mixing, filter and effects on the mpc3000

hello producers,

I'm wondering if its worth using the channel mixer on the mpc3000 as opposed to mixing within logic, or any other DAW. Its appealing to me as it is more intuitive and excludes a bright laptop screen of course.
Also the idea of using the attack, decay, tuning etc from the mpc seems like it would maintain/ increase the warm quality of samples.

So would like to know in general how extensively people use the 3000 as a production unit and whether it is best to consider outboard gear/DAWs instead.

Thanks

on the MPC you assign Pads to Outputs. It means that you can assign 64 Pads to 8 Single Outputs and 1 Stereo Pair Output.

I use the Stereo Outputs. Before i record the Loops or Beats i decide which Track or Tracks i want to record into Logic. Perhaps the use of the Single Outputs would be easier and faster but i have a Track Template in the MPC like e.g. Kick Drum on Track 1, Hi Hat on Track 2, etc.

I use the MPC3000 as a Drum Sampler and Midi Control Center (EMU Ultra, Bassstation, SuperNova2, JD990 and providing Midi Clock for TR909, MachineDrum and R8 MK2). Additionally i use the Midi Out of the Machinedrum to record Midi Data and route it to a connected Synth or Sampler.

I plan to get a VGA Option for the MPC. I want to use a TV PCIe Card for my Mac Pro to depict the Video Out

That sounds great hooking it up to the 909. I still have a bit of confusion regarding the tracks. Can I assign pads to tracks and record into logic each mpc track to a different logic track? Or will i need to play these in individually? I'm starting to get the hang of sequences but I also enjoy live jamming with no pressure of the loop returning if you know what I mean.

Thanks a lot

Cool I have a focus rite scarlett 2i4 so I'll do 2 at a time. Maybe for best as I can focus more on the rhythm of each.
Thanks a lot sometimes the obvious things take a while to sink in haha.

Wal Martian wrote:

DashBen wrote:Can I assign pads to tracks and record into logic each mpc track to a different logic track? Or will i need to play these in individually?

Tarelizer wrote:on the MPC you assign Pads to Outputs. It means that you can assign 64 Pads to 8 Single Outputs and 1 Stereo Pair Output.

You can record up to 8 channels in one pass, you just need 8 cables (1/4" snake) and an interface with 8 inputs.

Each track contains Midi Data. In DRUM Mode, the tracks also contain the 16 Level and may the Slider Informations (i don´t know it excactly yet, the 2000XL records the slider data). So if you mute a track, the dedicated MIDI Data and therefore each Pad Note Midi Data which is recorded on the track will be muted.

If you recorded Pads from the muted track on another track, which is not muted, they will be audible!! This can lead to confusions! Why the is this **** muted Pad audible??!!!

As i mentioned, in the Mixer Pages you assign Pads to Outputs. So what i do is to keep each Pad on its Track. Each Track got a Name. Track 1 KICK, Track 2 SNARE, TRACK 3 CLHATS, etc.

The MPC can handle 64 Tracks in a Sequence. So, its easier to keep each of the 64 Pads to a dedicated track.

In that case if you plan to work with e.g. a percussion loop on one track, then it makes sense to record more then one pad to one track (Grouping of Pads). You can mute and handle the percussion loop from the rest easier.

I record groups of track or single tracks (see above).

If you have an interface with 8 inputs, you can record the 8 Single Outputs simultaneuosly. Useful for multitracking, individual channel compressing, eqìng, etc. But keep in mind what you assigned to each output!

I try to use the MPC only for Drums and i avoid using the 16 Level Function since i have an EMU Sampler. All the transposable Stuff, comes from the Sampler which is triggered by the MPC. The MPC is the center of my workflow. I can also record the Midi Out of my drummachines (909, Machinedrum) to a Track. i can append the 3000s Swing settings to the notes of the 909 Very Cool.

One drawback on the MPC is that you can´t trigger external Synths from the Pads in MIDI Mode. In DRUM Mode you´ll hear the assigned Sounds from the active program. So you have to be in MIDI Mode and use an external MIDI Keyboard to trigger external Midi Machines without triggering internal sounds. This Problem discussed here several times.

Thats why i use the MPC mostly in the end or in the early beginning of a session.

Wal Martian wrote:Your track contains data on what pad to play at what time and the velocity, tuning etc. When you mute the track you are muting a timeline of events, you are not muting a pad with a sound assigned to it.[/color]

and those informations are MIDI Data

Midi Production Center = MPC; a 60 and a 3000 can be called like that


When you record identical timeline, velocity, tuning, pad informations on two independent or different tracks and you mute one track the other track will sent its informations. The pad is recorded on both tracks, you will hear it. If not, i would check my MPC.

Wal Martian wrote:MPC2000 and 2000xl are also known as MIDI production centre. What you find confusing, I don't think is confusing at all. When you mute a track you aren't muting the pad or the sound assigned to that pad, you are only muting the recorded events on that track.

that's what i explained before!

btw. MPC4000 is a Midi Production Center too.

Midi Production Center = MPC; a 60 and a 3000 can be called like that

MPC2000 and 2000xl are also known as MIDI production centre.

btw. MPC4000 is a Midi Production Center too.

...and this all ^^^ is called and widely known as fetish...

..and smart-ass-ism too

yeah I couldn't resist

Thanks for the help. Gonna assign each pad. Suck that i have recorded sessions where all pads are on one track in logic haha. Although once my mpc got switched off by someone and I lost all my work and I re-sampled everything and it turned out better so might not be such a bad thing