Question(s) about how to setup MPC so that it controls VST's

My history with the MPC goes as far back as the ASQ-10, MPC2000, and then an MPC3000. From there, I went to the software world and after a few "uninspiring" years there, I'm baaaack with my MPC4000. I not a newbie to the MPC in general, but am sort of a newbie to the 4000. Just got my MPC4000 and am now trying to get things setup where I can have the MPC control and sequence VST instruments in Cubase. I think I've got things down conceptually, but just want to confirm one thing: If I connect the 4 outs from the MPC to 4 midi inputs on my midi interface on my PC, will I be able to load up 4 different instruments in Cubase and sequence up to 16 tracks midi per instrument on the MPC? For a total of 64 midi tracks on the MPC?

digiman wrote:My history with the MPC goes as far back as the ASQ-10, MPC2000, and then an MPC3000. From there, I went to the software world and after a few "uninspiring" years there, I'm baaaack with my MPC4000. I not a newbie to the MPC in general, but am sort of a newbie to the 4000. Just got my MPC4000 and am now trying to get things setup where I can have the MPC control and sequence VST instruments in Cubase. I think I've got things down conceptually, but just want to confirm one thing: If I connect the 4 outs from the MPC to 4 midi inputs on my midi interface on my PC, will I be able to load up 4 different instruments in Cubase and sequence up to 16 tracks midi per instrument on the MPC? For a total of 64 midi tracks on the MPC?

If you hit your midi button on the 4k, it should show you what routing matrix you can use. I sometimes use mine as a controller too, but not in the sense I think you're referring to.

More like one thing at a time from one midi out for whatever it is I'm trying to control.

dabmeister wrote:

digiman wrote:My history with the MPC goes as far back as the ASQ-10, MPC2000, and then an MPC3000. From there, I went to the software world and after a few "uninspiring" years there, I'm baaaack with my MPC4000. I not a newbie to the MPC in general, but am sort of a newbie to the 4000. Just got my MPC4000 and am now trying to get things setup where I can have the MPC control and sequence VST instruments in Cubase. I think I've got things down conceptually, but just want to confirm one thing: If I connect the 4 outs from the MPC to 4 midi inputs on my midi interface on my PC, will I be able to load up 4 different instruments in Cubase and sequence up to 16 tracks midi per instrument on the MPC? For a total of 64 midi tracks on the MPC?

If you hit your midi button on the 4k, it should show you what routing matrix you can use. I sometimes use mine as a controller too, but not in the sense I think you're referring to.

More like one thing at a time from one midi out for whatever it is I'm trying to control.

Thanks for the response. I think I'm OK on how to route midi out to the midi outs, I guess my question is more fromt the Cubase side. What I'm wondering is if I have 4 midi outs from the MPC connected to the 4 ins on my interface that's USB connected in Cubase, will I be able to sequence 64 (16 tracks x 4 midi inputs) different tracks of various VST instruments or is Cubase(or Logic for that matter). Is anyone else using the MPC to control VST's or softsynths in Logic this way?

Thanks

digiman wrote:Thanks for the response. I think I'm OK on how to route midi out to the midi outs, I guess my question is more fromt the Cubase side. What I'm wondering is if I have 4 midi outs from the MPC connected to the 4 ins on my interface that's USB connected in Cubase, will I be able to sequence 64 (16 tracks x 4 midi inputs) different tracks of various VST instruments or is Cubase(or Logic for that matter). Is anyone else using the MPC to control VST's or softsynths in Logic this way?

Thanks

I don't think you're going to achieve that slim. I say that because I use a 8x8 midi interface myself and I know that the mpc doesn't send midi out to all the outputs at the same time, if that's what you're trying to do.

You can however do what you're saying, but just one channel at a time out of the 4 channels. Not simultaniously going at it with all 4 at the same time, which is what I'm picking up from you.

MPC4000 wrote:Drum pad field
Selects one of the following as the destination of the MIDI events generated by the pads.
INT-A .....................Virtual MIDI port A of the sampler section
OUT-A....................MIDI OUT A
SEQUENCER ........The sequencer section

dabmeister wrote:

digiman wrote:Thanks for the response. I think I'm OK on how to route midi out to the midi outs, I guess my question is more fromt the Cubase side. What I'm wondering is if I have 4 midi outs from the MPC connected to the 4 ins on my interface that's USB connected in Cubase, will I be able to sequence 64 (16 tracks x 4 midi inputs) different tracks of various VST instruments or is Cubase(or Logic for that matter). Is anyone else using the MPC to control VST's or softsynths in Logic this way?

Thanks

I don't think you're going to achieve that slim. I say that because I use a 8x8 midi interface myself and I know that the mpc doesn't send midi out to all the outputs at the same time, if that's what you're trying to do.

You can however do what you're saying, but just one channel at a time out of the 4 channels. Not simultaniously going at it with all 4 at the same time, which is what I'm picking up from you.

I think we're talking about the same thing. For example, if I have 4 vst instruments in Cubase that i have mapped to the 4 midi outs from the MPC. What I would do is build a sequence using starting with channel 1 on Midi out A and then continue to build the sequence up through channel 16 on that same midi out on the MPC. I probably would only use 5-6 tracks on that one VST instrument in reality. Then after I've sequenced all I wanted from that one midi out on the MPC, I'd then continue to build that sequence using a 2nd VST instrument mapped to the Midi B out of the MPC starting with channel 1 and potentially all the way up to track 16. Then I'd continue this same process through my 3rd and 4th instruments (mapped to Midi C and Midi D, respectively). I don''t want to sequence them all at the same time, I just want to be able to sequence them individually. Is that how you would go about sequencing different VST in Cubase (or Logic) using the MPC?

Thanks again

dabmeister wrote: I know that the mpc doesn't send midi out to all the outputs at the same time, if that's what you're trying to do.

You can however do what you're saying, but just one channel at a time out of the 4 channels. Not simultaniously going at it with all 4 at the same time, which is what I'm picking up from you.

I'll beg to differ.

The MPC4000 can transmit to all four midi outputs at the same time, thats the whole purpose of it being the centre of a midi-based studio.

So yes, you should be able to control up to 64 channels of midi using the four outputs.

You can do this in Logic, Cubase or any other DAW with sensible midi input routing.

In Logic you would set each incoming midi port to 'Auto demix by Channel' or use an Environment Object, Im not sure what it's called in Cubase.

There are threads around about setting this up.

Thanks Clint, I misunderstood what he was trying to do in conjuction with the midi interface.

I know you know that, you trippin.

clint246clint wrote:I know you know that, you trippin.

Yep, especially when this place doesn't have my full divided attention.

Trying to post when the phone is constantly ringing with calls, then the girlfriend shows up from work and wants to chat.

Gets a little embarrassing on this end to say the least.

or you can keep it easy.

sequence your drums in the mpc.

play your vsts in cubase along with your mpc seq. route the midi track in cubase to an audio track. bounce that audio track out of cubase. hook the mpc up to your computer via usb and drag and drop the vst audio into the mpc (make sure it's .wav 44.1 16 bit). or just sample the audio out of your computer into the mpc.

now just assign it to a pad and drop it in the mpc seq.

i know a lot of producer that do it this way. Disco D, Swizz Beatz, Bangladesh, etc...

nod records wrote:or you can keep it easy.

sequence your drums in the mpc.

play your vsts in cubase along with your mpc seq. route the midi track in cubase to an audio track. bounce that audio track out of cubase. hook the mpc up to your computer via usb and drag and drop the vst audio into the mpc (make sure it's .wav 44.1 16 bit). or just sample the audio out of your computer into the mpc.

now just assign it to a pad and drop it in the mpc seq.

i know a lot of producer that do it this way. Disco D, Swizz Beatz, Bangladesh, etc...

True, but in doing so you lose some immediacy,flexibilty and control.

Midi data is far more flexible when you consider editing and making changes to note length & duration, arrangements, arpeggio's, tempo and many other midi based variables. And what about tempo-synced FX, envelopes, filters and so on...in a midi-based studio you don't really want to commit tracks to audio ideally until everything is how you want it.

Once tracks are bounced to audio files you move from midi editing to audio editing, which in some respects, limits how you can manipulate individual notes and measures.

Take advantage of the fact that you have a MIDI PRODUCTION CENTRE not just a sampler.

Of course there is no harm in the workflow suggested by Nod , horses for courses.

Im just pointing out some of the pro's and con's of working with midi data Vs audio data.

And let me suggest that you don't need to use a different output per instrument. Nor do you need to use different channels for different 'layers' of the sequence. You could, with one midi out, control 16 different instruments, each on a different channel. Your 'tracks' in the mpc would serve to isolate your 'layers' of your sequences for each instrument.

Honestly, using all 4 midi outs to the same piece of gear, especially a computer, is a big waste...if you are not using all 64 tracks. My suggestion, use one midi out and then plug in another one once you need more than 16 independent instruments.

What kind of MPC big band you running over there?! ;]

nogginj wrote:And let me suggest that you don't need to use a different output per instrument. Nor do you need to use different channels for different 'layers' of the sequence. You could, with one midi out, control 16 different instruments, each on a different channel. Your 'tracks' in the mpc would serve to isolate your 'layers' of your sequences for each instrument.

Honestly, using all 4 midi outs to the same piece of gear, especially a computer, is a big waste...if you are not using all 64 tracks. My suggestion, use one midi out and then plug in another one once you need more than 16 independent instruments.

What kind of MPC big band you running over there?! ;]

Well, at least I do have some backup here. This is the way I was seeing it before I started getting interrupted and couldn't concentrate on what was going on.

But looking at it from a "do everything from the mpc" standpoint, I can kinda see what the op is trying to accomplish.

Doesn't mean that I agree with this method, just that I see the round about way he's going about things here.

I don't know...I've never tried working like this (mpc seqing purely daw sounds), but it sounds like a great way to work since I really dislike software sequencing, and you could record your track mutes (mpc2kxl over here). didn't clint write that awesome mpc4000 -> logic tutorial?

heres the link...should work with any DAW with minor modification in midi setup:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=97274