MPC arranging or logic

I just got logic pro, and iam wondering should i arrange every thing in the mpc or do every thing in logic what do u guy's perfer

ssan wrote:I just got logic pro, and iam wondering should i arrange every thing in the mpc or do every thing in logic what do u guy's perfer

My two cents after learning more about the importance of a mix. It is better to arrange in logic as that is one of the steps to getting a good mix balance first like for example the foundation, pad, rhythm, lead, and fills.


Of course you can make the different sections intro, verse, chorus and break on the mpc. But mixing the tracks is entirely different animal in music itself which is why you go to a studio and record it or get a DAW if you are doing the mixing at home.

I have come to my own realization that it is hogwash to try to take your music to the next level just trying to do everything in a mpc whatever model you have with the music coming out of just your stereo outputs. We need to mix and master it as well no mpc does that.

This isn`t directed at you sorry. Just I overlook like alot of others are doing on these boards that a good mix is extremely important for balance, space, depth, and clarity and a mpc ain`t going to do that straight out the outputs.

I mix and arrange in logic my mpc is just a tool for crafting the music parts I need not a all in one unit.

Blue Haze wrote:

ssan wrote:I just got logic pro, and iam wondering should i arrange every thing in the mpc or do every thing in logic what do u guy's perfer

My two cents after learning more about the importance of a mix. It is better to arrange in logic as that is one of the steps to getting a good mix balance first like for example the foundation, pad, rhythm, lead, and fills.


Of course you can make the different sections intro, verse, chorus and break on the mpc. But mixing the tracks is entirely different animal in music itself which is why you go to a studio and record it or get a DAW if you are doing the mixing at home.

I have come to my own realization that it is hogwash to try to take your music to the next level just trying to do everything in a mpc whatever model you have with the music coming out of just your stereo outputs. We need to mix and master it as well no mpc does that.

This isn`t directed at you sorry. Just I overlook like alot of others are doing on these boards that a good mix is extremely important for balance, space, depth, and clarity and a mpc ain`t going to do that straight out the outputs.

I mix and arrange in logic my mpc is just a tool for crafting the music parts I need not a all in one unit.

well said brother

I use quite a few different hardware sequencers for my stuff, (including the MPC 4000). But everything will be imported into Logic for arranging and detailed editing.

IMHO nothing beats Logic for MIDI editing power - especially if you dig into Logic's environment and build yourself custom transformation / editing tools etc.

Remember that you can always route the Q-link controlers and MPC pads to Out-A - connect this to the computer and you can sync the MPC and Logic - record the MPC pads & controlers directly to Logic.

(watch out for MIDI feedback with note repeat though).

As far as mixdown goes - 10 MPC outputs going to a (proper) analogue desk
does 99% of the job for me.

I think the difference is that 4K is no longer supported, so it can do what it can do. Logic will be still evolving while MPC will stay in one place and that means it will go backward. I do not own a computer when I'm working 'cus I'm a student and there is no money for everything. I was able to get only one machine. 4K was my weapon of choice, but nowadays music evolves and even you have to create your own style with samples which is harder and harder, we have to search for new possibilities and I think it's important to add powerful program to our most powerful MPC. You don't have to use all the features of program or MPC all the time, it depends on what project you are working, what sounds you are using or samples. Music is music and as long it sounds dope you don't have to do something else. Sometimes I think people add sounds just to do it and the beat is already full. This shit if full of philosophy, but me personally thinks that this is bullshit, first you have to think what you want to do and then you HAVE TO understand what can lead to your goal. We are creating music, but our music is not only music, it's mathematical shit full of programing and you have to understand this. I'm sure Logic has a lot more to offer than a MPC and as long as you feel comfortable with all your equipment, you are able to combine it, this is good. Collecting gear and not working on skills is bad shit, but I was higly inspired by MPC, it was like challenge for me, I was and still I am really motiveted to work, read and learn. When I was working on computer I was only doing through trial and error.
To sum it up I think DAW and MPC is a must now and it is a great combo.

Other thing that makes me wonder, as I'm looking for a nice DAW is why most of 4K users use Logic. I think I'm gonna pick up Logic too, but can you say what Logic do that makes it more preferable than other DAWs. I had experience with Reason and it's nice, I can do many things on it, but I'm curious about VST and as I heard Logic do not run VST too. Now I have to consider if I should go deeper with Reason or start fresh with Logic. What do you think?

The reason I use logic in combination with the MPC is that the Logic midi environment is very deep.

I want to process sequences which i have made on the MPC and combine these with other MIDI data from other sequencers, then send the edited results back to the MPC for live use.

I have used Logic for over 10 years and I have never felt the need to upgrade beyond Logic Platinum 5. Thats because I work mostly with hardware and Logic can do everything I need to do with no problems.

One thing I dont want is to learn new stuff which distracts me from the main job of making music.

Im sure you want to do different things to me with your setup - so I would recommend that you go and see as many other studios as you can - see what works for different people and take the best of it for yourself.

http://audio.tutsplus.com/category/tutorials/


Alot of great tutorials for enhancing and mixing your music there. One of the jewels of why I use logic studio plus all the built in plug-ins and effects that my ole pro tools required me to send a grip to get.


Love this site full of engineers and mixing tips from pros.

Logic really is a great tool to use with the MPC 4000, or any MPC. It's definitely worth the effort to learn how to integrate the use of the two --- Reub.

great post, im currently trying to get my setup to use both logic and the mpc together, right now i have my mpc connected with logic as the sound module and i went into file project settings recording and clicked allow tempo change recording, so right now im recording into that way, but ive been hearing and reading alot about recording into logic and then using beat mapping, is there a diff btw the two? and with my current setup am i using the mpcs swing and feel or logics?

oh and ps. for some apparent reason my note repeat button on my mpc is no longer working, does this have anything to do with using it with logic?

well i figured out that it does have something to do with logic since when i record a seq using the mps own sequencer it works fine...is there a way to get the note repeat button working? with the setup i have?

manny0888 wrote:well i figured out that it does have something to do with logic since when i record a seq using the mps own sequencer it works fine...is there a way to get the note repeat button working? with the setup i have?

What I do is record all sequences on the 4k, drums, pads, rhythms, leads, and fills just the midi notes track by track channel by channel going to logic as a sound module at first. When I have the basic parts laid down on the mpc, then I set up logic as master and the mpc as slave under midi clock. I go to record settings>>> count in >>>>no bar. I record the midi data from the 4k into logic all in one setting by arming all the tracks in logic. I make sure to have 8 to 16 bars of midi regions recorded to cut up or mute later for arrangement. Under record setting make sure the settings is for auto demix multrack recording is check and the region parameter in the track is set at 1/3840 ppq to preserve your original groove. After that you can unlink the mpc from logic and continue working everything within logic mixing, leveling, panning, effects, and etc.


One point to keep in mind is to bounce in place all the midi tracks to audio to save cpu once you got the eq and levels straight plus you can change your soft synths tracks into mono tracks under audio for better mixing. Read up on alot of guides on mixing.

Blue Haze wrote:

ssan wrote:I just got logic pro, and iam wondering should i arrange every thing in the mpc or do every thing in logic what do u guy's perfer

My two cents after learning more about the importance of a mix. It is better to arrange in logic as that is one of the steps to getting a good mix balance first like for example the foundation, pad, rhythm, lead, and fills.


Of course you can make the different sections intro, verse, chorus and break on the mpc. But mixing the tracks is entirely different animal in music itself which is why you go to a studio and record it or get a DAW if you are doing the mixing at home.

I have come to my own realization that it is hogwash to try to take your music to the next level just trying to do everything in a mpc whatever model you have with the music coming out of just your stereo outputs. We need to mix and master it as well no mpc does that.

This isn`t directed at you sorry. Just I overlook like alot of others are doing on these boards that a good mix is extremely important for balance, space, depth, and clarity and a mpc ain`t going to do that straight out the outputs.

I mix and arrange in logic my mpc is just a tool for crafting the music parts I need not a all in one unit.

Im not say anything but......dj shadow i remember way back in an interview for entroducing said he mixed all in his mpc 60 and when it came to mastering it needed very little adjustment.js saying that mpc can sound great on its own.the fact that he does not(i dont think)use a mpc now means its just an interesting fact.obviously working in the computer enviroment will expand your mixing potential greatly but is far from essential.BUT,i remember shadow saying he had hundreds of kicks ,hits ect everywhere and it was totally manic.thats the retro sound.now back to logic.............

i really like your idea and i want to give it a try but before i can, i need to hear the metronome and for some reason or another i cant hear mine, i tried the suggestions given to me and i have yet to get it, as soon as i get that i can go forward because right now my setup is with logic as the sound module, i have my headphones plugged into my laptop but when i hit record on the mp i get no metronome.... are hearing yours? or am im asking for the impossible with this current setup?

dryad-66 wrote:

Blue Haze wrote:

ssan wrote:I just got logic pro, and iam wondering should i arrange every thing in the mpc or do every thing in logic what do u guy's perfer

My two cents after learning more about the importance of a mix. It is better to arrange in logic as that is one of the steps to getting a good mix balance first like for example the foundation, pad, rhythm, lead, and fills.


Of course you can make the different sections intro, verse, chorus and break on the mpc. But mixing the tracks is entirely different animal in music itself which is why you go to a studio and record it or get a DAW if you are doing the mixing at home.

I have come to my own realization that it is hogwash to try to take your music to the next level just trying to do everything in a mpc whatever model you have with the music coming out of just your stereo outputs. We need to mix and master it as well no mpc does that.

This isn`t directed at you sorry. Just I overlook like alot of others are doing on these boards that a good mix is extremely important for balance, space, depth, and clarity and a mpc ain`t going to do that straight out the outputs.

I mix and arrange in logic my mpc is just a tool for crafting the music parts I need not a all in one unit.

Im not say anything but......dj shadow i remember way back in an interview for entroducing said he mixed all in his mpc 60 and when it came to mastering it needed very little adjustment.js saying that mpc can sound great on its own.the fact that he does not(i dont think)use a mpc now means its just an interesting fact.obviously working in the computer enviroment will expand your mixing potential greatly but is far from essential.BUT,i remember shadow saying he had hundreds of kicks ,hits ect everywhere and it was totally manic.thats the retro sound.now back to logic.............

I read the same article concerning a raw sample based sound. He use the mpc as a multitrack along with his turntables and sampled loops and phrases into a collage through his dj mixer. That is all fine but if you are really mixing your music shadow ran it through a board at a studio onto tape and then mastered it. If you really believe it was all mixed inside a mpc 60 it is sadly a myth. Basically you can do level and some panning just like a dj mixtape (remember djs are the real beatmakers) but you will lack control of dynamics, space, and being able to correct overlapping frequencies. Correct me if I`m wrong but the MPC 60 doesn`t have filters!!! I`m a 3k owner also and I believe that it was from the 3k series on up that filters were added to the mpc series. And remember that before Shadow made entroducing he was working with the rapper Paris in a pro studio on the boards mixing and programming beats not just straight from home on an mpc.

Any mixer be it hardware or software is a essential part of recording and getting your music to the best it can be.

manny0888 wrote:i really like your idea and i want to give it a try but before i can, i need to hear the metronome and for some reason or another i cant hear mine, i tried the suggestions given to me and i have yet to get it, as soon as i get that i can go forward because right now my setup is with logic as the sound module, i have my headphones plugged into my laptop but when i hit record on the mp i get no metronome.... are hearing yours? or am im asking for the impossible with this current setup?

I have a Mackie Big Knob with the MPC set to an output and my DAW on another. My mpc plays the metronome out of stereo outs.

This page will help you alot of questions can be answered there and my previous posts along with alot of others are there too.


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