Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By jues Wed Jul 09, 2003 12:37 am
Hey.

I'm just curious, I'm in a band where I do all the atmospheric electronics (pianos, strings, bass stabs, etc) and I have everything sequenced up on the 4000 (because it gives me flexibilty, the sequencer is amazing).

Anyone else use their MPC4000 live on stage?

jues.

By Bitstreem Fri Jul 11, 2003 7:57 am
Hi!

I haven't been using my MPC 4000 live yet (used an MPC2000XL at a gig last year, though), but I will start doing so shortly. I'm currently in two bands/projects that would benefit from having the MPC in a live situation, and I am very interested in hearing all the juicy details about your experiences with it! :D

Currently, I am breaking down finished (and recorded) songs to "building blocks" on the MPC, using a combination of loops and re-sequenced tracks. I plan on using the trackmute/sequence mute functions quite a bit, along with the Q-link knobs/sliders.

How do you use it live? Is it the "backbone" of the band (it will be for one of my projects) or just supplementory? Do you use the song mode (it seems a little inflexible to me)?

Enlighten me, please! :wink:

Cheers,

Arne S.

By Yamada Man Tue Jul 15, 2003 12:22 am
I'm using my 4k on stage, just on the rhodes 's side. I use tracks and mute them as needed with the pads. So it can stay "live"
At the beginning I bought the 4k specially for the live, but now I use it everywhere
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By jues Tue Jul 15, 2003 12:55 am
I'm curious about this "track mute" feature that everyone mentions - how does this help in a live situation? I simply sequence everything up (in a Sequence (1 for each "song"), I don't use the SONG mode) and then hit play. I do engineering for the band, so the live element is not a major thing - but still, curiosity prevails!

jues.

By Yamada Man Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:00 am
Ok I don't use the sequence thing neither.
For example, I make a song with a horns track of 4 measures
Horns second melody (chorus) track
Bassdrum track
Snare track
Hihat track

by pressing the "track mute" button, you'll have a screen with each track assigned to a pad.
By pressing the pads you can muto or de-mute each track; bassdrum, horns, snare... as track as you created
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By jues Tue Jul 15, 2003 12:53 pm
Oh I see, so you can bring "parts" in and out of the mix this way.

Pretty cool, but not much use for what I do :)

jues.

By Bitstreem Tue Jul 15, 2003 12:58 pm
Hi!

Yeah, the track mute function is great, tested it thoroughly last weekend. What I ended up doing, was making sequences (like one for each verse, chorus and breakdowns) and punching these in and out as the song progressed. It does take some co-ordination between the guy "running the show" (me) and the other musicians, but it worked out pretty well. Combine this with the track mute function and setting up the Q-links to adjust varius functions (like filters and so on), and you have a very flexible and fun live tool. :D

Cheers,

Arne S.
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By JusDaFied Wed Jul 16, 2003 3:39 am
I use my 4000 for gigs all the time. For any and all reasons depending on the mood. But mainly to bang out kicks and samples.