Midi thru when sequencing

Hello, I'm a new poster. I'm using my MPC 500 to control a Korg R3 synth and a Kurzweil K2000. I also have an MPK25 running into the midi in of the MPC. Here are the settings:

MPC500 soft thru on, receive all, the only track that has a program loaded on it is track 3, upon which I want to be able to sequence my mpc samples. all other settings are correct as far as I can tell.

I want to be able to trigger samples from the pads at the same time as being able to get midi thru the mpc from the mpk25 to my R3 on channel 2. This is at the same time as triggering my k2000 from the sequencer. My problem is that when I play on the MPK, it triggers the samples in the MPC's program. Any ideas why this is and how I can remedy it?

What exactly are you trying to do with the MPK? Anything hooked into the midi in of the MPC is going to trigger it's samples via the notes. I guess you're trying to use the MPK to trigger the other instruments and not just the MPC so maybe you need to look at the chain you have a little more.

yeah, i get that. The midi i'm sending on my mpk is triggering the pads on mpc in addition to my r3 unless i turn em off completely. I want to be able to use bank a pads to pound out some beats, bank b pads to play back samples according to my sequence, and also patch my mpk to my r3 ala soft thru.

I think I'm in a "handshake" setup, though maybe I have my terminology wrong.

Mpc500=>korg r3=>vocalist vl3d=>kurzweil k2000=>mpk25=>mpc500, making a loop.

The MPK25 doesn't have a midi thru (which I truly feel should be a requirement on all midi hardware), and I want to be able to send midi beat clock to the note repeat function. I know I have the option of creating a parallel circuit by putting a midi split box inbetween the mpc and the mpk and then into a midi merge box inbetween the mpk and my r3. i would then run a cable between the split and the merge boxes, allowing midi to pass freely to and from both devices, but that seems to uglify my already large rig a bit.

mpc=>split box=> merge box => korg r3 => etc.
________|| _______/\
________\/ _______||
_____mpk25 =====//

So, the consensus is that there's no way to avoid this?