Multiple.synths with MPC

Hello all. Rather new to all this. I understand a bit of MIDI, just want to confrm something before buying an MPC unit

I have a Motif 6, JV2080 and MicroKorg. Can these all be used with the MPC at the same time? I assume I chain them and can have specific channels for each synth?

This will be my first foray into sequencing!

Many thanks.

yes they can

the 1000 has 32 midi channels. not sure about other mpcs.

the motif and jv are multitimbral. so you can have 16 voices playing out of the motif, 15 out of the jv and also run the microkorg.

Wow, that's cool. I know how to get them connected using MIDI out from MPC and then using in and thru on the synths, but do they all need to send MIDI back to the MPC as well? How is this achieved? I want to basically play each synth into the MPC.

Really apreciate the help

dkhbrit wrote:Wow, that's cool. I know how to get them connected using MIDI out from MPC and then using in and thru on the synths, but do they all need to send MIDI back to the MPC as well? How is this achieved? I want to basically play each synth into the MPC.

Really apreciate the help

the mpc has 2 midi out 2 midi in... some even have 4 midi out

you run midi to the synth and back... on the track you want to record the synth for this pattern (depending on what model you have) you would likely change that track from the internal sounds to the midi channel you require. hit record and push the synth keys and it plays back as normal.

So, just need to switch MIDI in to the MPC.depeding on which module I recording from? Makes sense!

Thank you all.

dkhbrit wrote:So, just need to switch MIDI in to the MPC.depeding on which module I recording from? Makes sense!

Thank you all.

yeah, the first time will be you trying to sort it out and grasp how it's set up because the gear is new... then you will notice how simple it is after... MPCs were designed heavly with this in mind... the mpc 60 (the oldest mpc model that came out in the late 80's) has 4 midi outputs and 2 midi inputs and back then sample time (RAM) was really expensive and low (750kb, or 1.5mb is you had the expansion) so you weren't going to be sampling very much even at 12 bits... so you simply used external gear and sequenced it via midi. Now ram is cheap as piss, and you gotta pay out your ass for analogue synths haha.. the exact opposite.

One more thing.

I control my jv2080 with a KX88 keyboard controller. This needs to utilize the MIDI in. How can I have the KX88 control the 2080 to play the notes, but also have the MPC control the 2080 to play the sounds back? Do I. Midi the kx88 into the mpc then midi out to the 2080?

yeah, the keyboard goes from it's midi out to the mpc midi in... then the mpc midi out goes to the roland midi in... on the way there the mpc records the keyboard presses you make and repeats it when it loops back around.

Thank you.

Craigslist here I come!

mr_debauch wrote:you run midi to the synth and back...

Not always true.

You can just run a (one) midi cable from the MPC (midi out) to a synth (midi in), in most cases that is all you need.

You don't need the synth to send midi back to the MPC unless:

1. You are also using the synth for midi input connected to MPC MIDI IN. You could use your Motif for this and ditch the KX88 which you don't really need.

2. The synth is sending out midi information (arps etc) which you may want to record.

Also as the MPC1000 has two midi outputs in theory you could use up to 32 external synths at once by daisychaining them.

And no, you don't switch the midi in to the MPC depending on which module you are recording from.

Don't be misinformed about the mysteries of midi...

well I assumed he would record his keys by playing the keys on his keys... so yeah midi both ways...

and if the dude has two modules, why wouldn't he put each of them on their own midi channel? why would he put both on say... channel 1?

Yes, I want to control the synth using the keyboard so midi in and out.

MPC1000 purchased this morning via Amazon.