Reviews and questions about the entry-level MPC500
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By HRTL Wed Jul 17, 2013 10:13 pm
hey guys.
Im using mpc500 for sequencing other midi devices on stage, and sometimes during adding new notes to tracks it simply stops to play other notes on different tracks until end of sequence. when it hits first bar again its back to normal, it can messup my brakes and i dont know why its happening. im in midlle of sequence, recording on, playback everything okay, and then its quite until it start sequence from beggining again.
Do i have set something wrong? Or should i reinstall OS again? ...really dont know...
Any advices?
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By Ill-Green Thu Jul 18, 2013 10:20 pm
Yeah, you mistaken the MPC to be a multi-looper. Well, its not because you have to stop the machine and then add new shit. Unless you doing live overdubs then thats what you should be doing tough guy.
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By HRTL Fri Jul 19, 2013 12:37 pm
process:
1. press record + playstart - track 1 -
2. diode comes from record to overdub. hitting overdub = stop recording, loop still plays
3. get to track 2 on different channel - press record plus play = start recording then again step 2.
4. repeating over and over and everything is okay

... then im recording for example track 4 on another channel, and other tracks are not playing for a while. but before it works how i want.
still same sequence, stop button never touched.

can you please describe how i can prevent this, or how i should change the way to get what i want from machine?
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By Ill-Green Fri Jul 19, 2013 7:13 pm
Hmm, you say you record a track to a channel. Are you MIDIing the 500 to a DAW or something? Or maybe you mean you're recording long samples to a track?

Anyhoo, you might wanna try checking your programs first. If you are using the same programs from another beat, then chances are the settings remain. Always start with a clean slate for everything, for programs, sequences and songs.

You might have also reached its limitation. Does every track has multiple samples? Are they stereo or mono? Stereo reduces the polyphony in half btw. Check the RAM (it tells you after you turn it on). 16 MB or 128 MB? If its 16 MB, chances are you maxed-out! :D Cop the 128 MB.

Other than that, keep us posted so we can recognize the situation clearer.
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By HRTL Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:20 pm
oh, the setup is, that i have Kawai K1 plugged to MPCs midi IN and from MPCs Midi out back to Kawais Midi in and with midi thru on kawai to different synths also. so im sequencing midi notes played by K1 keyboard for dealing them on different midi channels to various gear thru MPC sequencer.
Punch In method in one sequence. muting tracks, realtime erasing, thats how i make a session.

just realized that maybe its because i dont have all tracks in sequence set to MIDI mode and they are still in DRUM mode (what sequences midi too, so i didnt payd so much attention to it, cause i found it working even in drum mode. maybe im just a dumbass, and problem is solved :popcorn: ) i will try if it could be reason for what is happening... but if you have any ideas, hit me with them.

I´ll try, next time ill get to studio
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By SimonInAustralia Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:33 am
Not really sure I understand your problem.

Are you maybe pressing a key to trigger a sample before the sequence loops, which is recorded into the sequencer, still holding that key down while the sequence loops, and letting the key go go after the sequence loops, thereby sending a note off message after a previously recorded note on message has been sent by the MPC sequencer?
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By HRTL Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:11 pm
no, as i said, im not playing any samples, i dont even have plugged jacks to mpc...
im sequencing just midi notes. all track set as TRACK TYPE:MIDI. and it recording ussually 16notes, and not very long duration, maxximum is leghth of 2 full notes. problem is as ILLGREEN said, that i dont stop machine, after adding new notes. when i press stop and play again everything is perfect. but thing is, that on stage i simply cant press stop whenever i want... i also observed that if i press one of step buttons (< or > ), it also doesnt play some tracks for a while, after few bars they come back, but on stage it sucks... ...starting to think that its not problem, but just a way how mpc works :/

for clear understanding:

tracks: A1-12 = track type: MIDI, channel: 1, program: OFF
tracks: B1-12 = track type: MIDI, channel: 2, program: OFF
tracks: C1-12 = track type: MIDI, channel: 3, program: OFF
tracks: D1-12 = track type: MIDI, channel: 4, program: OFF

sequence length: 4 bars
sequence loop: 1 - end
truncate duration: as played
timing correct: 1/16

recording punch in method - not pressing STOP button until end of a gig.
1. sequence plays,
2. choose track
3. press overdub + play
4. record sequence
5. press play again = recording stops, sequence still plays

6. repeating process 1.-5. on various tracks

...problem i described in comments above... so what do you think guys?
Do i do something wrong? should i change the way of doing things im doing somehow? or there is some problem in settings or something?

thanks for help