A quick Pro Tools MPC 1000 Question

Afternoon all,

Just looking for some advice from anyone with experience of tracking an MPC into PT.

I know its been covered a million times and ive pretty much seen all of the threads/videos I can cope with today!!

I have finally managed to get my MPC1000 (JJos) synced with PT (using MPC1000 as master) but im pretty much stuck as to how to get the MPC tracking correctly. When I hit play on the MPC it will start Pro Tools which is all good but I have seen videos of heads tracking separate tracks into pro tools simultaneously.


At the moment on my MPC I have 2 tracks (Obviously I will be using more once I have this working)

Track 1: Kick - Midi 1A
Track 2: Snare - Midi 2A

and I am wanting to be able track these tracks separately into pro tools so that I can adjust levels, put on effects etc.

I am using my MPC as MIDI master with 2 audio outs to my mBox 2 Mini recording into Pro Tools

Can anyone please provide a screenshot of how Pro tools should be set out for me to be able to record a beat from mpc into separate tracks on PT?

This is kinda doin my head in

You would either need an interface with more inputs or to record it in multiple takes, as with two inputs you can record only 2 mono or 1 stereo track at once.

Thanks,

I know im asking a lot but can you please go through the work flow you would use for my setup using the mbox mini.

Im guessing I would programme my beats on the MPC setting up the tracks somethings like

Track 1 - Kick - MIDI 1A
Track 2 - Snare - MIDI 2A
Track 3 - Hat - MIDI 3A
and so on

the bit im tripping myself up is how do I have pro tools actually set out and the process I will have to go through to get the whole beat in there.

Will I have to record the kick on one track in PT then the snare separately then the high hat and so on?

Not sure if im totally making myself clear here. completely new to pro tools. Jus wanna get it hooked up now so I can get on with makin some beats!

dude so much ezer if you make PT the master and mp the slave

If I set pro tools the master would I lose the swing from the MPC?

Nommo wrote:Thanks,

I know im asking a lot but can you please go through the work flow you would use for my setup using the mbox mini.

Im guessing I would programme my beats on the MPC setting up the tracks somethings like

Track 1 - Kick - MIDI 1A
Track 2 - Snare - MIDI 2A
Track 3 - Hat - MIDI 3A
and so on

the bit im tripping myself up is how do I have pro tools actually set out and the process I will have to go through to get the whole beat in there.

Will I have to record the kick on one track in PT then the snare separately then the high hat and so on?

Not sure if im totally making myself clear here. completely new to pro tools. Jus wanna get it hooked up now so I can get on with makin some beats!

Man, forget about assigning the track outs to correspond to the midi outs. You're not recording midi right? So why would you want to set the instruments to a midi designation?

murda2be stated that if you make pt the master and slave the mpc, you could then record two instruments at a time because you're only limited to that amount of tracking because of the amount of inputs you can physically record at one time.

Want the capability to record more at one time? Then upgrade your interface to something that'll do that for you. There's a four out mix matrix coming from the 1k, so you'll need an interface capable of recording four inputs or more at one time...that's it.

If you bypass the technical part of understanding all of this stuff, this is what you're going to run into...CONFUSION.

Heck with this overnight producer stuff, learn some of the ins & outs of the science behind what you're stepping into.

And it's not true that you'll lose the swing of the mpc if you slave it to pt...where did you hear that crap from?

Ok,

So ive made Pro tools the master and slaved the MPC using MIDI Time Code.

The only thing that I can see to do now is to create an audio track in pro tools and record?

Is this all my setup at the moment will allow me to do?

I want to be able to record in track by track so I am able to adjust levels n shit?

Just be doing some more reading,

Would the M-Audio 1010 card be a workaround for this?

Nommo wrote:Just be doing some more reading,

Would the M-Audio 1010 card be a workaround for this?

Yep, and forget about the LT if that's what you're referring to.

Multiple ins & outs is the way to go for what you're trying to do.

I use one at a friend of mines studio and it's exceptionally clean & detailed.

Nommo wrote:I want to be able to record in track by track so I am able to adjust levels n ****?

You can record whatever amount of tracks from your mpc (obviously 4 if I'm not mistaken & correct me if I'm wrong) simultaneously all in one go and assign the inputs accordingly within PT.

dabmeister wrote:(obviously 4 if I'm not mistaken & correct me if I'm wrong) .

It's a total of 6 outs if the main stereo pair is separated to L and R when assigning tracks or pads in mixer mode.

dabmeister wrote:And it's not true that you'll lose the swing of the mpc if you slave it to pt...where did you hear that crap from?

Probably from this very forum I clearly remember reading a post about that awhile back, not worth digging up though.

yo i use pro tools to track my beats.

i just do it a ghetto way though

before my song i put a 2 bar sequence of lets say snares (1 bar snares 1 bar blank)

then i make an audio track in pro tools
audio cables from the outs of the mpc into the interface

then i just hit record in pro tools and press play on the mpc

if your tracking like 4 tracks for example, they will already be lined up if you do it like this but even if you need to add more tracks, just line up the snares.

its crazy how much you can zoom in and it sounds fine, keeping the mpc swing etc

that's how i do it, i dont give a crap that im not syncing it


seriously though check my soundclick to hear my beats, this shit works just fine

http://www.soundclick.com/coppertony