Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By adey_fid Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:37 am
I have just been reading the manual for my 4k and on page 105 of the user guide it says about syncing to of units with midi time code.

On step two is says

Access the main page, move your cursor to the sync field and press the window key.

Could somebody please tell me where the sync field IS.

I have looked in global and there is a sync out field relating to digital out and adat (I have the adat board) but I have not seen anything related to midi timecode!!. It would be nice to get my sequencer synced in order to dump the mpc channels for an adat mixdown.

Ay ideas people.

It may be wood from the trees here but hey we are all human... I think.

I'm running os 1.51 and in the midi section I cannot see the midi sync mentioned at all.

Help would be great.

Cheers

A/.

By Tommy_GunZ Tue Sep 07, 2004 8:46 am
It's On the main page right under the metrodome. Just press the window key and sync it with midi clock. But you might want to update to 1.60 if u use midi clock cuz with 1.51 it gets a little sluggish after like 3 tracks, for me at least. the problem is supposed to be fixed with 1.60, but i haven't tried it yet. Let me know how everything goes cuz I plan on getting the adat board. It takes way to long doning it track by track with midi clock. Peace-
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By adey_fid Tue Sep 07, 2004 12:05 pm
Cheers Tommy I will check that out once im back at the station.

Regards

A/.
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By adey_fid Tue Sep 07, 2004 4:00 pm
Could someone explain the midi machine control facility on the sync page. I thought that a 9 pin cable was needed for this kind of sync or does the MMC get send down the midi cable.

Do I have it right that I would need the sequencer to be sending out a midi time code signal and the mpc to be receiving and in theory the MPC starts when to sequence is triggered / started. This could also apply if say I started the sequencer on bar...say 17 the mpc will start on bar 17?.

I just wondered how we all go about getting the MPC to follow an app such as cubase to and exact frame by frame playback.

Cheers

A/.

By Sean W Tue Sep 07, 2004 7:09 pm
adey,

1) update the OS to V1.60
There is an additional short-cut to the SYNC window by pressing the MISC. key and then F2:SYNC

2) MTC is MIDI Time Code
It indicates the absolute time position, therefore the Slave unit can start from any point that the Master sends.
The only important parameter is to set the frame rate to the same value on both systems, typically 24 or 25fps.
The MPC4000 can be used as MTC Master (Sync Out) or Slave (Sync In), so do most sequencer applications. Depending on your MIDI interface, one might work better than the other.
In any case, the Slave system always needs a little time to read incoming MTC and play in sync, therefore, it is a good practive to always leave one blank bar at the begining of the sequence before the events start.

3) MMC is MIDI Machine Control
This is only for transport commands (play, stop, locate, ...) does not provide synchronization per se.
This is usually combined with MTC for bi-directional control. For instance, you can set the MPC4000 as MTC Slave and MMC Master (or vice-versa).

MMC is MIDI function (uses MIDI cables), but it is the equivalent of an RS422 transport control used for video equipment over a 9pin cable (also known as Serial control or Sony P2). There are interfaces that can convert MMC into RS422.

Sean
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By adey_fid Wed Sep 08, 2004 6:44 am
Cheers mate I had my suspicions about what midi time code was but you have clarified a whole lot more by the sounds of it if I set cubase sx to master and leave one bar I will be dumping drum tracks via adapt and ASIO in no time at all.

Incidentally I use an RME hammerfall 9652 coupled with two creamware cards (Powersampler and Pulsar II) for my studio work .

It has taken me a while to perfect audio workstation but it was well worth it. Now I have a system that just records when I want it to…. No pops or cracks like some systems….. Sorry I’m veering off the subject.

Regards

A/.