External Midi to control Multisample program

To start, I have the original manual and the "Beat Making on the" manuals for both the MPC1000 and the MPC2500. Yet, after reading these manuals for a few days, instead of doing my Masters' degree research (need a break sometime!), I still haven't quite for out how to do what I want.

1st, I didn't quite like the note re-numbering for the multisamples. So, I just created chromatic programs with the App "MPC Pad 187". This means Pad A1 starts at note number 35, which is B0 on a Midi "piano" keyboard. Pad D16 is note number 98/D6. I can deal with this because of setting up keygroups with my Akai S950s, S2000, and my Roland S550. So far so good. Yet, unlike the rack samplers, it seems to be a little more difficult, on an MPC, to set up an internal program to be triggered via external midi on the midi channel of your choice.

Yes, I do know that the MPC1000/2500 are drum samplers, initially. Therefore they are set to General Midi channel 10, just like drums on any GM hardware or software. With the "racks", I can set them to any channel per Patch/Performance (Roland) or Program/Multi (Akai). How do you do that for the MPC? For example, I would like to have my MPC-Piano program respond to GM-channel 2. Yes, I do know that the MPC MIDI can be set to repeat what a controller does per MIDI channel. Yet, how to make the multisampled program within the MPC to respond to any midi channel, as well as working with the other internal programs that are set up in this manner as well as the internal MPC programs that a set to "normal" MPC mode.

I hope this has been explained in a clear manner. Since the manuals suggest creating Multis (Multiple MIDI channel programs in Akai racks / Patches set up into Performances within most Roland samplers, keyboards, etc) is possible, I hope what I have asked can be simple. Maybe I have overlooked something. Yet, I've been reading so many different computer science articles lately, I could be looking right at the answer and don't even realize it.

Once again, thank you for your help, your time, and your consideration in advance. But, if anyone has a MPC4000 with the 8-outputs and full memory or a MPC5000 with the full memory for sale...


Mad Cherokee

Hi. This is a few questions here. Let me say a few things first. The MPC1000 and 2500 wont be like workstation or rack and have drums default on MIDI channle 10. Think of the MPC1000 & MPC2500 more as multi channle hardware sequencers for a start. So this means that the MPC1000 & MPC2500 has to be set up to receive the MIDI sent to it. NOt using JJOS? get it, you wont look back, and lets you set pads midi note number any way you like. I cant remember but i think you have an omni on/off - set that to omni on. this receives all channles to receive. BUT you have to set up each tracks MIDI settings. For instance track one set to MIDI 1A, track two would be MIDI 2A and so on. You can only record one track at a time, the track that is active. If that does not get your MPC responding to many MIDI channles then you need JJOS with its a ability to make the MPC effectively a multitimbral module..... which is what you seem to be trying to achieve above. But traditionally MPC does not work this way really. It is more the sequencer and sends the MIDI, not act as multitimbral module like rack. Do not confuse GM (general MIDI) with MIDI, this is just MIDI.

madcherokee wrote:I hope this has been explained in a clear manner. Since the manuals suggest creating Multis (Multiple MIDI channel programs in Akai racks / Patches set up into Performances within most Roland samplers, keyboards, etc) is possible, I hope what I have asked can be simple. Maybe I have overlooked something. Yet, I've been reading so many different computer science articles lately, I could be looking right at the answer and don't even realize it.

Cant say I got what you where saying straight away. Multis is usually slang for Multisampled instruments! not multiple MIDI channles. If you set the same program to different track with different MIDI channle settings. So you can make more than one the same. Kinda is a work around but really when I think Multis i think Multisampled instruments, these work on one MIDI channle traditionally and not multiple MIDI channles.

Not slang. Please download the Akai S2000 manual. It will show you that their Multis are more than one multisampled program assigned to a different midi channel. Therefore, if your samples are well "managed", you can have 16-different multiple-sample based programs, one per midi channel. Think of it as an array of arrays, just like C-sharp, F-sharp or Java based programming.

From the Akai S2000 manual downloaded from AkaiPro...

"Multi mode is where you can combine up to sixteen programs together so that they may be played in combination. The MULTI mode has 16 ‘parts’; slots into which up to 16 programs may be assigned and typically, this is used to sequence several programs multi-timbrally5 by setting each part to be on a different MIDI channel.
However, it is also possible to set parts to the same MIDI channel so that you can layer programs for a rich, expansive (expensive?) sound. Furthermore, you may set low and high keyboard ranges for each part so that sophisticated keyboard splits may be created.

The S2000 can respond to all 16 MIDI channels simultaneously in the MULTI mode. ‘MULTI-TIMBRAL’ literally means ‘many sounds’. In the early days of synthesisers, you needed a separate synthesiser for every part you wanted to play but, with the advent of MIDI, a synthesiser or sampler could be coaxed into playing several different sounds together so that only one synth/sampler was required to play several parts. With the S2000’s 32-voice polyphony, complex multi-part arrangements can be performed using the MULTI mode."

So, which version of JJOS does this without so much drama? It seems like I picked up this file named "mpc2500_jv310.bin" from somewhere, but don't know much about it. I hope this can be done with one machine. I get tired of carrying some of my rack samplers to gigs or parties. Still if anyone wants to sell a MPC4000 or MPC5000...



Mad Cherokee

yeah I think you missed what i am saying hey.. I know what a multisample is i know what multitimbral means. I explained that MPC is not the same as S2000. I have multitimbral synths and rack samplers man, I do know. You maybe miss understood me. Your S2000 is multitimbral and can do key splits or layer them. I get it, you can key split samples over one midi channle ie more than one multisample programs on the key board and same midi channle. yeah so like i said do not expect MPC to act the same. Did you set up MIDI channles on the tracks like I said? Did you then set the sample programs for the tracks and then try sending MIDI? You can make velocity switching layers for multisample depth but you can not make a track have more than one program ok. So all you do is make another track respond to same midi channle but has a different program. Easy. And this way you can do key splits and layer programs. So ignore s2000 cos we are dealing with a MPC here. Have a look at JJos website - see link on main page to see what JJos you want. But yeah it is better than Akai OS. Ok so try what i said and then when you set one up, you can start doing weird tunings and layers ect in the MPC

Okay, I'll work on it. But from what I was reading, it didn't seem like I was doing things according to the Beat Making manual or the Akai one. I did "see" that I have one of the JJOS-XL systems. It does seem multimbre is possible. But it seems like a better manual can bee written. I'll do that once I get the hang of the JJOS. It's all I've been doing for my job and Masters' classes anyway. I just wish there was a good way to capture the screens.

I only ask all of this because I want an all-in-one reliable solution. I get tired or carrying lots of equipment nowadays and don't wish to buy a MPC controller to be a slave to my MacBook Pro, though it is the Quad Core i7 model.

By the way, do you think 700 US dollars is a great price for a MPC4000? How much does the 8-outputs and Digital in/out cost on average? Thanks again!!

Mad Cherokee