Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
By BLS Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:58 pm
Hi,

Just bought MPC3000 and I'm wondering whats the best way to load samples onto my MPC3000?

I have:

Mbox Protools LE 7.4
Logic Studio 8
Zip 100 plus scsi drive
Zip 250 USB drive

And a load of 100mb zip disk with various samples on them.
Not to mention numerous portable/external drives with plenty of WAVs.

I am new to the MPC3000 and have previously done all my programming/recording/editing via Logic & Protools.

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

b
By BLS Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:27 pm
I've gone through the manual.

But not having much luck with loading the samples from the 100MB zip disks onto the MPC for example
(i'm using the zip 100 plus drive, 25 pin scsi cable)

I've hooked up the outs of the MPC to the ins of the MBox

But if the samples aren't loading up from the zip disks, then I'm getting nothing obviously.

Any suggestions?
User avatar
By oLee.eeZus Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:54 pm
what manual are you reading? I think SCSI info starts on page 180 something...

heres a link to tha Manuals of various MPC models ...
(i think tha 3000 is at tha bottom)
http://www.mpcsounds.com/download_akai_mpc_manual.php

not many cats on this forum are about "Handouts"

if your really wanna learn this legendary machine, you gotta put in work yo! and that could take a grip time.

especially if youre used to Software sequencing... i.e. Logic...

FOR SERIOUS! study that Manual cover ta cover!

these classic machines aint as fast and easy, as tha new generation of PC beatmakers are used to...

this one will take serious dedication!

i hope you didn't save all your pennies, expecting a beatbox ta do it all for you...

jus cause you paid for tha unit doesn't mean tha hard work is over... you aint even half way there

tha 3K IS all about your ear and what you hear, not a screen and what you see...

good luck wit it tho

keep it movin, to tha K.I.M

oh and also tha SEARCH bar on this forum can be quite useful.
MESSAGE!

sorry if im no help...
By BLS Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:06 am
Not asking for hand outs. Not at all.

And like I said, I've read the manual thoroughly.

I use an SP1200 regularly with one producer I work with, but that's an SP.
So i'm versed at using sampler/sequencers

BUT - I have an MPC3000 and neither he or I have used one before.


AND here's the problem/issue (i think)


The zip 100 plus drive I'm using (with scsi cable) is either not being picked by the MPC at all for some reason

OR

There is something else going on I don't know about.

(i've been through DISK then function/option 7 etc and no disk is being picked up)


And so I've joined this forum hoping someone may be able to help/advise/suggest what the solution is.


The manual details the use of SCSI hard drives but not zip drives and certainly not the zip 100 plus drive i'm using, although in principle I'd think it would function in the same way more or less right?

I thought the zip drive would be the best option given the set up i have here at my little studio space. (see my initial post)

If anyone has the time to impart some advice, I'd very much appreciate it.

Many Thanks

b
User avatar
By 7 1 4 Beats Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:28 am
First Zip 100 Disk Drive needs to have Termination Switch on the back along with SCSI ID #'s 5 & 6 switch. Set the Termination to ON and set the SCSI ID to 5 or 6. In the MPC go to DISK and then look for format and format the disk first. All the Samples you are loading need to be SND. files for them to be loaded in the MPC other wise your gonna have to use MPC Editor or this if you use a MAC http://homepage.mac.com/seishu/ssworks/rs16x/rs16x.html.
By Subby32 Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:59 am
hey man
i just got my 3k two months ago and the sample loading is ****. no sample preview or nothing and only 8 letter naming length makes it impossible to quickly **** around with samples, not to mention the load times (Get a card reader!).

the best thing ive found so far is create a project in logic (i use nuendo) and hook the output to two outs on ur interface or D/A to run into the MPC. load the samples to an audio track in logic. give each sample its own track so u can edit the samples individually. u can then click the program/sounds button and sample new sound to record the output from ur mac. also this way u can mix the samples and edit them on the computer and fly them into the mpc. with good converters u dont lose signal quality but u gain the MPC's awesome A/D converters which make the drums bang like u wouldnt believe.

Trust me this has got to be the best way, then u just save ur samples and programs onto zips.

Get the Vailixi 3.50 OS from Mansell Labls, Rohans a cool dude and its worth it then get a card reader so you can store tons of info and the load times are short

peace
User avatar
By DukeNewport Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:54 am
Subby32 wrote:Get the Vailixi 3.50 OS from Mansell Labls, Rohans a cool dude and its worth it then get a card reader so you can store tons of info and the load times are short
By BLS Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:18 pm
Heya !

Thanks a lot Subby32 , DukeNewport & 7 1 4 Beats for your advice!

Really appreciated.

Will check out the apps n card reader yoose recommended too, thanks.

7 1 4 Beats : My zip 100 plus drive has a termination swicth to set the SCSI to either 5 or 6

BUT i noticed the SCSI model before the Iomega Zip 100 plus has two switches on the back??

Does this mean mine is too "new" to be compatible with my MPC3000?

I'm going to try it again and see if it'll allow me to format the zip drive or not.

I guess that'll answer my question too?

Thanks again !

Ten four

b
User avatar
By oLee.eeZus Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:53 pm
7 1 4 Beats wrote:First Zip 100 Disk Drive needs to have Termination Switch ON the back along with SCSI ID #'s 5 & 6 switch. Set the Termination to ON and set the SCSI ID to 5 or 6. In the MPC go to DISK and then look for format and format the disk first. http://homepage.mac.com/seishu/ssworks/rs16x/rs16x.html.


Yes you zip 100 is compatible.
Iam not in front of my MP at tha moment, but i had this exact same problem when i first got mine a few months ago, and from what i remember if you follow 714's advice above it should work. Make Sure TERMINATION is ON and then choose whatever SCSI ID you prefer 5 or 6. Then goto DISK and i believe push 9. At tha next screen push Format SCSI Disc(which i believe is 3) Then it should ask you to specify your SCSI address which should correspond to tha SCSI ID you have selected on tha back of tha SCSI drvie... Once this all set right Push next and Format Disc... If your SCSI Drive is working and fully functional you should be set. or at least thats all i can remember from my episodes of troubleshooting SCSI Drives... Hope this helps.
User avatar
By Pastor-of-Muppets Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:35 pm
BLS wrote:7 1 4 Beats : My zip 100 plus drive has a termination swicth to set the SCSI to either 5 or 6

BUT i noticed the SCSI model before the Iomega Zip 100 plus has two switches on the back??

Does this mean mine is too "new" to be compatible with my MPC3000?

I'm going to try it again and see if it'll allow me to format the zip drive or not.



The switch at the back of the zip100plus is not a termination switch, it selects the SCSI device ID. I believe the zip100plus is automatically terminated, so must always be at the end of a chain (not a problem if it's just your zip drive and akai connected together.) So you only need to make sure you pick the right SCSI ID, and forget about termination.

I couldn't get my zip100plus to work with an old CD3000XL until I formatted the zip disk. I only did [ARR] not [FORM] - I don't know if MPCs have the same options for formatting, but you probably don't want to totally re-format a zip disk, just arrange it into suitable directory structure for the akai.
User avatar
By ion Sun Nov 01, 2009 6:17 pm
Subby32 wrote:
the best thing ive found so far is create a project in logic (i use nuendo) and hook the output to two outs on ur interface or D/A to run into the MPC. load the samples to an audio track in logic. give each sample its own track so u can edit the samples individually. u can then click the program/sounds button and sample new sound to record the output from ur mac. also this way u can mix the samples and edit them on the computer and fly them into the mpc. with good converters u dont lose signal quality but u gain the MPC's awesome A/D converters which make the drums bang like u wouldnt believe.

Trust me this has got to be the best way, then u just save ur samples and programs onto zips.
peace





i am about to enter the 3k world and am pretty sure teamed up with Rohans 3.50 OS also my workflow will beneit from it...

but that topic i quited above really got me thinking, as i am trying to figure out what will be the best way to handle my sample Archive (on Mac) and how to lead samples efficiently into the 3k to make some music.

the point of not being able to preview-listen to the samples when selecting/loading is remarkable.

i can only think of pre-selecting groups of samples together on the Mac wich somehow sounds like an uninspiring idea

OR

how subby said actualy RE-sample the sh!t from Logic or any other kind of playback (with the possibility of adding effects..tho i dont know if i even want that)

so is this a good way to do it? or is there any better?



another question i need to ask... if i have an (internal) Card Reader in my 3k and a USB Card Reader, and a 2GB Compact Flash Card.... can i load up the Card full 2GB and select from within the 3k the samples i want?

or wont the 3k be able to see the full 2GB Data?

i think like previously said, listening to the samples on the card from within the mpc like a "preview" is NOT POSSIBLE,

CORRECT?????