Pattern Play on the MPC500

There is none. I can't believe Akai omitted this from a beat machine. It is available on every recent beat box, including those from Boss, Alesis, Zoom, and even Akai's own XR-20 (if the handclaps are decent I'll replace my Zoom RT-223 with it).

The Alesis SR-18 seems very similar to the XR-20. If they would only allow a user slot (or even two) for a triggerable sample......

Still, I can't BELIEVE they left this out... such an easy thing to implement
(actually, they could provide both the ability to assign a track as well as a sequence within the program to a pad).....

Well, i see no problem. Why don't you just hold down the numeric button and hit the pad corresponding to the sequence number that you want?

Does that work? (It will if the numeric button stays on after you press it)

Ok, (page 14 for sequences, if I'm reading correctly) you actually have to navigate to the field (from the tempo field), then hold down the numeric key and type in a number.... then do a DOIT? Can you do this in real time?

This works for both tracks and sequences, but is not like a mode where one simply hits one of the 12 pads to play a sequence assigned to it.

That is borderline acceptable, but when I''m playing guitar, I want to do it FAST.....(maybe even with my toe.....)

Come to think of it, use MIDI to play loops with a floor pedal (e.g. the FCB1010, like you can in Live...).....)

Thanks

eimer wrote:Well, i see no problem. Why don't you just hold down the numeric button and hit the pad corresponding to the sequence number that you want?

It's a "music production center", not a beat box...

But it would be so easy to provide pattern play (simply program a mode where the numeric key was not instantaneous and the sequence would continue to loop)....

Sheesh, it is MUCH better to edit samples on the PC, and Live now does both MIDI and loops, as does SONAR.....

I'll have to wait for the XR-20 or Alesis SR-18, to see if they have a decent handclap. Otherwise, I will be continue to lug my laptop to gigs (sigh)...

Thanks, and best regards,

Chuck

I don't know how to help you as far as the loops or triggerable samples. I play guitar too and have a hard time combing the two for live purposes, but you keep bringing up handclaps - samplers can sample - make your own and you'll get the best sound possible. You can record your own sounds and f with them in the MPC, take sounds from records (even applause can provide some good handclap noises), mess with stock sounds (not the ones that come with it, but theres some out there on the net) and combine them all together, add eq, filter, etc... like someone else said, the MPC is for composition mostly, but you can use it to create the sounds you're looking for.

I have tons of handclap samples that I use for Ableton Live 7 and Sonar 7; that's not the issue here. (Drum machines/beat box handclap samples all sound like several people clapping, because usually they are made with noise generators and then programmed into ROM)

But to make a distinction between the MPC500 as a "composition tool" vs. a beat box to me is absurd - all the hardware is there to provide pattern play for llive performance of sequence loops - it is only the program in the OS.

A computer (with Ableton Live, Fruity Loops, or Sonar) is far, far better for composition than the MPC500, especially if used with padKontrol, or one of the Akai MPD's.... But without pattern play (or timestretching for loops), all one can do with the MPC500 in real time are DJ sqawcks, grunts and wheezes.....

Of course, all the drum machines would have to do is include a couple of slots for user samples (again, editing samples on a hardware device is absurd if you have a coumputer - Audigy is free.......)

Staring at a computer screen just doesn't do it for me when it comes to composition, I stare at it long enough at work! The 500 has me using my ears again. But I appreciate what you want the machine for and it doesn't do that. Rather than gripe about it I suggest you go and do your research and get a machine that does do what you want.

Well, it works great for me. I use it as a live groovebox. It can be done!

There are none; that's the issue......

However, if you say it can be done, it is worth opening the box to try it and see..... I just hate returning stuff, and I wish they would make it clear in their marketing that pattern play is at least not intuitive...

(like a dog walking on its hind legs.... it is never done well, but it is surprising it can be done at alll.......)

ghostlywhitemachines wrote:Staring at a computer screen just doesn't do it for me when it comes to composition, I stare at it long enough at work! The 500 has me using my ears again. But I appreciate what you want the machine for and it doesn't do that. Rather than gripe about it I suggest you go and do your research and get a machine that does do what you want.

Ok, here's another question:

Suppose I record a 2-measure audio loop at 120 bpm and assign it to a pad (I assume I can do this). Can I loop it, and if so, what happens if the bpm of the mpc500 is set to , say, 100 bpm?

If you've opened the box why don't you try it and see??

The mpc acts as a sample trigger, so if you half the BPM in a 2 measure loop, you simply trigger the same sample with a pause in between. The sample will still play at 200BPM. If you wanted the audio to play back at 100BPM you would need to timestretch it which can be done in the box, but not in real time I'm afraid.

I had a digitech jamman pedal which did looping and timestretching on the fly which was pretty cool. And you could save samples and access them and trigger them using a separate switch pedal. But you can't add any effects to that, maybe daisy chaining some other effects pedals would suit you?

Interesting.... I've thought about a loop pedal from time to time, but generally felt the computer the better alternative to that.......

I'll look into it again if the mpc500 doesn't work out (I get it tomorrow). On the other hand, the mpd32 looks pretty interesting for the computer interface to Ableton Live...

Of course, the new beat boxes from Alesis and Akai just MIGHT have a good handclap sample this time........

Well, I got the MPC500 this afternoon, and tried the "pattern play" mode (press the numeric key and hit a pad). While it sort of worked, the stretch for one hand (my right) was awkward.

I really like the look of the mpc500, and it was heavier than I anticipated. Also, the pads didn't seem easy to play, although that might be adjusted by the sensitivity field. It wasn't a deal breaker for me; the deal breaker was the pattern play issue.

I would be interested in the MPD32 as an interface to Ableton, except I just read where it is 5kg (verified in the users manual). Man, that is HEAVY, so I guess I'll stick with my wireless Tranzport (which actually works pretty well).

Bottom line: the mpc500 (for me) is certainly NOT a laptop/Ableton/Tranzport killer, as I hoped.......

Next step - wait for the new drum machines and see if either of them has a useable handclap....

My MPC is on its way back, and I'm outta here, but let me know if AKAI updates their OS to include pattern play (all they need is a mode where the numeric key locks.....)

Best of luck and Best Regards,

Chuck

Does the MPC 500 have the Next Seq button?