Just learning and Lost

So I have read the manual and i purchased the Beat Making for MPC 500 ebook(which is awesome) I still feel like i'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the Loading/saving/folder structure.

i need to have about 20 sequences ready to go for live use.(each sequence will be used for one song in which i have other things going on midi synced to mpc500's clock) They will be multitrack and i will bring tracks in and out with mute on the fly.

so here is where i'm confused.

1.to begin with when i create a sequence should the the sequence,program,tracks be saved in one new dedicated folder for that sequence? if so when do i make a folder? before? after? can i just make a folder when the cf is in my pc?
i can make a sequence and understand the track mute..but i keep losing everything i save.so frustrating.

2. what is a good general rule of folder organization? for example..folder for programs, folder for sequences, folder for projects.(what is the purpose of a project folder anyway?)

3. track mute. will my track mute settings for each sequence save with the sequence or do i have to "set them up" each time? (i'm picturing myself in between songs awkwardly setting mute settings).

I think those are the rudimentary things i'm missing. i have had this unit for 4 days and its been mostly confusion and this is stuff that came so easily on my old drum machines. i really want to get past this and get creating. Thanks in advance!

I think i might have answered my own question about muting.
Please correct me if i'm wrong.

When track mute is selected pad1=trk1, pad2=trk2 and so on..by default.? So that works for me because there's really nothing to set up.

Should i look at folder kind of like folders in windows in a daw?
for example

Daw session folder>session file>waves

MPC project folder>program file(folder?)>sequence file

so for each "song" the sequence,track and program would be in one project folder which was named "song title"...or no?

don't sweat the details, you can organize your files however you like, the mpc is just a computer that only does mpc things, it has the same concept of directory hierachy as any other computer.

it's definatly a good idea to keep all the pgm files and samples for a project in the same folder. but you can keep them pretty much anywhere you like,

i personally tend to keep everything in the root folder, in total chaos. and just use another cf card when it gets too crazy.

Thanks. I really was over complicating it. i'm getting it now. i see the MPC is kind of a blank slate that becomes whatever you make it.(within its parameters)

I put it all in one folder and its easy access for me no need to overthink it. I do it like Motosega.

For saving, I find its best to save samples and programs first, then save sequences. I've had zero problems doing this than save everything. Loading; the same, samples and programs then sequences. The whole process should take a few seconds. And be sure to name everything so you know whats what.

Thanks for the response. I'm getting it now! Just got my 2gb CF and 128 ram so you know what that means!

what i do is i create a folder thats says Projects, every time I'm working on a beat I save entire memory project to a new folder inside the "projects" folder, i name the new folder the name of the beat I'm working on and save the entire memory project into that folder samples and all… sometimes when I'm sampling stuff and i decide not to save the beat but i like the samples and want to save them, i have a folder called "digging" this is where i save all the sample i dig from vinyl or the net.. hope this helps, just create a bunch of sub folders in your memory card..

inflict3 wrote:what i do is i create a folder thats says Projects, every time I'm working on a beat I save entire memory project to a new folder inside the "projects" folder, i name the new folder the name of the beat I'm working on and save the entire memory project into that folder samples and all.

this is the part that is currently driving me crazy..i can make a folder that says projects like on the computer and put the folder into the cf card..but when i get to saving how do i create a sub folder..im just not seeing the option within the mpc. so everything just saves in the root and i have to put the card in the pc and move everything. HELP!!!! i just lost an hours worth of work. if i had hair i would pull it out. thanks

p.s im trying to save multiple sequences in one project. is that bad? cuz for me it would be easier access live.

push the right cursor button to go into the folder called projects, then on the top text turn the data wheel and it should say create a new folder, do this with in your projects folder and save your "entire memory project" in there, entire memory project is everything in memory, all your sequences and all samples, everything, you will get the hang of it, it **** with me at first real bad, i just sat and messed with it till i got it..you will get it.

I hate writing with the 500. The cursor jumps to the next letter randomly and it's just a ball ache.

I just create the folders on my laptop when the CF card is loaded. Much much much quicker.

Thanks for the help! I've managed to save 5 songs so its a start!

mastasteez wrote:I hate writing with the 500. The cursor jumps to the next letter randomly and it's just a ball ache.

I just create the folders on my laptop when the CF card is loaded. Much much much quicker.

you will get the hang of that too, use the pads to enter in the letters, after like a second of not typing it will move to the next space, i actually like how it does better then the 1000, but i guess I'm more use to it then anything….

yo iamhoward, glad you are getting it

thanks..ive been working every night after work. programming beats to sync up with my live-looped guitar and vocals. ill be poppin the mpc 500s cherry this friday at a show.

iamhoward wrote:thanks..ive been working every night after work. programming beats to sync up with my live-looped guitar and vocals. ill be poppin the mpc 500s cherry this friday at a show.

sweet!! what city you in?? also check out youtube for tutorials

I'm in Wisconsin Dells. Yes i've found youtube to be a big help. Once i realized all the Akai MPc's work pretty much the same with just some different features i started watching all the mpc tutorials and learning bits from each. it's getting easier everytime I use it for sure.