By Blue Haze
Sat May 29, 2004 3:54 pm
Caution this may be long winded
When I first step to the MPC 4000 from the MPC 2000XL I thought it would be pretty much the same and I got the Owner`s manual speed read through learn some of the extras and the new functions. I started to think that is a little more complicated because there was so much information that I didn`t understand and naively I thought it wasn`t important. Move on reference manual and learned a hell of alot more, but still parts I found techical and a little intimadating. I got on the net researched, I met you people around the way and even ran into that Sample King guy!!! I hit them up for all the tips, tricks, and assistance. And every now and then I got the read the manual bit and (I admit it steamed me sometimes) because I read the ***king manual) answer my *****question!!! I thought back then, but I didn`t tell them that. However, I took their advice and went back to the manual reading page by page no skipping until I covered almost each window page and function. I came to find out that I had received one piece of great advice to go back and read the manual and that it helping now so I thank those who without malice helped me to see the light.
But, their was one key ingredient that was missing too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn`t really, really know the basics of synthesis, the basis of a sequencer, the basis of signal processors, the basis of drum notes and and the basis of samplers so I couldn`t really understand all the information I read. Don`t get me wrong, I could make a beat, sample a loop, play some keys, and edit and filter the tune and it sound decent, but I still didn`t really know why the sampler had evelopes, amp, and even how to set the filter to the frequency I wanted (how many times I heard and thought just adjust it to your flavor and taste) Even the Akai guy said to adjust it) Until I found out later that the scale was set for 0 to 10,000 kHz.
My point is that Control change, Midi Filters, duration, and keygroups I slowly learned by buying some basic guides to each areas that I previously mention and discovered that it wasn`t as complicated as I thought. Once I learned the basics!! What a multi is to the sampler section, the internal midi and pad controllers with triggering. The true beauty of the MPC sequencer resolution, time, and editing features. The sleeper had awaken!!! I went back to that Owner`s manual and Bam I realized that it wasn`t a sh*t manual at all. It is a quick start manual in a sense made for someone familiar with the basics of the process of the technology each machine is basically the same like a Keyboard, an MPC 60 and a S950 which is how I look at a my MPC 4000 now all in one. Everyone can read, but without the basics we might not truely understand. Someone once told me that he didn`t travel place to place with his MPC or think about gear because it was what he had in his head that he could go to any studio and make music and whatever they had. Of course it helps to be familiar with the instrument, but it counts more to understand the process. Thanks for reading my rants and discovery.
Give a man fish and you helped him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he could feed himself forever.
Resources
MPC 2000XL thru 4000 forums
Akai manuals 3000 thru 4000 reference
What`s a Sequencer?
What`s a Synthesizer?
and the whole series.
Dj music
Groove Magazine (It s In Japanese though)
Hours of critical listening to that Premo, Dee, and Rock beat deconstructing it in my mind and putting it together in the sequencer to flip that sample I knew I hear from somewhere..hmmm
And a much help from the fam!!!
Peace out Oh yeah!!! The manual is my friend and it can be your friend too with some understanding of the basics of the process.
P.S. I know that reading isn`t everything and you can discover hidden tips that is not even in the manual and how to use the function differently from
their original purpose. On the other hand why reinvent the wheel each time when one can learn from those before you and build from the basics, then take it into the frontier in a new direction.
When I first step to the MPC 4000 from the MPC 2000XL I thought it would be pretty much the same and I got the Owner`s manual speed read through learn some of the extras and the new functions. I started to think that is a little more complicated because there was so much information that I didn`t understand and naively I thought it wasn`t important. Move on reference manual and learned a hell of alot more, but still parts I found techical and a little intimadating. I got on the net researched, I met you people around the way and even ran into that Sample King guy!!! I hit them up for all the tips, tricks, and assistance. And every now and then I got the read the manual bit and (I admit it steamed me sometimes) because I read the ***king manual) answer my *****question!!! I thought back then, but I didn`t tell them that. However, I took their advice and went back to the manual reading page by page no skipping until I covered almost each window page and function. I came to find out that I had received one piece of great advice to go back and read the manual and that it helping now so I thank those who without malice helped me to see the light.
But, their was one key ingredient that was missing too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn`t really, really know the basics of synthesis, the basis of a sequencer, the basis of signal processors, the basis of drum notes and and the basis of samplers so I couldn`t really understand all the information I read. Don`t get me wrong, I could make a beat, sample a loop, play some keys, and edit and filter the tune and it sound decent, but I still didn`t really know why the sampler had evelopes, amp, and even how to set the filter to the frequency I wanted (how many times I heard and thought just adjust it to your flavor and taste) Even the Akai guy said to adjust it) Until I found out later that the scale was set for 0 to 10,000 kHz.
My point is that Control change, Midi Filters, duration, and keygroups I slowly learned by buying some basic guides to each areas that I previously mention and discovered that it wasn`t as complicated as I thought. Once I learned the basics!! What a multi is to the sampler section, the internal midi and pad controllers with triggering. The true beauty of the MPC sequencer resolution, time, and editing features. The sleeper had awaken!!! I went back to that Owner`s manual and Bam I realized that it wasn`t a sh*t manual at all. It is a quick start manual in a sense made for someone familiar with the basics of the process of the technology each machine is basically the same like a Keyboard, an MPC 60 and a S950 which is how I look at a my MPC 4000 now all in one. Everyone can read, but without the basics we might not truely understand. Someone once told me that he didn`t travel place to place with his MPC or think about gear because it was what he had in his head that he could go to any studio and make music and whatever they had. Of course it helps to be familiar with the instrument, but it counts more to understand the process. Thanks for reading my rants and discovery.
Give a man fish and you helped him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he could feed himself forever.
Resources
MPC 2000XL thru 4000 forums
Akai manuals 3000 thru 4000 reference
What`s a Sequencer?
What`s a Synthesizer?
and the whole series.
Dj music
Groove Magazine (It s In Japanese though)
Hours of critical listening to that Premo, Dee, and Rock beat deconstructing it in my mind and putting it together in the sequencer to flip that sample I knew I hear from somewhere..hmmm
And a much help from the fam!!!
Peace out Oh yeah!!!
The manual is my friend and it can be your friend too with some understanding of the basics of the process.
P.S. I know that reading isn`t everything and you can discover hidden tips that is not even in the manual and how to use the function differently from
their original purpose. On the other hand why reinvent the wheel each time when one can learn from those before you and build from the basics, then take it into the frontier in a new direction.
! i read and am re-reading, ... those manuals constantly - not always but once a time, forums aswell, (never touched the ref man from the 3000 though) anc each time finding somethin new
lp, hp, notch, ...
)
