MPC1000 making live MIDI sequences on the fly

Hello.

I have an MPC1000 w/ the most recent Akai OS (2.13)

I am using it as a MIDI sequencer for an external synth. So I have a MIDI keyboard into the MPC MIDI input, and MPC MIDI output is going to the synth.

I can create and playback sequencer fine. My question is about creating sequences live.

Say I'm synced to someone else's MIDI clock. I want to be able to play parts on the keyboard and have them become new tracks that I can bring in and out of the mix.

If I use Overdub I can play new sequences. HOWEVER the "Next Seq" button is deactivated. I can't switch to a new sequence until I have pressed STOP and PLAY again.

In effect, I can create new sequencer on the fly, but I am locked into the current sequence. I can't go on (say to the next song in the set) unless I stop everything and start again.

Is there a way around this? Maybe jjOS can do it? Any help is appreciated...

I'm actually pretty curious too... this has been rather crippling to my ability to work fluidly with some of my friends. I always am the party pooper because of it so I generally do not collaborate electronically.

get JJOS1

It allows you to change sequences while its playing........however

you should just be recording into the TRACKS on one SEQUENCE and muting the tracks as you please using the mute group function.

then its a matter of slaving the mpc to your mates device which should sort the tempo out.

If the reason your using sequences is to create a live set (diff tracks with diff tempos) which i think you are, then JJOS1 allows you to pick which sequence plays next while the current sequence is playing - so when it hits the end of say SEQ 1, it will flick straight over to SEQ 2.

not sure how it works when the mpc is slaved though.

mute screen is your friend. if your slaved and the tempo is already changing, i suggest just doing everything in one sequence and having say 64 tracks or your instrument set up so you can just flick through your mute screen and go wild

as the master clock changes, it should change the mpc tempo

I think my post was a little confusing because "sequence" has a special meaning on the MPC, whereas I'm most used to analog sequencing and whatnot. Let me clarify.

I have various songs I need to get to, and each song is stored in at least 1 different sequence - each sequence is multiple tracks of MIDI data. Every sequence isn't the same number of bars... or the same time signature. So the trick of doing everything on 1 sequence and using Track Mute won't work for me.

I need to be able to switch between sequences using the Next Seq screen, but also to add new MIDI tracks to the sequence while it's playing. In Akai's OS it seems that once you record a new MIDI track, the Next Seq screen is no longer available. So I'd have to stop and restart to get to the next sequence, which is a problem.

Are you saying jjos1 removes that limitation?

yeah i think you can, if its recording you may just have to hit the overdub button to stop recording, swap sequences then hit the overdub button again to resume.

If your after seamless recording / Sequence swapping i don't think that can happen, at some point before swapping sequence you'll need to un-arm it > re-arm it on the fly......which is not that hard anyway.

My friend tried it out in jjos1 earlier today and confirmed this does NOT work. You can't skip to a new sequence without stopping if you've recorded to a MIDI track.

damn, i pretty sure i have done this with mpc 1k and the s900 and swapped seq while its playing.....my bad homie! ibetter have a check tonight too haha

Oh it's cool - I appreciate it. It's not something most people try to do on MPC I'm guessin. I'm working on a set with a band and it would be easier if I could add MIDI tracks while the band plays without stopping and restarting all the time. But whatever, work with what ya got

hey man,

played around with this last night to try and see why it doesnt work, managed to get it to work, with some preparation.

It does work

There is a catch though, If you are playing midi parts from channel 1A in the MPC, you need to set up the other SEQ tracks with that midi channel throughout your sequences - i'll try explain a bit better

So say you have 4 sequences each with 4 tracks

on each of the 4 tracks, set the midi channel.

Now as you are playing / recording, you can use the NEXT SEQ function to roll over to the next synth part.

Now - if you have multiple synths, just set up blank tracks for your midi channels (track 1-4 might be midi 1A, 5 -8 might be 2A and so on)

I think the best way to do it in your situation, is to spend some time setting up the tracks and sequences and saving it as a blank "jamming" template so you can load a blank project that is already configured to utilise "NEXT SEQ"

Hope that helps!!

P


So in short, if track 1 to 4 is your synth 1, then all sequences must have track 1 midi channel set to the same value in order for it to work.,


ive rambled a bit, and my explanation is not so great, but it can be done.