Playing polyphonic phrases with MIDI-keyboard?

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Playing polyphonic phrases with MIDI-keyboard?

By de Haan Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:05 pm
Hi there

I'm about to buy a MPC 1000/2500 for my current live setup (Elektron Octatrack, Nord Rack 3, Kaoss Pad Quad), mainly for triggering on shot samples and occasionally for making drum loops.

However, I would really like being able to playback samples chromatically with my MIDI-keyboard, and I would prefer doing it polyphonically :) (like "normal" samplers do)

I found this video with a guy doing it on a MPC 2500. But I'm not sure how well this actually works on the MPC's.

How fast is it to spread a sample out on the keyboard, how does the sample loop when holding down a key etc...

Does any of you have experience doing this with your MPC's?

Best Regards
Nikolaj de Haan
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Re: Playing polyphonic phrases with MIDI-keyboard?

By Lampdog Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:11 pm
de Haan wrote:How fast is it to spread a sample out on the keyboard

Gonna guess you mean "chromatically", ie; notes in numerical order from low to high.

Note numbers are not in chromatic order by default.

You should, ahead of time, create a program and arrange your notes chromatically, save it and use it as a template every time you need it. Load up the program first and then spread the sample across it.
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Re: Playing polyphonic phrases with MIDI-keyboard?

By de Haan Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:25 pm
Cool, that sounds pretty straight forward :)

I got this reply on the Elektron forum:

RubixGroove wrote:
"Works on the MPC1K as well. Tib's right - all you have to do is toggle the "16 Levels" switch, select "TUNE", and bang around. Make sure that the "program" (think "kit" from Elektron) is setup to allow polyphonic triggering and you're off to the races. Special tip - even the MPC 500 can do this. "
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Re: Playing polyphonic phrases with MIDI-keyboard?

By Lampdog Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:51 pm
My approach will give you a whole program or you keyboard sound, every last key on the piano. 16 levels skips keys on the piano.

A program on a real keyboard works more in line with a chromatic design.
There is no 16 level feature in a keyboard, cause it stinks when u need a virtual keyboard program in your mpc. Plus with an actual program you get Program control of a sound, same as you would on a real keyboard. 16 levels works but you don't get a full fledged kybd program.
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Re: Playing polyphonic phrases with MIDI-keyboard?

By Lampdog Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:52 pm
16 levels is just the quick answer, and everybody is all about the "quick" answer these days. Most stuff can be quick, some stuff can't be helped and you gotta put in work.
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