Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By hyena Wed Nov 01, 2006 4:15 pm
Hello.
i actually know that when playn live isnt that good to change multi cos the switch takes some time.

what i want to know is:
if i have a multi with a huge load of programs and samples and a given setup of q-link assignement and fx routing, and i want to change multi just for changin fx and q-links but keepin all the same original programs and samples, does this speed up the multi switch process and makes it affordable for live sets?
i mean the multi loadin process is smart enough to recognize it doesnt have to clear the ram and reload programs and samples?
thank you.
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By feline1 Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:40 pm
why don't you try it and see? :)

No-one else here has the same programs and multis in our machines as you do, so we can't benchmark them for you!
By renegadebliss Thu Nov 02, 2006 5:47 pm
hyena wrote:Hello.
i actually know that when playn live isnt that good to change multi cos the switch takes some time.


Huh... are you sure about that? You must be using an OS lower then 1.60 as the Multi Switching bug was fixed and the switching of Multi's is lighting fast.

I"ve used in concert and in recordings. Just embed a Midi CC Change into the Sequence, make sure your Multi is set to that Midi CC and

wala...... You mulit changes and you don't hear any artifacts....


I"ve chained 4 Mulit Switches in a simple 8 Bar Sequence to have Q-links have more "steps".....


What specifically did you notice that was wrong with it... You can even
sit in the Multi List view and watch the MPC change the Multi's for you...


Cheers,
Dave
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By hyena Fri Nov 03, 2006 4:12 pm
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)

By renegadebliss Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:28 pm
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
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By hyena Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:08 pm
first of all, thank you for this in depth reply, it cleared many points on which i was confused.

what i was missing is that you can load up in ram more than one multi. my mistake was i thought you can only have ONE multi in ram, so that with multi switching you phisically had to load it up while playng.
so in fact you can have only one ACTIVE multi playng, but you can have several multis on the ram, this is very cool cause it also means that i dont have to create a multi with tons of programs and samples to fill my whole liveset, but i can prepare several multis each with its own programs\samples if i preload everything in RAM. this feels way more ordinated and comfortable.
cant wait to put this knowledge into practice.
thank you again renegade bliss.
this forum never disappoint me.
By azetato Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:00 pm
Hi there,

I know this post is really old, but I'm trying to switch Multi's when changing sequences but I can't do it work.

I'm trying to add a CC event in the Seq Edit with the number of the Multi. (I've tried assigning Program Change and Bank Change) but I have no results.

Should it works in any part? I mean, I can add an event in the Seq Edit and change a multi independently the part or channel? or should I change something more?

Thanks in advance!
By azetato Sun Oct 31, 2021 4:45 pm
I was be able to do it at end. I just needed to send the program change from "Int 1" to make it possible change multis. Newbie questions, thanks!
By Arthur Kazarian Wed May 18, 2022 12:59 pm
Found on forum:

1. In "Multi" Page - give the Multi a Program number, but make sure it isn't a duplicate
of any others.

2. In a blank track, select for Int-A for your part (if that's what you setup Multi Program Change
to be made on)

3. In program change select "1" if that's the program number that you selected in step 1.

4. Now when you switch sequences, the sequence will send Program Change 1 on Int-A
which should change the Multi to 1 automatically.

Now do the same for your sequence 2 (which uses Multi 2 which is set for program change 2).

Now if you use "next sequence" or even "song" mode , when the sequence switches,
it will switch the Multi.

If you are using OS 1.7, then this switch will happen faster then before , and you won't hear
the audio glitches of the new sequence playing the Old Multi before the New Multi is switched.