step sequencer on da mpc4k

do:
cop a cheap mc303 or other step sequencer and route it into the mpc midi in. sync them with midi beat clock. (mpc=slave. mc303 = master) go into pattern mode on both devices. step sequence on the drumbox a drumprogram on the mpc. (mc303part 1 = midi channel 1) when finished, hold down the overdub record button on the mpc, hit play on drumbox and voila ... then erase the drumpart on the mc303 and start all over.
Dope, isnt it? And most of all: a piece of cake

kind some expalin to me what exactly is a step sequencer is that link arrange your sequence in song mode od mp4k???

using dub record to 'snag' / record midi from another sequencer is dope.

BUT, instead of diving into roland groove box OS h-e-l-l , I use Numerolgy as my step sequencer of choice for the mpc. http://www.five12.com/

I don't have a mac right now that will run OS X (powerbook 1400) or I would give Numerlogy a try, but I'm currently using Doepfer's MAQ to do my step sequencing needs with the MPC , but plan on replacing that with 2 Sequentix P3's that I'm in the process of building. Then I should have 16 Tracks of Step Sequencing bliss with full hardware control of it all. That'll keep me busy for a while...



Dave

Rem wrote:kind some expalin to me what exactly is a step sequencer is that link arrange your sequence in song mode od mp4k???

Depends on the Step Sequencer, but the two that I listed in my post the Doepfer MAQ and Sequentix P3 both operate in the old analog style of step sequencer way. Where you have
let's say 16 steps (that can be 16th notes, 8th note, 4th notes or what not) that you have a knob that physically controls the note being played (it can go deeper then notes but we'll keep it simple for now). So if it's set to 16th notes, I can grab the knob at "step 5" and turn it and a note on my synth will be heard on the second beat. I can turn the knob again to get a different note to be played when the sequence loops again on the second beat. So instead of playing my notes on a keyboard , i can turn knobs to get the notes to trigger. If I want Polyphonic Step sequencing, I can take 3 tracks , assign them to the same midi channel and then use those to program the chords that I am using --- all 3 note chords of course....


Then after you've been able to "create" your sequence, with the hands on controllers, I can then record the midi notes that are created into my MPC. Then the MPC will play back that creation and I can free up the P3/MAQ to sequence additional instruments...



It can go much deeper then just notes, depending on the steps sequencer.


You've actually got a 6 track step sequencer buiilt into the MPC 4000, it's called Q-Link sequencer. It does the EXACT same concept, but instead of notes it's sequencing it is sequencing cutoff , envelope attack , sample start position and such...



Hope that gives you an idea of what it can be done.


Not all Steps sequencers have knobs to change the notes, but those are the ones that I like Other then x0x drum style step sequencers...



But I think Ikke was talking more of steps sequencing beats like the 808/909 with his 303 , where you have 16 pads on the sequencer and you use those pads to program where you want the beat to be laid down. So if you are doing 4/4 type of patterns, then step 1, 5, 9, & 13 will be the 4 beats in the 4 on the floor , so you would hit pad 1, 5, 9, 13 and you would hear the 4 on the floor pattern. It's one of the recording methods that the Akai MPC's are missing that we must use external step sequencers to perform.






Cheers,

Dave