Arrangement...how do you?

My combo is Ableton and my Ren. Before my ren I was using my MPC1000 JJos1.2 with Ableton. I basically did my basic arragnement (intro, hook, verse, and etc) via my midi sequencer (MPC or Ableton) bounced all my audio from my to Live. From there I would fine tune my sequence via the audio and automation. Lately, I have been wondering if I have been working to hard. Especially now.

I have a track that I want to re-arrange but it is already in Ableton and ready to mixdown. I am thinking about just mixing it down and then importing into my MPC and chopping 2 bar segments and re-arrange via pads. Does anyone else do this? What are some of your methods>

Does the ren not have song mode?? That's all I do in my 4000....all my sequences are between 2 and 4 bars and I just put them in the order that I want them to play by using song mode.

Of course it does but, I am a visual person. I like to look at the waveforms. Kind of stuck in my ways.

if its all arrangement your doing,i would really do a cut/paste in your DAW instead of even using the mpc for this task, that would be 100 times easier imo. you will have so much more flexibility that way as well; and you can also do little fades and stuff with your daw to prevent the clicks and pops.

i wouldnt even consider using the mpc just to trigger pads for a different song arrangement.

Agreed. Isn't it possibe to add warp markers, slice to midi, then play those slices from pads in the proper sequence?

Play with Pad Mutes and Track Mutes on mpc.
In pattern mode, record Mute events in mpc and/or just do live muting (my preference) and record it into DAW, whilst also changing sequence play order on the fly.
Chop and arrange recording to suit.

jimmie wrote:Play with Pad Mutes and Track Mutes on mpc.
In pattern mode, record Mute events in mpc and/or just do live muting (my preference) and record it into DAW, whilst also changing sequence play order on the fly.
Chop and arrange recording to suit.

my method of choice, and also how I play live.

have a blank template sequence setup and then copy it 4-5 times or more depending on how many verse and chorus' you want, etc.

this will allow you flawlessly setup parts of your songs in song mode (because all the individual tracks within the sequences are named the same)

arrange the beat in song mode and 1-by-1, solo the tracks and have the mpc resample itself.

rinse and repeat for every sound within the beat and this will make everything line up perfectly once you drag-and-drop the .wav files into your DAW.

AmpleSoul wrote:have a blank template sequence setup and then copy it 4-5 times or more depending on how many verse and chorus' you want, etc.

this will allow you flawlessly setup parts of your songs in song mode (because all the individual tracks within the sequences are named the same)

arrange the beat in song mode and 1-by-1, solo the tracks and have the mpc resample itself.

rinse and repeat for every sound within the beat and this will make everything line up perfectly once you drag-and-drop the .wav files into your DAW.

exactly what i do

I do everything the way Sirparksalot stated with one difference...I record all of it into a multitrack digital mixer and then on any version of that mix I play a live instrument along side the mix on a separate track to bind the whole thing together.

I find that if you just use the 4 bar or 8 bar arrangements then you will not have sounds that flow over the cutoffs. In music you will notice that notes have to be played in between other notes at times (listen to jazz) So you want that live feel that will hold the song together. Even if it is something as small as ringing bell or a whistle or the vocal or a pad chord... but that element makes it FEEL right.

Catchy intro...calm...build up...break down...build up up up...many new sounds...crescendo....then release.....outro

if drum and bass....then long beat intro so the DJ and beat match easily ...you add a minimal break in there somewhere in the middle so let the dancers relax.

Cheers,
Ian