Playing gigs/shows with the 4K

I'd planning on starting to play shows again and anyone that's been in a band or collaborated with others will probably agree that as fun as it can be it's also sometimes a headache organising frequently can slow you down.

So, I've been thinking of being backed by, amongst other tools my MPC. I've owned all but the 2K of pre-5K MPC's at some point and for the last couple of years have solely been using (and owned) a 4000. It's obviously the biggest and of course weighs a ton but I'd like to use it for shows.

Of course for small gigs it'd make more sense to use something more portable like a 1000 but I don't really want to spend money on that or trade in my 4K. Plus a lot of my music is on the 4K now and the file types aren't really transferable.

With all that in mind, does anyone here have experience of gigging with an MPC 4000. In particular did you think it was worth using rather than investing in something more portable. Can anyone recommend a good and hopefully inexpensive travel case. Wheels would be great because carrying it is a nightmare (I don't have a car and even if I did parking in SF is very difficult).

Also, another advantage of the 4000 is with expanded RAM I should with some care Part organising be able to load up an entire set made up of different songs instead of having to do it between songs which would be cool. The 4000, like the 3000 and 60 is also just a beaut in my eyes too.

Any other advice or thoughts are most welcome. I haven't ever really investigated them but perhaps 'multis' could be useful here.

it can definitely be done.

the video of aarabmusik is a 2500, i believe. to my knowledge, that's the machine he uses.

i've gigged with the 4k. if you're gonna be moving it around, i recommend this case: http://www.amazon.com/Pelican-Storm-IM2 ... B0018N8Z3M

Yeah people come in my house a lot thinking the color scheme on the 4k is what Aarab uses because he always has those 2500 white SE's.

I think you got a sound plan Kalou.The added RAM like you said. And multis of stuff beyond drums and chops could make you not need to rely on VSt synths or an outboard synth as much.

I think lugging and table space at the venue are the only downsides and that's pretty negligible a concern really.

Crowds like seeing MPC's too, and many are gonna be like. damn...he got a big MPC.

The chicks will be looking at it like this- and then and then then after

dryad-66 wrote:The chicks will be looking at it like this- and then and then then after

Lol.

Thanks for the feedback. I need to look into Multis more throughly, study the manual. Ideally as I mentioned I could have all the songs in the same project each with their own multi controlling the perimeters and what parts play what. It'd be better than loading up each song which is also do-able. I just have to figure out how to load a new multi and songs and sequences in to the memory without overwriting what's already in there.

Also I agree, there's something about the stage presence of the MPC that beats the laptop. Even if the 4000 isn't the mobile I think it's worth the effort. The laptop would be simpler but not as fun I'd rather just have hardware.

Thanks for the info on the case Jim. It's great that one has wheels. Is there a pull out handle too like suitcase? Do you need to cut the foam to fit or is already the right size for the 4000?

You can embed a Program Change to change the Multi when you witch a sequence, if you've set up the Multi with a Program Change number.

So when you switch to a different sequence, it will change to the Multi/Programs/Samples for that Sequence.

That's why I used to always laugh at people on this forum and on the MV800 Forum, you used to say why would ANYONE every have a need for more then 512M. They are only looking at it from a Single song perspective. Not trying to put together a 3 hour continuous live set. Everyone uses their machines' different.


Couple of additional suggestions for helping when using live.

Buy yourself an APS Battery Backup. Use this with your live setup. If there are issues with the power during your set. If you're using a MPC 4000. And you have 512M of samples. You might as well bust out your comedy skills as you're going to have 10 minutes or so to entertain the crowd, while it loads back up your set.


Remember your Volume levels are set in the Multi. Get your Volume Level set appropriately for each other and then save your Multi. That way you don't have to mess with volume levels during the set, and they will come up how you want them.

Set your Track Mute's how you are going to want them to be , when you switch the sequence. You don't want everything going full boar. You may just want a simple Kick , snare, hat and bassline or something like that.



But I guess all of the above could apply to any MPC

renegadebliss wrote:You can embed a Program Change to change the Multi when you witch a sequence, if you've set up the Multi with a Program Change number.

So when you switch to a different sequence, it will change to the Multi/Programs/Samples for that Sequence.

That's why I used to always laugh at people on this forum and on the MV800 Forum, you used to say why would ANYONE every have a need for more then 512M. They are only looking at it from a Single song perspective. Not trying to put together a 3 hour continuous live set. Everyone uses their machines' different.


Couple of additional suggestions for helping when using live.

Buy yourself an APS Battery Backup. Use this with your live setup. If there are issues with the power during your set. If you're using a MPC 4000. And you have 512M of samples. You might as well bust out your comedy skills as you're going to have 10 minutes or so to entertain the crowd, while it loads back up your set.


Remember your Volume levels are set in the Multi. Get your Volume Level set appropriately for each other and then save your Multi. That way you don't have to mess with volume levels during the set, and they will come up how you want them.

Set your Track Mute's how you are going to want them to be , when you switch the sequence. You don't want everything going full boar. You may just want a simple Kick , snare, hat and bassline or something like that.



But I guess all of the above could apply to any MPC

This is all a great help, thank you. I remember being in a band 10 years ago before owning an MPC and using a CD to back us. It'd skip all the time and we'd have to bust out the comedy as you say. I'd rather not have to do that again!

Multi's are a bit confusing to me, but I understand the premise (I think) and will try and set things up to work as you mentioned. I may have to ask more questions in the future though. I was thinking of saving the hassle and keeping songs individual as it may be easier to change the order of songs for a show this way. It's going to be a lot more song based than DJ/Aarab. But, if I can get the hang of what you're proposing perhaps it'll be easy to switch it up.

I definitely think the expanded memory is worth it. I will have quite a few large samples too, and it's far better to have more memory than less in this case.

Kalou wrote:

renegadebliss wrote:You can embed a Program Change to change the Multi when you witch a sequence, if you've set up the Multi with a Program Change number.

So when you switch to a different sequence, it will change to the Multi/Programs/Samples for that Sequence.

That's why I used to always laugh at people on this forum and on the MV800 Forum, you used to say why would ANYONE every have a need for more then 512M. They are only looking at it from a Single song perspective. Not trying to put together a 3 hour continuous live set. Everyone uses their machines' different.


Couple of additional suggestions for helping when using live.

Buy yourself an APS Battery Backup. Use this with your live setup. If there are issues with the power during your set. If you're using a MPC 4000. And you have 512M of samples. You might as well bust out your comedy skills as you're going to have 10 minutes or so to entertain the crowd, while it loads back up your set.


Remember your Volume levels are set in the Multi. Get your Volume Level set appropriately for each other and then save your Multi. That way you don't have to mess with volume levels during the set, and they will come up how you want them.

Set your Track Mute's how you are going to want them to be , when you switch the sequence. You don't want everything going full boar. You may just want a simple Kick , snare, hat and bassline or something like that.



But I guess all of the above could apply to any MPC

This is all a great help, thank you. I remember being in a band 10 years ago before owning an MPC and using a CD to back us. It'd skip all the time and we'd have to bust out the comedy as you say. I'd rather not have to do that again!

Multi's are a bit confusing to me, but I understand the premise (I think) and will try and set things up to work as you mentioned. I may have to ask more questions in the future though. I was thinking of saving the hassle and keeping songs individual as it may be easier to change the order of songs for a show this way. It's going to be a lot more song based than DJ/Aarab. But, if I can get the hang of what you're proposing perhaps it'll be easy to switch it up.

I definitely think the expanded memory is worth it. I will have quite a few large samples too, and it's far better to have more memory than less in this case.

I think you still have to do the same thing whether it's song based or pattern based. If you want to use different Multi's. Within the Song, then the Sequence track needs to have a Multi Change on the Midi Channel that you have set Multi Program Changes to be heard.


Here's an older posting where i go in more detail:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18050
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I have 1 Multi per song that I am playing. I've set each Multi so it accepts Program
Change on Midi Channel IIB. I then go to the sequence for that song ,and
on for example Track 100 (so it doesn't get in the way of my trackmutes) I set
it to send Program Change for that Multi on internal IIB.

I have this setup of for all 15 songs that I will be playing. If I switch sequence to sequence 2
it brings up the proper Multi for sequence 2.

Now I have gone one step further and selected the option the "Misc" page that indicates
that for the MPC 4000 to change sequences with program changes.

So if MPC 4000 gets program change 2 sent to it, it automatically switches to Sequence 2
which in turn is already programmed to bring up the Multi for Sequence 2 (via another Program Change).

-----------------


Let me know if you have any question, i can walk you through it.



The cool thing about this is what can be stored in the Multi

You store Q-Link Sequences
You store Program Volume Settings
They store FX settings including different FX and Different Settings for FX.
and then selectively bring those up as when ever needed.


And if you add the addition of tying the Multi Change to the Sequence, then when you use either "Next Sequence" or select that Sequence in a Song, it can change the Multi and hence completely change which FX are being used, and what the settings for those are, what the volume levels are.

All Extremely useful for live situation and even just song creation.

Thanks again for all this info, it's a great help. If only I had time now to sit down with the MP and try and set everything up. I'm semi tempted to come up to Portland with the 4K and see if you can help me set up the all encompassing session. I think for now I'm going to get the songs all set up and then when I have a chance to figure it out put them together in a project.

I will post some video footage for anyone interested when I get going.