Assigning drum samples to keys on MPC Key 61

So I'm back at actually considering the Key 61 again and thought I should check a couple of things first. Did some searching on this without any luck:

1. Is the keyboard hardwired to keygroups only or will the Key 61 allow for the keyboard to handle drum programs as well, meaning with a different drum sample (including 4 insert effects) on each of the 61 keys as if they were pads?

2. If it's the latter then can I highlight a key for assigning a sample to it, or will I have to hit all the pads in all banks until I stumble onto the key I want to have the sample assigned to? Hope that made sense.

The user manual doesn't seem to cover much specific to the Key 61 as far as I can tell, suggesting the only difference, in terms of functioning, between the Key 61 and an MPC One with a MIDI keyboard connected to it, is that in the Key 61's case the MIDI keyboard is permanently attached(..?)

I don't have the key but AFAIK what is assigned to the keys is also assigned to the pads, so unless you create a "performance" if you selected a drum program track, the keys will play the drum programs as well, if you select a keygroup, both the pads and the keys will play the keygroup, you can only have some of the pads playing a drum program and some of the keys playing a keygroup in performance mode, which is an odd behavior.

You should be able to select a drum program for the pads and a keygroup for the keys independently, but you really can't, at least that's how I understand how the key works. So I don't see the point of the MPC Key compared to a MPC with a separate midi keyboard if it's true. With a separate MIDI keyboard, one only has to select a specific MIDI channel to play whatever they want from the keys, if the keygroup track is configured appropriately.

mpc_fan_2022 wrote:I don't have the key but AFAIK what is assigned to the keys is also assigned to the pads, so unless you create a "performance" if you selected a drum program track, the keys will play the drum programs as well, if you select a keygroup, both the pads and the keys will play the keygroup, you can only have some of the pads playing a drum program and some of the keys playing a keygroup in performance mode, which is an odd behavior.

You should be able to select a drum program for the pads and a keygroup for the keys independently, but you really can't, at least that's how I understand how the key works. So I don't see the point of the MPC Key compared to a MPC with a separate midi keyboard if it's true. With a separate MIDI keyboard, one only has to select a specific MIDI channel to play whatever they want from the keys, if the keygroup track is configured appropriately.

Wow. Thats... Hmm.

So if this is the case then in a "performance", if I want all 5 octaves to cover say bass and an organ, then the only space left for other things would be however many keys left available through the octave shift button above and below these 5 octaves?

As if the whole performance is sharing a single MIDI channel?

Can someone confirm this?

Yes, both the pads and the keys are on the same "global channel". This is senseless.

On a Fantom-0 for instance the pads and the keys can play different programs without having to configure a "performance".

This one of the many incoherence in AKAI's products. AKAI often overlooks practical use, maybe because it's too complicated to implement for their engineers or something...

I see.

Well this means then that the keyboard can play 4 banks X 16 pads = 64 different sounds with 4 layers and 4 insert effects each, all at once(?)

Lampdog wrote:I have Keys61.

So the way you do it when you highlight a pad for assigning a sample to it, on the Key 61 you can highlight a key instead?

Sorry I'm not following

Can single keys point to single pads in a drum program, meaning that up to 64 sounds with up to 4 layers and insert effects each are available at the same time using the keyboard?

I you set out to use the keyboard for triggering drums, can you highlight a key when assigning samples or are you forced to do it the other way round by highlighting a pad instead?

Theoretically if you have the Program set to POLY

40Beatz wrote:Theoretically if you have the Program set to POLY

Ok cool. Thanks.

So no assigning directly to specific keys then?