mpc 500 and m-audio interface fast track combination problem

hey guys,

so ive been making beats for the last 2 years or so
shits going real well..
except i wanted to make my shit sound better quality wise, without just **** with it in audacity's preferences and effects
so i bought an m-audio interface thinking it was going to solve all my problems
...needless to say i cant do a damn thing with it
160$ that i saved, (broke as shit) and now i cant even take it back/do anything with it, ive been trying but..
ive seriously read alot on it, and studied as much as possible

im basically reaching out to anyone who knows how to combine my mpc500 and my m-audio interface fast track together so i can get some better quality out of my mpc without just running 1 or 2 channels into a headphone or mic jack in the back of my comp...
can this even be done? ( basically im just confused, and i need a slight bit of guidance with chords and input output etc stuff)

any helps appreciated alot guys, peace

what part are you struggling with?

New Jack wrote:can this even be done? ( basically im just confused, and i need a slight bit of guidance with chords and input output etc stuff)

can it be done?! can your audio interface be used for what it's designed for?
yes.

get the right kind of leads. ones with the right connectors at one end to fit your MPC, and the right connectors at the other end to fit your interface

then you connect the MPC output to the interface input

yup, thats what its made for.

your gonna need 2 quarter inch cables and go stereo out from your 500 to line inputs of your 500.

on your fasttrack there is gona be a switch by each of the inputs for you to select line or mic, make sure line is selected or it wont work right.

but from ther you can record into just about any DAW.

should work great becuase as other poster said before me, this is what your fasttrack was made to do!

and make sure you get a reasonable level on your daw when recording in. not too hot it will clip, and not too low you arent using your bit depth to the fullest potential.

try for -2 or 4 db on your audacity meters.

awesome.

thanks for the help dudes, big help

@damien...couple things, its the new fast track, on the front theres a midi, theres a quarter inch jack with a guitar pic above it and another quarter inch with a headphones logo above it...

my questions is... because your saying theres going to be a swtich by "each of the inputs" (theres one switch only, its between them, and says direct monitor on/off) are you saying the headphone and other jack are going to act like 1 and 2 inputs?

heres how im seeing everything, sorry if im being difficult, but .... mpc outputs (the 2 quarter inchers) to the front of the fast track into the quarter inch with the guitar and the other quarter inch with the headphone? then the usb to my comp?

if i do this, the midi (on the front) and the 2 line outputs on the back of the fast track arent being used, / do you think im going to be able to just press play, and in the program once its all connect will just pick it up? or will i have to basically sync my mpc?

thanks guys, i really dig the help

i saved up for the fast track and really stressin cuz i cant return it, / but i thought it was what i needed, so here i am after trying her out for myself...thanks in advance. peace.

damien907 wrote:yup, thats what its made for.

your gonna need 2 quarter inch cables and go stereo out from your 500 to line inputs of your 500.

on your fasttrack there is gona be a switch by each of the inputs for you to select line or mic, make sure line is selected or it wont work right.

but from ther you can record into just about any DAW.

should work great becuase as other poster said before me, this is what your fasttrack was made to do!

and make sure you get a reasonable level on your daw when recording in. not too hot it will clip, and not too low you arent using your bit depth to the fullest potential.

try for -2 or 4 db on your audacity meters.

How bout -12.
Track it into the daw at no more than -12. You can raise volume in the daw. When your effecting , eqing, phasing,compressing,verbing,coloring,transient shaping, and bit crushing it will go from -12 to -4 really fast. At a -2 / -4 start , your already at the roof with no HEADROOM to stand up..... grrrrrr why is this so hard for people to understand.

So.. say you have a 12 track song on the mpc.
Turn on the daw, load a stereo audio track. Arm it(make it ready to recieve audio) and play your song on the mpc. Solo track 1 to the daw. Look at the meters. Set the sliders location for the audio track to 0.0 db. Now adjust the volume of the mpc untill the meter is at -12. No effects busses loaded. Just a track. Also, pan the track in the mpc till the meter left and right are even.
Record the audi.
Do the same for each track. Each trach, new audio track on the daw and.set the volume on mpc and meter level, slider position on daw, then record. EACH TRACK.
You want to start mixing a song that has even volume, not loudness , metered volume.
As you start putting magic on it, the volume will raise on each track. Some needing more than others. Never ever touch the volume of the effects busses. Always 0.0 try my way one time. You will never do it anyother way after you hear the finial mix.

Edit... when i say slider to 0.0 im refering to the middle. I will make a guide on how to set up for tracking amd post it today.

New Jack wrote:my questions is... because your saying theres going to be a swtich by "each of the inputs" (theres one switch only, its between them, and says direct monitor on/off) are you saying the headphone and other jack are going to act like 1 and 2 inputs?

No, you can't use the headphone output as an input.

I would guess damien907 assumed you have a fast track pro, which has more inputs.

Did you get a manual with your interface? Doesn't it include a section on connecting things together, which sockets are inputs, and what the direct monitor switch does?

^^
yeah it did come with a manual...and gave instructions when using a microphone or a guitar lol

....so im guessing im going to need the **** fast track pro then?(im broke, so, woo hoo)

thanks for the help guys, i really appreciate it

and as i said, i only have a usb and 2 line outputs on the back....

flowers!!!! AHH.


if i cant use the headphone and other quarter incher as 2 inputs then i dont know what i can do with this fast track...(involving my mpc)

....brutal