MPC 4000 Misconceptions

When I purchased the MPC 4000 back in 2002, I thought it was way overkill. I thought it tried to do too many things, overly complex, felt like I was using a computer program as oppose to a 'real hardware' MPC....plus it didn't help that the first operating systems were full of bugs and unimplemented features. So I sold my 4000 and just stuck with the 3000 and 2000XL. I have subsequently picked up ever flagship MPC since.

This weekend, I found a blue MPC 4000 at a reasonable price and brought it home. My first thought after using it for a few minutes.....is that it is not complicated at all..and it really was way ahead of its time back in 2002. Features that I said I want now are actually included in the 4000 such as the dual waveform views..one for complete sample overwiew and the other for zooming in/out. I also realized that some features that I thought originated in later MPCs were actually already possible in the MPC 4000 (enter in Mode without stopping sequencer).

I am laughing at myself as 10 years ago (and I am sure you will too), I was pissed that Akai changed the waveform view of the MPC 4000...as it was set to 'Rectified' when all I had to do was change it to 'Bipolar' to get the standard view of the MPC 2000/2000XL.

One of my biggest misconceptions I had for the 4000 was that it would give me indepedent control of zones on a pad as far as filters, amp, LFOs, etc. This was a big let down as I believed it was possible (unless I am overlooking something.)

...to be continued.

Instead of using the drum program and zones, if you need seperate control of the LFO's etc. create a keygroup program and set the key groups to play on the same pad, that way you can layer sounds on pads, yet still have overall controll of the settings, filters etc.

It does suck that you can't implement these functions with zones, i must admit.

[url][/url][quote="JAH"]When I purchased the MPC 4000 back in 2002, I thought it was way overkill. I thought it tried to do too many things, overly complex, felt like I was using a computer program as oppose to a 'real hardware' MPC....plus it didn't help that the first operating systems were full of bugs and unimplemented features. So I sold my 4000 and just stuck with the 3000 and 2000XL. I have subsequently picked up ever flagship MPC since.

This weekend, I found a blue MPC 4000 at a reasonable price and brought it home. My first thought after using it for a few minutes.....is that it is not complicated at all..and it really was way ahead of its time back in 2002. Features that I said I want now are actually included in the 4000 such as the dual waveform views..one for complete sample overwiew and the other for zooming in/out. I also realized that some features that I thought originated in later MPCs were actually already possible in the MPC 4000 (enter in Mode without stopping sequencer).

I am laughing at myself as 10 years ago (and I am sure you will too), I was pissed that Akai changed the waveform view of the MPC 4000...as it was set to 'Rectified' when all I had to do was change it to 'Bipolar' to get the standard view of the MPC 2000/2000XL.

One of my biggest misconceptions I had for the 4000 was that it would give me indepedent control of zones on a pad as far as filters, amp, LFOs, etc. This was a big let down as I believed it was possible (unless I am overlooking something.)

...to be continued.[/quote




All I can say after all of these years issssss I told you so, ha, ha,ha.



No each pad technical only has two lfos in a drum program but you can use the program matrix to assign to zones filter, level, start, and pitch. Or you can use the offset settings in the zone page up to four. As said before you will have more parameters while using key group programs. Enjoy your 4k it is a wonderful tool for making music.

Blue Haze wrote:

after all of these years.........I told you so, ha, ha, ha.

Pretty much

But all jokes aside, I'm sure you're working with the latest os right?

dabmeister wrote:

Blue Haze wrote:

after all of these years.........I told you so, ha, ha, ha.

Pretty much

But all jokes aside, I'm sure you're working with the latest os right?

OS 1.71 is installed. The font of the MPC 4000 will take time getting used to...

It does without a doubt have the more advanced sampling engine, modulation routing, sample recording, etc. The 4000 also has more adjustable params than any other MPC. Comparably, it seems Akai didn't invest a lot of enegry into these aspects with following MPCs. It seems sequencer automation, effects, synth, and samples chopping were more of a focused with the MPCs that followed.

I did find a minor bug that sometimes won't allow me to enter Pad Mixer that indicates I don't have a program assigned. When this occurs, I change programs and revert back to the previous program....then all is well.

JAH wrote:When I purchased the MPC 4000 back in 2002, I thought it was way overkill. I thought it tried to do too many things, overly complex, felt like I was using a computer program as oppose to a 'real hardware' MPC....plus it didn't help that the first operating systems were full of bugs and unimplemented features. So I sold my 4000 and just stuck with the 3000 and 2000XL. I have subsequently picked up ever flagship MPC since.

This weekend, I found a blue MPC 4000 at a reasonable price and brought it home. My first thought after using it for a few minutes.....is that it is not complicated at all..and it really was way ahead of its time back in 2002. Features that I said I want now are actually included in the 4000 such as the dual waveform views..one for complete sample overwiew and the other for zooming in/out. I also realized that some features that I thought originated in later MPCs were actually already possible in the MPC 4000 (enter in Mode without stopping sequencer).

I am laughing at myself as 10 years ago (and I am sure you will too), I was pissed that Akai changed the waveform view of the MPC 4000...as it was set to 'Rectified' when all I had to do was change it to 'Bipolar' to get the standard view of the MPC 2000/2000XL.

One of my biggest misconceptions I had for the 4000 was that it would give me indepedent control of zones on a pad as far as filters, amp, LFOs, etc. This was a big let down as I believed it was possible (unless I am overlooking something.)

...to be continued.

4000 is the best MPC. It really doesn't try to do too much. Besides sequencing it has two purposes. To create percussion and detailed, Natural sounding instruments. It's like a updated MPC 3000 and ASR 10 combined. Really a lot of JJOS is based on the 4000 OS.At least there's a lot of similarities.

MPCWeapon1 wrote:Really a lot of JJOS is based on the 4000 OS.At least there's a lot of similarities.

After using my 4k for 2 years, if I'm making a beat I don't even have to look at the buttons for the entire process, just muscle memory of how to get to certain menu's, etc.....I never really noticed it until I recently picked up a 3k and have been trying to learn that, but when I hopped back on my 4k this week, I noticed how just quick and fluid I was with that workflow....after you learn all the menu's and stuff, it really does make sense, it's just a matter of finding everything that you need it to do, because it can probably in some shape or form do it. Love my 4k, it will ALWAYS be the centerpiece of what I do.

The MPC 4000 similarities extend to all MPCs released after it. So while I haven't used an MPC 4000 in 10 years, its easy for me to use it due to my experience using various other models.

The MPC 5000's keygroup programs have more in common with the MPC 4000 than JJOS's instrument programs.

In addition the 4k can be a very powerful synth. All you need are some either long basic waveforms, single cycle forms or a looped sample and from there on put in key group program start to build up a synth program using the envelopes and filters like a lot of romplers. Of course the key part is the user finding excellent sound sources to start with. Which can come from the software samplers library once you work out the location and transfer it back to your 4k.

Using internal routing you can assign up to 16/32 programs to the same midi channel using different velocities and tilt velocities aka (reverse velocities) to layer and have über synths. For working with key groups I highly recommend to play the sounds with a midi keyboard connect to your 4k instead of the pads because by using the program matrix you can assign mod wheel, pitch, velocity, pressure, key range for splits in the multi and a range of other parts along with knob and slider controls. That is the best part of a full sampler engine. Some overlook this in favor of playing by pads especially concentrating on 16 levels but using key group programs gives you 88 keys to play.

For sure...I always use a keyboard controller to play everything except drums and phrases I've chopped up.

Do any of you have CF card reader or SSD drive installed in your 4K's?

I'm old school so I have only Cdr installed but I usually use my USB stick to edit and transfer files from computer to mpc.

Some of the other members have DVD drives install and may have the tech knowledge to install what you are asking for. I'm not into that, I would go out and buy a USB sd drive. Ask Coz or some others for installation.

I'm still usin aksys here, internal hdd, but it's not SSD.

A CDRW drives was installed in mine but it didn't work so I replaced it with a DVD Rom drive I had. It works great to including recording audio directly from CD (analog) but the sound isn't clean as I expected to be. I was then able to install a CF card drive and it seemed to work fine. But then loading from DVD drive now causes my LCD screen to go haywire. I unplugged the CF card drive and now the DVD drive works fine.

So I am assuming its the Master/Slave settings for these drives. The CF drive doesn't have a Master/Slave setting that I could easily determine so I assumed it was a slave and set the DVD to master. Since this is not working, I will set the DVD drive to slave and try again.

I have been reading threads regarding Aksys and compatibility with various operating systems. I am currently using OSX 10.7.4.

Yup aksys is a great addition especially I would set the regions in my audio editor up to 32 chops and then transfer everything back to the 4k with all the settings intact and just chop it. Unfortunately when I upgrade my iMac to Loin OS I lost access to aksys. All well I don't revert to it as I just got better as batching and exporting files as waves. And logic pro actually performs better for me.