Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
User avatar
By jmk Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:14 am
NearTao wrote:Have you tried looking at doing multiple passes to get the effect you're looking for instead of doing it in one shot?

Hmm. Not sure if I got you right. Do you mean resampling?


CharlesRandolph wrote:He just needs to learn how to do it.

And I really want to learn how to combine panning and effects using 4k only. As you can see I even had read the manual first (twice before buy this machine) and made some research. Unfortunately 4k works different than manual says.
The method you offered definitely will work and it was obvious for me all that time. But also it requires extra gear whereas I'm trying to keep my setup and workflow as simple as possible. So thanx but it is not for me.
By CharlesRandolph Mon Dec 28, 2020 8:55 am
jmk wrote:
NearTao wrote:Have you tried looking at doing multiple passes to get the effect you're looking for instead of doing it in one shot?

Hmm. Not sure if I got you right. Do you mean resampling?


CharlesRandolph wrote:He just needs to learn how to do it.

And I really want to learn how to combine panning and effects using 4k only. As you can see I even had read the manual first (twice before buy this machine) and made some research. Unfortunately 4k works different than manual says.
The method you offered definitely will work and it was obvious for me all that time. But also it requires extra gear whereas I'm trying to keep my setup and workflow as simple as possible. So thanx but it is not for me.


Keep in mind that simple and limited are different things. What you're searching to do will limit what you can do.


Lowest cost option I've found. If you can get a working 4000 ADAT card for less do it.

On ebay 8 out/Adat Card: $279.00 USD
USBStreamer (adat to usb adapter) : $105 USD
User avatar
By Lampdog Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:16 pm
jmk wrote:But also it requires extra gear whereas I'm trying to keep my setup and workflow as simple as possible.


You can record main out (same signal on rear panel main out).
Sample page input, main out.
User avatar
By jmk Tue Dec 29, 2020 6:35 am
CharlesRandolph wrote:What you're searching to do will limit what you can do.

Only if I decide to use 4k further.

Lampdog wrote:You can record main out (same signal on rear panel main out).
Sample page input, main out.

I guess NearTao mentioned the same already. Looks like workaround and unfortunately it also does not fit into my workflow. Thanx.



Now it is way more interesting why 4k ignores panning when passing signal to paired FX.
Is it really something like "choose wisely: effects or panning" from the audio engineers point of view? :lol:
Or is it kind of strict technical limitation developers was able to defeat only couple years later (in the next MPCs wave)?
By CharlesRandolph Tue Dec 29, 2020 6:59 am
jmk wrote:Now it is way more interesting why 4k ignores panning when passing signal to paired FX.
Is it really something like "choose wisely: effects or panning" from the audio engineers point of view? :lol:
Or is it kind of strict technical limitation developers was able to defeat only couple years later (in the next MPCs wave)?


No, the MPC 4000 Software is incomplete aka never finished. Also if you were an audio engineer, this situation would be easy for you figure it out. It's actually really easy to do what you want to do. You just don't know how. Keep going you'll eventually figure it out. Giving the answer is too easy, I don't want to ruin your Ah Ha moment. :lol:
User avatar
By jmk Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:46 am
Please, don't get me wrong.
Yes, I'm not an audio engineer but all these methods with resampling and additional units were obvious for me before I started current discussion. And I didn't like them. So that is why I came here - to make sure if 4k alone really can't do what I need. Closely see my first post. I was asking about properly usage of internal 4k functionality. Was not interested in any workarounds. There are thousands of ways to get result I need (even without 4k at all :lol: ). But I'm not interested in them.

CharlesRandolph wrote:MPC 4000 Software is incomplete aka never finished.

And it is enough for me. Thank you.


So my statement is not like "4k is bad". My statement is "4k is not for me".
By dryad-66 Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:16 am
CharlesRandolph wrote:if you were an audio engineer, this situation would be easy for you figure it out. It's actually really easy to do what you want to do. You just don't know how. Keep going you'll eventually figure it out. Giving the answer is too easy, I don't want to ruin your Ah Ha moment. :lol:]

Then why are you here. :hmmm: To say it’s easy to do if your a pro? On MPC forums?This forum is about sharing your knowledge not trolling.......
By CharlesRandolph Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:17 pm
dryad-66 wrote:Then why are you here. :hmmm: To say it’s easy to do if your a pro? On MPC forums?This forum is about sharing your knowledge not trolling.......


Something this simple is better for a person to discover it for themselves. This way they learn to use the machine instead of getting their hand held. Put the time in, make mistakes, read the manual, learn how the machine functions is the best way to improve. He's a smart guy let him figure it out, I have confidence that he can and will.

If not he can search the forums, I'm 100% sure the answer is here.
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:24 pm
jmk wrote:
CharlesRandolph wrote:What you're searching to do will limit what you can do.

Only if I decide to use 4k further.

Lampdog wrote:You can record main out (same signal on rear panel main out).
Sample page input, main out.

I guess NearTao mentioned the same already. Looks like workaround and unfortunately it also does not fit into my workflow. Thanx.



Would you care to share a template of the effect routing your trying to use? I can load it into my 4k and see exactly what your trying. I get it but still helps to see it exactly from you.

You can save the project to USB in front, dropbox, and I can check it out if you like, care.
User avatar
By jmk Tue Jan 05, 2021 7:26 pm
Finally got back to my place today after holiday trip. Spent hours experimenting with 4k and looking for something related to my problem in the manual. Got nothing new. Still can't force my machine to apply panning settings along with FX usage.

Lampdog, really appreciate your will to help me! Prepared project for you: Google Drive.
There are two identical tracks which uses same program. First track assigned to part 1 with FX and second track assigned to part 2 without any FX.
So first track sounds in center with effect and second track sounds with panning but without effect.
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:33 pm
So here's what I see for far. I think I got a full answer now.

kick pan and effect pan are separate. The effect is stereo, no matter how you pan the kick, the effect is stereo.
Direct Signal is essentially dry kick signal on/off.
To control reverb pan use the effects mix page, mix out.
No need for stereo link on a stereo effect.
Sometimes effects get stuck and won't perform, I just change the effect and go right back to the old one.

Long story short.
Effect pan and kik pan are separate, cannot control both pans simultaneously.
I used 1 part, all default, I didn't create anything complicated at all.
Experiment more with effect page, effects sends on mixer page, wet/dry settings.
Mixer page, Q1 = FX send (default), Q3 = pan (default), Q5 = volume (default), makes tweaking easier.

Yes you can get kik and reverb both on left if you want, just gotta figure out all the small pieces to get it there.
User avatar
By jmk Tue Jan 05, 2021 10:10 pm
Oh, dont you think I have never tried to change FX out parameter? :-D It can give only full left or right panning. But how about 25% left panning for example?

Anyway, thank you so much for time you spent for my problem!

The recap. How I see the 4k signal routing (regarding the object of current discussion) for now:

Image
Am I right? Maybe lost something?
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue Jan 05, 2021 10:41 pm
jmk wrote:At current moment for me it looks like that it is impossible to use part/program panning simultaneously with any effects :hmmm:

They are not tied together, nope.

Part, multi, pad pan has nothing to do with effects, we went over that already, you found that out already anyway.

2 effects slots, same effect, L and other is R, using the 2 levels as pan, not what you want, but it's there if you wanna use it.

That's the machine's limitation and probably why many people use outboard gear.