possible to search drives while sequence is playing?

first off, I'm using a 1000 with os2xl.

I've been an ASR-10 user since they were first added to the Ensoniq line back in the 1990s. one thing I've taken for granted with the ASR-10 is the ability to search my drive for the next song while the current song was playing.

upon uploading my 850+ songs from my ASR to a mpc1000, the only drag is waiting for the current song to end before I can search the drive to load up the next song. on stage, I want to be spontaneous and watch the crowd to see what is the best song for the moment. I don't want to lose the dance floor because I have to wait till the song ends before I load the next.

by the way, making up a set of 12-15 songs "never" works. I usually load 2 or 3 to get the set rolling, then load songs as I go depending on the crowd and dance floor.

do you think that JJ could add that to the operator system or is this a weakness in the Akai system that will never be addressed?

just to be clear...I don't have to load the song up while the current song is playing. I just want to search the songs and get the next one lined up. that way, as soon as the song ends, I can push the "do it" button (then the "main" button) and start the next song.

scanning through 850 songs takes time and if I have to wait till the song is over before I start to search, then you've lost the dance floor.

has this been brought up before? I did a search and came up empty.

Think about having 2 mpcs.. you know, like 2 decks and mixer. Would be easier to load and mix stuff.

I have 2 mpc1000's. I use all the separate outs. I really don't like the L/R only since I cant real-time mix and eq from the mixer. to use 2 of these will require a bigger mixer. I'm using a 14 ch peavey now. i'll need to upgrade to a 20 ch. buy another 6 channel snake. there really is no comparison between using L/R only and separating to 6 individual outs. the clarity is substantial and much easier to mix on a fly with 6 outs.

I've also thought of setting up one mpc with all the program samples set to different tracks. then i'll be able to play the songs on that mpc. then midi in the other mpc just as a sequencer/controller using the sounds I setup on the first mpc. that way I only need to use 6 outs from the first mpc but can play both of them as sequencers.

it'll require a lot of remapping of my tracks. I have a ton of songs to redo if I go this route (850 songs )yuk

using 2 mpc 1000 has came onto another stumbling block.

as much as I like the 6 separate outs, for me to run 2 of these will require 12 empty channels. then if you add 2 channels for guitars, 2 for vocals, and a stereo channel for break music, i'll need at least 18 channels.

to combat that issue, I thought about assigning one mpc to have all the programs lined up on their own track. I figured it out that I use 25 different programs through my songs. I can load them all at once on the first 25 tracks. it works great on one mpc.

PROBLEM is... if I use the other mpc as a sequencer that will play the programs on the other mpc., it will only play the first 16, since there is only 16 midi channels. I tried to figure out about the A 1-16 and the B 1-16, but it doesn't understand how to trigger tracks 17 and above. even if I assign a lower midi channel, it doesn't play those tracks.

even though its a heavy beast, I'm glad I didn't sell my ASR10. the processor is perfect for live application like searching the drives while a sequence is playing.

It has 16 channels in (merged from 2 sockets) and 32 channels out on two sockets, so 17-32 tracks are from out B.
Dude don't get me wrong but I mention 2nd MPC as an option to load sequences JUST like DJs do with turtables and records.. if you already got 2 mpcs using 12outs.. gutairs and **** in current setup well.. you could said that in first post

I was hoping to do it all on one mpc. so there was no need to say I had 2. talked to jj and he said the processor in the mpc1000 cant handle searching the drive while a sequence is playing.

just for future info, I have 2 asr-10 keyboards and an asr-10 rack. if I could set the rack in a position where I could access it easily, I would be using it. I had 2 asrx tabletop sampler sequencers. both had issues and you couldn't rely on them.

the mpc1000 seemed like a good alternative and will work fine if I'm not in a rush to load the next song. it says it can hold 99 sequences, but that's not true. it can handle as many as the memory will hold. with my sequences, that's about 30 songs. I'm sure most people using the mpc does not use it in a way that I do. same thing goes with the way I use my asr-10. I don't play beats and make loops to rap over. I play cover songs from the 60s-70s-80s. no store bought sequences. I've been making cover song sequences for 30+ years. I've got it down and was looking for a smaller/easier setup that wont degrade what my crowd has been use to hearing. if I go to using 2 of these mpc1000's, to use it right, i'll be setting up more gear than just staying with my original setup (asr-10 and a few sound modules)