So what's the point of Programs anyway?

Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
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So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By The Jackal Tue Apr 12, 2016 1:04 am
Actually, I know what the purpose of programs is...save the sounds you've assigned to pads and their settings, but why would you need to load more than 1 at a time? I can understand needing to load all 4 Programs up at once if you're doing a live performance where you'll need all your songs n' pieces at hand so you can transition from one to another without having to load sequences and whatnot in between, but other than that? The only reason I can see for loading multiple programs is if you maybe have go-to drum kits, maybe you've mapped out a bass program, maybe you set something up auto-chromatically. If you've exceeded the 64 pad limit with one program?

I'm just wondering if I'm not utilizing my machine as much as I should be by not bothering with multiple programs. I just load up the sounds & chops I'm going to use and save them all under a single program. The only thing I could really see myself doing is like, maybe make an 808 or 909 kit and loading it up at the beginning of a new project so I have some drums in there, creating different drum kits and saving them as Programs so I don't have to root through the MPC and load up a bunch of samples every time I want to bang out some rhythms. Thing is, I like creating all my drum kits and everything from scratch, so I'm not even sure if multiple programs serve me any purpose. I don't even think I save my chops as their own program; I usually just chop stuff up and save it into the program with all the other samples and drum hits I've been using for a project. Should I save chops as their own program? I know there's no wrong way to use the MPC, but I'm trying to make sure I'm at least using it to it's fullest extent & capabilities.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By Lampdog Tue Apr 12, 2016 1:21 am
Admission. I only read title and first line.

Program on a keyboard/synth is also called a patch, 128 keys in full piano.
Program on mpc is exactly the same, 128 keys.

You can use 1 program as a full piano. 1 sample each octave to acheive some realism.

Second patch can be a full Rhodes. 1 sample each octave to acheive some realism.

Third patch can be a full 128 keynote string something something. 1 sample each octave to acheive some realism.

4th program can be what you said, all your bits and pieces (DRUM track in 2kxl).

This allows keyboards/pad bangers and drummers to get to every note on a piano from bottom to top (Chromatic). The reason why when people sample and there pitches are slow or high and can't figure out why. It's how many samplers are designed to mimic a keyboard and all it's notes. It's way more complex but I'm cutting alot of it short. My Triton Extreme, 2kxl, 4k and ASR10 are all this way. 1 program/patch/instrument per track.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By Lampdog Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:20 am
OG 2k was designed having only 1 program. I am glad I jumped into the 2kxl instead.

Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By martintrapp Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:04 am
I think the point is that you can check your beats with different settings/sounds. Your tracks assign one of the 4 Drum holder (or Midi). Each Drum holder assign a program globally. So when you have 10 tracks, all of them using DRUM holder 1, you just change the program of the drum holder with a different snare and kicks etc... and it changes across all your sequences and tracks (where you used DRUM 1). No need to change each track and each sequence manually.

Track >> Drum holder >> Program

Is it clear?

Edit: Last time I used it I wanted to try a different kick but I didn't want to destroy my current program (layers, filters etc). So I just duplicated the program and changed the kick and assigned the drum holder to the new program. In the case you do not like it its just one move with the jog wheel to get back the original sounds. Is it useful? Yazzz!
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By chrisrob101 Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:56 pm
WORKFLOW man WORKFLOW

This:

The only thing I could really see myself doing is like, maybe make an 808 or 909 kit and loading it up at the beginning of a new project so I have some drums in there, creating different drum kits and saving them as Programs so I don't have to root through the MPC and load up a bunch of samples every time I want to bang out some rhythms.

You don't want to be loading up new drums everytime you make a beat. Sometimes you just want jump on and bang something out, MPC in one hand, IPA in the other.

It also helps to have plenty of different sounds on hand so you can chop and change.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By MPC-Tutor Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:27 pm
While you're at it, why have multiple tracks? You could just record all your sample based stuff to a single DRUM track, but that will get messy real soon. Similarly with programs, using different programs for different 'groups' of sounds gives you more flexibility, more organisation, and generally makes your life a lot easier. And of course it gives you more pads to work with. But it's an option, you can just use a single program for your entire song, if that works for you.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By distortedtekno Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:37 pm
Lampdog wrote:OG 2k was designed having only 1 program. I am glad I jumped into the 2kxl instead.

The Classic can load several PGMs into RAM. I forget the limit off-hand. But you can switch PGMs while the sequence is playing. So while it's not as flexible as the XL, being able to switch PGMs in real time is pretty handy. I never realized it until now when I fired it up. I forget if it's in the manual. But I'll check later and see exactly where the limitations lie. It seems more flexible than I originally thought. It's been a while since I fired up the 2K. But I'm glad that I did since it's still more fun than making beats on my SP-404sx or my iPad.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By tapedeck Tue Apr 12, 2016 5:06 pm
most people aren't using their mpcs to the fullest - join the club. thats the beauty of this instrument, it can do 1 thing really well, or you can really squeeze some power out of it.

having said that, you answered your own question as to why to use multiple programs. i almost always use all 4 at once...either because of auto-chromatic programs, different drum kits, etc.
to be honest though i almost always run my mpc at full max except for ram - last project i was working on i ran out of sequence memory, wav count memory (256), and program count (24). the sequence one was a new one to me.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By Lampdog Tue Apr 12, 2016 5:47 pm
distortedtekno wrote:
Lampdog wrote:OG 2k was designed having only 1 program. I am glad I jumped into the 2kxl instead.

The Classic can load several PGMs into RAM. I forget the limit off-hand. But you can switch PGMs while the sequence is playing. So while it's not as flexible as the XL, being able to switch PGMs in real time is pretty handy. I never realized it until now when I fired it up. I forget if it's in the manual. But I'll check later and see exactly where the limitations lie. It seems more flexible than I originally thought. It's been a while since I fired up the 2K. But I'm glad that I did since it's still more fun than making beats on my SP-404sx or my iPad.


1 active program is what I meant.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By richie Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:07 pm
I don't create programs on my MPC, my butler does.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By distortedtekno Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:31 pm
Lampdog wrote:
distortedtekno wrote:
Lampdog wrote:OG 2k was designed having only 1 program. I am glad I jumped into the 2kxl instead.

The Classic can load several PGMs into RAM. I forget the limit off-hand. But you can switch PGMs while the sequence is playing. So while it's not as flexible as the XL, being able to switch PGMs in real time is pretty handy. I never realized it until now when I fired it up. I forget if it's in the manual. But I'll check later and see exactly where the limitations lie. It seems more flexible than I originally thought. It's been a while since I fired up the 2K. But I'm glad that I did since it's still more fun than making beats on my SP-404sx or my iPad.


1 active program is what I meant.

Yeah I knew you meant that. I just wanted to throw in some more info incase anyone was curious.
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Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By Lampdog Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:17 pm
The Jackal wrote:I'm just wondering if I'm not utilizing my machine as much as I should be by not bothering with multiple programs.


This.

There is more fun to be had here, lol. Imagine all the possibilities we've mentioned here.

Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By MrDismal Tue Apr 12, 2016 11:40 pm
martintrapp wrote:Edit: Last time I used it I wanted to try a different kick but I didn't want to destroy my current program (layers, filters etc). So I just duplicated the program and changed the kick and assigned the drum holder to the new program. In the case you do not like it its just one move with the jog wheel to get back the original sounds. Is it useful? Yazzz!


If I want to try new sounds for instance, I'd just save my work, go change it, if I don't like it, I'll simply just reload the song.

Re: So what's the point of Programs anyway?

By martintrapp Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:54 pm
MrDismal wrote:
martintrapp wrote:Edit: Last time I used it I wanted to try a different kick but I didn't want to destroy my current program (layers, filters etc). So I just duplicated the program and changed the kick and assigned the drum holder to the new program. In the case you do not like it its just one move with the jog wheel to get back the original sounds. Is it useful? Yazzz!


If I want to try new sounds for instance, I'd just save my work, go change it, if I don't like it, I'll simply just reload the song.


Yep that works too. But reloading your whole stuff is more time than changing the active program.
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