A few questions from a PC guy...

Hello,

I'm looking to play samples in the live setup of my band. Till today I did that with a master keyboard linked to a PC and an RME UFX, using its 8 outputs for the samples and layered drums. It worked fine but I don't want to mess with a PC anymore on a live setup, always being afraid of its reliability.

So I want to replace all this by a master keyboard with a MPC 5000. I downloaded the manual and checked various videos and tutorials, and it seems to fit my needs. However, just to be sure, I'd like to ask a few questions.

1) Basically, I need to play samples triggered by my master keyboard. Thanks to the keygroups, it is correct that I can map my samples according to the note AND velocity (4 samples per note from what I have read?)?
2) Can my samples be freely stored on the hard-drive or the memory-card?
3) Can I set my own ADSR envelope to every patch?
4) I guess the MPC 5000 is multitimbral. If I plug two master keyboards in the MIDI Ins, using 2 different MIDI channels, can I get two different sounds, possibly output to 4 different outputs (if my samples are stereo)?
5) I will use the MPC to play the full drum sequences of my songs. My drums are split into 5 tracks (OH L/R, BD, SN, TT). Is it possible to trigger the drums on 5 outputs, with one pad for each song?
6) While the drum sequences are playing, without effects, can I use my two master keyboards to play 2 patches, with different effects (one reverb, one delay etc.) on each patch, to the remaining outputs?
7) Is the MPC software sold with the MPC 5000?
8) Finally, it is not too heavy and can racks can easily be found ?

Sorry if these questions are basic, but no answer seem very clear from what I found on the net and I want to be sure of my purchase.

Thanks a lot,
Julien.

1) Basically, I need to play samples triggered by my master keyboard. Thanks to the keygroups, it is correct that I can map my samples according to the note AND velocity (4 samples per note from what I have read?)?

2) Can my samples be freely stored on the hard-drive or the memory-card?
Yes.

3) Can I set my own ADSR envelope to every patch?

4) I guess the MPC 5000 is multitimbral. If I plug two master keyboards in the MIDI Ins, using 2 different MIDI channels, can I get two different sounds, possibly output to 4 different outputs (if my samples are stereo)?
Keyboard will be midi. Kybd Audio will come from keyboard. MPC audio will come from MPC. Midi is not audio.

5) I will use the MPC to play the full drum sequences of my songs. My drums are split into 5 tracks (OH L/R, BD, SN, TT). Is it possible to trigger the drums on 5 outputs, with one pad for each song?

6) While the drum sequences are playing, without effects, can I use my two master keyboards to play 2 patches, with different effects (one reverb, one delay etc.) on each patch, to the remaining outputs?
Each keyboard patch should be assigned a unique midi channel #.
Keyboard audio will come from keyboard.

7) Is the MPC software sold with the MPC 5000?
MPC Ren software has NOTHING to do with MPC 5000.

Finally, it is not too heavy and can racks can easily be found ?
MPC5k is a tabletop device, not made for rack.

4) I guess the MPC 5000 is multitimbral. If I plug two master keyboards in the MIDI Ins, using 2 different MIDI channels, can I get two different sounds, possibly output to 4 different outputs (if my samples are stereo)?
Keyboard will be midi. Kybd Audio will come from keyboard. MPC audio will come from MPC. Midi is not audio.

I read it as he wants to play two different sets of internal MPC sounds, from two different MIDI keyboards.

I don't think he wants to get audio out of his keyboards, he seems to understand what MIDI is.

6) While the drum sequences are playing, without effects, can I use my two master keyboards to play 2 patches, with different effects (one reverb, one delay etc.) on each patch, to the remaining outputs?
Each keyboard patch should be assigned a unique midi channel #.
Keyboard audio will come from keyboard.

Again, by master keyboards I think he means MIDI, and the patches he wants to play from the 2 MIDI keyboards are in the MPC5000.

7) Is the MPC software sold with the MPC 5000?
MPC Ren software has NOTHING to do with MPC 5000.

MPC Software is not sold with the MPC5000.

It is only sold with, and only operates when connected to, an MPC Renaissance or MPC Studio controller.

MPC Software allows import and export of MPC5000 data, in some form at least.

Thanks for your replies.

Keyboard will be midi. Kybd Audio will come from keyboard. MPC audio will come from MPC. Midi is not audio.

As SimonInAustralia stated, I want to use my two master keyboards, plugged to the two MIDI INs, to trigger patches from the MPC. So, no audio involved from the keyboards, only MIDI signals.

MPC Ren software has NOTHING to do with MPC 5000.

Ok. I was wondering if there was software to edit easily the patchs (setting the keygroups, ADSR, etc.) on a PC rather than on the small screen of the MPC. I downloaded software like "BlueBox", but it seems only to edit the sounds for the pads.

So, I want to use the patches of the MPC 5000, triggered by my MIDI keyboards. In the light of this, what are the answers to the questions 1 + 3->6?
Thanks a lot.

Jnv wrote:I want to use my two master keyboards, plugged to the two MIDI INs, to trigger patches from the MPC. So, no audio involved from the keyboards, only MIDI signals.

I think you need this, set each MIDI keyboard to a different MIDI channel, set a couple of MPC tracks, with the programs you want to play from the two keyboards, to those same MIDI inputs/channels...

Page 189 of MPC5000 Manual wrote:Connecting the MPC5000 as a Multitimbral Sound Module

In this section, you will learn how to connect the MPC5000 to a MIDI sequencer as a multitimbral sound module, so each incoming MIDI channel will play a different sound. Up to 32 different sounds can be played in this manner.

The MPC can be played with a MIDI sequencer, or a keyboard sending multiple MIDI channels. This allows the MPC's internal Sample and Synth programs to be played by an external source, with each MIDI channel playing a different sound. To use the MPC5000 as a multitimbral sound source, you need to set the MPC to receive midi Multitimbrally.

The MIDI output of the MIDI Sequencer will be sent to one of the MPC5000's MIDI IN's. For information on setting up your sequencer, see the sequencer’s operation manual.

01. Select the MIDI/SYNC mode by pressing the [MODE] button and hitting the [PAD 8] (MIDI).
02. Press the [F1] (MIDI) button. The MIDI page will be displayed.
03. Select the 'Active Track Receive Channel' field and select MULTI. This will allow the MPC5000 to play a different sound for every incoming MIDI channel.

Setting MIDI Channel
To set which track plays which sound, do the following:
01. Go to MAIN mode.
02. Assign the first program you wish to play to TRACK 1.
03. Assign the MIDI parameter to the desired MIDI channel and MIDI IN.

The MPC5000 can up to 32 sounds Multitimbrally.
Setting MIDI A01-A16 will receive the corresponding MIDI channel through MIDI IN 1.
Setting MIDI B01-B16 will receive the corresponding MIDI channel through MIDI IN 2.
Tracks set to MIDI C01-D16 will ignore incoming MIDI.

Thanks ! It seems to be what I'm looking for.

Now the only question that remains is:
Can I play long sampleS (note the "S"), probably streamed from the hard-drive, by simply pressing one key? I have 5 tracks of drums per song, each track must use one specific output. And of course, I want to be able to continue playing with my MIDI keyboard on top, along with effects for the patches. My set is about 10 songs right now. It is possible? (I'm not interested exactly as "how", as I don't own the hardware right now. I'm more into the "yes, possible" or "no" ).

Jnv wrote:Can I play long sampleS (note the "S"), probably streamed from the hard-drive, by simply pressing one key? I have 5 tracks of drums per song, each track must use one specific output. And of course, I want to be able to continue playing with my MIDI keyboard on top, along with effects for the patches. My set is about 10 songs right now. It is possible? (I'm not interested exactly as "how", as I don't own the hardware right now. I'm more into the "yes, possible" or "no" ).

You cant trigger hard disk streaming samples from keyboard or midi note. Although you can however have multiple songs where each song can have 8 audio hard disk streaming tracks.... The only way to trigger these streaming tracks is by play or play start when in song mode..(can also use a footswitch to do this)

Regarding using to midi controllers, I haven't done this before, but it is weird in that you can assign midi in for each track.. What you can do is set the midi channnel number and port for each track ...

In midi options menu you can tell the mpc how the midi ins to behave.. As track or by a specific midi channel or by multi mode.. Id say to put it in multi mode and then each track can be controlled/assigned by the same midi out channel number regardless of the outport assignment. or what midi in port you are using. As i cant find a way to specifically designate midi in 1 or midi in 2 anywhere. So i'd assume they both work at the same time. (when you scroll through on the midi channel field it start like this - 1a - end like this - 16a .. Then reset to the next outport letter.. so then 1b to 16b right up until d.. )


Regarding keygroups... your correct in that each keygroup has four layers. But you could have many keygroups for one pgm...Technically having more than 4 layer for one midi note.. Not sure what the max is though..


Im imagining that your running long drums tracks/loops and triggering other loops plus keyboards/patched instruments along them

Each drum/sample pgm can have each pad to a stereo pair output or single output.. Howver each keygroup pgm can only be assigned to a stereo pair output .. or single output

Thanks a lot for your reply.

You cant trigger hard disk streaming samples from keyboard or midi note. Although you can however have multiple songs where each song can have 8 audio hard disk streaming tracks.... The only way to trigger these streaming tracks is by play or play start when in song mode

Ok, so instead of pressing a note, I have to press that "Play" button I guess, which is not a real problem.

However, after some research, I may rather use an Akai Z8 as I don't need the sequencer of the MPC 5000 at all, and it still seems to fit what I want to do.

Thanks again.

Jnv wrote:Ok. I was wondering if there was software to edit easily the patchs (setting the keygroups, ADSR, etc.) on a PC rather than on the small screen of the MPC. .

You can try programs like MPC Maid or Chicken systems.