Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
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By Blue Haze Wed Sep 05, 2018 1:14 am
https://ledgernote.com/columns/studio-r ... n-staging/

This is an excellent article for all 4K users and others be it a mpc, recorder, DAW or digital device by studio engineers Many of us as home studio producers have to wear all hats, producer, engineer, mixer and master for our production. This great article and others like it will give great insight and capabilities to that 24 bit unit that 4K users have and true understanding of the peak meters used in the digital realm. The article explains it all.
By CharlesRandolph Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:00 am
Blue Haze wrote:https://www.massivemastering.com/blog/index_files/Proper_Audio_Recording_Levels.php

Different article same info. Set yours recording levels right in the digital realm to get better samples, mixes, and tracks.



This is the process that many people are missing. They don't know how to get the best results from their gear. This is the reason I think people, talk about the punch of certain machines. It does not really have more punch, people are just pushing them into distortions levels and not knowing what they are doing,

However you can put them on another machine with more head room, and they say it's too clean.
It's not too clean, you just have a machine that has more headroom and you're not pushing the level into distortions. :lol: I like distortions, but it needs to be intentional, and should be able to be produced on other gear.

They'll have these thin drums and say, I'll sample it into the sp12 and it will have that punch. I'm like hmmmm NO, it going to be thin drums, sampled into a sp12. I tell them forget the machine, and learn how to learn sounds.
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By Blue Haze Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:09 am
I had to learn the hard way due to ignorance and misinformation on the net and from working alone. I estimated that a lot of pros learned this key information information the first time they tracked out in a pro studio. The engineer schooled them on the the importance of levels, how to set them, read them and set the best sound aka signal to record. We have to wear many hats at home. But everything is exactly like they say get the sounds right first.

I hope it helps out a lot of users.
By CharlesRandolph Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:18 pm
Blue Haze wrote:I had to learn the hard way due to ignorance and misinformation on the net and from working alone. I estimated that a lot of pros learned this key information information the first time they tracked out in a pro studio. The engineer schooled them on the the importance of levels, how to set them, read them and set the best sound aka signal to record. We have to wear many hats at home. But everything is exactly like they say get the sounds right first.

I hope it helps out a lot of users.


I think listening is the toughest part to learn and once we get it. We have to learn it again. :) Due to computer monitors and such, I find many people track and mix with their eyes. I also wonder if people realize that most consumer devices, do not really support loud mixes.

I was taught a long time ago, track and mix for clarity over loudness. If someone likes the song, that's what the volume buttons/knobs are for. Nevertheless the information you've posted is a good guide.
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By Blue Haze Fri Sep 07, 2018 12:42 am
You are right on the money. Clarity is foremost get the source right first.
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By saltmcgault Fri Sep 07, 2018 12:57 am
Blue Haze wrote:I had to learn the hard way due to ignorance and misinformation on the net and from working alone. I estimated that a lot of pros learned this key information information the first time they tracked out in a pro studio. The engineer schooled them on the the importance of levels, how to set them, read them and set the best sound aka signal to record. We have to wear many hats at home. But everything is exactly like they say get the sounds right first.

I hope it helps out a lot of users.


You're right. Thanks for the link. I'm going to go ahead and swan dive into it and hopefully resurface with a different piece of mind. Much appreciated! :worthy:
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By Blue Haze Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:22 am
Anytime. You are welcome.
By CharlesRandolph Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:04 am
Have you used a 8 in VU Meter, when mixing inside the 4000? Was thinking of picking up 2 SM PRO VU800 8 CHANNEL PASSIVE. However with SM Pro Audio, you never know what you're getting or what it does it the sound?

However having metering on the MPC 4000 would be great. I also posted this before, but have you ever routed a midi fader controller to the MPC 4000 to control the MPC 4000's mixer instead of using the QLINK fader. If so how did you set it up?
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By Blue Haze Sat Sep 15, 2018 4:05 am
Nope can't say I have. My mixing is pretty much digital these days.
By wavejockey Wed Sep 26, 2018 8:08 am
after reading these posts and related articles i tried it last weekend with a recording i made on/through the 4000
indeed, if you watch your (overal) level(s), it makes huge difference ; let it breathe, gives it space
gracie
j
Last edited by wavejockey on Sat Sep 29, 2018 9:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By saltmcgault Sat Sep 29, 2018 6:43 am
really like that link blue clears up a lot of stuff you were explaining. after dinkin around in ableton it’s starting to make a ton of sense. thanks!!!! :worthy: