Control Slider value with expression pedal somehow?

Hi

I'm considering replacing my MPC500 with an MPC1000 so I can run JJ OS on it, for the sole purpose of being able to control the Slider (pitch in my case) with a foot expression pedal. Via MIDI. I would use a Yamaha MIDI foot controller with an expression pedal.. would I be able to assign this to Slider control in the MPC1000?

The MPC1000 does not have an expression pedal input. I run an expression pedal through a M-Audio axiom keyboard that converts it to midi CC messages that are sent to the MPC.

Nice. Are the CC values it accepts fixed or can they be changed in the MPC1000? What comes from the MIDI keyboard/pedal? Do you know if that can generally be changed?

Thanks for a quick reply!

Also, just to be clear: when reading the manual I see that the MPC1000 with the original does not receive Pitch Bend MIDI dataa in the sampler, but this is indeed fixed with JJ OS?

peppo wrote:Nice. Are the CC values it accepts fixed or can they be changed in the MPC1000? What comes from the MIDI keyboard/pedal? Do you know if that can generally be changed?

You mean if the MPC can receive CC messages and change them on the fly? If so then no.

Or do you mean if the MPC records the CC messages and then you changes them manually? This I don't know.

What comes from the MIDI keyboard/pedal?

Well the m-audio axiom can transform expression pedal signal to any CC message, you just set it in the options of the Axiom.

when reading the manual I see that the MPC1000 with the original does not receive Pitch Bend MIDI dataa in the sampler, but this is indeed fixed with JJ OS?

Do you mean if the MPC1000 with JJOS can process pitch bend info coming through the MIDI IN and apply it to samples being played?

Well the m-audio axiom can transform expression pedal signal to any CC message, you just set it in the options of the Axiom.

Cool. I doubt my Yamaha foot controller allows such customization, though :/

Do you mean if the MPC1000 with JJOS can process pitch bend info coming through the MIDI IN and apply it to samples being played?

Yep. When playing a sample through my drum pads I can by hand control the Slider which is set to modify Tune. I'd like to have this functionality in an expression pedal connected by some means. Either via such a keyboard you're using or other device...

So, reading the manual of the MFC1, it seems that one can set the FC7 expression pedal to various CCs, 0-127... but is pitch bend controlled by MIDI CC messages on the MPC/MPC+JJ OS or by some other means? This I can't really understand...

Edit: looking also at the JJOS manual, here: http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/os2xl/button.htm

...I'm trying to figure out if the section to the bottom implies that Q1SLIDER and Q2SLIDER can be controlled interactively via MIDI CC messages?

And are we talking about two different things here: Pitch Bend and Slider/Tune? Are they separate things?
What I want to control is the Tune function you can assign the slider to, through my pedal... or alternately Pitch Bend if this is equivalent? But it seems Pitch Bend is generally not communicated through MIDI CC messages but by some separate mechanism?

yep, you can assign an incoming CC to a Slider that you have set to adjust the TUNE function of a sample.

Awesome! That settles that, I'm getting one.

astronaut wrote:yep, you can assign an incoming CC to a Slider that you have set to adjust the TUNE function of a sample.

well, yes you can do this - but there are a lot of limitations & things to consider.

incoming midi can be routed to control a qlink slider as you state, but the function of the slider will vary based on what screen you are on in the mpc.

for example: if you set Q1 (slider 1) to control TUNE, then that is only active in the MAIN, NEXT SEQ, and TRACK MUTE screens (a basic limitation of the qlinks in os 2xl). so if you jump to another screen, the pitch bend will no longer take effect. even more problematic is that whatever screen you are on will now be responding as if you are tweaking the slider when you use your midi pedal, and that has different effects depending on the screen. in the PROGRAM screen, for example, this could accidentally change PROGRAM parameters, change the program from MONO to POLY, etc... in the TRIM screen it can be used to set your sample start and end times... so there are a lot of possibilities of screwing up your project if you are not careful. this is true of all the MIDI to BUTTON stuff in the OS.

JJ OS2XL will respond to incoming PITCH BEND messages and it can adjust a samples pitch based on this. you can even adjust the sensitivty (bend range). this will also work in all screens. this is probably the best way to do what you want but you will need to find a pedal that outputs pitch bend data instead of just midi CCs.

otherwise, if you can live with staying on the MAIN, NEXT SEQ, and TRACK MUTE screens while changing your pitch with your pedal, then a regular midi CC pedal will work.

Would be cool if JJ implements an option to assign incoming CC messages directly to MPC parameters, without having to use the Q-Link method. And the ability to create q-link data like you can do with pitch bend/CC in a midi track, (with the auto function).

JJ OS2XL will respond to incoming PITCH BEND messages and it can adjust a samples pitch based on this.

Will the pitch bend messages affect all samples? Can you specify which samples, or pads will be affected?

Sooty_G wrote:otherwise, if you can live with staying on the MAIN, NEXT SEQ, and TRACK MUTE screens while changing your pitch with your pedal, then a regular midi CC pedal will work.

I think I can, I hope... I'll only be using it for live (rehearsal) playing, no sequencing etc... the unit is already ordered, so I hope I didn't do anything all too stupid now

Sooty_G wrote:JJ OS2XL will respond to incoming PITCH BEND messages and it can adjust a samples pitch based on this. you can even adjust the sensitivty (bend range). this will also work in all screens. this is probably the best way to do what you want but you will need to find a pedal that outputs pitch bend data instead of just midi CCs.

This might be my best bet in the long run, but I think this will generally mean getting a funky midi keyboard+pedal. Right now all I have is a Yamaha MFC1+FC7 pedal, so we'll see if I can live with that setup