Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By FluxSage Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:42 am
If anyone has an answer to this, I will paypal $5 to that person. First one to the solution gets it. I know it's not alot, but at least better than most unpaid answers...

Firstly, Hardware I use:

Virus TI 61 Key
MPC4000

I have midi out from MPC to midi in on Virus to receive notes from sequence and to send midi clock.
I have midi in on MPC receiving note presses from Virus into sequencer.

The issue has been sporadic midi notes lighting up when holding down keys on the virus while playing arps. Usually the mpc records just the key hold and then in playback plays a key hold and the arp runs on the virus Most key presses (and hold) just show an initial light up on the mpc, but sometimes while holding the key down the midi in indicator lights up rapidly. Sometimes it also stops and then blinks rapidly again. When this happens, it throws the arps off.

MIDI settings in MPC:
-In MISC Menu-
Sync in: off
Sync out: MIDI A
Time Code: off
SMPTE: off
MMC: off

-In Track Menu-
Type: Inst
Out1: Out A Ch:1 Device: VirusTI
Out2: off

MIDI Settings on TI might not help, but soft thru is off. external sync is on. arp note send is off.
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By Lampdog Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:42 pm
jimfowler wrote:aftertouch/velocity sensitivity?



Ti Virus manual, pg 179
Channel Pressure Monophonic Aftertouch (often simply called Aftertouch). MIDI data caused by pressing harder on the keyboard after playing notes. See Key Pressure

pg 186
Polypressure Also called Polyphonic Aftertouch or Key Pressure. Independant MIDI data relative to the pressure applied to keys on a keyboard. Rarely implemented because pressing on several keys at once can result in too much MIDI data for a system to handle. In the Virus, this data format is used for a purpose not intended by the original MIDI specifications – as a supplement or alternative to System Exclusive (Sysex) data. See also Channel Pressure


http://www.americanmusical.com/ItemFile ... Manual.pdf
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By FluxSage Wed Jul 31, 2013 2:54 am
I don't think the data sent from aftertouch or key pressure data is the issue.

You see, usually this doesn't happen.

Normally a held key only shows an initial blink on the 4k midi in indicator. Every now and again, 1 out of about 20 projects, when holding a key down on the Virus the midi in indicator will randomly blink rapidly. I can hold a key down for several minutes and the rapid blinking comes and goes even with full pressure on the key holding it at the very lowest position.

If it didn't interfere with the arp playback, I wouldn't mind, but it does. I also thought maybe it was some data maybe being sent from modulation on some of the patches, seeing as changing of values manually does, but I have gone back to patches that I never had a problem with and they will do it as well when it is happening.

Sunday night, not only did that occur, but my 4k was setup as master with my buddies 5k and started sending strange random midi bits to him. This makes me wonder if somehow the midi board is glitching out in my 4k?

Would the Virus be able to randomly send MIDI data to his 5k otherwise? I mean we watched as I did stuff on the Virus and no MIDI indicator action on his 5k, but as we worked on, he suddenly had his drum program mute and yet it still played on another track and a few ghost notes appear on a keygroup he was working on.
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By FluxSage Wed Jul 31, 2013 2:58 am
I also emailed Jorg at Access to see if it is something he has heard of with the Virus and will post here is that is the case so any future users using that combo (unlikely, I know) will have a reference.

In the meanwhile... :hmmm:
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By FluxSage Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:18 am
Word back from Jorg at Access and he says outside of one setting being on (Arp Send Note: Off), this should not be caused by the Virus.

Is there any strange why that a setting in the MPC is acting as a soft thru?
It sure does seem that a midi loop is being formed somehow.....
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By Lampdog Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:45 am
Mpc global menu you can initialize the mpc (think factory reset).

Also look at the midi page and see where midi is being routed.
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By FluxSage Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:39 am
So...

I have read deeper and deeper and have found other people have had this issue without resolving it. With various synths. I looked at MIDI>F3 Event and I watched the OUT-A light up as I played keys on the Virus. So there is a "Soft Thru" on the MPC. I also see that there appears to be no way to turn this off. I tried doing some filtering as I noticed the various signals were indeed pressure (despite firmly holding keys down), but had little success.

So does anyone have a suggestion for this? If not, that seems to be quite a big flaw. It is important when using arps/lfos/delays to send the timecode to the synth (MIDI out needed) while recording notes into the sequencer (MIDI in needed)..... Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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By FluxSage Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:42 am
I tried that the first time it happened, Lampdog.

Routing for both In-I and In-II: Sequencer: Sampler: Out A,B,C,D
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By Insomniac Wed Jul 31, 2013 11:33 am
Lampdog has scsi fitted physically into his head along with wide area network WAN for continuous anywhere connection to mpc forums.

Im not familiar with the technology behind how he just thinks a post and it happens.

Permanent midi soft thru is no good man. But I've used it with my fantom as main controller and sound module forever without issues like that..

I did however turn the local switch off. You might try this.


Hopefully you have this straightened out by next Sunday when we get up again cuz we need to get shit done boooooooyyy!
Do it now.
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By Insomniac Wed Jul 31, 2013 11:39 am
If I left the local switch on I would get double notes happening.
Actually that may be the problem.


I still did get stuck midi notes OFTEN. But would remedy this by ALL NOTES OFF message which on the 5k is easily done by pressing stop 3x quickly (I think 3 if not two)



P.S.

I really did mean "PITCH!!!!"
In the s950 time-stretch question post.
You gotta believe me!!
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By Lampdog Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:15 pm
Insomniac wrote:Lampdog has scsi fitted physically into his head along with wide area network WAN for continuous anywhere connection to mpc forums.

Im not familiar with the technology behind how he just thinks a post and it happens.

:lol: :lol: