hyena wrote:p.s.: there is some tips regarding how to organize your multis\programs\samples in order to lighten the switchin process? did u store all of the multis you use in one unique folder?
p.p.s.: i suppose you dont load new program\samples with the new multis during livesets or are u suggesting that background loadin of other samples is possible and *stable* while playing a sequence? (that could be even more than what i need...heheh)
The switch process only works with Mulit's (and their corresponding Programs) being in RAM. So technically it really doesn't matter where you store them in the harddrive, other then when you want them to run, you'll need them all loaded up into RAM. SO if you save them all into one folder
or into seperate ones is more of a personal workflow type of thing. What I do is ...
I will generally store all components for a song in 1 folder. So I will store all the sequences (if I am using Song Mode), the song, all Multi's used, and all Programs and Samples used by those Multi's stored in 1 folder. I do this
as I create songs, and then document everything into my Studio Logbook, so that I have an idea what each sequence and multi is doing. Also make
sure that I convert the Song to 1 long sequence and store that in there as well.
Then if I'm putting together a live set, I'll generally copy all those folders into another folder with the title of the liveset that I'm doing. Make sure all the Multi's have unique Program Change numbers, and if any Program Change numbers need to be changed, the corresponding sequence program change call is changed as well. Then at some point, I'll probably
save this entire live set into it's own folder seperately and with ALL file.
Then when I"m ready to play that Liveset, I just highlight the folder and hit the Load button and my entire liveset gets loaded (well could be 10 minutes or more of loading if all 512M is used... ).
as for your question on background loading, it is NOT possible to load sequences or samples while the MPC's sequencer is playing. The MPC does allow one to load Programs and Multi's. Several Years back before NuAkai (Numark owned Akai), I requested for the ability to delete sequences while the sequencer was playing and the ability to load sequences and samples, and the response back from the engineering team was that they didn't believe that they would be able to implement it and keep the stability of the sequence playing engine, which is something that they are not willing to compromise.
The reason that I asked for that RFE is two fold. 1)live sets can be more then 2 hours long, and if you are using 24bit/96khz then it eats up RAM quickly as well as 2) 128 sequences actually only 96 available via next seq with pads, is not enought for long live set, unless you use 1 sequence per song, which I'd rather not do and 3) the Akai legacy samplers (S-950 through the Z4/Z8 series) have ALWAYS had the ability to load Multi's,Programs, & Samples while the Sampler is playing. The MPC 4k adds a robust 128Track sequencer to the Z4/Z8 series, and they were not willing to comprise the stabilty of the sequencer, which I don't blame them.
Only compromises available that I've found... Buy a Z4/Z8 sampler to go with the MPC 4k live, as they should be able to exchange samples with the 4k, or do as I do, and bring a TR808/P3 sequencer to the show, and when I run out of sequences on the 4k, hit stop on the 4k, and 1 beat later hit start
on the P3's sequencer, and while the 4k is loading it's 10 minutes of data, I'm jamming on the seperate sequencer/drum machine, and when the 4k is loaded, then do a stop/start stutter type of start on the 4k which stops the P3 and starts up the 4k and P3/808 back again. If you do your stutter stop and starts right, the crowd doesn't even know that your switching sequencers...will usually cheer for the breakdown and groove switch.
Cheers,
Dave