DETERMINING SAMPLE TEMPO

So i'm pretty new to the whole sampling and mpc thing and i've been trying to sample instrumentals. When i sample a small riff or something onto my mpc i can never find the correct tempo of the sample so everything sounds off. I know my friend has a 404 and when he samples things it tells him the tempo of the sample. Is there any way that the mpc can determine the tempo of samples for you?

You don't need to know the BPM of a sample. I haven't found the BPM of a sample in years. You make your beat fit into a 2, 4 , 8 bar sequence.

use a stop watch. count how many beats are in a minute, or how many are in ten seconds and multiply by 6. this gives you a good idea of the bpm, but really you just have to pitch shift by ear. if the sample runs to long, shift it up a bit, to short, shift it down. there's a skill to it, that takes time to develop.

this wil do the job

http://mp3.deepsound.net/eng/samples_calculs.php

7 1 4 Beats wrote:You don't need to know the BPM of a sample. I haven't found the BPM of a sample in years. You make your beat fit into a 2, 4 , 8 bar sequence.

co-sign. Use your ear to speed up or slow down a sample to fit your vision/sequence. You dont need to know the bpm.

Thanks for the help everyone. That is what i have been doing i was just wondering if the mpc could determine tempo, but i guess not. thanks again

trigger your sample then use the tap tempo....

im not sure if every mpc can do this but i kno if ur using the XL it deffinatly can. Count the number of beats in your sample, make sure its an actual beat count and not inbetween (like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ect make sure it dont start/end on an eighth note). Now set the loop to on, now in the trim screen go to params and put the beats to the number of beats that it is. it will tell you the bpm.

jackpivoda wrote:Thanks for the help everyone. That is what i have been doing i was just wondering if the mpc could determine tempo, but i guess not. thanks again

yes it can.

heres what i do. first find out how many beats and the time sig. so say its in 4/4 time and 2 bars. s i go to my sequence page and change the seq length to 2 bars then i set the time sig at 4/4 (this should be stock settings, at least it is on my 500) then record a pattern, but i just trigger the sample on the begenning of the sequence then it will overlap or whatever when it gets back to 1. and i just adjust the tempo on the mpc screen so it doesnt overlap or leave a gap at the end of (2.4) it just loops perfectly. then that is your tempo.

What i do is i use the tap tempo to find the samples bpm, ofcource if the sample isnt off beat.
I just tap the tap tempo to the rhythm if u know what i mean.

this problem can be easly ivaded on how you aproach beat making .. think like this

when you make a beat you will ither start witht he DRUMS or the SAMPLE/melody of a song

when lookin for a sample adjust the speeds on the turntable to a point where you can bang your head to the tempo .. if you listen to enoug hip hop you should be able to naturely select the speed through simply listening to a sample and adjusting the speed on the turntable.

THis means you dont have to worry about adjusting the sample by time stretch..

Find the correct tempo by bomping your head to it before recording it into your mpc .. IF you cant recognize the tempo of the bat then you cant depend on machines to do it for you if your serious in being a producer in this world you have to be able to do this

J-Tawn that must be the hardest way of finding the bpm of a sample compared to what other ppl just replied.

Another way that i do to find the correct bpm(on mpc5000) is to press click or metronome as other call it and enable It IN PLAY and IN RECORD...
Then select a random bpm and record the sample u want. Make sure u have LOOP on.
Then after the recording, i make it play over and over again with the metronome ON and change the bpm until the click's fitt's with the drums and also that the the sample starts over again right at the end of the sample.

Hope u figure it out;)

Jaytim3 wrote:J-Tawn that must be the hardest way of finding the bpm of a sample compared to what other ppl just replied.

Another way that i do to find the correct bpm(on mpc5000) is to press click or metronome as other call it and enable It IN PLAY and IN RECORD...
Then select a random bpm and record the sample u want. Make sure u have LOOP on.
Then after the recording, i make it play over and over again with the metronome ON and change the bpm until the click's fitt's with the drums and also that the the sample starts over again right at the end of the sample.

Hope u figure it out;)

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haha just reallized that i do that as well

well yea my way is hard but once you got it down its bomb, may even add a lil swing to it

like i suggest you do what i said first guess what the bpm is while boping your head then once recoreded and choped do what jay tim said