trigger part from another sequencer while playing

I like to sync my mpc to logic and i was wondering. Is it possible to sync my mpc to logic while triggering a track or part from the mpc with the midi of logic???

Please if you dont understand my question just ask me.

peace

Hi,
Let me see If I understand correctly.

You want to have the MPC sync to Logic (i'm assuming you mean the MPC sequencer)
so that it's running in time with Logic.


AND

you want to be able to Use Logic to trigger items on the MPC 4000.


Is that correct?


If so , then you should be able to do this.


1. With the MPC's sequencer, you should be able to sequence any internal
part or any external synth that's connected via the Midi out's. If logic is connected
via the MPC 4000 midi out's, you can then use VSTi's (if an older version of logic)
or AU instruments that are triggered by the MPC 4000 as well.


2. With Logic, you should be able to setup so that it will trigger internal synth or any external synth (inlcuding the MPC 4000).

The key here, is defining Midi Channels of your parts.


Let 's say that I have a Drum Program that is assigned to Part 1 and we set
it to Midi Channel 1A.

Let's say we have an MiniMoog Sampel Program on the MPC and that is assigned to Part 2
and we set Part 2 to Midi Channel 2A.


Now as long as the Outs's of Logic do end up at the In's of the MPC and the OUTS's
of the MPC hit the IN's of the Logic, then you should be fine.

If you use logic and want to control the MiniMoog on the MPC,then in the Logic
Track, select the Interface that is connected to the MPC IN and then make that
track to be Midi Channel 2.

Now Logic will control Part 2 of your MPC. If you want, you can setup "Sync" in the "Misc" page and when you hit start on thelogic, it will start up the MPC. Then you have
the ability to Program your MPC as you want. If there are any parts that you want
controlled by logic and not by the MPC, just don't sequence those in the MPC, just in Logic.

Does that make sense?

Basiclly the MPC Part is another instrument in your chain. You have the choice of what
you want to sequence it with. You can have your MPC 4000 and never use the Sequencer at all if you want, and then it' just a tabletop non Rackable Z8. or you can
use all the sequenceing on your MPC. Or you can a little of each.


I don't use logic , but I do use Hardware Step Sequencers and this is how you would set it up. For any items that I want my EXTERNAL sequencer to perform, I set the Part up,
but dont't do any MPC sequencing on that Midi channel, as it's being handled by my external sequencer....


****


The above is with Parts... Now are you wanting to be able to trigger the "Track Mutes"
from Logic? Is that what your question is? As your question had 2 parts.



1) Is it possible to trigger a Part from Logic

2) Is it possible to trigger a Track from Logic



Did you need the answers to both or just one? The explaination I gave above, only
addresses Question 1.



Cheers...

Dave

Renegadebliss, you certainly know your stuff man. I was wondering if you know if U could trigger sequences of MPC from Logic? This way I could have more flexibility in varying my drum patterns when I'm arranging in Logic. I don't think Song Mode suits me unless I was using the MPC only. Cheers

33 HERTZ wrote:Renegadebliss, you certainly know your stuff man. I was wondering if you know if U could trigger sequences of MPC from Logic? This way I could have more flexibility in varying my drum patterns when I'm arranging in Logic. I don't think Song Mode suits me unless I was using the MPC only. Cheers

I haven't looked into how to Mute/Unmute different Tracks from within a sequence remotely or not, so don't know if that's possible, but you can select different sequences remotely.

I detail how to do that in this thread about a bug of the Sequences program change
not getting called unless one is the "MAIN" screen.

http://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php ... ht=#135157

I've submitted a bug to Akai in regards to this, and they've indicated that they will
look into possibly making this work if one is in the Next Sequence and Track Mute
screens as well. But if you don't plan on doing any live manipulation of the MPC
while you are triggering it fromlogin, you can just leave it in the "MAIN" screen
and have Logic change your sequences on the MPC 4000.

You have to select in the "MISC" page:
Sequence Change with Program Change: ON

It is by default set to off. Now after changing this to on, if the MPC 4000 gets a
Program Change from the external sequencer it will change the sequence to that
same as the Program Change it got. So if you want it to trigger sequence 7 on your
MPC, then you will need to send a Program Change of 7 to it. Now be sure not to
use the same program change numbers that are being used by your Multi's and other
parts that you have set in the MPC.

Also, you will need to be aware of this limation/feature on how it is implemented:


When using this feature, I noted that the change of sequence goes in the same form
as a normal change of sequence does. If you change the sequence on the MPC using
the "NEXT SEQ" page, it will not change the sequence until then end of the currently
running sequence. Unless one hits the "Sudden" soft key, which will force it to start
on the next sequence.

Now if you the current sequence is let's say, a 64 bar sequence, then as you can tell from the above explaination, the change request for the sequence will happen, but the next sequence will not start until all 64 bars have been played.

I thought this was a bug and filed one with Akai, but they indicated that this was an RFE,
as it is actually doing what the specs specifiy. Here is what they provided:

This is the current spec of the MPC4000.

* If the MPC4000 is stopped, the sequence change is immediate
* If the MPC4000 is playing a sequence, the Program Change selects the Next Sequence

They indicated back that they will look into implementing an option that would allow
those changes of sequences (when recieved as a Program Change) to change
as if the "SUDDEN" key had been pressed, so it will instantly change the sequence.

There is no guarantees that they will implement it, but they have recieved an official
Request, as well as why it would be useful in a live and a studio situation. Shouldn't
take too much to implement, but ii'm sure they have a long list of other such requests
from other users.

This is great news. I've just tried it though and it doesn't trigger the right sequence. When it does trigger another one it plays it twice the tempo. (Like hip hop turning into drum n' bass!)

I've checked program changes in mult/prog etc & they're off. I even tried assigning program change when I'm in main page (in the trk section) I'm assigning Pgm change there (right beneath 'Trk: 1-track-001') on every track in each sequence.

Maybe this is connected with another problem I have when syncing. Most of the time it's ok but sometimes when I start Logic (from begining of song or a bar) the MPC seems to play from a a random location of its sequence, which is so annoying when U just wanna get on with ya track.

33 HERTZ wrote:This is great news. I've just tried it though and it doesn't trigger the right sequence. When it does trigger another one it plays it twice the tempo. (Like hip hop turning into drum n' bass!)

I've checked program changes in mult/prog etc & they're off. I even tried assigning program change when I'm in main page (in the trk section) I'm assigning Pgm change there (right beneath 'Trk: 1-track-001') on every track in each sequence.

Maybe this is connected with another problem I have when syncing. Most of the time it's ok but sometimes when I start Logic (from begining of song or a bar) the MPC seems to play from a a random location of its sequence, which is so annoying when U just wanna get on with ya track.

Hmm... Maybe I"m reading the above wrong, but you need to be making the Program
Change from Logic, but be in the "MAIN" page of the MPC to recieve it. You don't want
to be selecting the Program Change on the MPC to get this , you want to be using the External Sequencer to tell the MPC what sequence (via program change) that it should
be paying.

So for example, let's say you are making a song in logic and you want at Bar 64 for
it start up a sequence on the MPC, in Logic, at bar 64, you would send Program Change
3 to get the MPC to play Sequence 3.

You don't have to assign any program changes at all in the MPC. Once you have
gone to the Misc and selected "yes" to "equence Change with Program Change".

That's all you have to do. When you select this option in the Misc page, what that does
is Map out a relation to Seq 1 on MPC being selected when Program Change 1 is recieved from an external source. And Seq 2 is selected when Program Change 2 s recieved from the external source, all the way to Seq 127 is changed when Program Change 127 is recieved.

When you say it is picking the wrong sequence, is it consistant? Meaning that if you
want Seq3 you are actually getting Seq2 instead?

****

In regards to your syncing problem, I haven't done a lot of syncing computer to
MPC or the other way around, but I have used a few step sequencers and synced them.
And Synced Ableton' Live now and then, until Akai implements having seperate track
lengths for each track...

Are you using MTC or Midi Clock? If you are having trouble one way, have you tried
the other?


Also, if you are having trouble syncing MPC to Logic, what about the other way, getting
Logic to Sync to the MPC? Do you get the same results?


***

In regards to having sequences run VERY FAST, what are you using for
a Midi Device, and do you have any Midi Patchbays like MOTU's Midi TimePiece
or Midi Express? As I know that if it recieves a clock signal on more then 1 port it will
add them up. So for example, if my MPC is playing on Port A and my Doepfer MAQ is
playing on Port B, they both emit a Midi Clock, so if I don't strip the Doepfer's Midi Clock
via a Midi Filter, then I get things running at 260 BPM's instead of 130 BPM's.

You can use the Midi Timepieces filter or the MPC's, which ever works out best
in your situation, but that might be what's happening on your end, we would need
more info about your setup to see if it was the case...


You can try things simple.. unpug everything and have Just the Computer and MPC
hooked up, 1 in and 1 out, and make sure you don't have any Virtual Thru's setup
on either the MPC or the Computer, so you know that you don't have any midi loops
and see if you get the same results.

I use Emagic's Unitor 8. Syncing's usually fine these days, it's just when I'm changing the sequence whilst in sync (whether it's with prog change or if I use the dial on MPC). I always send a midi signal to MPC using one port. Not sure if my Unitor 8 is supposed to do this but midi in LED are always flashing (1,2 & 5) for some reason. Not sure if that has anything to do with it.

By the way I was doing prog change from Logic, I just mention something else that I was trying.

I was thinking about what U said about when sequences need to end before another one plays. One way would be to copy 'that' sequence, shorten it and trigger that one (to whatever size). It's better I think to tell MPC in advance what sequence to come in rather than at the beginning of the bar you want it to start.

Mohammed wrote:I like to sync my mpc to logic and i was wondering. Is it possible to sync my mpc to logic while triggering a track or part from the mpc with the midi of logic???

Please if you dont understand my question just ask me.

peace

To keep things short. You need to sync both (I assume you know how) and then just use the same MIDI cable for letting MIDI data transfer from Logic to the MPC. Then (if its on MIDI port I) you need to let MIDI input I trigger the sampler instead of sequencer. Do this in the MIDI page. Its easY! You can set up 32 parts I guess ... thru 32 MIDI channels with 2 MIDI cables.
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