From the M-Box Mini to the MPC1000 help!

Ihave scoured the internet for an answer to no avail so now i come here with open hands asking for help

So far these are the components i have:

-Mbox Mini 3rd Generation

-M-Audio M Uno , Usb interface

-MPC 1000

I am not sure how to connect them all together or whether its even possible

I am uncertain of the equipment needed such as a mixer , additional cables and adapters

What are my options, ultimately i am wanting to USE my MPC within Protools

if anyone could help me answer these questions i would be extremely grateful.

You didn't mention audio monitors, do you have some? Part of answering your question would involve what are you using to hear the signal that will come out of your M-Box.

Yes it's totally possible to connect that stuff together and you have the essential stuff already to piece to together a very nice basic home studio setup.

The additional stuff you will need are 2 5-pin standard MIDI DIN cables. These will allow you to send and receive MIDI to and from the MPC to the computer through the M-Audio USB to MIDI interface. The OUT from MPC will go to the IN on the M-Audio and the IN from the MPC goes to the OUT from the M-Audio.

With the MIDI cables/interface plugged in you'll be able to to have the MPC control instruments in the computer or have PT or other software send MIDI. This has to setup in both the MPC and PT's preferences to ensure that they are properly synced to exchange MIDI data.

http://www.akaipro.com/syncprotools

MIDI only sends note triggers and controller data, no audio. For your audio pick up 4 1/4" audio cables preferably balanced TRS cables. (made to reject most noise and EMF interference). Then the main outs of the MPC will go to the 1/4" inputs on the M-Box.

From there it's usually use the 1/4" outputs on the audio interface, M-Box here, to a set of self powered monitors. Home stereos could be used but are less accurate to monitor what you are recording. They will also have unbalanced RCA inputs (usually on a receiver for rack hi fi stuff or somewhere on the back of an all in one unit), so you'll need a set of 1/4" to RCA cables for that scenario.

If you need to sample into the MPC's inputs from the M-Box you have the limitation of it only having two outputs. Those are are going to be used by your monitors, so you'd have to unplug them and use the two outs to go the MPC. You could monitor using the headphone jacks though.

It's scenarios like this where some introduce a mixer into the flow, having other equipment like synthesizers also leads to some adding a mixer. Some use audio interfaces with more than two outputs so that monitors and audio outputs for sampling usage can be plugged in simultaneously.

Here's a great overview of all this stuff you're asking about. - http://tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

So depending on your speaker situation it sounds like all you need to jump in is about $40 bucks of cables. Much cheaper than that if you order online. Good luck with everything man.

Firstly thank you so much, i appreciate you taking the time to give me such an in-depth response.


Momentarily I will be using Monitor Headphones , i will upgrade to audio monitors in the longer run but its unnecessary for the moment , in the near future i will be investing in a 49 Midi Keyboard , for that a mixer would be beneficial if i am wanting to sync it with my Mpc yes?

you have provided me with many scenario's and knowledge i am still trying to wrap my head around it and consider whats best for me

If i understand correctly , upon taking the path of midi , i will have to assign samples within protools or Fl studio to my Mpc pads Virtually

With the Audio cables i use my sample collection that i have transferred to hardrive or memory card to record into pro-tools or otherwise

So the difference is that with Midi my samples are on the PC , whereas with audio recording the come from the MPC hardrive

Am i registering this correctly or have I missed something?

Thank you once again

There's a book at MPC-Tutor that explains connectivity to different daws quite well. I bought the one for ableton and was really pleased.

Your future purchase of a 49 key midi will NOT warrant the need for a mixer since the keyboard is not audio, strictly digital info. The synthesizers Metatron was talking about have their own sound source and need to be mixed into a single input signal to your mbox.

But that's assuming you want to buy hardware synths (which I do ).

Protools will not 'virtually" assign samples to pads in the MPC. The MPC works like this... each pad has a number A01, A02, etc. Each of these pads also corresponds to a MIDI number. A01 starting as MIDI number 37 (if you are running an os other than jjos2xl).

What this means is the first pad on the MPC is the equivalent to the C#1 key on a midi controller or synthesizer or piano.

Protools is able to send out key press information through your Mbox's midi out port into your mpc's midi in port. The mpc then will play the sample associated with that MIDI number. Like wise the mpc will also record this midi information for future playback with different samples or sound sources (vst's, synths, etc).

Your midi controller 49key keyboard can also send midi note information to protools depending on what key you hit. that information is then sent back to the mpc much the same as I described before.

If you need more cables, I suggest monoprice.com -- they are of a nice build quality and a very affordable price. They started selling midi cables lately and my only wish is for them to be color coded.

chupang wrote:If i understand correctly , upon taking the path of midi , i will have to assign samples within protools or Fl studio to my Mpc pads Virtually

With the Audio cables i use my sample collection that i have transferred to hardrive or memory card to record into pro-tools or otherwise

So the difference is that with Midi my samples are on the PC , whereas with audio recording the come from the MPC hardrive

Upon reading this again, I want to clarify. In the first sentence you are asking that you can record midi information from the mpc to your DAW and then assign a sample to that midi information. Yes, it is true you can use your MPC as a midi controller, though take note (no pun intended) as to what pad is assigned to what midi note. You could use your mpc to play a vst or even another external synth (assuming it has midi) though I wouldn't recommend it since the pads on the mpc are not a keyboard, you may find that you can rock out some killer grooves with just the pads.. i can't, but im sure some came.

With the second sentence you are talking about 'audio tracking' into your daw, which means you are recording the audio outputs of the mpc into protools. Yes this works, and is an easy way to get the warmth of the samples from the mpc into your digital mix.

But the real connectivity, in my opinion, is using your daw as if it where a hub for a bunch of synths and proccessors and effects that you can apply into your MPC based sequence. That's because I feel the groove that the mpc makes with it's swing function is unique and iconic. Something that can be emulated in a software daw, for sure, but this is a mpc forum

Thanks for the further Replies Hendrix , its good info and im going to keep it handy for when i get my MPC up and running , and also will be looking for this MPC-Tutor book you speak of,

but for the moment i am still struggling to connect it all together, i think i may have missed something.

I went ahead and purchased 2 5 Pin Midi DIN cables:

These ones
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160310295771 ... 1497.l2649

The problem is the these MIDI cables are exactly the same size as the M-Uno Midi in and out , so they don't fit into each other , what am i missing here did i buy the wrong midi cables or did i need to buy some sort of adapter to make them fit?

I just want to get this kickin already

Thanks again to all those who have helped

chupang wrote: so they don't fit into each other , what am i missing here did i buy the wrong midi cables or did i need to buy some sort of adapter to make them fit?

Do you mean they won't fit into 'each other' like in trying to make an extended midi cable? Because that wont work--each midi plug is male, each midi port (that ive seen) is female.

You could buy some longer midi cables if thats what you want. But as far as hooking it up--which can be al ittle confusing is as follows:

Put a midi cable going from MPC MIDI OUT A to Mbox Midi In
then
Put a midi cable going from MPC MIDI IN A to Mbox Midi Out

So essentially the In and Out is relative to the device. Trust me, it confuses even the most familiar of us which is why I was talking about it helping to have color coded cables so you never mix them up if you unplug for some reason. I don't have colored ones, I just put a piece of colored tape to tell them apart. I even sharpie my 1/4" cables so I know which channel is which. Good luck.

Post pictures if I am not getting your "fit into each other" bit right..

I got it all working it was an adapter that i needed as i could not plug it straight into midi on my Mbox as it did not have the right sockets (mbox mini, thats why i am using the Midisport Uno), but now i have encountered further problems this shit is making me really depressed i just want to make music.

Thanks for everything hendrix

Please don't think so.

I understand Lampdog and patience is a great virtue, i have been able to do everything these guys have hooked me up with in this thread , but now its all connected , the MPC does not even show up on my Computer let alone being able to synchronize it with pro-tools, anyway i shall patiently keep trying until its all sorted


thanks for reminding me there is no rush ,

Here's an update on my situation , i think my problem is coming from not being able to set the tempo on the MPC and Protools together in which i cant find solid information on,

So far my MPC settings are as follows:

Sync In: 1 (Slave)
Mode: MIDI ClOCK
Receive MMC: OFF
SYNC OUT: OFF'

This is what Comes up in my Protools Midi Settings



So the Uno registers but they are not synced

It also shows the uno , if i create a Midi track




I know how to change the tempo in protools but it does not tick over to the MPC, what am i missing, does anyone have any suggestions?

thanks much

http://www.akaipro.com/syncprotools

*Pro Tools as Master, MPC5000 / MPC2500 as Slave*

Right, i did all that but still cannot hear the MPC in Protools , one part i did not understand fully was

When using MTC, we recommend adding 1 or 2 bars of pre-roll to allow reliable sync-up of software and device.

Make sure there is a sequence on the MPC5000 / MPC2500 containing at least 1 bar or the MPC will not start with Pro Tools.


i prerolled in protools but same results never manage to get any sound from the mpc in protools

Anyone care to elaborate ?

Just to show you how my pro-tools looks so far , maybe you can see if i have done something wrong




Do i need to put the MTC reader port Midisport In or leave it as any ?




Thanks again and apologies for the million questions but i am truly grateful

No responses going on a week now , i have tried both ways http://www.akaipro.com/syncprotools on that site i find it to be lacking in information i have followed all instructions yet does not work.