Timing correction / quantize: help needed!

Hey all, I am an MPC newbie and am generally loving it (I am never touching Cubase again!) however I am having this really random problem with my MPC5000. I've scoured the (2.0) manual and also have searched through all posts here, but can't find anything to help, so any advice would be really appreciated!

My question: is the quantize 'Strength' function only usable for offline quantizing, i.e. AFTER you have recorded data? I assumed this feature would be usable for real-time quantizing, i.e. you could set the strength low to around 30%, then record a pattern, and the quantize would apply itself on the fly at that strength. Unfortunately, whenever I record a pattern with quantize switched on (i.e. the note value set to anything other than 'Off'), the MPC quantizes my beats at 100% strength every time, no matter what I set the strength to before I start recording - even if I set it at 0% it still gets quantized rigidly at 100%.

I've checked this out by going into step record after recording, and looking at the MIDI note positions, and sure enough each note is quantized 100% strength.

Am I right in thinking that the 'strength' function is only usable for offline quantize editing? If so, that seems a bit crazy to me, and would render input quantize effectively useless, well for me anyway.

Any thoughts appreciated. Other points worth mentioning:
- I am on OS 2.0.
- I have tried reinstalling the OS and have also initialised on bootup.


Thanks loads for your time. Hayelp! Hayelp!

Winerz

I think you have the wrong expectation, if Quant is on then it's on.
The strength is offers a slight variation, but the notes will still snap to defined points based on the note value.

To see the strength you should use a higher note value and/or crank up the swing.

Low note values give less potential for variation and the swing allows for more note displacement.

Personally I have not found a device yet that I like the variable strength on.
No Quant always seems to work best.

Sovereign wrote:I think you have the wrong expectation, if Quant is on then it's on.
The strength is offers a slight variation, but the notes will still snap to defined points based on the note value.

To see the strength you should use a higher note value and/or crank up the swing.

Low note values give less potential for variation and the swing allows for more note displacement.

Personally I have not found a device yet that I like the variable strength on.
No Quant always seems to work best.

thats ok.all dance music ect makes use of the quantise tho.its the way you feel the mix tht creates a groove.i do both.experimentation is the key here.

dryad-66 wrote:

Sovereign wrote:I think you have the wrong expectation, if Quant is on then it's on.
The strength is offers a slight variation, but the notes will still snap to defined points based on the note value.

To see the strength you should use a higher note value and/or crank up the swing.

Low note values give less potential for variation and the swing allows for more note displacement.

Personally I have not found a device yet that I like the variable strength on.
No Quant always seems to work best.

thats ok.all dance music ect makes use of the quantise tho.its the way you feel the mix tht creates a groove.i do both.experimentation is the key here.

Not sure why people forget that you can still actually play things the way you need them to be.
You can still give music a pulse without using Quantize.

Hey all thanks for the replies. I'll try and rephrase my question though, cos I don't think I expained my actual question clearly enough. I think the only way is for me to get a video together - I will do asap.

Ta again...

Sovereign wrote:

dryad-66 wrote:

Sovereign wrote:I think you have the wrong expectation, if Quant is on then it's on.
The strength is offers a slight variation, but the notes will still snap to defined points based on the note value.

To see the strength you should use a higher note value and/or crank up the swing.

Low note values give less potential for variation and the swing allows for more note displacement.

Personally I have not found a device yet that I like the variable strength on.
No Quant always seems to work best.

thats ok.all dance music ect makes use of the quantise tho.its the way you feel the mix tht creates a groove.i do both.experimentation is the key here.

Not sure why people forget that you can still actually play things the way you need them to be.
You can still give music a pulse without using Quantize.

of course you can play it free.just like a hand drum, flute or.......but its a machine.check ot kraftwerk or model 500 or the roland 808.they sound great with quantize.i certainly have not forgoten to play it like it is.but quantise is a powerfull tool used creativly.your sequencer is always quantising your music as it loops around at the "end" of each bar.the 50o0 is great for non quantise tho.peace

Winerz wrote:Hey all thanks for the replies. I'll try and rephrase my question though, cos I don't think I expained my actual question clearly enough. I think the only way is for me to get a video together - I will do asap.

Ta again...

Of course the strength works in realtime.
Set your note for 32nd and play with the strength you should see a difference.
If that doesn't work then play something more complicated.

dryad-66 wrote:
of course you can play it free.just like a hand drum, flute or.......but its a machine.check ot kraftwerk or model 500 or the roland 808.they sound great with quantize.i certainly have not forgoten to play it like it is.but quantise is a powerfull tool used creativly.your sequencer is always quantising your music as it loops around at the "end" of each bar.the 50o0 is great for non quantise tho.peace

Lets not forget that Quantize was put on devices to compensate for improper playing.
Their original thought was use it to develope or to play what you couldn't but that got lost along the way.