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By Brett Thu Nov 24, 2011 2:52 pm
Hi,

I'm using Cubase (Studio 4) to program drums in Midi. The Cubase Midi tracks trigger drum samples on my hard drive. I would like to take these midi tracks and samples on stage but do not want to have a PC or laptop on stage. So I'm looking for a hardware sampler, sequencer, ... ? Let's call it "The Box".
The Box should enable me to do some very straightforward operations in my home studio: move the Cubase Midi tracks and drum samples from my PC to The Box. The Midi tracks would be split into sequences (intro, verse 1, verse 2, chorus, bridge, outro, etc). When the sequences are in The Box, I'd like to build the song in The Box (but using either Cubase or a dedicated software editor to do so).
On stage, The Box should just enable me to do the following operations:
- Start/stop the song;
- Hold a sequence in the middle of the song (for instance when a musician is soloing for an unknown number of bars);
- Jump to the next or previous (or any) sequence (for instance at the end of the solo).
I won't do any sampling with The Box, don't need any FX or sample manipulation toolds, etc. It should be just a basic sample and sequence player !
I did some extensive research and just couldn't find The Box that would fit the bill. I bought an MPC1000 but although it does a lot of the above, it has some serious limitations: it is a pain to program, there is no software editor, in song mode I can only jump to the next sequence, ...
Can someone help me identifying The Box that would fit my needs ?
Many thanks.

Guy
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By Lampdog Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:42 pm
I think the 1k would do exactly what you want but it would take some for knowledge of what is going to be played on stage and instead of song mode you'd have to play on stage in seq mode..

Create songs in 1k and then convert to seq.
Play the sequences on stage and at any moment you
want to extend for a solo you'd dial in another sequence specifically made for the solo
then dial back into the next sequence. You'd have to premake ALOT of sequences and track mutes though.

Programming and preperation would be KEY, I'd say GREATLY KEY to your success with the 1k on stage.

I've never been on stage with an mpc but I'm taking a logical guess as to where I would start.
By Brett Thu Nov 24, 2011 5:20 pm
Thanks Lampdog.
Is your assumption is that I will make all seqeunce changes in real time? That will prove difficult. My main instrument is the keyboard and I just can't use my hands (or feet) to change each and every sequence. I just want the flexibility of changing sequences as need be (and hopefully that won't be too often). Hence, the Song Mode ...
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By Lampdog Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:15 pm
Sequences can be as long 99 bars can't they, and they can loop around, and you can make shorter ones, but yeah, I was thinking changing sequences on the fly at anytime. If you main thing is keyboard then you'll have NO time to dial in sequences or songs. Everything will have to be be premade and practiced, then your stage set will go off without a hitch. Maybe someone else less busy who knows the mpc can do it while everyone else jams out.