Particular use of the MPC. Got questions...

Hello everyone,

New here and kinda new to the MPC but not that new to samplers and sequencers (I have an Electribe ESX1 and used to work a lot with a S3000 and Korg Sequencer).
I've read the manual (not all of it...) and read a lot of posts around here but my question remains.

I will have a particular (I guess unusual) use of the MPC. I have a band where I sing and play the guitar, along with a bass player. I need to use the MPC as a simple sequencer for drum samples (made with BFD virtual drums and Pro Tools).
Meaning I prepare all my samples in Pro Tools (seperate elements: Kick/Snare/HH/Overhead, etc etc) and export them from the same starting point (ex: bar 1/1/000) so that I just have to put them all at the same place in the MPC (bar 1/1/000) and wont have to recreate the grooves. That means, eventhough the snare doesn't come up before the third bar, it is still exported from the first bar (with silence at the begining).
I know it sounds stupid regarding the "philosophy" of the MPC but I'm working with real drums and quite complicated grooves which would be very difficult (impossible?) to re-create within the MPC (using live recording and pads).
My live set is composed of 12 songs. The idea is to hit the play button on the MPC and not having to deal with it through the concert (=it has to play the first song/sequence, automaticaly go the the 2nd when the first ends, etc etc...).
And there goes the question: what would be the best way to proceed?
I'm not sure I'm getting the difference between Songs and Sequences but, from what I understand, the way to go would be to considere my whole set (12 tracks) has a "Song" and each parts of my tracks as sequences...?...
But it sounds weird to think that I will have dozens of sequences (with different BPM settings, different samples, etc...) just playing one after the other.
I thought I could considere that each of my tracks/songs would be... a "Song" (MPC talking). But I can't find the option that would say "after song 1-play song 2" etc...

I hope I'm being clear enough, not very easy to explain with words (specially when english is not my main language...).

Thanks for any answer/tip, I'll probably have other questions but this one is the key for how I must organise.

While I'm here, I've read the thread about RAM and cards where it says that 128Meg of RAM will give 64Meg since the MPC only reads one side of the RAM...
I've ordered the MPC and the EXM-128 option but it seems there's 121Meg of free space. Is this normal?...

well, have you tried to do it yet with some dummy/simple songs? try it first and if you have problems then start asking specific questions.

but in the mean time -- yeah, you should be able to do that. god knows why you would want to. but that's your business.

the convert function in song mode will be your close and constant friend here.

use the convert function in song mode to turn each of your songs into a sequence and then make up your complete playlist in song mode using those sequences.

the only problem might be that you have only 64 tracks to work with for the entirety of your set.

once you get to know your mpc you'll probably realise there are much more creative and useful ways to achieve the same end.

Thanks for the replies. So:

beach_break wrote:well, have you tried to do it yet with some dummy/simple songs? try it first and if you have problems then start asking specific questions.

Yes I have. That's why I was saying that it seemed to be the right solution.

the convert function in song mode will be your close and constant friend here.

I've just discovered it but don't really see the point... What's the point in turning a song that can contain many sequences into a sequence that can contain... nothing but sample positions?... I must be missing some point here.

the only problem might be that you have only 64 tracks to work with for the entirety of your set.

I don't follow you there... To me 64 tracks or Pads are the maximum you can use in one sequence. If I follow what you previously said, and what I thought, I should end up with many sequences (probably 5 to 6 by songs= 50 to 60 sequences for the whole set) containing something like a dozen tracks (BD/Sanre/HH/Overhead/various FX...), so the track limitation shouldn't really be a problem...?...

once you get to know your mpc you'll probably realise there are much more creative and useful ways to achieve the same end.

I knew that would come up...
Being creative doesn't depend on what gear you use or how you use it. It's just that I am being creative (or trying to be) in the studio working with Pro Tools, virtual drums, real guitars + bass and my voice. I'm just not using samplers (at least hardware ones) to compose anymore.
Now, the times being what they are (hard to find a good/creative drummer with time for your project and hard to play live with a drummer in many small places) I had to find a tool that would be good enough and reliable enough to be my "drum machine".
It used to be the Electribe ESX1 which I prefer over the MPC (more effects and possibilities in my opinion) but the memory is way to small...
Anyway, thanks for clearing things up!

Lampdog wrote:yes

I understand this has been adressed many times (and might be an annoying question)but that doens't really explain why you and other members were saying that 128Meg only gave 64Meg in the end (which is not my case)... But I'll deal with it. Thanks.

Wow....some people really have weird ideas...

What made you think you need an MPC for this? Seems like a big waste of money to me.

So you basically searching for a drummer

^ lol exactly

but yo if you wanna do what you wanna do, the reason the convert song to sequence is ganna help you is becuz lets say in your set your playing song one

in one portion of that song your going to want to maybe do a different pattern or mute different drums/add other drums to certain parts. instead of going threw and recording a 64 bar sequence you can just do it in little sequences, go to song mode and program them how you want, then convert.

this will make your 1st song with all your mutes and extra patterns 1 whole sequence. once you have all 12 of these sequences (for your set that your playing) then go into song mode and program those extra huge sequences (that were previously songs) to play and switch to the next song when you want to.

sd2 wrote:I understand this has been adressed many times (and might be an annoying question)but that doens't really explain why you and other members were saying that 128Meg only gave 64Meg in the end (which is not my case)... But I'll deal with it. Thanks.

You asked

I've ordered the MPC and the EXM-128 option but it seems there's 121Meg of free space. Is this normal?...

I said, "yes"

doens't really explain why you and other members were saying that 128Meg only gave 64Meg in the end

I never said that. I wasn't answering that part.

_Stilo_ wrote:Wow....some people really have weird ideas...
What made you think you need an MPC for this? Seems like a big waste of money to me.

It's not because it's not the way it's supposed to be that it's "weird"...
And to answer your question, the MPC seemed like the most reliable piece of hardware to play live, and it offers more memory than most other samplers/sequencers. And I've experienced playing live with a computer and don't find it reliable at all.
Anyway I guess I'm wasting your time here and probably mine too.
Thanks to those who took the time to answer. As for the rest, maybe opening up a little could help... Music is not only about making "cool beats" on a MPC...

sd2 wrote:

_Stilo_ wrote:Wow....some people really have weird ideas...
What made you think you need an MPC for this? Seems like a big waste of money to me.

It's not because it's not the way it's supposed to be that it's "weird"...
And to answer your question, the MPC seemed like the most reliable piece of hardware to play live, and it offers more memory than most other samplers/sequencers. And I've experienced playing live with a computer and don't find it reliable at all.
Anyway I guess I'm wasting your time here and probably mine too.
Thanks to those who took the time to answer. As for the rest, maybe opening up a little could help... Music is not only about making "cool beats" on a MPC...

Why's everyone always pissed as soon as you post a question without sprinkling a bunch of smilies all around...