MPC500 as MIDI Module

I just got my MPC and I'm beginning to get a little disappointed.

Everything seems to be working fine except when I try to play a program thru MIDI.

I've connected it directly to a MIDI keyboard and to my computer. I even tried using different MIDI cables. Whenever I try and play it via MIDI it drops notes, becomes unresponsive, or even randomly plays samples assigned to other pads.

Is this just the way the MPC500 works or did I get a bad unit and should contact Akai for repair?

What do exactly try to do?
Do u want to sequence vst's with ur mp, while u trigger and contol them with ur keyboard?

I just want to use a sequencer to play the samples in my MPC.

A software sequencer?
Keyboard to ur computer, from computer MIDI out to mpc midi in.
Also check the midi note assignment.

(BTW, what kind of midi settings did u apply?)

Both when playing it using a software sequencer and from a keyboard. It doesn't make a difference and it shouldn't. If I play a note on a keyboard or program a loop from the computer. The MPC shouldn't be dropping these notes or playing samples assigned to other notes. It doesn't do this when I play it from the pads.

I've had many MIDI instruments and I haven't run into problems like this. It's not cabling, I've tried filtering MIDI messages. There's no MIDI loop being created as far as I can tell. On a separate issue, I can't seem to get the pads to transmit either. The track will transmit when played but the pad won't transmit even when in track mode and the track set to MIDI. However, that's not as important to me.

Based on a few other posts it sounds like others are running into similar issues and just resort to syncing the MPC with the external. What I'm asking here... Is this in fact a problem that others are running into or is the MIDI on the MPC rock solid and I have a bad unit.

Thanks for your help

Multitrack: could you describe in detail what are you trying to make MPC do for you. I mean, name the software you use, other gear involved, how your setup is connected - everything. This way it may be easier to understand what the issue could be.

MIDI could be tricky to set up. Also, check your MIDI cables and connections. A faulty cable can really screw up your setup.

Also check MIDI channels. The transmission issues are often caused by wrongly assigned channels.

brazeca wrote:Multitrack: could you describe in detail what are you trying to make MPC do for you. I mean, name the software you use, other gear involved, how your setup is connected - everything. This way it may be easier to understand what the issue could be.

multitrack wrote:Is this in fact a problem that others are running into or is the MIDI on the MPC rock solid and I have a bad unit.

I never had problems with midiing up the mpc with external devices

I'm just trying to play my MPC from a MIDI keyboard or from my sequencer. My master controller is a Kurzweil SP-76 digital piano and I'm sequencing with Logic 7 or Cubase 3 on my G4. I'm using an AMT8 MIDI patchbay to connect it all together.

I tried connecting the MPC to my Waldorf XTK to check if it was an issue with MIDI data from the SP-76 and the MPC acted the same way. It actually did something new today. I had the XTK MIDIed directly to the MPC. I was just tapping the key for the base drum on pad 1 and it began repeatedly playing the crash symbol assigned to pad 9 as if it had a stutter. And it wouldn't stop until I hit the base drum key again. After that it would not make any sound when I played the XTK, but the on-board pads worked fine.

Thanks for your help. I'm convinced I have a bad unit - I'll contact Akai.