MPC 60 II - Need help!!!

Folks, I am new to the forum (shout out to Itchy Vinyl for the tip on this helpful site). I have a BEAST MPC 60 II. Beast = Zip drive (internal), maxed out memory, scsi, OS 3.1, basically the works. Now, I am having issues with many things and am hoping the folks on this forum can shed some light.

1 - only 1.5 mb is the max!!! How the heck do I prevent from running out of memory every 3 samples I try to load? I mean, how can you effectively make a beat without overloading this baby?

2 - recently (didn't do this before), my machine has been acting up and crashing losing all of its memory in the middle of working. It gives me error 6h or something like that. What's up with that? Why all of a sudden?

3 - Lastly, why can't I use a formatted OS 3.1 zip disk on my PC. I have windows XP. If the machine has windows 98 it works though? What's that about?

As you can probably tell, this is all new to me. I've spent the last month making "interlude" type beats and have yet to learn how to sequence and what not, but knowing me (I put in like 10 hours at a time) I'll have a good grasp real soon.

GUIDE ME PEOPLE!!

Thanks

1. Skill, seriously.

Example: Sample at 45rpm, at 2 seconds - mono, set the variation slider and slow it down again....

Also, many of the producers who use an MPC usually run an Akai S950, S1100, or S3000 side by side with the 60 for more sampling time.


2. I cant help you, contact LinnDesign. That sucks.


3. The MPC should read windows formatted disks but not vice versa. What are you using Windows for???

Thanks! I checked with Linndesign and after playing e-mail tag all today, its pretty clear that its my zip drive that is pushing it out of wack. I will have to go internally and try to disconnect and reconnect the cable.

As for the memory issue, any more tips on how to work around that. It is definitely tough, but could you go into more detail about using another machine. The main issue with me isn't so much on the sampling, but once I have a bunch of samples I can't load more then 3 before it cuts me off with too little memory. What is the point of having 4 banks to fill when you can barely make it to 3 pads?

Lastly, the reason I use a computer is to work the mpc in conjunction with Acid or Cubase or Pro Tools (down the line). Between that and my turntables, I figure I can get things going without having to get a keyboard just yet (not enough dough).

Maybe I'm looking to push beyond my limits, wanna bring me back to earth?

Make sure that your samples are trimmed tightly so that there's no blank space at the end of your samples taking up sample time. Other than that, just get creative with chopping up your loops to get more milage out of them. Before I had my MPC2000xl, I was on a SP1200 which has only 10 seconds of sample time total...and the longest one sample can be is 2.5 seconds. Listen to records that were made when only the SP and the MPC60 were available to get ideas of how to work around the limitations. Like Sha said, you could get a S950 and trigger it with the MPC via midi.

If you need repairs on the MPC, you could contact Forat Music in L.A.
Go to www.forat.com
They do custom work on MPCs and other drum machines. I had them modify my Linndrum machine. I mailed it to them, and they did the mod and mailed it back to me within a week.

OR...instead of paying to buy a S950, take that money, sell your 60, and buy a MPC2000xl. That will solve your sample time problem (expandable to 32mb) and will solve your PC compatability problem (reads PC disks and .wav files)
...the xl doesn't sound like a 60 though...

Perfectionist wrote:As for the memory issue, any more tips on how to work around that. It is definitely tough, but could you go into more detail about using another machine. The main issue with me isn't so much on the sampling, but once I have a bunch of samples I can't load more then 3 before it cuts me off with too little memory. What is the point of having 4 banks to fill when you can barely make it to 3 pads?

That makes no sense, I have filled up my 60 with 3 banks worth of sounds many times....are you sure you have maxed the memory???

Once again...SAMPLE IN MONO....MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SET YOUR SAMPLE TIME TO 1.0 to 5.0 seconds, the default is stereo 10 seconds.....

Perfectionist wrote:Lastly, the reason I use a computer is to work the mpc in conjunction with Acid or Cubase or Pro Tools (down the line). Between that and my turntables, I figure I can get things going without having to get a keyboard just yet (not enough dough).

The MPC3000 convertor, on midicase.com converts .wavs to .snd files, no problems, that solves that issue, just format your disk in the PC.....as far as using it with Cubase or ProTools, what would stop you from recording the midi or audio signals from the MPC60, it works fine....the same as a 2000XL, no difference.

And what do you need a keyboard for, I dont get it???

I hope you dont give up on your machine, its rewards run deep.

Well, as far as my buggy OS, Jay at rogerlinndesign says its a hardware issue so I will probably have to take it to a service center.

I think Im still sampling in stereo and i have taken some samples (drum loops) that are over 5 seconds at times. Usually I trim them down to about 2 or 3 seconds, but just by sampling, I"m hogging up so much memory. I guess its a lesson in working with what I have.

Why not get a keyboard? I hear a keyboard completes a studio and adds alot of flexibility (particularly with adding nice basslines).

Thanks everyone for your help. I will continue to visit and ask questions.

trimming does not delete the trimmed space, beware of the dead air.

Ok, so if I take a 10 second sample, then cut it down to 3 seconds (i know doesn't make sense but theoretically speaking), the file size remains that of a 10 second sample?

Yes, basically.

I have OS 3.1 but on an MPC 60 you sample in mono and have to take an extra step to sample in stereo. That should take care of the default stereo sampling. I guess that leaves me watching my time only. Am I right in saying this?

Yeah, your right (im thinking in 3000 mode), it is a time thing, regardless i think you should check out how much ram your mpc really has. This file size issue never affected how many banks i could fill up, but how many floppies i had to use.

I checked, it has a sampling capability of 26.2 seconds with 1.5mb. I have a zip disk so I can save large files, probably what had me overloading it. 1.5 mb and 26.2 second sampling is the max for an MPC 60

Its enough time to do a hip hop track.

The MPC series, especially the 60 was not designed to handle sample phrases (over a few seconds). That eats memory. You really need to use single hits and write your own beats instead of playing someone elses.

If you like using these phrases, then buy something different, like an SP-808, cause the MPC will not cut it for what you are doing.

As far as XP, I have yet to be in a studio that uses XP. They are all using Win98se. Partially because the MPC60/3000 cannot share files with XP like you could with Win98. It's not really microsloths fault since they only brought XP up the stringent requirements for disk reading. And the MPC's disk format is just enough different from windows. It was really an accident that a PC and MPC's could share files at all since they were never designed to do so.

to actually trim your sample you need to go to the bottom right of the sample edit screen and do the delete before soft start, and delete before soft end to trim the unheard parts of the sample off.

for long samples, if you don't need to pitch them down at all, you can use the 3.10 OS feature of compressing the sample. this gets rid of the ability to pitch it down, and is supposed to slightly reduce the fidelity, but I haven't noticed. This effectively gives you 52.? seconds of sample time.
I do think your problem may be you aren't deleting the unused portions of sound.

The 60 is meant more for individual drum hits and notes, but you can do some of what you are after. That is a nice machine, tricked out with the internal zip. a 2000 or 2000xl might be more your speed. but if you use it for what it offers, you may be better off. It is great to have a 60 with the new OS maxed memory and internal zip, don't sleep.