Basics of the Main Mode aka Sequencer Page for anybody

This is very basic and if one don`t think to much it is very easy to operate.

The main page is divided into five blocks each with different editing functions. Each blocks editing function can be reached by using the window button. Always remember to press the yellow window button!!!

Five blocks Position bar, Now block, Sequence block, Track block, and the Simul Play block.


A. The position bar block shown your loop region, punch in point, and punch out point when auto punch and loop regions are enabled.


B. The Now Block which you can locate the measures, bars, and ticks in a sequence and the time (use this button with the goto and step and bars keys). Also change the T/C and add swing, and shift a track or note. Last you edit the metrodome clicks.

C. The Sequence block has seq number to edit name, delete, copy, and copy parameters and etc look it up. Also Tempo which can be edit with tempo change and all (master tempo, individual tempo per seq) . The loop sequence which can edit which regions in the sequence to loop or not. Bars which is meat of the MPC sequence which you can edit, copy, delete, paste, and insert bars iinto all tracks in the sequence. ON ALL MPC MODELS IT has been done this way. Time Signature is where you can edit the number of ticks in a bar 1/4, 3/4, 7/8 and etc per bar in the Sequence. Remember that a bar aka measure is all tracks in the Sequence. Auto punch edit , Sync edit, and transopose edit. The main thing is remember is this BLOCK edits all the tracks is your sequence.

D. The Track Block has track number to edit , erase, copy,paste and name change. You can change the type of track from drum to instrumental for editing. Insert a program change in the track. Change the transpose of an instrumental track. Edit the duration and velocity of notes in the entire individual track. Mute the track, watch the midi events in the tracks with IN and Out window. Change the input and output of midi notes in the track also merging a second input and output of midi notes. All tracks are INDIVIDUAL which is why the Track block shows one track at a time. You can only edit one track at a time from this block. If you use step edit or seq edit you are only editing the one track. If you want to edit many instruments at the SAME TIME YOU HAVE TO RECORD EVERYTHING ON THE SAME TRACK it is very, very basic. The track block is were midi notes, controller events(qlink, pitch bends, and external messages are recorded). I repeat there isn`t any audio recorded in the tracks blocks only midi notes assign to the pad which triggers audio in the internal sampler or sends out the midi notes to an external sound module, sampler or your momma`s vibrator. Forget about using the Track block or Seq edit or step edit ( really track editor) as a digital audio editor like pro tools, logic and others. Recording on individual tracks allows you to set individual midi in and out channels for the same instrument or different instruments.

Finally the simul Play block which lets you play two sequences together and have the next sequence play when the first sequence end. If you have a short drum loop of two bars on Seq 1 and a long 4 to 8 bars in Seq 2 you can set this function on and they with both play together in sync (Set the master tempo button first) just like a Triton but with only 2 loop plays.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS remember to push that window button to see the extra functions beneath the main screen. akai should really rename the seq edit to track edit and included more info on the bars edit just like in the 2KXL manuals and the 3K but for some reason they skim over it in the 4K. Must be because they didn`t think many entry level users were going to pick it up. Anyways if you want to really know about the MPC sequencers pick up the earlier series of the MPC manuals and study the sequence sections from the MPC 60 to the 2KL the 4K isn`t that much difference. But the resolution of 960 oppose to 96 per quarter note less anyone see that the 4K is tighter as getting your notes as close to how you played it. If you **** up go to Seq I mean Track edit or Step edit move the cursor and hit the pad. Think of ppqs as pixels on your monitor or camera the more pixels you can have the more detailed the picture can be. Same for the 4K resolution the 960ppq gives you a more detailed placement of the notes.

That is it for now and watch out for the BS on the net with mofos crying and hollaring about some shit that not in the mPC functions and trying to use the machine as a DAW Digital Audio Workstation. This is a midi workstation with a sampler not Logic, PT, FL and other which are great and use audio loops in the tracks. The MPC uses straight up midi in the tracks that is it. All editing to the audio has to be done in the Sample Page within the Trim/loop page if you get the sample right there or **** it up you can`t fix the audio in the Main Page or Track edit page only the midi notes. Once more there are no audio tracks in the MPC series never has been, but the future will tell. Get your mind right and the beats will flow. MIDI PRODUCTION CENTER aka MPC aka MIDI PRODUCTION CONTROLLER with pads and a build in sampler. The midi notes are not audio just note on and note off signals.

I hope that this clear up some of the basic questions on the board lately. I may have some typos but **** it this isn`t windows and where`s my spell checker damnit!!!

And Oh yeah DO YOU **** One love.

Better post this in the sticky thread in the top of the 4k-section!

Its been taking care of

Hatz off fellas hatz off ..

Ok so the MPC is a Midi Production Centre. But why not
1. Complete your song with only one synth and the MPC.
2. Record your song into the MPC via its sampler. You could do it one track at a time by muting if your patient enough. And using Midi option to start recording so itll be in time.
3.Assign the sample(s) to a part,program etc
4. Record vocals in bits by having the sequence its going to be over in the song in your headphones and using midi to start recording. Then just trigger it in anywhere and change it to where you want it to go in the step editor manually(might be a better way)
5 Trigger the samples in the MPC sequencer.
6 Change the pan , volumes etc if needs be in the mixer.
7. Transfer via aksys to your pc and burn to cd.

Im not tryin to take you on and maybe it seems more trouble than its worth but is there anything inherently wrong in doing this. The quality of the recording should be pretty good I think. Ive done this a bit but im startin off and i havent mixed. I dont think the MPC was built with this in mind but well just wondering.

am i talking nonsense then or what? I dont mind bein told.

martyfulu wrote:am i talking nonsense then or what? I dont mind bein told.

You can do that or I think you mean to do it the Swizz way record all the bits of sounds from the your synth into the MPC as a kit. Remember assign each sound to a pad or keygroup since the MPC 4K is a full sampler and play your melody using your keyboard as a controller. Record a sequence of your beat and resample it using main outs in the record page. I haven`t tried it before but change record to analog in with the monitor off/on with the sequence on and record vocals over it. Like you said using step or seq aka track edit arrange the vocals tight with the beat. Hint the slice regions tools it a monster for locking 8 bars of sequences together in different tracks of the sequence. Use the mixer and resample into one wav and transfer via aksys to the computer to mastered in a wave editor Sound Forge, Pro Tools, Peak and so on to record to CD.
On the other hand if you are good at playing your synth just connect it to the mpc by midi cable and record all of your sequence by the MPC. Record the synth audio directly to a recorder analog 4 track or DAW. You can edit your sequence on the MPC which it one of the tightest on the planet. You can`t go wrong either way. MPC is one of the best sequencer, drum machines in the field. Now with a Z8 sampler you can really do synthesis too making your own sounds or playing realistic sounds. Work on sampling that it.

No i just mean do your seuencing on the mpc . Finish your song . Convert to sequence. Sample each track individually or just as a block into the mpc. Then do the vocals by singin into the MPC as you said. Then transfer into aksys and burn to cd. But maybe this is too limiting. Thanks.