Post your views and questions about the Akai MPC2500
By takanonamz Thu Oct 23, 2008 8:14 pm
hey guys ran into another problem and yes i have been reading the manual...
ok i have a roland sh201 keyboard that im using with my mpc 2500. When i get a certian sound that i like ill play it out and record it but when i go to a different track to use a different sound on the keyboard it changes the sound i already played to the sound i just picked it keeps on doing it... Im pretty sure there is a way to do it but im not understanding it im thinking its something i have to do in the midi section... i cant figure it out right now can somebody help me.....

Getting past this could put my beats in outerspace thanks..
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By DJ Hellfire Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:17 am
Are you changing the midi channel when you try to select a new sound? Each sound has to be on it's own midi channel. To play that sound, you have to turn on midi on your track in the MPC and turn it to the same channel as the sound you are trying to play. Also, Rolands usually have to be set to performance mode to do what you are trying to do! :wink:
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By DJ Hellfire Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:51 am
That-1-DJ wrote:Hellfire, So is it possible to do it, even if your board does not have a sequencer.


Yeah, because you're using the MPC's sequencer. The keyboard only serves as a sound module and controller in this case. You can have up to 16 different sounds/patches playing from the keyboard as long as each sound is on it's own track and midi channel. So basically, it doesn't matter if the keyboard has a sequencer or not, because you aren't using it.
By takanonamz Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:27 am
That-1-DJ wrote:
Hellfire, So is it possible to do it, even if your board does not have a sequencer.


Yeah, because you're using the MPC's sequencer. The keyboard only serves as a sound module and controller in this case. You can have up to 16 different sounds/patches playing from the keyboard as long as each sound is on it's own track and midi channel. So basically, it doesn't matter if the keyboard has a sequencer or not, because you aren't using it.


So can u tell us how it works cuz when i have set it up i have my first track on midi then i have midi 1a but when i try to go to track 2 and set up the midi to 2a for a different sound nothing comes on..... im guessing i have to do something with the settings but i cant figure it out
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By DJ Hellfire Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:02 am
takanonamz wrote:That-1-DJ wrote:
Hellfire, So is it possible to do it, even if your board does not have a sequencer.


Yeah, because you're using the MPC's sequencer. The keyboard only serves as a sound module and controller in this case. You can have up to 16 different sounds/patches playing from the keyboard as long as each sound is on it's own track and midi channel. So basically, it doesn't matter if the keyboard has a sequencer or not, because you aren't using it.


So can u tell us how it works cuz when i have set it up i have my first track on midi then i have midi 1a but when i try to go to track 2 and set up the midi to 2a for a different sound nothing comes on..... im guessing i have to do something with the settings but i cant figure it out



I don't know how to work your keyboard, but you need to figure out how to first set it to performance mode. Then select midi channel 1 on your keyboard. Pick a sound. Play it on the MPC. Then go to midi channel 2 in your keyboard and assign a new sound to that channel. And so on. I can't tell you exactly how to do it. You'll have to read the manual or look on youtube. But there has got to be some type of midi channel selector on the keyboard that allows you to change what patch is assigned to that channel.
Last edited by DJ Hellfire on Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By DJ Hellfire Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:18 am
That-1-DJ wrote:Hellfire what keyboard do you have.



Mine is just a lil Casio or something from radioshack. I don't use it for sounds though becauase they suck. I have a JV 1010 and various soft synths that I use. My keyboard controls them all though.
By _Stilo_ Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:01 pm
DJ Hellfire wrote:You can have up to 16 different sounds/patches playing from the keyboard as long as each sound is on it's own track and midi channel.

Not every sound module is 16 voice multitimbral.

Actually, after looking at the SH201 manual, I don't think he can do what he wants. If it is monotimbral, you can only play one sound at a time. If you want to play another sound by changing the MIDI track on your MPC, you would have to assign that MIDI channel to the Patch on the SH201. Still then, only one Patch at a time. If you can't even do that, you will have to change it manually, or send a Bank or Program change message each time from the MPC. You will have to check what your SH201 can do.
By Muied Lumens Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:54 pm
Stilo is right; the 201 os duo-timbral. This means that it can play two sounds at a time, but only on the same midi channel. I don't know the 201 well, but I tried it and was not impressed by this shortcoming. It is cheap and sounds great, but you'll need an extra synth/module to play extra parts.

Otherwise you can sample each part into the mpc and sequence the next, then sample that, etc.

Good luck! :D
By takanonamz Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:04 pm
imma keep trying i stayed up till like 5 last night trying to figure this shit out lol... I appreciate the help from all of you guys.... thanks