Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
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By ghlabdl Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:57 am
I don't fully understand how to describe what I'd like to do, and I don't even know if it's possible. Which is why I've decided to start a whole new thread after searching thru posts and the manual and not coming up with anything! : )

How would I be able to transfer a sample assigned to one note to another note while not affecting the track?

Example:

I have 16 sounds loaded up in Bank A. These are all the sounds I use for my song. I've already recorded numerous tracks using the sounds in Bank A.

Can I replicate (painstakingly by "Copy Note Parameters") all my sounds from Bank A to Bank B and somehow edit my already-recorded tracks so their playing notes from Bank B now, as opposed to Bank A?

Thanks for any and all help--I hope this isn't confusing.
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By ghlabdl Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:44 pm
BUMP

Maybe this would be an easier thing to ask for:

Is there anyway I can edit a track's note events? I'd like to switch over the sounds I have loaded up on Bank A to empty pads on another bank, but do not want to re-record the track I've already worked on over again.

Is this possible?
By m56p87 Mon Sep 24, 2012 5:00 pm
Don't mean to waste your time, but is there a reason why you can't just work in bank B with your next set of sounds, instead of moving/initializing everything?
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By Wal Martian Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:01 pm
You can edit track events using step edit. Press step to get to this mode. You can move around by event or by the time specified by your quantize (i.e. 1/8, 1/16 etc.) Delete, copy and paste functions are also available within step edit. Be careful because any pad you hit while in step edit it now sequenced. I hope this helps.
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By tapedeck Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:16 pm
here is how you do it - but be aware that it is a hack.

basically you are trying to 'transpose' your already recorded notes to other notes.

so first off, for each note, you have to know which note number (note number is the important thing here) the original note is, and what the target note number is.

this is really easy if your note numbers are laid out chromatically - sadly on older mpcs there is a totally bizarre note number layout (http://www.mpc2000xl.com/pads.htm).

anyway - once you know the difference between your target number and your current number, you simply need to transpose the note that amount.
the hack is that you will soon realise that the mpc wont allow you to 'transpose' a drum track. so you trick it by changing the track type to midi, doing the transposition, then changing the track type back to whichever drum program you were using.

the hardest part about this is:
1) if you are using the default note number layout, you have to do this separately for each pad you want to transpose. not really that bad if there are only 16 you are trying to do and i bet it is actually less.
2) again since the note layout is so random you have to actually calculate the amount of transposition, and since the mpc wont let you transpose more than 12 at a time, you might have to do it in multiple passes (for instance transpose once by +12 and once again by +4 to transpose a pad 16 note numbers higher).

it is confusing but it works a charm - i have had to do it a lot. i just consider it homework - tedious - but has to be done and gets easier every time.
:mrgreen:
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By ghlabdl Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:15 am
Tapedeck--you are a wonderful person and will (deservedly) receive a Nobel Peace Prize soon. Thanks for all your help--I'm still figuring out your other tricks and tips from my other thread!

I'll try this out when I get home from work. I'm basically planning on doing this:

Smashing 2-4 songs along Banks A-D in one program.

Bank A has all the sounds for song #1
Bank B has all the sounds for song #2
Bank C has all the sounds for song #3
Bank D has all the sounds for song #4

I'll get back to you if this works or not!
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By tapedeck Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:10 pm
ghlabdl wrote:Smashing 2-4 songs along Banks A-D in one program.

Bank A has all the sounds for song #1
Bank B has all the sounds for song #2
Bank C has all the sounds for song #3
Bank D has all the sounds for song #4

I'll get back to you if this works or not!

it will work you just have to be diligent in making sure yer note numbers are going the right way. when the muscle memory kicks in and you start doing it with your eyes closed you are gonna feel like a wizard.

i love the old mpcs because of that, but it also pisses me off when i find you can do a function very easily that the machine just decides to tell you 'no' by default (transposing drum tracks i mean - machine says you cant do it, but change it to midi and you can).
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By ghlabdl Sat Sep 29, 2012 6:16 pm
I'm testing it out right now with that MPC-Pads/Note# page loaded up for referencing.

Should there be anything else I should know about before transposing? Like nice, quiet little options I should know of?

I'm going to a track, turning it into MIDI:OFF, transposing the seemingly correct original note number to the target I'd like, but when I switch back to DRUM1 nothing has changed.
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By tapedeck Mon Oct 01, 2012 3:48 pm
make sure you are hitting 'do it' in the edit menu.

also make sure the 'note range' field is set to all - or just the notes you want to transpose.

it is such a hack it could be an os thing - im on 1.2

edit: i just did a sanity check and tried it myself and it worked fine.

the process to move/transpose one sample pad is -
1) figure out old midi note number of pad you are shifting.
2) change drum track to MIDI :OFF track.
3) f2 / edit, change edit to 'transpose'.
4) set Amount to how much to shift note number by (if it's greater than 12 you have to do this in multiple passes).
5) set Notes: range to the old midi note number (or leave at 0-127 if this track only has one pad on it, or they are all being shifted by the same amount).
6) f6 / do it, to process the midi data
7) main screen, change back to proper drum track.

it really does go quick once you get the hang of it - so keep at it ninja. :mrgreen: