Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By Blue Haze Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:55 am
MPC Tutor got some samples and Hollow sun at akai at least got some wavestation and moog.
By djredhead Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:17 am
I've been using the samples on Hollowsun and they are very cool starting point. I then use the 4000's filters and have fun.

I notice a lot of people use Tritons, but for me the mpc 4000 is a better synth, w/ a sequencer and a sampler.

I will post some of my homemade "synth" prgm's in a zip file soon and give the link. Others should do the same, I'd like to hear what people can do.

By renegadebliss Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:20 pm
Hi, I'll see if i can answer that. Technically, at least on the MPC 4000, any
wav that can be used, it can be any Sample. You could sample the raw
tone of the classis Moog 921 VCO (modular synth VOC) and record that.

If you look at the resulting wave on the MPC or on a computer, you will see
that it is a cylcle that is repeating over and over again. For essential purposes
of using the MPC 4000 as a Synthesizer, you would only need 1 cycle of this.
This is generally called a wav, at least in Wavetable synthesis. In Wavetable synthesis,
you would then have many of these waves together in 1 table that can then be scanned.
On the MPC 4000, i'm not so sure that this can be done, but we can definitely scan 1 wav,
which is mainly what we need.

Most common Classic Subtractive Synthesis uses Saw, Triangle, Sine, Square/Pulse Width

So you can take those types of samples (you can use any old synth, I'm just an Analog head).

The 1 cycle of the wav, most likely will be less then a second. It will just be looped and repeat
and repeat, and the be "subtracted" by the varous settings of the filters, envelopes, lfos', mod matrix settings.

Hopefully, I can start getting this altogether into a tutorial for everyone. Further comments
and suggestions are always appreciated.


Dave

By renegadebliss Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:24 pm
adrian wrote:If you still have the Akai Sample CD rom that came with the MPC4000 look in the file Bank 1 Sound. On there you will find saw, square, 5th saw wave and Other things.


Does anybody know where I can get this CD ROM? Mine never came with it. When
I played on the machine in the store, it had some Arp Oddysey samples, which I wouldn't
mind having....
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By trupro Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:28 pm
Slightly off topic, but I seen yall getting in depth...
thinking about copping a 4000. Given the scenario yall are building here,
multisamples, keygroups, etc...

Can the 4000 lay out a sound or combination of samples across the whole keyboard CHROMATICALLY? Like, proper integration with the keys?

I'm sure you know that on a 2000/XL, the pads just go
even/odd/even/odd/even/odd, etc , and that to create the necessary half steps, that exist on a real keyboard, you gotta set everything manually.

Does the 4000 remedy this problem, lettling you keymap automatically?

Thanks...
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By Blue Haze Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:33 pm
trupro wrote:Slightly off topic, but I seen yall getting in depth...
thinking about copping a 4000. Given the scenario yall are building here,
multisamples, keygroups, etc...

Can the 4000 lay out a sound or combination of samples across the whole keyboard CHROMATICALLY? Like, proper integration with the keys?

I'm sure you know that on a 2000/XL, the pads just go
even/odd/even/odd/even/odd, etc , and that to create the necessary half steps, that exist on a real keyboard, you gotta set everything manually.

Does the 4000 remedy this problem, lettling you keymap automatically?

Thanks...


Yes!! check the Z8 thread on the board
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By retro Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:46 pm
If you look at the resulting wave on the MPC or on a computer, you will see
that it is a cylcle that is repeating over and over again. For essential purposes
of using the MPC 4000 as a Synthesizer, you would only need 1 cycle of this.




Okiget that part. but now im trying to figure out if i would need to make a setting for a waveform in the 2nd edit page of the 4000. for instance, if i was to have that raw waveform of a saetooth, would i need to set the waveform setting to wavetooth also. i dont see why i would have to. being that thats what the sample is, the waveform i would be using. correct??
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By ikke Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:58 pm
A wavetooth? :lol:

By adrian Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:18 pm
Renegadebliss, If you bought your MPC in the US and it has the HD pre loaded, you already have those sounds. Listed under GM Sounds then in the folder named Bank 1 Sounds.

If you want a copy I can send you one. I have several copies from when I worked at AMIC. That is if you live in the US.
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By retro Thu Sep 09, 2004 12:28 am
was at work and. trying to multi task. :?
By renegadebliss Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:31 pm
retro wrote:Okiget that part. but now im trying to figure out if i would need to make a setting for a waveform in the 2nd edit page of the 4000. for instance, if i was to have that raw waveform of a saetooth, would i need to set the waveform setting to wavetooth also. i dont see why i would have to. being that thats what the sample is, the waveform i would be using. correct??



Hi Retro,
Don't have the MPC in front of me, but I do have the Manual itself (though I need to head
to Kinkos and print me up a Reference Manaul and the Z8 Manual). I checked
the Program section and see what's on Edit 2 page.

The Edit 2 (F4) page is the page where LFO1 and LFO2 and Auz Envelope are set.
LFO's are Low Frequency Oscillators and used to manipulate the sample via the Mod Matrix.
If you change anything here, it probably won't do much, unless it's been assigned to some
destination in the Mod Matrix.

The waveforms that are represented here are the Waveforms that the LFO"s will running.
Some synths, allow speeds of the LFO almost up to audible hearing range (Waldorf Q for example) but I do have tried yet on the MPC , so do not know. These waveforms when
used as the LFO's waveforms, can produce interesting results to your sound. The Sine
wave will Move Fluidly from 1 end to the Other, where as the Saw tooth will have
a rougher more jagged movement, and Random will produce random change.

This is where it gets harder to explain with words and easier to give an example.

I don't have the MPC in front of me, so this may be a little off but should give you
a good example of a vibrato type of sound to sample.


1. Pick a Sample of a String. (e.g. Grab the Arp String Ensenble from Hollow Sun)
that is already in a program and mapped out across the keyboard.

2. Go to the Program Button

3. Play your Keyboard and listen to the sound.

4. Select Edit 2 (F4)

5. Move cursor down to KG and change Edit , so it says Edit:ALL
this makes it so the changes we are about to make will happen on all of the keygroups
that in this program.

6. Move cursor down to the LFO1 Block.

7. Select "Window" Key, which will bring up the Program Modulation window. (Mod Matrix)

8. Set Source to LFO1

9. Set Destination to Pitch

10. Make sure Keygroup says All

11. Depth change to +100

12. Hit Close on Program Modulation Window

13. Back to the Edit 2 Screen.

14. Set Wave to Triangle

15. Set Depth to : 20

16. Set Rate to 50.

17. Set Delay to 0.



Now hit a chord on the keyboard and hear how their is a vibrato effect on the strings
now. You can control how fast this affect is with the "Rate" part of the LFO. You can
control how much of the LFO is applied to the Pitch with the "Depth" part, and
if you go to Wave and change to Triangle, Sine, Square, Saw, and Random, you will
be able to hear those teyps of waveforms applied to the Picth of the Sound.



Remember, after you have fun with the above, you can then go to the Program Modulation
Window again and make a new Mod with LFO1 being Source and have the
Destination be Filter Cutoff. Set the Depth to how much Filter Cut Off Modulation
and now you have the Vibrato (LFO1) of the String Sound also controlling
the Cutoff of the filter. You can add a lot of life to your sounds with a little creativity and imagination. Who says that Samples have to sound static :)
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By retro Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:37 pm
thanks renegadebliss. ill give it a go when i get in. i have a session set up for tonight, and a mean keybord player ready to colab on some projects. well play around with the settings and see what we come up with. ill post my findings later. whatever happens, the results should be interestind. i have already come up with a few good sounds that i want to use in a mix.


cheers
By djredhead Thu Sep 09, 2004 8:21 pm
Great tips on the use of the lfo to modulate pitch to create vibrato. When I started this thread, my basic question was really geared toward the mod matrix section and how to use it. Thanks for the vibrato and cutoff filter tips. I have been using the lfos and filters to shape stuff and place everything in the mix. What other patching schemes are common and has anybody found that magic freak out of a patching scheme(ie. bizarre fx) ?

By adrian Fri Sep 10, 2004 4:12 pm
There are some great tips on synthesis. If you click on "Articles" then click on "Synth Secrets" you will find 78 artcles on Synthesis.

I had forgotten all about soundonsound.com thanks djredhead.