Using the MPC together with a drummer

Hey!

I'm thinking about using the MPC to sequence percussion and some synthmelodies in my live band. At first I thought that the tap tempo button would solve it all but after some attempts at syncing it with some already recorded music I found it to be really difficult to sync it manually this way.

Has anyone used the MPC this way? And if so, how did you solve it?

Thank you / Hammarin

Hey Hammarin, it's nearly impossible to sync a sequencer to a live drummer unless the drummer is playing with a metronome. Let him/her play with the mpc as master with good monitors or headphones.

i've thought about doing this. my thoughts were try and manually match the tempo by changing the rpm rate until it's on time.

i've done this just mucking around with my mate who is ok at drumming (and who can't play along to a click) and i found one of the best ways to do it is just stop and start the mpc every other couple of bars - that way you are playing the MPC to stay in time with the drummer, but the drummer is getting the overall tempo from the MPC.

i play drums live to the mpc. you just have to have it really loud in the monitor to play in time.

but yeah, youve gotta be able to play to a click to make it work. actually for me it's easier than a click cuz im playing live drums over mpc drums.

i am a drummer who plays daily with my mpc live, and really, to accomplish it, the drummer and or programmer must see it as an instrument to be played, and just simply learn to groove with it. if a drummer is comfy with a click, they should love an mpc, with its built in feel (most drum machines have crappy to no feel whatsoever). however, two things are pretty essential: good monitoring of the mpc, usually meaning headphones; and perhaps using a click for just the drummer out of one of the aux outs on the mpc (this is what i do), that way, sequences that have more atmospheric elements but not necessarily drum parts can be played along to in time (string parts and such). but thats just some two cents worth. dustin.

I've done this in live situations (with me behind the kit). Two important things: First, the drummer should follow the sequencer. Not saying it can't be done the other way and hand hold the sequencer, but it can get ugly stop & starting, adjusting RPMs, especially when the drummer should be in time.
Second, you've got to write the song, so the drummer & sequencer aren't fighting. If they are both playing the bass & snares at the same time, you're just gonna make the mis-timing obvious. Don't have both doing 16ths on the hats, either. Try making the sequencer accent the basic groove the drummer is laying down. Or have the drummer accent the sequencer. There can be only 1 groove. Don't f$ck with it. Strip down *the* most basic beat of the groove, and assign it to one side. take all the off beats, fills & accents, and gie it to the other. My experience is the drummer takes the off beats. It makes the sequencer easier to follow, more like a click track.

I'm building a live hip hop band & this is some great advice.

Kudos for opening this line of thought
---LB Jr.

My advice and I have yet to make it work.

Use the MPC for the weird samples & atmosphere stuff.

Use the live drummer for acoustic/complicated stuff. Esp. HH's . I have never heard any drum machine replicate hh's half as good as a live acoustic drummer.

I think it's easier for the drummer to follow the MPC, then vica-versa.

Last, I don't plan to have the MPC run on sequencing alone. I'm controlling it via a drum pad. Two people simulataneously drumming is common in live performances as long as they are not doing the same thing.