Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
By 123B Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:42 am
1. Here's what I have: 1) MPC2000xl with an SCSI external zip drive device. 2) Ensoniq ASR10 with SCSI port. 3) M-Audio FireWire Solo recording interface. 4) MacBook Pro with Logic Pro Version 9.1.5

2. Here's what I am trying to do: Use the ASR10 for sampling, and then connect the ASR10 to the MPC2000xl for sequencing.

3. My Questions:

1) Step by step, how do I connect the ASR10 to the MPC2000xl so I that can chop samples on the ASR10 and then record/sequence into the MPC2000xl?

- I know that I can load the samples onto the ASR10 via an SCSI external zip drive device, but where I am having trouble is:

After loading from my external zip drive device onto the ASR10, from there how do i to connect the ASR to the MPC? In other words, after I load the samples onto the ASR, how do I then sequence those samples into the MPC?

2) When just using the MPC2000xl, I will record my sequences or individuals tracks into Logic Pro via analog. My question is, what is the best way to record my sequences into Logic Pro after connecting the ASR10 to the MPC2000xl? Can I still record via Analog?
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By tapedeck Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:29 pm
123B wrote:1. Here's what I have: 1)

you got numbers inside of numbers and it's gonna be hard to keep track when i reply to you :mrgreen:
joking

123B wrote:how do I connect the ASR10 to the MPC2000xl so I that can chop samples on the ASR10 and then record/sequence into the MPC2000xl?

simple. at the most basic, midi cable from MPC midi OUT to asr midi IN. now, you can play the pads on the mpc and they will trigger keys on the asr.
a little more involved, same setup as above, but also a cable from asr midi OUT to mpc midi IN. now you can play the keys on the asr, record them into the mpc, and they will play back on the asr.
i suggest you hit the manual for further details on assigning pads midi note numbers, and midi thru routing, etc.
123B wrote: what is the best way to record my sequences into Logic Pro after connecting the ASR10 to the MPC2000xl? Can I still record via Analog?

basic answer, analog outs from the asr to the ins on your interface.
unless your asr has a digital out, you HAVE to record analog.
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By Lampdog Sun Feb 26, 2012 3:12 am
BassToTheFace wrote:is it worth the money or not?

Yes, it's worth the money.
It's a monster of a keyboard + old technology.
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By tapedeck Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:36 am
if it's anything like the eps (i think it's basically a more modern eps), it's the deepest sampler ever made.

you can do shit with it you can do nowhere else.

kanye barely even scratches the surface of how deep this thing really goes.

that being said - an eps is like a way more limited (memory wise) asr.
By JVC Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:15 am
This forum's member vinyljunkie uploaded a demo of EPS 16+ recently. I was impressed with some of the functions, especially sample loop region can be controlled by the keyboard's after touch sensor. I don't know if there are any other machine that can do this (maybe there are, but I think it shows how ahead of time Ensoniq was.)
I don't know ASR-10 can do that (but most likely it can, since ASR-10 is basically updated version of EPS series.)
We all know Kanye West really likes his ASR-10 (as well as MPC-2000 series), because you can do destructive sample chopping with ASR-10.

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By Lampdog Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:56 am
JVC wrote: because you can do non-destructive sample chopping with ASR-10.


:lol: :lol:

So excited you started leaving out info.
It was actually WAY ahead of it's time imo. I'm glad I had the pleasure of growing up on it as my first sampler (I don't count my old now in the ocean somewhere gemini ds-24 mentioned in past threads).
By JVC Mon Feb 27, 2012 1:44 am
Lampdog wrote:
JVC wrote: because you can do non-destructive sample chopping with ASR-10.


:lol: :lol:

So excited you started leaving out info.
It was actually WAY ahead of it's time imo. I'm glad I had the pleasure of growing up on it as my first sampler (I don't count my old now in the ocean somewhere gemini ds-24 mentioned in past threads).


Oh no, my bad, of course I meant NON-destructive chopping, sorry! Anyway, ASR10 is a cool machine!
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By BassToTheFace Wed Feb 29, 2012 4:47 am
Lampdog wrote:
BassToTheFace wrote:is it worth the money or not?

Yes, it's worth the money.
It's a monster of a keyboard + old technology.

can you use it as a traditional keyboard with like piano sounds? or can you only use it for samples?
my only worry if i get something like this, or one of the older mpcs is all the floppy disks and obsolete tech they use. i dont wanna get left behind by the companies :lol:
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By Lampdog Wed Feb 29, 2012 4:24 pm
ASR10 hasn't been officially supported for more than a decade now, lol.

You can use the ASR10 just like any other modern midi kybd/workstation -> samples, keyboard, midi controller, sound module. It even has active line in pass through, plug in your mpc main outs -> ASR10 line in and you can use ASR10 effects on your mpc audio going out of the ASR10 main outs like a 2 channel mixer.

Old mpc's, aren't officially supported either, 4k, 3k, 60, 60ii, 2k, 2kxl........
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By tapedeck Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:04 pm
BassToTheFace wrote:can you use it as a traditional keyboard with like piano sounds? or can you only use it for samples?

the eps / asr were designed primarily for this type of work - loop based production was not the norm and it was not packaged into products when these were created. samplers were more 'players' instruments, not 'producers' instruments (narrowing my definition of 'producer here to the cut-and-paste non-instrumentalist type).

so yes, as for playing back chromatic samples they are probably the most advanced keyboard ever created.

ps. a 'piano sound' in a sampler - is a sample

BassToTheFace wrote:my only worry if i get something like this, or one of the older mpcs is all the floppy disks and obsolete tech they use. i dont wanna get left behind by the companies

that's a legitimate concern, and one only you can address. are the benefits of the machine important enough to you to put in the extra work and do your own problem solving, or would you rather have a 'easy' solution where you use the machine exactly as the manufacturer intended?
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By Lampdog Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:34 pm
Yeah, the ASR10 is a very "manual" machine. There's no "quick" way to do anything (I hate when people say "what's a quick way to do".....etc).