Using MPC2500 with a keyboard - memory issue

Hi - hope someone can help. I have an MPC2500 with max memory installed (128Mb). Have been using for a couple of years and have maybe 30 sequences and accompanying samples set to autoload. The sequences and samples are using up approximately half the space on my storage card (think it's a 1gig card). Recently I've begun using my keyboard to record piano tracks to the MPC and play them back via midi. I've recorded keyboards on two or three sequences and saved the results successfully and this does not appear to have had any great impact on the card space used. But at some point on each sequence I reach a point where I get the 'insufficient memory' message, usually when I've recorded piano for a chorus and try to copy it to the second chorus for instance. If I switch to another sequence I can carry on recording as before, so I don't think it has anything to do with the overall ram (and can't see why it should as I'm only recording the midi info to the MPC). Is there a limit to the number of notes that can be recorded in this way to an individual sequence or track within a sequence. Do I need to spread the piano information over multiple tracks, or is there any other solution? Have scoured the manual and the forum for information on this - apologies if I missed something. Any help much appreciated.

Max number of notes (events) on the sequencer is 100,000 - the sequencer memory is independent of the sample ram.

If you record MIDI controllers your seq memory can be used up fairly quickly.

If the track/sequence you are copying contains a lot of notes/MIDI data, you may run into the memory ceiling - but if you try to record a few notes there is still room for them. There is no limit on how much you can record into one track or sequence.

Thanks for the info ML - I guess that as I'm recording the keyboard parts live I am using up notes pretty quickly. Do you know if other midi data such as aftertouch pressure, etc take up the same 'note space' as the notes themselves. I'm guessing that if they do I could delete some of that info to free up some space for additional recording. Is there anything that can be done to increase the 10,000 note ceiling? Thanks again

It's 100,000 - not 10,000

Aftertouch is a MIDI coutinous controller, and will eat memory fast - esp if it is polyphonic aftertouch. Any MIDI data will take up memory, including sysex and NRPN's etc.

Your options are either to be economical on the controller data, you can filter out specific data and you should if it is not used for anything in your track - - - or you can resample parts to free up MIDI memory space.

Alternatively you could have a go with the JJ OS1 which reportedly has a 300,000 note limit...

Thanks - I'll see what effect getting rid of the continuous data has. Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions but do I filter it by adjusting what data the keyboard is sending or what data the MPC will recieve? I was wondering whether it might be worth switching to the JJOS but haven't fully investigated it as wasn't aware of the note ceiling - are there any obvious downsides to making the switch. From what I have read about it there is a free evaluation option which doesn't allow you to save what you have done. Assume there is an idiot-proof guide to how to install the full version somewhere. Thanks again, help has been invaluable.

If you have the appropriate DAW I would record to that and then remove "excesses" in the software.
You can then transfer via USB to the MPC.

Be aware that the MPC only has 96 ticks per quarter note (crotchet) whereas many DAWs have much more than that. This can have implications for your playback when in the MPC. The latest Yamaha machines don't like multiple commands at the same NOW point and you might have to spread them using stepedit.

You can check how much sequence memory you have left by MODE>PAD 2

Cheers
Kingell

Thanks Kingell - that's very useful particularly the mode-pad2 info - I hadn't noticed that but just had a look and it indicates that while I have 108Mb of 'wave' free, I only have 92Kb of 'seq' free, wherein I guess lies the problem.

I record to a Roland VS2400CD hard disk recorder rather than PC-based DAW - not sure if/how I do what you suggest on the former so guess it might be useful to investigate some software for the PC - used Cubase years ago but have to admit to not being a great fan of using the PC for music - not least because the kids are usually hogging it!

I've checked out the manual and it looks as though you can do your MIDI editing in the Roland Machine and output to the AKAI.

Have a look at Chapter 23 p285.

Cheers

Kingell

Kingell - that's brilliant many thanks, would have taken me hours to find the relevant section. Any thoughts on the merits/disadvantages of switching to the JJOS? Regards Peter

I've only had this MPC2500 for a few weeks. I don't know how the JJ system differs but there are many references to it in this forum. Go to the home page and search.
Regards
Kingell

Thanks for your help Kingell. I've since found that I can delete the channel pressure information relatively simply by selecting to view it only (rather than all events) in the stepedit screen and then use the scroll wheel to select all and delete. Easier than than exporting and importing from the Roland and has freed up enough seq memory to allow me to continue at least for the timebeing. Thanks again Peter