Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
User avatar
By Blue Haze Mon Mar 08, 2004 7:23 pm
If you were fortunate enough to start out on a MPC 60 or 3000 I think it gives you an advantage on the hidden jewels on the use of the MPC sequencer. This I state simply because the display and the functions were numbered displays so all of the early programmers really had to go in depth on how each function was used by ear. The MPC 4000 is far more advanced and complex than the earlier machines. But it seems that the graphic window has so much information that it hard to take it all in for a beginner who hasn`t used one before. For users of the past machines 60 and 3000 I believe that the 4000 is a dream come true. For the new beginners if we don`t know the history of the MPCs it may be a uphill battle to master it. But it can become clearer and easier will a little help from our MPC 60, 3000 friends and masters of the beats.

Wu Tang "Can it be all so simple"

Blue Haze

P.S. I have never own a 3000 but I have being learning alot from those who do.
User avatar

By Lampdog Mon Mar 08, 2004 8:16 pm
I never had a 60 or 3000 but I learned on my ASR which was also all numbers and when I laid my hands on my 2kxl and Triton I was in heaven. I was mostly listening by ear on the ASR when doing stuff while dialing numbers. Now, I've gotten a little lazy cause I can just look at my 2kxl screen even though the screen resolution is not as good as using your own ears in my opinion. That's just me though.
By lacasanostrarecords.com Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:20 pm
Blue Haze wrote:If you were fortunate enough to start out on a MPC 60 or 3000 I think it gives you an advantage on the hidden jewels on the use of the MPC sequencer. This I state simply because the display and the functions were numbered displays so all of the early programmers really had to go in depth on how each function was used by ear. The MPC 4000 is far more advanced and complex than the earlier machines. But it seems that the graphic window has so much information that it hard to take it all in for a beginner who hasn`t used one before. For users of the past machines 60 and 3000 I believe that the 4000 is a dream come true. For the new beginners if we don`t know the history of the MPCs it may be a uphill battle to master it. But it can become clearer and easier will a little help from our MPC 60, 3000 friends and masters of the beats.

Wu Tang "Can it be all so simple"

Blue Haze

P.S. I have never own a 3000 but I have being learning alot from those who do.


I have to honestly say...The MPC is by far the easiest piece of gear i own...here's some advice: Learn the meaning of each feature and what it does then find it and master it.........Keep in mind there are alot features you may never use....i know there are plenty i dont because i dont take my MPC out on the road doin shows...one thing about the newer MPC's like the 4000 u should know.......Scroll over every feature with the cursor then hit the window button!!!!! there are so many hidden features you actually need.
User avatar

By Blue Haze Wed Mar 10, 2004 2:14 pm
You are right to start using the ear again to make use of the machine. And you lacasa guys made some points also. I`m going to head up to a local recording studio to work with an engineer who knows his *hit to also explain exactly what some of these terms mean like within the Q link send function, filters, legato, and so on. Then I can use my instrument to the max!!!!!
User avatar
By strongarmmusic Thu Mar 11, 2004 2:51 pm
can u tell where to find these sites on line so i can learn cause i have so manythings i want to do and dont know the proper terms, but i use the basic and make this machine do kartwheels ...so if i learn more imagine the wonders...
User avatar
By Blue Haze Thu Mar 11, 2004 5:50 pm
Thanks for the tips this week I basically sat down on push every button again. And I`m rereading the manual bit by bit. There so much hidden gems that are poping out. Mastering this sequencer is my total goal now. Next the inner workings of a full fledge sampler apart from a drum sampler I use to have on the 2000 XL. I wonder if the Paul White Series have editions on Sequencers? Or a glossary on some of the sequencing terms?

one more thing using the sequence edit set to instrument track one can sort of write midi note like cubase the notes according to the time set in quantize function 1/4, 1/8. and etc. Counting the number of steps, you could play the length of the note into sequence edit.

Holla back

Blue Haze

Looking for the Perfect Beat