MPC5000 reviews, bug reports and fellow user support on the most recent standalone, hardware MPC from Akai
By S.J Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:30 pm
Hi everyone,
Just got a motif xs6 .. and im trying to hook it up to the MPC5k .. problem bieng the motif is only acting as a midi controller for preloaded sounds on the MP .. i've changed the main screen type from DRUM to MIDI, but its having no effect.

Is their anyone here who has one of the motif series hooked up to the mpc? if so i'd love a nudge in the right direction,
Im new to midi so the manuals may aswell be in japanese when i read them!

Thanks alot for any help
By bobbybland Sat Nov 14, 2009 1:23 pm
You need to set up the midi ports correctly ,this may take reading the manual, look up - active track receive - soft thru etc.. all in the midi section.
On the XS you also have to set up ports correctly, check out motifator.com or the xs manual..
By S.J Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:06 pm
Thanks for the help mate, I've done what the manuals say but it still soesn't seem to be working.

I've connected Midi cables from MPC out to Motif in .. and motif in to MPC out

My MPC settings are as follows

Midi Tab
Active track Recieve channel - ALL
Soft Thru - OMNI-A .. which my out midi cable is from
MIDI Program change - PROGRAM
PAD to internal Sounds - ON

Sync Tab
Sync in - off
Sync out - A (Master) - Mode : Midi Clock (I've also tried these reversed with no difference)

My motif settings are;

Basic Recieve Ch - Omni
Keyboard Transmit CH - 1
Device Number - All

Midi in/out - Midi

Midi Sync - Internal
Clock out - on
Sequencer Ctrl - In/out
MTC start offset - 00 00 00
Bank Select - on
Program change - on
Local Control - on .. I've tried this off to but no change
Recieve bulk - on

but whatever i try .,. it still only acts as a Midi controller for the loaded sounds on the MPC

This is turning into a very frustrating day!
By vsr600 Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:31 pm
the settings you need are:
Midi Tab
Active track Recieve channel - ALL
Soft Thru - as track
MIDI Program change - PROGRAM
PAD to internal Sounds - ON

Sync Tab
Sync in - off
Sync out - A (Master) - Mode : Midi Clock

My motif settings are;

Basic Recieve Ch - Omni
Keyboard Transmit CH - 1
Device Number - All

Midi in/out - Midi

Midi Sync - external
Clock out - off
Sequencer Ctrl - In/out
MTC start offset - 00 00 00
Bank Select - on
Program change - on
Local Control - off
Recieve bulk - on

if you want to multitrack the motif, it needs to be either in song or pattern mode.
By vsr600 Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:34 pm
oh and yea and on the mpc set it from drum to midi on the main page, set program to off and set the midi channel to whatever track you want to play on the motif.
User avatar
By temetrepo Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:35 pm
also turn off the program in the channel where you're trying to trigger the motif
otherwise the sounds in your pgm will overlap when u hit the corresponding note on the motif
thinking is acting like a midi controller
By S.J Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:11 pm
thanks for the replys men, but still no luck, i did notice under vsr600's motifs settings, under "Midi Sync" he's put "external" .. i don't have that option .. only options i have their is Internal .. MIDI .. Auto and MTC.
I've changed them all anyway to be safe, external would be MIDI tho wouldn't it?
theirs gotta be something im overlooking.

My cables are set up like so;

MPC (Midi OUT Input A) --> Motif Midi In
and another cable
Motif Midi Out -----> Midi IN (Input 1)

I shouldn't be using the midi Thru on the motif should i? just the midi in and out?

i've tested the cables and both are working fine
I can't think where it would be going wrong as vsr600 gave me the correct settings.

It wouldn't have something to do with Motif bieng on its first start up mode would it? .. do i have to clear the memory or something and start a new project on it? Sorry if that sounds dumb but i've only had it around 6 hours haha

thanks for all your help so far tho men, its apreciated
By vsr600 Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:05 pm
the default when you get the motif is for it to start up in a master mode... change to voice/pattern or song. other than that is the volume turned up on your motif and the motif's audio outs hooked up to a mixer or something?
Last edited by vsr600 on Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By vsr600 Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:07 pm
oh yea and midi sync should be set to midi, sorry was going by memory hehe...
By S.J Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:20 pm
I tried it in pattern and song mode but theirs still no sound,

My set up is i have the Motif running into the MPC (well its supposed to be! haha) .. then the MPC running into a Tascam 2488 Neo .. which runs into monitors.

When I plug the motif direct into the 2488 it works perfectly .. and the MPC is working fine with 2488 too cause when i have sounds loaded to the MPC the motif triggers the sounds, plus i have my computers audio running through the MPC an that all reaches the 2488.
I noticed when i restart the motif .. when its plugged into the 2488 it works fine .. but as soon as i put those midi settings in .. no sound comes from it .. but im asuming thats cause the settings we put in routes it only through midi? .. thought i'd mention it just incase it shines any light.

but my master volume is up up on the motif.
grrrrr
By S.J Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:35 pm
Ok i think i've been dumb haha

I put my headphones in the motif and we have sound .. i thought with the midi cables in the sound would record straight into the MPC .. but after thinking about it .. midi cables dont carry sound do they .. its data haha .. skills

so all i have to do is hook my motif up to the mixer too which is fine.

before i had my set up as .. motif --> MPC --> Mixer

but i need Motif --> Mixer & MPC + MPC to mixer .. right?

so i got sound .. but i recorded a little test piano piece .. and it records fine .. but it doesn't actually save the sound does it .. just the midi data .. so when i turn the motif off .. theirs no sound .. (yes i can hear you all saying "no shit") i told you i was new to midi!

so how do i get the actual sound onto the MPC .. not just the midi data?

Thanks alot everyone for the help so far too, I'm nearly their now
By vsr600 Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:19 pm
you don't need to sample the sound on the mpc unless you want to chop it up or something... just track it later straight to the computer when you go to record your song.
By S.J Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:04 pm
thanks for your help, you all got me their in the end :) .. much apreciated
By seiko Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:58 pm
S.J wrote:
before i had my set up as .. motif --> MPC --> Mixer

but i need Motif --> Mixer & MPC + MPC to mixer .. right?




you don't need a mixer...plug the Audio Out of your Motif into the Audio Inputs of the MPC (check the manual for correct settings) and you will hear your Motif sound via the outputs of your MPC
By diegoeskryptic Sat Nov 28, 2009 1:45 am
go to motifator.com and search me under diegoesk. Read thru my posts (theres like 30 of them) and you'll find your answer.

I first had the xs8 with 5k, then I went to xs6.