Is any manner of MIDI 'expansion' possible for MPC1000?

Hello peoples,

I've just signed up to this info busting forum as I'm looking to, after buying numerous wrong machines, get myself an MPC. I have had an MPD26 for a long time and love it for controlling stuff in Logic but anyway, I want to step away from that screen stuck syndrome.

I'm pretty confident that a 2500 is number one for me but it's almost based purely on the god damn midi ins/outs. This is because I would ideally like to link up a kick and two external trigger pads so I can play basic beats using samples on the MPC, not all the time but it's something I'd like to be able to do.

And so, my question.

Is there ANYTHING available to enable more triggers, et al, to be connected to an MPC1000? I've ready many posts about the differences between the 1000 and 2500 and for the cost difference, a 1000 with extended MIDI capabilities would help my stomach settle!

I suspect not and as pessimistic as that is, I had to ask!

Rant over.

Thanks.

speaks for itself. cheap and effective.

Wow! Thanks for that Crossings.
The thought that just flew into my head is; would assigning specific samples to specific pads be as simple as 'coordinating' MIDI channels?

Thanks again for replying.

only 2 MIDI input jacks on the 2500 too.

See if your external controllers have a "soft thru". er it might have a different name but basically it would allow you to run your midi controllers in serial, and end up only needing one of the MPC MIDI inputs.


Also there are 2 footswitch jacks on the front of the MPC1000 you can assign to trigger pads (but only at a fixed velocity 127)

Thanks Harmoncj, solid info.

I'm actually thinking of trying to get an older machine, 2000 / xl for hopefully, a good deal.
I think jumping in for something like the 2500 may be OTT.
I just don't like the smaller size of the 1000.

There's a lot of bears on this forum

718 BEAR, Bearhead, bear face and now Bearclaws. Are you guys all the same and just forget your password? Its ok, you can tell us.

It's just another consequence of you guys and your trash habits as well as the insane over packaging of food these days. Its so easy for we bears to roll ourselves down the hill and gorge for free with minimal effort.
Thankfully I found some big sharp things in one bin which enabled me to make grizzly beats without puncturing any gear. I freaking love evolution!

They got bears in the BK...

bearclaw wrote:I'm pretty confident that a 2500 is number one for me but it's almost based purely on the god damn midi ins/outs. This is because I would ideally like to link up a kick and two external trigger pads so I can play basic beats using samples on the MPC, not all the time but it's something I'd like to be able to do.

And so, my question.

Is there ANYTHING available to enable more triggers, et al, to be connected to an MPC1000? I've ready many posts about the differences between the 1000 and 2500 and for the cost difference, a 1000 with extended MIDI capabilities would help my stomach settle!

The MPC1000 and MPC2500 both only have 2 MIDI inputs, in that regard, they are the same.

What kick and pad triggers are you planning to use? Usually they are connected to some sort of drum brain, which turns the signal from the drum triggers into MIDI note on/off messages. The drum brain would be a single MIDI connection into the MPC, needing only a single port. I have not seen any drum triggers that have a MIDI port on each trigger, and that need an individual MIDI port for each trigger.

With a lot of MIDI devices, they have MIDI in, out, and through connectors. If they do, you can daisy chain one device to the other, using the MIDI through ports, before connecting to a single port on the computer.

If you can't daisy chain multiple MIDI input devices using their built in MIDI ports, then you can use a MIDI merge box as posted above, to connect multiple MIDI devices into a single MPC MIDI input.

Maybe work out what gear you are planning to use, and what MIDI ports are available on that gear, before worrying about needing more than 2 MIDI inputs on an MPC.