Using the MPC1000 on a live setup

Hi.

I'm a newbie in the world of MPC's. I'm considering buying the MPC1000. I'm a drummer, and my main target is to be able to trigger various sorts of samples/loops from f.i. a Roland SPD-S. In other words: Use it on live gigs.
My question is:
Is it possible to create a sequence of strings, backing vocals, sound FX or others (on a PC, or maybe on the MPC1000 itself), "insert" or import it into the MPC and then trigger it FROM the Roland SPD-S unit (making the
SPD-S the MIDI controller and the MPC1000 the "slave"). AND is it possible to do all this and at the same time trigger a drum-loop and have a click-track running which only I can hear. Imagine all this going on in the same song, and all coming from the MPC1000. Can it be done??
I'm sorry if this all sounds very confusing or stupid but the truth is that I've never been able to get a straight answer from any music store here in Denmak. And I'm a newbie
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot in advance

Thøger.

Hi,

I myself have had a Roland SPD6, which could transmit midi notes without an internal sample playing. So it would be strange if the more advanced SPD-S couldn't do it.

There are a few ways to do this:

I'm not sure, but I think that the MPC:s track mutes can be controlled via midi cc data.. somebody with clear info on this, please confirm this if it is so.

IF it is so, and if the SPDS can be set to transmit cc data, you could control the track mutes by hitting on the SPD-S pads. which means that you could just mute/unmute the parts of your sequence that you want at any given time.

-------- OK, I was reaching above, but look below for a simpler answer-----

The way that I'm positive that works, is simple too. The only thing it requires is the 128mb memory expansion on your mpc, depending on the length of your sequences. That is, the 16 megs the MPC has by default can't take really long sequences, so if you have long samples to trigger, get the memory expansion.

Ok, you have a drum beat going on in a sequence. Fine. Then, you want to have a 4-bar string melody which you can trigger whenever you want. You create this melody, no matter how you do it. As long as you can render it into a .WAV file (the MPC has internal resampling, so it's a breeze using just the MPC).

Then, you create a program (program, in the MPC, means a set of samples. For example, a set of drum samples might establish a program.) and assign all your trigger-at-will sequences (that have been rendered to .WAV files, or samples, to use the correct jargon) to the program.. Program your SPD-S to transmit the respective midi notes, and there you go! Whack your SPD-S and sounds will come out of your mpc.

the click can be assigned to some other output than the main one. Not the default click though, so it means you'll have to get your own 'tick' sound and program it yourself. But that's not a big deal.

So, I'll try to wrap it up in an understandable way.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
^this is your drum track, which just keeps on playing. assigned to MAIN OUT.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
^this is your click track, assigned to OUT 1.
---------- ------------- ----------------- ----
----------- ------ -------
^these try to represent the small melody samples you trigger from your SPD-S. Assigned to MAIN OUT.

SO, it's doable. It gets more complicated, if you want to change the drum beat that's playing on the MPC. But that can be done by simply scrolling to the next sequence on the data wheel on the MPC, but if you want to have a NEXT SEQUENCE trigger pad on the SPD-S, that's out of my league, not sure if that can be done..

I'm sure this seems a bit unclear, but if I misunderstood you or wrote something in a way that doesn't make sense, do ask.

Thank you - kluster - VERY much for an exellent answer
Would you please consider coming to Denmark and work in
"Aage Jensen Music Store"
They REALLY need a guy like you!!
Thanks again.

Respect.

Thøger.

First, I have to be totally honest here: you might not need a MPC1000, it sounds like the SPD-S can do most of what you want by itself: triggering of short or long samples, resampling, a pattern sequencer built-in.

For Start/Stop commands, you could attach footswitches to a MPC and use them directly. However, when it comes to selecting Sequences and Songs for playback, or controlling track mutes, I see no facility for doing this using CC or other MIDI commands, you would have to select it directly on the MPC.

kluster's idea of "rendering" sequences to WAVs is a good one with some precedent: that's what Rush eventually did once samplers became powerful enough. Neil Peart (who you will know of if you're a drummer!) is currently using a Roland TD-20 kit's internal sounds, with some sampled sounds triggered from XV-5080s. The other guys in the band are using XV-5080s and triggering samples too.

Even Rush parts that were originally sequenced, and still sound like sequences, are actually samples, they don't run any sequencers on stage like they used to, for reliability reasons - they were always going wrong!

Thanks a lot for that info. The thing is that if I have to have both sequenced string arrangements, a drum-loop AND some sort of click-
track at the same time, I'll need another unit than the SPD-S alone. As far as I know you can't assign the different sequences to different outputs. F.i. the headphone output is the same as the stereo output. Again - as far as I know......

Please correct me if I'm wrong. But thanks anyway

I downloaded the SPD-S manual today, I'll take a look tonight and see what jumps out at me...

I see that the SDP-S does not support MIDI Sync at all - so you will need something else to act as a tempo source, if you want a click, or to have samples triggered at specific parts of a song. I see a MPC1000 as a good choice then if you want that to have samples played back at certain points in the song, without you having to trigger them, plus a click.

But we're back to the question of control, you'd be managing the MPC1000 via its footpedals and panel, but not via MIDI from the SPD, it looks like to me.

One little thing to be aware of: the MPC1000's separate outs work on a switching basis, you assign Pads to "Stereo", "1+2" or "3+4". But you can't have a sound going to more than one of those, e.g. Stereo out (for phones) + "1+2". That might make some things awkward for you, you might have the click track in your headphones, other sounds going to the PA via the extra out (no click), but you won't hear them. You might have to use a mixer to pull the two devices together and route the various sounds where you want them to go...

good points, stereoroid.

I too think that controlling the MPC via the SPD-S is tricky, except for triggering samples. I delved into the MPC's manual and I think that it's not possible to control sequence order/track mute through CC messages. So Stereoroid is spot-on right in the point that controlling the MPC via the SPD-S is pretty limited.

The weak link in my suggestion in the previous post, I think, is that it's pretty tricky to trigger long sequences right on the beat by whacking on a pad. If you're late just once, the whole sequence will be off-beat. The solution could be making shorter sequences, so that the mistake will not be present for such a long time. An off-beat 4-bar sequence is better than an off-beat 16-bar sequence, if ya know what I mean But, we're talking with a drummer here, so I think he's got better timing than me

As far as the click, but nothing else, sounding through the headphones, I'd opt for the simple solution.. OK, the sounds other than the click are not heard through the headphones tbwessel is wearing, but if the band's live volumes are anything like any other live band's volume, the other sounds from the MPC will bleed through the headphones. Just as the rest of the band will be (i.e. guitars, bass...). Actually, I think, the tricky part will be isolating the click so that it can be heard by the drummer, as opposed to the drummer not hearing the other sounds.

I don't know that much about the SPD-S, of course if you could manage without the MPC1000, that would be a bundle of bucks saved.. Maybe Stereoroid'll jump in and tell us what's the deal.

Nice to be of any help, and with other people giving advice as well, you'll be set up in no time

Thanks you guys for all your help. After having tried using a laptop with pre-programmed rhythm sequences and string-/backing vocal arrangements, it seems to be the solution for me. Although it excludes the possibility of "an extra chorus" and such

Still I think I'll buy an MPC just for the heck of it. It still is the coolest drum-programmer-gadget ever

Thanks again everyone. You've been extremely helpful

But, we're talking with a drummer here, so I think he's got better timing than me

Thanks for the trust - kluster - but don't let the fact that I'm a drummer fool you. After all you haven't heard me play yet