Overdub issues

Hi,

I bought a MPC 500 four months ago, but didn't have the time to play around with it until the last couple of weeks. I'm a complete noob, but I'm reading through the manual and really want to learn how to properly use the MPC. Unfortunately I'm having a hard time following the manual since my MPC behaves strangely in some situations.

The first problem I'm experiencing is that the overdub seems broken. If I record a sequence that has a series of drum beats, for example, the overdub plays badly afterwards. This doesn't happen everytime I try to record something, but happens quite often. I uploaded a video on youtube that shows this problem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yTAMBhpcew

The other issue I'm having is that while recording a performance, long samples keep cutting off. But when I press stop and play the performance, the samples play nicely:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJVupJzG124

Like I said, I'm a noob. I tried to reset the MPC 500 but that didn't solve the problem. Any help from you guys would be much appreciated.

Im no expert on the MPC500, but it sounds like you are having the notorious polyphony problems. Do a search in this forum or on Google for more info. https://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&safe=of ... 80&bih=710

I think you got a dodgy unit.

I own a 500 and have done since the date I joined this forum with no probs whatsoever. I recently switched jobs and met a dude who has had similar probs to the ones you've described. He bought his in July. Has sent it back twice and they keep sending it back saying its fine.

I lent him him mine and he said its totally different to his which proves the unit is faulty.

I'll get him to check your videos and comment on if its the same problems. If so, that baby needs to go back. If bought brand new you get a years warranty (I think).

clint246clint wrote:Im no expert on the MPC500, but it sounds like you are having the notorious polyphony problems. Do a search in this forum or on Google for more info. https://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&safe=of ... 80&bih=710

Thanks, I'll check these links out.

mastasteez wrote:I think you got a dodgy unit.

I own a 500 and have done since the date I joined this forum with no probs whatsoever. I recently switched jobs and met a dude who has had similar probs to the ones you've described. He bought his in July. Has sent it back twice and they keep sending it back saying its fine.

I lent him him mine and he said its totally different to his which proves the unit is faulty.

I'll get him to check your videos and comment on if its the same problems. If so, that baby needs to go back. If bought brand new you get a years warranty (I think).

Yeah, maybe my MPC is just broken. I bought it brand new on Amazon in August. But I live in Brazil and I don't know how this things work outside the USA. I'll try to get in touch with Akai through their contact page

hi - I just checked both your videos out. This is not polyphony issues, this looks like something faulty MPC. I'm sorry I can't give you great assistance - only to say that this behaviour definitely isn't normal.

Particularly when you hit overdub and the playback is affected (as if the timing correct is all mixed up) and then you hit stop, then play and it all sounds normal.

Does it do the same thing if you record with timing correct switched off?

In the second youtube clip it behaves like you have the pad switched to 'note on' but then when you hit play it sounds normal again. I'm not aware of any way you can deliberately set up the MPC to do this, which makes me thinks it's faulty.

I'm having the exact same problem!

Download 1.31 OS from www.akaipro.com/mpc500 and reinstall it. That usually works out. If not, then its something faulty with components inside.

Ill-Green wrote:Download 1.31 OS from http://www.akaipro.com/mpc500 and reinstall it. That usually works out. If not, then its something faulty with components inside.

This worked for me! However there can randomly be a split second of lag after the 4th bar when the overdub loops but only sometimes, making beats is now completely smooth and can actually be done compared to before.

Just wondering though, is it normal to experience a small amount of lag after overdubbing or is anything like that considered a problem?

LiveSim1yLove wrote:

Ill-Green wrote:Download 1.31 OS from http://www.akaipro.com/mpc500 and reinstall it. That usually works out. If not, then its something faulty with components inside.

This worked for me! However there can randomly be a split second of lag after the 4th bar when the overdub loops but only sometimes, making beats is now completely smooth and can actually be done compared to before.

Just wondering though, is it normal to experience a small amount of lag after overdubbing or is anything like that considered a problem?

You have to set up how you want your sequences looped. You can find that in OTHER mode. Perhaps a sample is a bit longer than the bar causing cut offs for a bar or two. It only works during recording not after, so set it up before creating a sequence. The feature is called Sequence Loop or something. Try all options that best fit.

has anyone found a fix for this? My 500 is doing the same exact same but only after I updated firmware 1.31. I currently am not able to factory reset on my 500 for some reason as well