it. Otherwise the MPC is the master.

How I use this from an audio standpoint:
In order to not get double sounds when using my DAW I mute all mixer channels and only leave the Master L+R from the DAW unmuted/soloed.

Summary:
- Audio Master is the Mixer/Interface -> EVERYTHING audio meets here
- Midi Master is the MPC -> EVERYTHING Midi meets here (except special controllers for MPC or DAW only)
- To route Midi to the DAW, the MPC has to be in Controller Mode - MPC Software does not have to run

The things explained previously are the very basics to make music with either the MPC or the DAW.
Here are some Examples for “mixed” modes

I have an arrangement or sounds in my MPC and I want to record the Audio to my DAW
0 - User your MPC in standalone or controller mode. In controller mode use the MPC SW VST in your DAW and open the project in the VST
1 - Setup your MPC in the MPC Midi setup so it starts/stops when start/stop is pressed in the DAW
2 - DAW: Create an audio channel for each track you want to record in your daw and record that into your DAW

I have audio/midi in my MPC that I want to move over to the DAW and work from there without the MPC
Export the Audio and Midi from the MPC as stems and import them into your DAW

I want to use the MPC and the DAW at the same time
Similar to Example 1, but:
1 - MPC must be in Controller Mode and the VST is used in the DAW.
2 - Learn how to setup the VST so your MPC is recorded into the VST or the DAW.

That’s basically how I do it.
Midi is always routed through the MPC. And my mixer/interface is the hub for all audio. All Audio routing I want to do before the MPC/DAW I do in the mixer/interface. Audio routing I want to do in the MPC/DAW. Audio routing is by far the most complicated. And it helps if your mixer can safe routing configs. I have a default routing config that I reset my mixer to on a new project and a config per project. That also helps in case you switch between projects regularly.

Specialities:
- For a controller keyboard it does not matter but it matters if you want to use a keyboard of a synth as controller keyboard -> I always switch off “local control” on synths that have a keyboard. I am flexible in terms of which device is played when I play the keyboard. That also means that midi routing is done in you DAW/MPC for that only.
- Avoid using Midi Thru at all cost and treat all devices as first class citizens only -> use a Midi-USB interface
Reasons:
1 - Midi has a 1ms latency for each message sent. If you chain devices that adds up for each chaining.
2 - If one device in you chain crashes all devices after that device are dead. You especially don’t want that in live situations. It’s more likely that a device crashes. Interfaces rarely crash.
3 - Chaining makes setup fairly complicated and you can only have 16 channels total in a chain.
4 - If you need the perfect clock, then use an external clock. But that is expensive and at least for me I have never needed any in 15 years of making music. The only reason for a separate clock is when you play a live set with others. But there there’s more to look out for. Ask me if you have that as a special requirement at some point. I played live with others for years and have some experience here as well

Sensible considerations
1 - if you have light installations for mood or anything, keep them connected to a separate circuit. Light is prone to creating noise
2 - I use two socket distributors: One for everything music, Another one for PC only things. I want to be able to work there in my main day job as a programmer without having to switch on everything all the time.

I am using this exact setup for many years now. I have switched DAW’s, devices, interfaces, mixers, anything many times over. But the basic setup always stays the same making things incredibly flexible and easy.

Hope that helps? Feel free to add to that or ask questions on general topics. Specific topics concerning the MPC or your DAW are well documented. You can also keep all the typos