another workaround for MIDI export to DAW ?

I'm working on nailing this down for myself too right now.

Working theory of how it can work:

- Create a 2 bar blank sequence in MPC
- Create a single sequence in Song Mode where each sequence of your composition is inserted alternating with the blank sequence to delineate it.
- Load up DAW and create a multi-output version of MPC software plugin. On Logic Pro you can choose Multi-Timbral, and create 16 channels of it.
- Load up your single song sequence sequence in MPC software
- While in most modes (except Track mode), you can export midi from each track by clicking on the export midi button (top right below the master volume slider/VU). Click and hold the button a second time to copy and drag a midi region to your DAW.
- Repeat previous step for each track you have.
- When all midi is taken over to your DAW, set all tracks in MPC software to midi monitor IN and assign them to consecutive midi channels (1-16). Now they will only listen to the input, and not play back the MPC sequence.
- Arrange in your DAW by cutting sections using the empty sequence as visual cues for start and end points.
- Now when you hit play in your DAW, the midi will play out of the DAW into the MPC software like a multi-timbral sound engine.
- If you've used a multi-output version of the MPC plugin, you can record all 16 stereo tracks from the MPC Software into your DAW pretty easily for your final mix.

The down side I've seen to this is that it drops automation in the MPC from the midi file it exports. You have to assign midi CC's to the Q-Links, then do that automation in your DAW. But, you in-theory have 16 channels of your MPC sounds, with the arranging and plugins from your DAW.

I found a little workaround for this lack of standalone midi export, but it requires having a computer on hand running the MPC app.

So you get a usb sharing hub that let's you switch between two different devices controlling a USB stick.

You plug both the stick (via the hub) into both the MPC and your computer.

In MPC standalone, you export your midi file ("export as pattern").

You switch the sharing hub so your computer can now see the usb stick. You drag / drop the mpc pattern into the MPC app, then: file > export > as midi track file. You can now drag this created midi file into your DAW of choice.

The key point is that you can still use the MPC app on your computer, even when in MPC standalone mode.

The above mentioned use of the sharing hub is only necassary if you need to do this a lot, if not, you can just plug the usb stick first into the mpc, then pull it out and shove it in your peecee or mac.

But the sharing hub will also be useful if you need to move files back and forward between your MPC in standalone and your computer. Not sure if constantly switching without first properly unmounting the stick will eventually damage something, presumably the mpc and computer are fine, but maybe it kills the stick?

T-Monk wrote:The down side I've seen to this is that it drops automation in the MPC from the midi file it exports. You have to assign midi CC's to the Q-Links, then do that automation in your DAW. But, you in-theory have 16 channels of your MPC sounds, with the arranging and plugins from your DAW.

I'm afraid there's another downside which is that your midi timing won't be as tight triggering the MPC from your DAW as when the sequence is running on the MPC.

I did a very careful test and the MPC's timing is sample accurate for each sample triggered, whereas when triggered via a midi cable, there's quite some wander in the timing. But it's also a question of what kind of music your doing. Low tempo hiphop will be fine, music with higher tempos and more swing will suffer noticeable (depending on your personal sensitivity) timing irregularity.